4) Sustaining Ecosystems - TRF Flashcards
(115 cards)
1
Q
what does abiotic mean?
A
non living parts of an ecosystem
2
Q
what does biotic mean
A
living parts of an ecosystem
3
Q
what is a biome
A
a large scale ecosystem
4
Q
what is a carnivore
A
something that eats meat
5
Q
what are the circumpolar winds
A
winds that blow around the poles to move cold air
6
Q
what is the continental shelf
A
shallow seas around the edges of continents
7
Q
what is deforestation
A
the removal of trees to use the land for something else
8
Q
what is fauna
A
animal life
9
Q
what is flora
A
plant life
10
Q
what is herbivore
A
eats plants and vegetation
11
Q
what is interdependence
A
when things rely on each other
12
Q
what is an omnivore
A
eats plants and meats
13
Q
what does temperate mean
A
not to hot, not too cold climate
14
Q
what is tundra?
A
an area that is frozen most of the year but defrosts for some
15
Q
what is an ecosystem
A
a unit that includes all the biotic and abiotic parts in an area
16
Q
what are the three classifications of organisms in an ecosystem
A
producer, consumer, decomposer
17
Q
what is a producer
A
something that uses sun energy to produce food
18
Q
what is a consumer
A
an organism that gets energy from eating others
19
Q
what is a decomposer
A
gets energy from breaking down materials
20
Q
what does a food chain show
A
who eats what
21
Q
what does a food web show
A
how different food webs interact
22
Q
what are the 6 ecosystems
A
coral reefs grassland tropical rainforest desert polar temperate forest
23
Q
where are coral reefs found
A
between 30 degrees north and south of equator
24
Q
where is grassland found
A
between the tropics
25
what are the two types of grassland
temperate and tropical
26
where are temperate forests found
mid latitudes
| between tropics and polar region
27
where are polar regions found
north and south pole
28
where is hot desert found
between 15 and 35 degrees north and south of equator
29
where are TRFs found
around equator, between tropics
30
what are the two tropics
cancer and capricorn
31
climate of polar regions (rain, temp, seasons)
```
very cold, usually less than 10 degrees
low rainfall (<500mm)
clearly defined seasons
```
32
animals in polar regions
relatively few
| polar bears, penguins etc
33
plants in polar region
very few plants
| grow slowly and small
34
climate in hot deserts (rain and temp)
very little rain
| extreme temperatures - hot and cold
35
plants in hot deserts
sparse
36
adaptation of plants in desert
very long roots to reach water
37
animals in desert
tend to be small
adapted to overcome extreme temps
lizards, snakes, scorpions
38
climate of tropical grassland
low rainfall
distinct seasons
moderate temp
39
climate of temperate grassland
extreme temps
| not much rainfall
40
plants in tropical grassland
consist mostly of shrubs and small plants
| adapted to cope with not much rain
41
plants in temperate grassland
mainly grasses and small plants
42
animals in tropical grassland
lots of insects
| grasshoppers, termites, beetles
43
animals in temperate grassland
not very many
| bison and wild horses
44
conditions for coral reef
warm, lots of light , shallow, salty water
45
plants in coral reef
few - grow underwater
| algae
46
animals in coral reefs
25% of marine species live there
| fish, turtles, shrimp
47
climate of temperate forests
distinct seasons
very high rainfall
warm summers, cold winters
48
animals in temperate forests
support lots of mammals, birds and insects
| foxes, cuckoos, moths
49
plants in temperate forests
lots of trees
| oaks, brambles, bluebells
50
what are coniferous trees
evergreen leaves
| absorb sunlight all year round
51
what are deciduous trees
drop leaves in autumn
52
climate in TRF
hot and wet
| no distinct seasons
53
plants in TRF
mostly evergreens
dense cover of vegetation
four distinct layers
orchids, ferns
54
animals in TRF
more animals than any other ecosystem
many are camouflaged or nocturnal
jaguar, sloths, snakes
55
why are animals nocturnal?
to save energy from hot weather to when it is cool at night
56
what are the four layers in the TRF
emergents
canopy
understory
forest floor
57
what is biomass
the mass of living organisms in an area
58
what is the water cycle in a trf
```
heavy daily rainfall
trees intercept rain
some rain reaches ground
trees take up water
water evaporates from trees via transpiration
```
59
what is transpiration
how trees lose water through pores
60
why are evaporation rates so high in TRF
sun is usually overhead so its normally hot
61
why is there always such high rainfall
the high evaporation rates mean theres lots of water vapour
62
why is the soil red?
minerals like iron
63
nutrients cycle in TRF
```
trees grow rapidly
they shed leaves all year round
the leaves decay and decompose into soil
nutrients enters soil
shallow roots take up nutrients
```
64
what is interception
when the leaves of trees catch rain and it doesnt reach forest floor
65
what is convectional rainfall
when rainforests heat up so water evaporates and forms clouds for the next day
66
what is evapotranspiration
when trees lose water through pores and it evaporates
67
what is leaching
when nutrients are washed away from soil
68
what is surface run off
when excess water flows over soil
69
where is there the most nutrients in the TRF
biomass
70
what are the three main components of TRF
biomass
soil
litter
71
why is the soil in the trf so low in nutrients
it is quickly taken up by plants etc
72
how do plants rely on weather
warm and wet climate means they can grow quickly
73
how do plants rely on soil
holds roots stable
| nutrients
74
goods provided by rainforest (4)
medicine
food
wood
rubber
75
services provided by rainforest (4)
lungs of planet
maintain water cycle
habitats
carbon sink
76
impact of logging on TRF(2)
the soil gets washed away cos no roots to hold together
| interrupted water cycle
77
impact of agriculture on trf (3)
burning vegetation = more co2
no trees = more water reaching soil
nutrients washed away
78
impact of mineral extraction on trf (3)
often requires heavy machinery and removal of trees
toxic chemicals used can get washed into river
conflict over land rights
79
impact of tourism on trf (4)
scare wildlife
damage vegetation
litter
clearing of vegetation to accommodate needs
80
what is a biosphere reserve
an internationally recognised protected area
81
what does a biosphere reserve aim to do
combine conservation and sustainable use
82
what is the name of the biosphere reserve in the amazon
the Central Amazon Conservation Complex
83
what does the CACC aim to do
protect rainforest
| promote scientific research and educate people about environment
84
what is ecotourism
tourism that minimises damage to environment and benefits locals
85
what is the name of the ecotourism project in the amazon
Yachana Lodge
86
what does Yachana Lodge do
employs locals
encourages conservation
make tourists pay and use money for conservation
87
what is sustainable forestry
balances removal of trees with the conservation of the forest
88
how big is the amazon
8 million km 2
89
where is the CACC
brazil
90
how big is the CACC
60000 km2
91
where is Yachana Lodge
Ecuador
92
what is the Forest Stewardship Council
marks sustainable wood with logo so customers can buy sustainably
93
what is Precious Woods Amazon
an organisation that puts limits on logging in Brazil
94
what is Natutama
a project that is working with the community to protect river species
95
where is Natutama based
Columbia
96
what does Natutama do (3)
employs locals to teach others
fishermen collect data on species
organise cleaning of rivers
97
what is a cash crop?
a crop grown to be sold for a profit
98
what is a microclimate?
the climate of a small area
99
what are services?
the function an area provides
100
what is slash and burn?
vegetation is cut down and burned to clear an area
101
what is the parent rock
the upper layers of rock on which the soil forms
102
what is shifting cultivation?
moving crops to absorb most nutrients
103
what is biomass?
the total mass of plants and animals in an ecosystem
104
what is deforestation?
cutting down trees for another purpose
105
what are hunter gatherers?
nomadic people who move around copllecting food
106
what is evapo-transpiration?
water being transferred from the leaves to the atmosphere by evaporation
107
what is infrstructure?
basic structures needed for a society to function
108
what is litter?
the total amount of organic matter
109
what is biofuel?
a fuel that comes from living matter
110
what is a carbon sink?
a natural feature that absorbs carbon from the atmosphere
111
what is convectional rainfall?
hot air rises, cools and condenses
112
what is an endemic
plants or animals that are unique to an area
113
what is hydroelectric power?
energy generated by the rapid movement of water through turbines
114
what are goods?
an item that people can source from an ecosystem
115
what is a latosol?
a soil found in TRFs with a high concentration of aluminium or iron oxides
