Selected habitats

Question 1

what are the dominant tree species in british broadleaf woodlands and what soil are the common amongst

Answer 1

beech - moist soil / ash - on alkaline soil / oak - wide range of tolerance

Question 2

state 5 ecological features of temperate broadleaf woodlands

Answer 2

don’t have major temperature extremes / no pronounced dry season - water always available / soils are usually deep and fertile / tree canopy layer is present until spring til autumn / animals hibernate due to lack of food in winter

Question 3

how does in a temperate broadleaf woodland, the canopy layer being present from spring til autumn affect growth of plants and how do they overcome this

Answer 3

under the canopy layer it’s shaded so growth of plants is more difficult as they’re shaded at time when temperatures are best for growth - overcome by growing lots in the early in the spring before trees produce leaves

Question 4

name 5 importances of broadleaf woodlands

Answer 4

high biodiversity / woodland resources / recreation / the hydrological cycle / carbon sequestration

Question 5

why is high biodiversity an importance of broadleaf woodlands

Answer 5

creates higher ecological stability, no species are completely dominant so a change in population would have a relatively small impact on overall community

Question 6

name woodland resources of temperate broadleaf woodlands

Answer 6

building construction / fencing / tools / carts / wood fuels / charcoal / food resource for animals and plants

Question 7

how d temperate broadleaf woodlands play a role in the hydrological cycle

Answer 7

through interception, evapotranspiration, and control of water in the soil

Question 8

how does carbon sequestration involved in temperate broadleaf woodlands

Answer 8

plants absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release it during respiration and decay of vegetation / woody tissue plants build up carbon in cellulose and lignin, large reservoirs of stored carbon which reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide conc

Question 9

name 2 threats to temperate broadleaf woodlands

Answer 9

woodland clearance - natural woodland provide space for: farmland, urban development, transportation infrastructure, mineral extraction / habitat fragmentation - woodland clearance leaves remaining areas isolated, animals cannot move between areas and separate populations, becomes vulnerable to extinction

Question 10

name a conservation efforts for temperate broadleaf woodlands

Answer 10

woodland management

Question 11

name 3 types of woodland management

Answer 11

historical management / modern methods / conservation methods

Question 12

what is woodland management

Answer 12

creating different woodlands for different wildlife value

Question 13

state ecological features of tropical rainforests

Answer 13

stable climate change / high light levels / constant warm temperatures and high rainfall / no distinct seasons

Question 14

how does climate change in a tropical rainforest affect species

Answer 14

relatively stable climate change, given species a long time to evolve, many species are produced but they have a low range of tolerance due to being adapted to relatively stable conditions

Question 15

how do constant warm temperatures and high rainfall in a tropical rainforest affect the species

Answer 15

ensures reliable food supplies throughout the year, little seasonal fluctuations- no need to migrate or hibernate

Question 16

how do having no distinct seasons in a tropical rainforest affect the rainforest

Answer 16

plant species don’t need to flower or produce seeds and fruit at the same time, so less competition. food is available to animal all year around, increasing animal survival

Question 17

why is tropical rainforests having a very high biodiversity important

Answer 17

increases chances of finding species that are useful to humans / plants and animals protect themselves with toxic chemicals, medicinal value

Question 18

how are tropical rainforests important in climate maintenance

Answer 18

increase downwind rainfall, most rainfall comes from water evaporated from the rain forest rather than seawater, large carbon storage reduces natural greenhouse effect

Question 19

how is soil maintenance affected by tropical rainforests

Answer 19

warm moist conditions make dead vegetation decay very rapidly, nutrients can be re-absorbed by trees - makes soil shallow, vegetation cover prevents soil being eroded

Question 20

name 3 main threats to tropical rainforests

Answer 20

fuelwood collection / timber harvesting / clearance for alternative land uses

Question 21

what are tropical rainforests cleared for

Answer 21

subsistence agriculture - ‘slash and burn’ or ‘shifting field’ caused environmental problems / commercial agriculture - space used for farmland, for cash crops and export / mineral extraction / reservoirs / climate change - can affect survival of some species, cause fires, reduced humidity / tourism facilities

Question 22

what conservation efforts are used for tropical rainforest

Answer 22

debt for nature swaps - instead of paying back debt they pay partial repayment or a guarantee that an area of rainforest will be protected

Question 23

name ecological features of tropical coral reefs

Answer 23

water is deficient of nutrients, biological productivity may be low

Question 24

where does coral nutrition come from

Answer 24

cilia, trap planktonic items floating past polyp and passed down stomach where they’re digested / nematocysts - stinging cells, harpoon planktonic organisms floating past polyp / symbiotic algae - photosynthetic organisms, live inside coral polyp and absorb sunlight and food for themselves, produce oxygen and glucose for polyps, use carbon dioxide released by polyps for photosynthesis to reduce amount in water

Question 25

what are reef building corals

Answer 25

corals that secrete limestone base which i continuously building up into a reef

Question 26

what impact does light intensity have on coral reefs

Answer 26

photosynthesis for symbiotic algae

Question 27

what impact does immersion have on coral reefs

Answer 27

polyps must be covered in water at all times to prevent them from drying out, can’t live in deep water otherwise not enough sunlight

Question 28

what impact does turbidity have on coral reefs

Answer 28

must have low turbidity, as it reduces light penetration = reduced photosynthesis, suspended solids in water settles on reef, sticks to cilia and blocks entrance to the stomach

Question 29

what impact does salinity have on coral reefs

Answer 29

coral polyps can’t regulate water conc within their cells, salinity changes and narrow range of tolerance means cells would be killed due to osmosis

Question 30

name 5 importances of coral reefs

Answer 30

fisheries / medicinal discoveries / climate control / erosion protection / tourism

Question 31

name 2 medical uses from sources from coral reefs

Answer 31

AZT drug for aids from chemical in sponge from coral reef / coral, makes bone grafts for patients with bone deterioration disease

Question 32

how do coral reefs impact climate control

Answer 32

deposit skeleton of coral with each polyp, coral made mainly of calcium carbonate which absorbs carbon dioxide, growing reef acts as important carbon sink

Question 33

name some threats to coral reefs

Answer 33

physical damage - objects can kill polyps / collection of souvenirs / sedimentation, disturbs coastal development / pollution, can harm corals, large oil spill covers reef, eutrophication, ocean acidification - from increased co2 conc which dissolves in the oceans / coral bleaching, when symbiotic algae in coral polyps is expelled, mainly caused by increased light levels/ fishing, over-fishing reducing fish populations / introduced species - spread and can reduce indigenous species / coastal developments / loss of associated habitats - eg mangroves and seagrass that helps trap suspended solids and reduce soil turbidity

Question 34

name some conservation efforts for coral reefs

Answer 34

marine protected area / control of fishing / control of tourism / sustainable exploitation / reef creation

Question 35

how do marine protected areas protect coral reefs

Answer 35

fixed mooring buoys so no anchors / divers, snorkelers and swimmers taught not to touch coral / fishing may be banned or controlled / sustainable development of ecotourism and fishing / environmental protection of other areas may protect eg mangroves and seabeds

Question 36

name ecological features of deep water coral reefs

Answer 36

coral polyps don’t have symbiotic photosynthetic algae, less food energy so they grow more slowly, so recover more slowly

Question 37

state the importance on deep coral reefs

Answer 37

support large biomasses of fish (but they’re slowly growing species with low reproductive rate, easy to over exploit)

Question 38

state threats to deep coral reefs

Answer 38

over exploited fish populations, killed by lots of by-catch species - slow growth rate means ages to grow back / oil xpansion and gas exploration is a future threat / increased co2 release levels gradually cause acidification

Question 39

name a conservation effort for deep coral reefs

Answer 39

protected areas have been established to stop damaging activities eg trawling

Question 40

state ecological features of oceanic islands

Answer 40

isolation and biodiversity - due to formation by volcanic eruptions marine and seabirds colonise easily and some other species by chance, low biodiversity due to difficulty to colonise / lack of mammal predators, difficult for them to colonise

Question 41

what is the importance of oceanic islands

Answer 41

high proportion of endemic species increases probability of discovering unique medicines and features for biomimetics

Question 42

what threats are posed to oceanic islands

Answer 42

exploitation of species, normally for food / introduced species, indigenous species aren’t adapted, indigenous plant species destroyed, lack of predators allows populations of non-indigenous to become very large, introduced may out compete, pathogens / habitat change/destruction from urban, agricultural and tourism developments

Question 43

name a conservation effort that for oceanic islands

Answer 43

involves attempting to stop or reverse damaging affects of human actions eg eradication of introduced species

Question 44

state ecological features of mangroves

Answer 44

dominated by halophytic trees that live near inter tidal areas with saline water, adapted to survive saline, anaerobic and stormy conditions, and extreme temperature and availability of water

Question 45

state 6 importances of mangroves

Answer 45

biodiversity / coastal erosion protection (vegetation and prop roots absorb energy from wave) / fisheries / protection of coral reefs (slows down suspended solids to settle before they reach corals) / resources (timber) / medicinal resources (cyanobacterium treats small cell lung cancer)

Question 46

state threats to mangroves

Answer 46

growth of human population and expansion of economic developments causes huge scale mangrove destruction

Question 47

what conservation efforts are being made for mangroves

Answer 47

legally protected areas / natural recolonisation or replanting by people, natural regeneration can be quick due to producing seeds that germinate before they fall off the parent tree

Question 48

name some ecological features of Antartica

Answer 48

large landmass / very cold -49 / low precipitation with snow falling mainly near land mass

Question 49

name 3 importances of Antartica

Answer 49

control of natural cycles / resources / research

Question 50

why is Antartica important for the control of natural cycles

Answer 50

ice on land is a huge store of water, long term storage has kept global sea levels relatively low / ice has high albedo so sunlight is reflected away reducing warming effect / carbon present in algae is eaten by krill, sinks to seabed in krill faeces, carbon sequestration

Question 51

why is Antartica important for resources

Answer 51

harvested biological resources eg krill and fish / exploitation of mineral resources but there’s known reserves of gold, nickel, silver, coal and oil there

Question 52

why is Antartica important for research

Answer 52

most isolated place on earth so human influences are small / good for astronomical research as little pollution interference from light, infrared or radio waves and little cloud cover to block / climate is relatively stable and predictable so good for climate research / unique wildlife makes it important for ecological research

Question 53

name some threats to Antartica

Answer 53

global climate change / ozone depletion / tourism / scientific research / overfishing / future mineral exploitation

Question 54

what threat does global climate change pose to Antartica

Answer 54

rises in temp causes sea level rise, would melt some ice (not too much as it’s cold) results in glaciers moving more rapidly towards the ocean, ice shelves that block seaward movement of glaciers could break up, enabling glaciers to move more quickly, ice shelves break into icebergs and float away removing the barrier to land ice behind which could flow into the sea

Question 55

despite rising temperature, area of sea ice which forms each winter shows an upward trend, explain why this may be

Answer 55

stronger winds spread ice further / warmer air holds more water vapour, causing more snow to fall and creates slush which freeze together and form ice / ice on land that flows into the sea produces layer of floating fresh water which freezes more easily that seawater

Question 56

why is melting of sea ice a bigger deal than melting of land ice

Answer 56

land ice is much thicker so no significant reduction but sea ice is thin so warming creates reduction in sea ice area, reducing albedo of ocean and allows warming as sunlight is absorbed

Question 57

what threat does ozone depletion pose to Antartica

Answer 57

planktonic organisms that live in surface water are more vulnerable to raised UV level, no thick fur/feathers (land organisms aren’t affected much)

Question 58

what threat does tourism pose to Antartica

Answer 58

disturbs wildlife / introduces non-indigenous pathogens / pollution caused by fuel, sewage and waste increases

Question 59

what threat does scientific research pose to Antartica

Answer 59

carrying it out increases risk of impacts such as pollution events and wildlife disturbance

Question 60

what threat does overfishing pose to Antartica

Answer 60

dramatically reduced populations / threatens species that rely on that species eg food supply / birds can get caught in longlining lines

Question 61

name some conservation efforts to conserve Antartica

Answer 61

the Antarctic treaty 1959 / conservation of living organisms commission for conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (CCAMLS) fisheries close if populations become over exploited / control of tourism, no holiday, accompanied by training guides, no litter, wearing protective clothing / waste management, must be removed or sealed, placed into sea current where it will disperse and dilute / no military activity / no resource exploitation