ecosystems

Question 1

layers of the rainforest

Answer 1

forest floor
understory
sub canopy
canopy
emergent

Question 2

rainforest soil

Answer 2

low fertility, poor quality and low nutrient levels

Question 3

interdependency definition

Answer 3

the dependence of two or more factors of an ecosystem on each other

Question 4

symbiotic relationship definition

Answer 4

mutually beneficial relationship between 2 biotic factors

Question 5

interdependency in coral reefs

Answer 5

clownfish and anemones
corals and zooxanthellae
sea and corals

Question 6

explain interdependent relationship between corals and zooxanthellae

Answer 6

the zooxanthellae algae lives on top of/in the coral polyp which provides it with protection and a place to live, it also benefits from the waste nutrients from the coral and in return the zooxanthellae photosynthesises by harvesting light from the sun and provides energy for the coral

Question 7

amazon

congo
madigascan
central american
south east asian
australasian

locations of the seven main rainforests

Answer 7

amazon - south america, brazil
congo basin rainforest - dr congo, central africa
madigascan - madagascar
central american - central america, including mexico
south east asian - south east asia, including borneo
australasian - east coast of australia

Question 8

abiotic factor definition

Answer 8

non-living components of an ecosystem

Question 9

biotic factor definition

Answer 9

living components of an ecosystem

Question 10

food chain definition

Answer 10

describes who eats whom each dependent on the next as a source of food/a line of linkages between producers and consumers

Question 11

food web definition

Answer 11

a diagram/system of interlocking and interdependent food chains within an ecosystem

Question 12

trophic levels on a food chain

Answer 12

producers
primary consumers
secondary consumers
decomposers

Question 13

locations of the six major coral reefs

Answer 13

great barrier reef - coast of australia
red sea reef - northern indian ocean
new caledonia reef - south pacific ocean
mesoamerican barrier reef - caribbean sea
florida reef - offshore of the florida keys
andros coral reef - bahamas

Question 14

interdependency between the sea and corals

Answer 14

this allows sunlight (abiotic) to reach the coral (biotic) which can photosynthesise. the coral is dependent on the high levels of sunshine to survive.

Question 15

interdependency between anemones and clownfish

Answer 15

sea anemones have stinging polyps, and attach themselves to the coral reef. the toxins paralyze their prey when they swim past, and the tentacles guide the prey into the anemone’s mouth. clownfish are coated with a mucus layer that makes them immune to the deadly sting of the anemone. clownfish are able to live within the anemone’s tentacles, and also gain protection from predators. the clownfish helps feed the anemone by letting them eat their leftovers, or luring fish over so that the anemone can catch them and eat them.

Question 16

interdependency between lions and antelope

Answer 16

the lions eating the antelopes means the antelope population is kept at bay because if there were too many antelopes they would eat all the grass. tinhis demonstrates interdependence because the grass relies on the lions to keep the antelope population down and the lions rely on the antelopes for food and the antelopes rely on grass for food.

Question 17

rainforest nutrient cycle

Answer 17

trees grow rapidly -> trees are constantly shedding leaves -> due to conditions, decaying vegetation decomposes rapidly -> nutrients enter the soil -> shallow roots take up the nutrients ->

In detail
Biomass is the largest store of nutrients in a tropical rainforest due to the fast growing vegetation, this is because of the large amount of rainfall and sunlight. Decaying plants (litter) release nutrients due to the runoff that removes the nutrients from the litter. The nutrients then enter the soil and the roots of plants and trees uptake the nutrients quickly, leaving the soil to become nutrient poor. This then allows the plants and trees to grow rapidly. Because of the large water supply the trees and plants shed leaves which then decay because of the humid and damp environment to repeat the cycle again.

Question 18

rainforest water cycle

Answer 18

heavy convectional rain daily as does precipitation -> canopy layer trees intercept rain, it is then evaporated from the leaves, also occurs through transpiration, some rain reaches ground and infiltrates -> trees take up water -> water evaporates and transpires to return the water to the atmosphere ->

Question 19

nutrient cycling in coral reefs

Answer 19

zooxanthellae live in and on the corals for protection and a place to live. the zooxanthellae photosynthesise through harvesting the sunlight to produce energy which also provides energy for the corals (coral also obtain nutrients other ways, through water and phytoplankton). the zooxanthellae have access to waste nutrients from coral (nitrogen and phosphorous). these waste nutrients fertilise the algae.

Question 20

which waste nutrients from coral do zooxanthellae want

Answer 20

nitrogen and phosphorus

Question 21

interdependency between humans and the reef

Answer 21

humans keep the fish population lower due to fishing industries so that they do not die out or if there were too many fish this could damage the reefs. in return, humans rely on the reef for fishing, tourism, etc. which provides jobs, money, food

Question 22

why are reefs important to humans

Answer 22

food, jobs, coastal defence, tourism, medicine

Question 23

why are reefs important to the planet

Answer 23

important habitat for many, contain most of the worlds biodiversity, large carbon stores

Question 24

threats to the reef

Answer 24

crown of thorn star fish, catchment area, tourism and climate change

Question 25

explain the threat of crown of thorn starfish

Answer 25

They feed on the fastest growing corals which allows slower coral species to form colonies however outbreaks of the venomous starfish pose a significant threat. When 15 or more COTS are found in one hectare area, the starfish can strip a reef of 90% of its living tissue. The GBR is seeing a current abundance of COTS as a result of agricultural runoff, increases algae hence food for the starfish. The COTS makes coral more susceptible to bleaching, weather damage and climate change and have been blamed for half of all coral decline over the past 30 years

Question 26

How is storm runoff in increasingly urbanised catchment areas a threat?

Answer 26

Urban run-off after major storm events results in litter being washed into the ocean, which can then be ingested by wildlife such as marine turtles or seabirds, or cause entanglement. Farming is also a big problem due to sediment and fertiliser run off. The sediment is washed into rivers which then ends up being transported onto the reef. High sediment rates damage coral reefs in 2 ways. Firstly, they settle on corals and smother them, secondly, sediment reduces the amount of light that gets through to coral reefs and stops the zooxanthellae photosynthesising. Nitrogen from these fertilisers cause harmful algal blooms which is a source of food for the COTS.

Question 27

Describe the climate of polar regions

Answer 27

- The climate of both polar regions consists long cold winters and short, cool summers - Covered with snow and ice throughout the year varies with seasons - Antarctica is covered by an ice sheet which is 3km thick in places - Temperatures infrequently rise above freezing in these high latitude regions often due to the low angle of the sun - Due to the tilt of the Earth, polar regions spend half their year in darkness - They tend to be dry, receiving as little as 250mm of rainfall every year

Question 28

Describe how plants are adapted to polar regions - in general - specific plants (arctic poppy + bearberry + arctic pearlwort) Can use this to talk about interdependency

Answer 28

- Plants found in polar regions have short roots, due to the fact the ground is permanently frozen below 50cm (permafrost), thin humus layer as only a small layer of little is produced, due to high winds plants often grow close to the ground, average of 6-10 weeks where there is light and warmth to sustain plant growth - Arctic pearlwort has small leaves to reduce transpiration (relate to little rainfall - abiotic), arctic poppy grows quickly, flower and produce seeds in the short summer months when there is sunlight for nearly 24 hours a day (relate to sunlight - abiotic), plants such as the bearberry are low and compact reaching a maximum heigh of 30cm (relate to wind - abiotic)

Question 29

Describe how animals are adapted to polar regions - polar bear

Answer 29

- Small ears reduce heat loss, thick layer of blubber to insulate and store energy (average temperature in winter is -34 degrees), white fur to camouflage when hunting, large feet spread load on snow and ice to reduce sinking, fur on soles of feet for insulation and grip on ice, large body - gives small surface area to volume ratio to reduce heat loss

Question 30

management strategies for coral reefs explanation sustainablility/effectivity

Answer 30

starfish terminator - a robot which kills specifically crown of thorn starfish. expensive, time consuming, not 100% reliable, rapidly advancing, dont need humans, changing farming practices - very effective when in place but difficult to enforce tourism management - effective because it prevents damage by limiting tourists at one time and ensuring they are respectful

Question 31

Describe how plants are adapted to temperate forests - hickory trees - other plants

Answer 31

- Hickory trees have an attempt to grow broad leaves to capture as much sunlight as possible during growing season. They also have thick bark in order to protect the trees inner core during the harsh conditions of winter. Finally they have a deep root system to get as much water from the soil as possible in case of a dry season. - Some plants are small and compact with small leaves in order to reduce water loss during hot and dry seasons. - other plants have specialised stem structures containing toxins to deter herbivores from eating them

Question 32

how are animals adapted to temperate forests - bears

Answer 32

- have a large nose for a keen sense of smell, this allows them to be able to smell prey when hunting for food - they have large claws to hunt and rip open bark and prey, they also use them to climb trees and over turn bark. They climb trees to escape harm and grip them to scratch their back and mark territory, trees cover all terrain. They also eat lots of food during autumn months ad develop a thick layer of fat to hibernate during the winter to avoid the harsh conditions, brown fur = camouflage - Squirrels have brown/red/grey fur to blend in with surroundings to be hidden from prey, they have small claws used to climb trees and grip nuts, they also distribute seeds and nuts from the trees (helps interdependency)

Question 33

Climate of deserts (+ location/distribution)

Answer 33

- (deserts are commonly found around the equator and the tropics in a discontinuous band, likely to be because of the curvature of the earth, generally hotter where there is more sunlight, e.g. Africa, Sahara Desert, Australia) - Dry climate (40mm of annual precipitation however some places only get rain every few years), day temperatures can peak at 35 degrees however can go up to 50, due to the lack of water the ground becomes baked hard making infiltration difficult, consequently water sits on the surface and evaporates during the heat of the day. An example of a hyper arid environment. Dry, strong winds also dominate

Question 34

How are plants adapted to desert regions - general plants - acacia tree - saguaro cactus

Answer 34

- vegetation needs to be adapted to a lack of moisture, soils are poor and net primary productivity is very low (30-200g m^2/per year). Most plants are xerophytic e.g. cacti. Grasses grow where there is slightly more rainfall, bushes grow further apart so there is less competition for water, furthermore they are small and short to avoid harsh winds. The lack of plants make it tough for animal species and so the desert ecosystem is fragile, human disturbance or harsh conditions can be catastrophic, has a low biodiversity, complex food web, omnivores - Acacia tree has roots extending 15m down into the ground to tap into groundwater supplies - Saguaro cactus (found in the Sonoran desert) has long roots suck up water, when full it can store up to 5 tonnes of water for a drought, pleats on its trunk allow it to expand when filled with water, bloom at night to attract bats, spikes prevent animals from eating it

Question 35

How are animals adapted to desert regions - camel - meerkat - Sidewinder rattlesnake

Answer 35

- camel has tough, leathery lips so they can eat plants with spines, large feet so they do not sink into sand, can drink and store a lot of water, hump stores fat so the camel can go without food for a long time, nose, eyes/long eyelashes and mouth can be closed tightly to keep out sand from wind - meerkats use tunnels underground tunnels to move around and avoid the scorching heat on the surface, they have also adapted to scorpion venom - Sidewinder rattlesnakes (in the Mojave and Namib) ensure no more than 2 parts of their body are touching the hot surface beneath them and move sideways to keep moving in shifting sands - many animals are nocturnal to avoid the heat during the day

Question 36

how does latitude affect a climate

Answer 36

as latitudes increase climate gets cooler due to distance from the equator and sunlight being less direct due to curvature of the earth

Question 37

how do ocean currents affect climate

Answer 37

A warm current will bring heat with it and raise coastal land temperatures where that current arrives. A cold current will cause temperatures to fall below levels expected at that latitude.

Question 38

how does distance from the sea affect climate

Answer 38

Continentality occurs when the centres of continents heat up and cool down more quickly than areas close to the sea. It means they experience more extreme temperatures than places whose temperatures are moderated by the sea. The sea heats up and cools down more slowly as it is a liquid. Therefore coastal locations are cooler in summer and warmer in winter (a smaller temperature range).

Question 39

how does altitude affect a climate

Answer 39

Temperature falls about 1°C for every 150m height gained (this is why it's colder when you've climbed to the top of a mountain than when you are at the bottom). therefore, the higher the altitude the colder the climate.

Question 40

how do prevailing winds affect a climate

Answer 40

Prevailing winds bring weather that reflects the surface they have just blown over. bring the climate of the place they've come from

Question 41

definition of an ecosystem

Answer 41

a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

Question 42

interdependency in a tropical rainforest

Answer 42

elephants eat the seeds of the Moabi tree for food but this also distributes the seeds of the Moabi bonobos get food from strangler figs, flying squirrels get to nest in the strangler figs and the strangler figs get their seeds spread by the bonobos

Question 43

location of polar regions, distribution and explanation

Answer 43

located at the north and south pole, due to the curvature of the earth they get less intense sunlight making it colder, theres little rainfall because the air is so cold which makes it dry

Question 44

abiotic factors in polar regions

Answer 44

snow and ice, sea, wind

Question 45

climate vs weather

Answer 45

weather is a description of the day to day conditions vs climate is the prevailing weather conditions over a period of 30 years

Question 46

interdependency in congo basin rainforest

Answer 46

moabi tree and soil; moabi tree quickly uptakes nutrients from the soil because of its rapid growth, and in return the fall out of its biomass contribute to humus that break down rapidly in the warm and humid conditions returning nutrients to the soil

Question 47

interdependency in congo basin rainforest between multiple biotic factors

Answer 47

the hollow trunk of the strangler fig provides an important home to thousands of rainforest creatures such as invertebrates, rodents, reptiles, amphibians and birds. bonobos are reliant on strangler figs as they are frugivores - 57% of their diet is fruit. Many Congolese are reliant on bushmeat such as bonobos for protein

Question 48

why is the congo rainforest important to humans

Answer 48

giant carbon sink, has many resources, food, medicine, cultural aspects, home, biodiversity

Question 49

why is the congo rainforest important to the planet

Answer 49

carbon sink has many resources, biodiversity

Question 50

how many ethnic groups in congo basin

Answer 50

150

Question 51

how many species of animals and plants

Answer 51

animals: 2,000 plants: 10,000

Question 52

temperature of congo rainforest

Answer 52

20-27 degrees

Question 53

average annual rainfall congo rainforest

Answer 53

1766mm

Question 54

how many acres is congo basin rainforest

Answer 54

500million

Question 55

explain the threat of logging to the congo rainforest

Answer 55

there is so much logging. Very difficult to regulate logging, and illegal logging has economic impacts. it is likely to continue becuase the illegal logging industry is worth lots of money. Harms the planet, more carbon is released into the atmosphere with deforestation

Question 56

explain the threat of agriculture to the congo rainforest

Answer 56

20% of the congo basin deforestation is used for agriculture. there are lots of agriculture jobs in the DRC, and the rainforest is destroyed to make space, as population grows

Question 57

explain the threat of mining to the congo rainforest

Answer 57

most mining is unregulated. Gold, diamonds, cobalt, copper, oil, are most commonly mined. It is often located in the Congo basin which causes deforestation. blood diamonds. 2 million people involved, nearly half of which are children

Question 58

explain the threat of poaching to the congo rainforest

Answer 58

lots of communities rely on bushmeat for their main source of protein and if the animals are over poached they won't have any food to eat. 32000 animal species are endangered, many of these are due to over poaching

Question 59

explain and evaluate the management strategy of world bank funding - congo basin

Answer 59

a project which conserves the forests while encouraging legal logging. medium-high sustainability it is not completely stopping logging as it is necessary for us to meet our needs but it is making it much more sustainable

Question 60

explain and evaluate the management strategy of forest stewardship council - congo basin

Answer 60

funding from the world bank. help the government to trial new approaches to improving livelihoods and forest management. medium sustainability because while it is helpful funding with no effective program is useless.

Question 61

explain and evaluate the management strategy of virunga national park - congo basin

Answer 61

a park with rangers to protect people and animals. high sustainability because it is protecting the environment while providing jobs and economic stability for the areas around. However, it is mainly funded by private and public support, meaning it relies on funding to run.

Question 62

coral reef location

Answer 62

coastal areas

Question 63

coral reef plant adaptations - zooxanthellae

Answer 63

since the water at coral reefs is very clear, this prevents large algae sheets from forming at the surface so zooxanthellae are adapted to live on the surface of corals

Question 64

coral reef animal adaptations - clownfish

Answer 64

clownfish have a mucus layer around them so they are not stung by anemones so they can live among the anemones

Question 65

abiotic factors coral reef

Answer 65

clear water, rocks

Question 66

tropical rainforest climate

Answer 66

warm and wet

Question 67

tropical rainforest plant adaptations

Answer 67

strangler figs are adapted to grow upwards by climbing up trees trunks so they do not have to support themselves and they can grow directly upwards to reach the sunlight

Question 68

tropical rainforest animal adaptations - dusky headed parakeet

Answer 68

many birds are green or brown to camouflage with the trees so they can hide easily from predators eaily

Question 69

abiotic factors tropical rainforest

Answer 69

sunlight, soil, rainfall

Question 70

grassland animals adaptations -cheetah

Answer 70

hunt low to the ground to hide in the grass and camouflage

Question 71

abiotic factors tropical grassland

Answer 71

soil, rainfall

Question 72

grassland plant adaptations

Answer 72

some plants in this environment such as lemon grass are adapted to survive long periods of drought such with long roots and trunks to store water

Question 73

abiotic factors temperate grassland

Answer 73

soil, rainfall

Question 74

latitude polar regions

Answer 74

90

Question 75

latitude temperate grassland

Answer 75

35

Question 76

latitude tropical rainforest

Answer 76

0

Question 77

latitude hot desert

Answer 77

30

Question 78

latitude temperate rainforest

Answer 78

40

Question 79

latitude tropical grassland

Answer 79

25