LW - ecosystem

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

The living and the non living parts of an environment and the interrelationships that exist between them eg a pond

Question 2

What are Biomes?

Answer 2

Global scale ecosystems eg a tropical rainforest

Question 3

What are adaptions?

Answer 3

The ways that plants evolve to cope with environmental conditions such as lots of rainfal

Question 4

What are producers?

Answer 4

Organisms that get their energy from a primary source such as the sun.

Question 5

What are consumers?

Answer 5

Organisms that get their energy by eating other organisms.

Question 6

What is a food chain?

Answer 6

A line of linkages between producers and consumers.

Question 7

What is a food web?

Answer 7

A diagram thats shows all the linkages between producers and consumers in an ecosystem.

Question 8

What are scavengers?

Answer 8

Organisms that consume dead animals or plants.

Question 9

What are decomposers?

Answer 9

Organisms such as bacteria that break down plant and animal material.

Question 10

What is nutrient cycling?

Answer 10

The recycling of nutrients between living organisms and the environment.

Question 11

Impacts of change in a freshwater pond

Answer 11

• Natural factors including environmental change (floods, fire, droughts)
• Human induced change (drainage, reclamation, fish stocking)

Question 12

Characteristics of the vegetation in Temperate deciduous woodlands

Answer 12

• Soils are rich and fertile
• Weathering is active (lots of nutrients)
• Annual leave fall - organic matter enriches soil

*Common soil found is a brown soil

Question 13

Adaptions in the deciduous woodlands

Answer 13

• Trees shed their leaves in the autumn due to reductions in light and heat which helps them conserve water.
• Trees are broad-leaved which means their is a great deal of water loss through the holes on the underside of the leaves.
• Bluebells and dandelions commonly flower in the early spring so they get more sunlight, due to the dark conditions in the woodlands.

Question 14

What is stratification?

Answer 14

The four layers of the woodlands:

• the top - fully grown trees which act as an umbrella.
• sub layer - saplings and small trees eg Hazel.

Question 15

Describe temperate deciduous forests

Answer 15

• Found across much of north-west Europe, Eastern North America and parts of East Asia.
• Occur in these regions due to being well suited to the moderate climate.
• Rainfall distributed evenly throughout year- summers not too hot and winters not too cold.
• Long growing season

Question 15

Characteristics of the vegetation in Temperate deciduous woodlands

Answer 15

• Soils are rich and fertile
• Weathering is active (lots of nutrients)
• Annual leave fall - organic matter enriches soil

*Common soil found is a brown soil

Question 16

Adaptions in the deciduous woodlands

Answer 16

• Trees shed their leaves in the autumn due to reductions in light and heat which helps them conserve water.
• Trees are broad-leaved which means their is a great deal of water loss through the holes on the underside of the leaves.
• Bluebells and dandelions commonly flower in the early spring so they get more sunlight, due to the dark conditions in the woodlands.

Question 17

What is stratification?

Answer 17

The four layers of the woodlands:

• the top - fully grown trees which act as an umbrella.
• sub layer - saplings and small trees eg Hazel.
• the herb layer - bluebells, ivy and bracken
• ground layer - close the soil surface. Damp and dark ideal conditions for moss to grow.

Question 18

Case study for deciduous woodland- facts about EPPING FOREST

Answer 18

Size: 19km long, 4km wide. It covers an area of 2,500 ha
Location: Runs north-east of London on a high gravel ridge.
Vegetation: 70% woodland (mostly beech trees) including grassland and marshes.

Question 19

History on Epping forest

Answer 19

• Kings and queens since the norman time used the forest to hunt deer.
• Local people also had access to it so they could graze their animals & collect wood.
• In 19th century local landowners made attempts to buy parts of the land but this was later dismissed.

Question 20

What is the legal protection in Epping forest?

Answer 20

In 1878 the Epping forest act of parliament stated the “the conservators shall at all times keep Epping forest unenclosed and unbuilt on as an open space for the recreation and enjoyment of the people”

Question 22

Give an example of sustainable management in Epping Forrest

Answer 22

• Pollarding - trees cut above shoulder height to encourage new growth.
• Allowing old trees to die and collapse naturally.
• Maintaining pond.

Question 23

What is pollarding?

Answer 23

Cutting trees at shoulder height and the level of the grazing animals. Pollarded trees reshoot at this height producing new wood and ensuring a supply of wood for generations.

Question 24

What are the commercial uses of the Epping forest?

Answer 24

• Training areas for bike racers
• Used to be a motorbike speedway
• Paid day-walking
• Fitness instructors

Question 25

What are the recreational uses of Epping forest?

Answer 25

• Walking
• Horse riding
• Cycling
• Fishing

Question 26

What are the conservation uses of Epping forest?

Answer 26

The Epping forest century trust help to conserve the forest by…

• clearing ponds
• clearing bracken and other invasive shrubs
• improving/rebuilding forest trails
• clearing dense holly growth to allow light to reach the forest floor

Question 28

Epping forest facilities for the public

Answer 28

• Car parks
• Toilets
• Visitor centre
• Refreshment facilities