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GCSE AQA Geography > Topic 5 - Ecosystems > Flashcards

Topic 5 - Ecosystems Flashcards

Unit 1: Living with the Physical Environment (Section B - The Living World)

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

An ecosystem is a natural system made up of plants, animals and the environment. There are often complex interrelationships (links) between the living and nonliving components of an ecosystem.

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2
Q

What is an biotic component?

A

Biotic components are the living features of an ecosystem such as plants and fish

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3
Q

What is an abiotic component?

A

Abiotic components are non-living environmental factors such as climate (temperature and rainfall), soil, water temperature and light.

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4
Q

What are some examples of a small scale ecosystem?

A
  • Pond
  • Hedgerow
  • Woodland
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5
Q

What are some examples of a global scale ecosystem?

A
  • Tropical rainforest
  • Deciduous woodland
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6
Q

What is a producer?

A

Producers convert energy from the environment (mainly sunlight) into sugars (glucose). The most obvious producers are plants that convert energy from the Sun by photosynthesis.

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7
Q

What is a consumer?

A

Consumers get energy from the sugars produced by the producers. A pond snail is a good example of a consumer because it eats plants.

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8
Q

What is a decomposer?

A

Decomposers break down plant and animal material and return the nutrients to the soil. Bacteria and fungi are good examples of decomposers.

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9
Q

What is a food chain?

A

A food chain shows the direct links (hence the term ‘chain’) between producers and consumers in the form of a simple line

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10
Q

What is a food web?

A

A food web shows all the connections between producers and consumers in a rather more complex way

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11
Q

What is nutrient cycling?

A

Nutrients are foods that are used by plants or animals to grow. There are two main sources of nutrients:

  • rainwater washes chemicals out of the atmosphere
  • weathered rock releases nutrients into the soil.

When plants or animals die, the decomposers help to recycle the nutrients making them available once again for the growth of plants or animals. This is the nutrient cycle.

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12
Q

What is an example of a Woodland food web?

A
  • Sycamore (tree) is eaten by the earthworm and bank vole
  • Earthworm is eaten by the bank vole, common frog and badger
  • The bank vole is eaten by the grass snake and barn owl
  • The common frog is eaten by the grass snake and barn owl
  • The grass snake is eaten by the badger
  • The barn owl is eaten by nothing
  • The badger is eaten by nothing
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13
Q

What are the impacts of change on an ecosystem?

A

If there is a change to one of the components, e.g., all the bank voles are eaten, then the rest of the species in the food web won’t get their food

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14
Q

What causes change to ecosystems?

A
  • Natural changes: e.g., droughts can be devastating to ponds and lakes, and they can also dry out plants. Fish starved of oxygen may not survive
  • Changes due to human activities: e.g., removing habitats, can have knock-on-effects through the entire food web
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15
Q

How can changes affect the woodland ecosystem?

A

e.g., if a wolf was added to the ecosystem, then more badgers would be eaten, meaning there will end up being more earthworms

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16
Q

What is a biome?

A

A large scale ecosystem, with similarities in climate, plants and animals

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17
Q

What are some examples of biomes?

A
  • Desert
  • Tundra
  • Savanna
  • Rainforest
  • Temperate grassland
  • Polar
  • Deciduous and coniferous forests
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18
Q

Where are Deserts located?

A

Roughly 30 degrees north and south of the equator

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19
Q

What is the climate like in a Desert?

A
  • Hot and dry
  • Winter temperature: 50 degrees Fahrenheit
19
Q

What animals are there in a Desert?

A
  • Perentie
  • Fennec fox
  • Kangaroo rat
19
Q

What vegetation is there in a Desert?

A
  • Cactus
  • Ephemerals
  • Acacia trees
19
Q

What is the climate like in a Savanna?

A
  • Dry winters
  • Wet summers
19
Q

Where are Tundras located?

A

From the Arctic Circle to about 60-70° north (e.g. Canada, Northern Europe). There are only very small areas of tundra in the southern hemisphere due to the lack of land at these latitudes.

19
Q

What is the climate like in a Tundra?

A
  • 15 - 20 cm rain annually
  • -34 degrees celsius in the winter
  • 3 - 12 degrees celsius in the summer
20
Q

What vegetation is there in a Tundra?

A
  • Shrubs
  • Mosses
  • Grass
20
Q

What vegetation is there in Savanna?

A

Small wide trees

20
Q

Where are Savannas located?

A

Between 15 - 30 degrees north and south of the equator

20
Q

What animals are there in a Tundra?

A
  • Polar bears
  • Ox
  • Wolves
  • Birds
21
Q

What animals are there in a Savanna?

A
  • Giraffes
  • Lions
  • Cheetahs
  • Hyenas
  • Zebras
  • Elephants
22
Q

Where are Tropical Rainforests located?

A

Close to the equator

23
Q

What is the climate like in a Tropical Rainforest?

A
  • Hot
  • Wet all year
24
Q

What vegetation is there in a Tropical Rainforest?

A
  • Shrubs
  • Tall, straight trees
  • Coffee beans
  • Cocoa beans
24
Q

What animals are there in a Tropical Rainforest?

A
  • Snakes
  • Alligators
  • Indian elephants
  • Trantulas
25
Q

What vegetation is there in a Temperate Grassland?

A

Grass

25
Q

Where are Temperate Grasslands located?

A

Roughly 30-40° north and south of the Equator. Inland away from coasts, with hot summers and cold winters.

25
Q

What animals are there in a Temperate Grassland?

A
  • Cow
  • Sheep
25
Q

What is the climate like in a Temperate Grassland?

A
  • Hot summers and winters
  • 30 - 40 degrees celcius
26
Q

Where are Polars located?

A

Arctic/Antarctic

26
Q

What is the climate like in a Polar?

A

Dry conditions

26
Q

What vegetation is there in a Polar?

A
  • Flowers
  • Mosses
  • Shrubs
27
Q

What animals are there in a Polar?

A
  • Polar bears
  • Arctic foxes
28
Q

What is the climate like in a Deciduous and Coniferous Forest?

A
  • Summer: above 20 degrees celsius
  • Winter: below -15 degrees celsius
29
Q

Where are Deciduous and Coniferous Forests located?

A

Roughly 50 - 60 degrees north of the equator

30
Q

What vegetation is there in a Deciduous and Coniferous Forest?

A
  • Fir
  • Spruce
  • Pine trees
30
Q

What animals are there in a Deciduous and Coniferous Forest?

A
  • Squirrels
  • Birds
  • Racoons
  • Deer

GCSE AQA Geography (25 decks)

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