Ecosystems Flashcards
(47 cards)
What is an ecosystem?
The interaction of living and non-living things in an environment.
What happens to the biodiversity as altitude increases?
It decreases.
Where are tropical forests found?
Low-lying areas near the equator.
What is the climate in tropical forests?
Always hot and rainy.
What does the climate in an area determin?
What type of ecosystem forms.
What trees are found in tropical forests?
Evergreen trees.
How are plants adapted in tropical forests?
They are adapted to take in maximum light.
Where are temperate forests found?
Places with high rainfall and mild temperatures.
What is the climate of temperate forests?
Mild and wet.
What climate do boreal forests have?
Cold and dry climate.
Where are boreal forests located?
High latitudes where plants and animals are adapted to the cold climate.
What is the climate of tropical grasslands? (Savanna biome)
Mostly dry.
Where are tropical grasslands found?
Near the equator.
Where are temperate grasslands found?
High altitudes and latitudes.
What are temperate grasslands’ climate?
Hot summers and cold winters.
Where is tundra found?
High latitudes (Northern Europe, Alaska and northern Canada)
What is the climate of tundra?
Cold and dry.
What does the biosphere provide?
Lot’s of resources humans use.
What does the biosphere include?
All parts of the earth that are occupied by living organisms. (Plants, animals, bacteria, fungi, soil and water).
What do living organisms provide?
Lots of good people need to survive. (Food, medicine, building materials, fuel).
What construction materials does the biosphere provide?
Timber from trees and clay from the soil that can be made into bricks or tiles.
How is the biosphere being exploited by humans for energy?
.Forests are cut down for the growing of crops for biofuels, and coal mines or power stations are being built.
.Drilling for oil and gas in the tundra is damaging the biosphere because pipelines are melting the permafrost.
.Areas of the tropical forest have been flooded by the building of hydroelectric dams.
How is water being exploited in the biosphere?
Water from lakes and rivers can be exploited and damage the biosphere as plants and animals won’t have enough water to survive.
How are humans exploiting the biosphere for minerals (Gold and iron)?
Mines in tropical forests cause deforestation and toxic chemicals are washed into the stream, killing wildlife.
.Open pit mining removes large areas of the land surface which reduces habitat for plants and animals.
