ecosystems Flashcards
(19 cards)
what is an ecosystem
a natural system in which plants, animals and the environment interact with each other, often with complex relationships between the biotic and abiotic factors
abiotic vs biotic
abiotic: non living
biotic: living
what is a producer
organisms that convert the energy from the sun into their own sugars for growth
what is a consumer
organisms that get their energy from eating producers
what are decomposers
organisms that break down organic matter and release the nutrients to the soil, aiding nutrient recycling
example of small ecosystem food chain
pond:
algae - midge larvae - small fish - carnivorous fish - heron
4 human activities that impacts a pond
fertilisers - eutrophocation
deforestation - habitat destroyed for vital organisms within ecosystem
removing hedgerows - same
natural changes that impact a pond
extreme weather - droughts can completely destroy entire pond
climate change
new organisms - more competition/less prey
example of biome, characteristics
latitudinal belts
tundra - far north around arctic circle
- cold & short summer, no trees (dry)
order of biomes north to south
tundra
coniferous forest
temperate deciduous forest
temperate grassland
Mediterranean
desert
trf
savannah
temperate grassland
polar
polar and ice distributes in longitudinal belts
tundra characteristics
cold, windy, dry
coniferous characteristics
cold winter, mild summer
evergreen trees
deciduous characteristics
wet winters, dry, mild summers
lose leaves in winter
temperate grassland characteristics
cold winters, hot summers
little trees
mediterranean characteristics
wet winter, hot dry summer
citrus and olive plants
desert characteristics
hot in day, cold at night
very little rainfall
trf characteristics
high temp all year
high rainfall
diverse
savannah characteristics
distinct wet and dry seasons
polar characteristics
cold and dry all year
low biodiversity
