Topic 7

Question 1

What is a biome? What do they include?

Answer 1

Large scale global ecosystem

Ecosystems include all living and nonliving things

Question 2

Describe the climate of a tropical forest?

Answer 2

Same all year around
Its hot (20-28°c)
Near the equator
Day length is the same all year around
Rainfall is very high (2000mm a year)

Question 3

Describe the characteristics of tropical forests?

Answer 3

Plants- most are evergreen, plants grow quickly, adapted to take in maximum light
Animals- lots of food available due to dense population, lots of habitats
Soil-plants grow quickly so they shed leaves. Constant supply of nutrients.

Question 4

Describe the climate in temperate forests?

Answer 4

Four distinct seasons
Summers are warm
Winters are cold
Rainfall is very high (1500mm a year)
Days are shorter in winter and longer in the summer

Question 5

Describe the characteristics of a temperate forest?

Answer 5

Plants- mild wet weather means fewer species, made up of broad leaved trees that shed leaves in autumn.
Animals-range of plants gives variety of food for animals
Soil- plants lose leaves in autumn, leaf litter decomposes quickly in moist mild climate. Soil is thick and nutrient rich

Question 6

Describe the climate of boreal forests?

Answer 6

Short summers and long winters
Temp average below -20°c in winter And 10°in summer
precipitation is low (500mm) mostly snow
Lots of daylight in summer not much in winter

Question 7

Describe the characteristics of boreal forests

Answer 7

Plants- mostly evergreen (coniferous) trees have needles
Animals- few animal species, less food, must be adapted to cold
Soil- needles tale a long time to decompose, soil is thin and nutrient poor

Question 8

Describe the climate in tropical grasslands?

Answer 8

Low rainfall
Distinct wet and dry seasons 
Temperature highest just before the wet season (35°) and lowest after it (15°)
Found around the equator 
Lots of sunshine

Question 9

Describe the climate in temperate grasslands

Answer 9

Hot summers(40°c)
Cold winters (-40°)
250-500 mm of precipitation a year

Question 10

Describe the characteristics of tropical grasslands

Answer 10

Plants-grass, shrubs, small plants
Animals, lots of insects, lions elephants etc
Soil-grass dies during dry season forming a thin nutrient rich soil but wet season washes nutrients out.

Question 11

Describe the characteristics of temperate grasslands

Answer 11

Plants-dominated by grasses and small plants, few trees
Animals- wild horses, mole rats
Soil-soil is thick and nutrient rich

Question 12

Describe the climate in the desert

Answer 12

Rainfall is low
Hot temp (45°c) in day, cold at night (below 0°)
Lots if sun as little cloud cover

Question 13

Describe the characteristics of deserts

Answer 13

Plants- little rainfall means little vegetation
Animals- few animals, camels, lizards, snakes
Soil-thin and nutrient poor

Question 14

Describe the climate of the tundra

Answer 14

Low temps (5-10°) in summer and lower in winter (-30°)
Low precipitation
Found at high altitudes.
Near continuous daylight in summer
Little or no sunlight in winter

Question 15

Describe the characteristics of the tundra

Answer 15

Plants- lack of light and cold makes it hard for vegetation to grow
Animals- few species of animal due to cold conditions
Soil-little vegetation means it is nutrient poor. Laters of permafrost below soil surface stops water from draining away.

Question 16

What affects the distribution of biomes

Answer 16

Altitude- higher altitudes are colder
Rock type-some rock types are easily weathered to form soils
Soil type-more nutrient rich soils support more vegetation
Drainage-if drainage is poor soil gets waterlogged.

Question 17

What sort of resources does the biosphere produce?

Answer 17

Food
Medicine
Fuel
Building materials

Question 18

How do humans exploit the biosphere?

Answer 18

Energy- increasing population increases demand. Crops grown here can be burnt to make biofuels. Large spaces are cleared for coal mines or power stations.

Water- water is being taken from the biosphere due to increasing population. This is bad as plants and animals wont have as much water.

Minerals- gold and iron can be used for buildings and lots of other things. They are extracted by mining

Question 19

How does the biosphere help regulate gases?

Answer 19

Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen

Animals take in oxygen and and give out carbon dioxide

Question 20

What does the biotic components of a biome mean

Answer 20

The biotic components of the living part of the biome e.g. plants and animals

Question 21

What does the abiotic components of a biome mean

Answer 21

The abiotic components of the nonliving parts e.g. soil water rock atmosphere

Question 22

What are some examples of how the biotic and abiotic components of biomes interact

Answer 22

• Water availability affects the plants that can grow

- The type of density of vegetation grows affect the type of soil that forms

Question 23

Why is it important to maintain the balance of gases in the atmosphere

Answer 23

Most living organisms need oxygen to survive
Increased levels of CO2 lead to global warming
Increased levels of CO2 can also make the oceans acidic affecting organisms that live there
Some CO2 is needed to keep that woman off to support life

Question 24

What is the water cycle

Answer 24

The water cycle is the movement of water between the land, bodies of water and the atmosphere

Question 25

How does the water cycle go

Answer 25

Clouds form
It rains
Water runs to the rivers and the sea
Water evaporates
Repeat

Question 26

How is the biosphere an important control on the water cycle

Answer 26

Water is taken up by plants, so less reaches rivers preventing flooding and soil erosion

Plants also help regulate the global water cycle by storing water and releasing it slowly

Question 27

How can an increased demand for one resource increase demand for another

Answer 27

More people means more food. This means an increase in demand for water

Question 28

How was increasing wealth increased demand on resources

Answer 28

Wealthier people have more disposable income.

They have more money to spend on food and they often buy more than they need
They can afford cars, fridges, televisions all of which is energy. Manufacturing these goods and producing energy to random water uses a lot of water

Question 29

How is increased urbanisation increased demand for resources

Answer 29

Cities tend to be more resource intensive than rural areas. Street lights and neon signs use energy and Fountains in urban parks require water

Question 30

How has increased industrialisation increased demand for resources

Answer 30

Manufacturing goods uses a lot of energy. Manufacturing also uses a lot of water. As countries become more industrialised the demand for energy and water increases

Industrialisation is increasing the production of processed goods. This increases the demand for ingredients such as palm oil

Question 31

Who was Thomas Malthus

Answer 31

Thomas Malthus was an 18th century economist

Question 32

What did Thomas Malthus believe

Answer 32

I thought that population was increasing faster and supply of resources so eventually they would be too many people for the resources available

He believed that, when this happened, people will be killed by catastrophes such as famine, illness and war, and the population would return to a level that would be supported by the resources available for

Question 33

Who was boserup

Answer 33

Ester boserup was a 20th century economist

Question 34

What did Esther Boserup believe

Answer 34

Her theory was that however big the worlds population grew people would always produce sufficient resources to meet their needs

She thought that if resource supplies became limited, people would come up with new ways to increase production in order to avoid hardship