TOPIC 3: Ecosystems, biodiversity and management 🐙🪼

Question 1

What is an ecosystem ?

Hint: a community

Answer 1

• an ecosystem is a community of living organisms, and their non-living environment

Question 2

• Fill in the gaps: The ________ in an area determines what type of ecosystem forms. Therefore different parts of the world have different __________, because they have different climates.

Answer 2

• The climate in an area determines what type of ecosystem forms. Therefore different parts of the world have different ecosystems because they have different climates.

Question 3

What are the seven global ecosystems ? [7]

Answer 3

The seven global ecosystems are:

• tropical forests
• temperate forests
• boreal forests
• deserts
• tropical grasslands
• temperate grasslands
• tundra

Question 4

What are the two other factors that affect the distribution of global ecosystems ?

Answer 4

• two other factors that affect the distribution of global ecosystems are: altitude and soil type

Question 5

How does altitude affect the distribution of ecosystems ?

Answer 5

• altitude, is the height above sea level.
• higher altitudes are colder, meaning fewer plants grow there- which limits the number of animal species.
• this then means, there’s not much organic matter, so soils are either thin or non-existent.

Question 6

How does soil type affect the distribution of ecosystems ?

Hint: nutrient-rich soil

Answer 6

• soil-type can affect the distribution of ecosystems because, more nutrient-rich soil can support more plants
• ; as the acidity, drainage and thickness of soils also varies, this can affect the plants that can grow.

Question 7

How can the acidity, drainage and thickness of soil vary the plants that can grow ?

Hint: tolerant

Answer 7

• peat-solids are very acidic, so only acid tolerant plants [such as conifers] can grow in these soils.
• clay soils are sticky, therefore water can’t flow through very easily- this makes it hards for plants that need well-drained solids to grow.
• thin soils [for example, on mountain tops] don’t have enough nutrients for large trees to grow.

Question 8

What climate do tropical forests have ?

Hint: dosen’t change

Answer 8

• tropical forests have a hot, wet climate and:
• the climate in tropical forests doesn’t change throughout the year- as it’s consistently hot and rainy.
• day length [normally twelve hours] is the same throughout the whole year= the forests get plenty of sunshine.

Question 9

What soil characteristics do tropical forests have ?

Hint: constant supply

Answer 9

• soil-plants shed all year round and decompose quickly.
• this means there’s a constant supply of nutrients in the soil, and these nutrients are cycled quickly.

Question 10

What type of animal species are found in the tropical forests ?

Answer 10

• In the tropical forests, the types of animal species found in the tropical forests are:
• sloths
• pythons
• beetles
• macaws

Question 11

What is the climate of temperate forests ?

Hint: mild

Answer 11

• temperate forests have a mild, wet climate and:
• rainfall is very high [up to 1500m per year], and there’s rain all year round.
• days are also shorter in winter; longer in the summer [the hours of sunshine vary throughout the year]

Question 12

What is the characteristics of temperate forests ?

Answer 12

• plants- in the temperate forests, there are fewer plant species than tropical forests ; more than boreal forests.
• Forests in the temperate forests, are normally made up of broad- leaved trees, that drop their leaves in autumn.
• animals- the mild climate, and the range of plants in the temperate forest provide food and habitats for mammals, birds and insects.
• soils- in the temperate forests, plants lose their leaves in autumn + leaf litter decomposes quite quickly= soils are relatively thick and nutrient-rich.

Question 13

What mammals are usually in the temperate forest ?

Answer 13

• foxes or squirrels

Question 14

What birds are normally found in the temperate forest ?

Answer 14

• woodpeckers and cuckoos

Question 15

What insects are normally found in the temperate forest ?

Answer 15

• beetles and moths.

Question 16

What is the climate of boreal forests ?

Answer 16

• boreal forests have a cold, dry climate and:
• boreal forests have short summers and long winters. In winter, average temperatures are actually below -20*c [but can drop lower].
• ; In the summer, average temperatures are about 10*c.

Question 17

What is the precipitation of boreal forests ?

Answer 17

• precipitation is low [generally less than 500m per year]. A lot of this falls as snow Aswell.

Question 18

What else can you tell me about the climate of boreal forests ?

Answer 18

• boreal forests tend to get lots of daylight during the summer months; little or none during the winter.
• During daylight there’s plenty of sunshine, because skies tend to be clear.

Question 19

What is the characteristics of boreal forests ?

Answer 19

• plants- most trees are evergreen, and can grow when there’s enough light. [Coniferous trees such as pine and fir are also common, because there are low-growing mosses and lichen]
• animals- there’s relatively few animal species in boreal forests, compared to other forests- since there’s less food available.
• soils- cool and dry climate= needles from the trees decompose slowly= soils are quite thin, nutrient poor and acidic. [In some areas the ground is even frozen for most of the year]

Question 20

What is the climate of deserts ?

Answer 20

• [most deserts are generally found in a belt of high pressure and low rainfall, between 15* and 35* north and south of the equator. Deserts also tend to have hot, dry climates.]
• rainfall is very low- at less than 250mm per year. It might only rain every two or three years.
• hot desert temperatures can range from very hot in the day [e.g= 45c], to cold at night [e.g= below 0c]
• hot deserts also get more daylight during the summer, than the winter. This is because there’s little cloud cover, therefore they get lots of hours of sunshine.

Question 21

What are the characteristics of deserts ?

Answer 21

• plants- plant growth is meagre and sparse, because of a lack of rainfall. in the deserts, some plants that grow are cacti and throw bushes.
• animals- in deserts, there are relatively few animal species that live in hot deserts. Animal species that live in the deserts, are adapted to cope with the harsh climate.
• soil- the meagre and sparse vegetation of the desert means there’s little leaf litter, and the dry climate also means that organic matter is slow to decompose. Therefore, soils in the desert are mainly thin and nutrient-poor.

Question 22

• Fill in the gaps: In the desert, many plants have a _____ life cycle, only appearing when it _____.

Answer 22

• In the desert, many plants have a short life cycle, only appearing when it rains.

Question 23

What are some typical animals that live in the desert ?

Answer 23

• some animals that typically live in the deserts are: lizards, snakes, insects and scorpions.

Question 24

What is the climate of tropical grasslands?

Answer 24

• having a mostly dry climate, tropical grasslands are found near the equator, in places where there isn’t enough rain to support many trees.
• tropical grasslands have quite a low rainfall [of 800m- 900mm per year], Aswell as distinct wet and dry seasons. Fires are actually quite common, during the dry season.
• also, temperatures are the highest just before the wet season [at around 35c] and are the lowest just after the wet season [at about 15c]. Since tropical grasslands are near the equator, they gets lots of sunshine all year around.

Question 25

What are the characteristics of tropical grasslands ?

Answer 25

• plants- tropical grasslands normally consist of grass, scrub and small plants, with a few scattered trees [e.g- acacia.]
• soils- grass dies back, or is burned the dry season. It then forms a thin, nutrient-rich soil; nutrients are washed out of the soil, during the wet season.

Question 26

What animals are typically found in tropical grasslands ?

Answer 26

• animals that are typically found in tropical grasslands are: insects- [such as grasshoppers, beetles and termites].
• There are also other larger animals, including: lions, elephants, giraffes, Debra’s and antelopes.

Question 27

What plant characteristics do tropical forests have ?

Answer 27

plants- almost all the trees are evergreen. The plants in tropical forests, are adapted to take in maximum lights.

Question 28

What animal characteristics do tropical forests have ?

Answer 28

• animals- the dense vegetation of the tropical forest provides lots of food, Aswell as different habitats for animals= there are lots of different species of animals in the tropical forests.