Year 10 Mocks (Rainforest and Deserts)

Question 1

Producer

Answer 1

An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis. It also needs water, carbon dioxide and nutrients from soil/rock to produce what it needs for itself.

Question 2

Consumer

Answer 2

Creature that eats herbivores and or/matter. They obtain the energy from what they eat.

Question 3

Decomposer

Answer 3

An organism such as bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead tissue, whcih effectively recycles their nutrients back to the environment.

Question 4

Nutrient cycling

Answer 4

A set of processes whereby organism extract nutrients. (e.g. nitrogen, potash, and potassium) necessary for growth from soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain - and back to the soil and water where the die.

Question 5

How have plants adapted in the Amazon Rainforest

Answer 5

• Lianas are woody creepier that get carried up by trees into the canopy where they have leaves and flowers (maximises the sunlight they get)
• Buttress roots keep trees sturdy, transport water, also help oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange by increasing surface area
• Thin smooth bark allows water to flow down the tree easily and stops other plants from growing on the tree surface.

Question 6

How have animals adapted in the rainforest?

Answer 6

• Sloths have specialised tendons in their hands and feet that lock into place, allowing them to hang upside down for long periods of time without wasting any energy. They also use camouflage and move slowly to make it hard for predators to spot them.
• The toucan has a large bill to reach fruit on branches that are too weak to support them. They can also regulate the flow of their blood to its bill so the bird can distribute heat away from the body.

Question 7

Why should we protect the rainforests

Answer 7

• Climate change. Rainforests absorb and store carbon dioxide a gas that is partly responsible for climate change. 28% of the worlds oxygen comes from the rainforests.
• Medicine. Around 25% of all medicines come from rainforests plants more than 2000 tropical plants have anti-cancer properties.
• Biodiversity / people - Half of all plants and animals in world live in the rainforest. Indigenous tribes live in the worlds rainforests making use of. the forests resources.

Question 8

Soil erosion

Answer 8

Removal of topsoil faster than it can be replaced due to natural and human activity

Question 9

Achuar Indigenous People

Answer 9

Tribe of around 11,000. If big companies are allowed to drill they will lose some traditional lands and will see their environmnet damaged by oil pollution. In 2012 the oil company Talisman Energy stopped their oil exploitation in the region.

Question 10

Goods from resources in the rainforest as an opportunity

Answer 10

Periwinkle plant found in Madagascar gives two important medicines : vinblastine and vincristine. Vinblastine increased the chances of surviving childhood leukaemia from 10% to 95% and vincristine is used to treat Hodgkin’s disease. Also things like soap, sugar, rubber and rope.

Question 11

Sustainable use of the rainforest

Answer 11

• Ecotourism introduces people to the natural world, funding local communities and places trying to protect the environment. However they are expensive so many people choose not to go on them
• International agreements have been made that they will only buy wood with FSC badge to show it has been sustainably sourced. Negative is not everyone follows the agreement

Question 12

How have plants adapted in the desert?

Answer 12

• Seeds can stay dormant for years but can germinate quickly when it rains
• Cacti can drink salt water which is often found in desert soils. Also able to grow 15 metres and store 800 litres of water, and roots are long and widespread to tap underground’s water.