Year 11 The living world Flashcards
What’s an ecostsyem
A natural system in which the life cycles of plants and animals are closely linked to each other and to the non-living environment
Environment
The interaction of plants and animals with their non-living environment
Non-living environment (abiotic)
Includes examples such as rocks, soil, the air and the climate
Living environment (biotic)
Includes examples such as birds, animals, fish, insects and people
Biome
This is a large ecosystem such as a tropical rainforest or desert
Producers
Plants in an ecosystem and form foundation of food webs. Without producers, the ecosystem couldn’t support other animals
Primary consumers
Herbivores that eat producers e.g. insects
Secondary consumers
Small carnivores that prey on the primary consumers e.g. birds, also carnivores
Tertiary consumers
These top predators feed on the animals below them in the food web and have no predators of their own
Decomposer
An organism such as bacterium or fungus, that breaks down dead tissue which effectively recycles nutrients back to the environment
Food web
The connections between different organisms (plants and animals) that rely upon one another as their source of food
Food chain
A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other for food
Nutrient cycle
A set of processes where organisms extract nutrients necessary for growth from the soil or water, before passing them on through the food chain and back to the soil and water when they die
What are the 3 main stages of the nutrient cycle
Litter, biomass and soil
Litter in the nutrient cycle
Rainfall lands on possibly some surface run-off which washes some leaves away
leaves decompose from bacteria. fungi and small insects
Soil in the nutrient cycle
Made up of the decomposed leaves and weathering of parent rock may experience leaching if too much rain and plants take up the nutrients from the soil
Biomass in the nutrient cycle
Made up of plant uptake and produces litter which is animal waste and leaves off plants
How does prolonged rainfall effect and ecosystem
The soil may become leached, removing nutrients from the soil or more surface run-off moving the litter elsewhere
How do droughts effect ecosystems
The plants may die, reducing litter, also lack of nutrients coming from the rain
How does deforestation effect ecosystems
Less biomass meaning less litter etc. also more surface run-off as less interception. Also destroying habitats for animals
Location of Arctic tundra
Found at arctic and covers 20% of earth’s surface
Climate of Arctic Tundra
Cold and treeless. Av. temp in summer in -10*C only 25mm rain (same as desert)
What plants and animals are found at the Arctic tundra
Arctic hare, snowy owl. Small shrubs grow in groups and stay low to the ground with short roots
Location of Coniferous forest (taiga)
North America, parts of Canada, northern Europe and Asia usually at higher altitudes
Climate of coniferous forest
Cooler parts of world, winter temps low as -20C, more rain in summer temps up to 20C
Plants and animals in coniferous forests
Trees grow needles instead of leaves tend to be evergreen. Mammals inc. moose, deer, mice etc
Location of deciduous woodlands
Eastern half of north America and central Europe, also in east Japan and China
What is the climate like in deciduous woodland
Temperate climates with warmer and colder seasons
Plants and animals found in deciduous woodlands
Ash, birch, beech trees etc. bears racoons, animals adapt to climate by hibernating in winter
Location of Savannah grassland
Found between deserts and forests and cover approx 20%
What’s the climate like in Savannah grassland
20-30* only a few degrees cooler in summer
Plants and animals found in Savannah grassland
Lemon grass, baobab and acacia trees. In Africa warthogs, wildebeests and leopards etc.
Location of tropical rainforest
Located in tropics near equator, Congo and south east Asia
What’s the climate like in tropical rainforests
Get at least 1900mm of rain per year. Very humid and warm between 20 and 34*C
Plants and animals in tropical rainforests
Monkeys, birds, bats and pigs etc.
Location of deserts
Largest in Sahara in n.Africa. Also in middle east, north China and Mongola
What’s the climate like in deserts
Less than 250mm of rain per year. Dry soil and high evaporation, little to no surface water. Rain can evaporate before it hits the ground
Plants and animals in deserts
Cactus, grasses, shrubs, meerkats and scorpions, Adapted to needing little water
What is biodiversity
Range of plants and animals in an area
Emergents
Or forest giants, 50m or taller. Trees are usually supported by buttressroots
Canopy
Dense layer forming almost complete cover. Trees 20-30m tall include many hardwoods such as mahogany
Under canopy
Dark and humid area containing saplings between the trunks of larger trees
Shrub layer
This contains small trees and shrubs especially near rivers
Forest layer
Covered with ferns and a deep litter of fallen leaves and branches
How have leaves adapted
Have a conical shape so the rain doesn’t collect and runs off the leaf. Known as drip tip
Buttress roots adaptations
Long and deep so can get water from far away, also strong
Monkeys adaptation
Good climbers, use 4 hands and tail to climb
Sloths adaptations
Have hair so that the rain funnels off. Move slowly to conserve energy as only eat leaves, have claws so easy to climb without using muscles
Importance of rainforests
Home to more then 1/2 worlds plants and animals
1/2 world’s pharmaceuticals are derived from rain forest
Remove and store huge amounts of carbon from atmosphere and release O2
