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AQA GCSE Geography (9-1) > Ecosystems > Flashcards

Flashcards in Ecosystems Deck (52)
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1
Q

Location of Arctic Tundra?

A

20% of earths surface

2
Q

Location of Coniferous Forest?

A

cooler parts of world e.g. north america, northern europe and asia, higher altitudes

3
Q

Location of deciduous woodland

A
  • eastern half of north america
  • central europe
  • some places in eastern japan and china
4
Q

Location of savannah grassland?

A
  • cover 20% of earths surface
  • tropical lattitudes
  • between deserts and forests eg s. america, india but most in africa
5
Q

Location of tropical rainforests?

A
  • tropics
    1. africa - congo
    1. south east asia - malaysia
    1. amazon in brazil
6
Q

Location of deserts?

A
  • sahara in n africa
  • arabian middle east
  • gobi n china
  • kalahari africa
7
Q

Climate arctic tundra

A

cold treeless

10 degress in summer

dry same amount of rain as desert

8
Q

climate in coniferous forest

A

low winter temp = -20 = low biodiversity

low rainfall in winter but more in summer when temps = 20

9
Q

climate in deciduous woodland

A

mid latitudes

fairly constant rainfall

warmer and colder season

10
Q

climate in savannah grassland

A

wet and dry season - warm all year

few degrees cooler in dry season

20-30 degrees

11
Q

climate in tropical rainforest

A

1900mm rain

humid warm

max 34 min 20

77-88% humidity

12
Q

climate in desert

A

lack of rain

dry soil

sometimes rain evaporates before hitting ground

13
Q

plants and animals in arctic tundra

A

animals adapt

snow owl, arctic foxx

grasses, small shrubs, herbs , lichens - in groups close to ground

14
Q

plants and animals in coniferous forest

A

trees grow needles - evergreen

mammals moose deer reindeer mice bears foxes

15
Q

plants and animals in deciduous woodland

A

not evergreen trees - shed and regrow leaves

ash birch beech elm

bears racoons squirrels deer

16
Q

plants and animals in savannah grassland

A

lemon and star grass

acacia and baobab trees

droguht resisting plants

elephants zebras rhinos cheetahs lions etc

17
Q

plants and animals in rainforest

A

monkeys birds reptiles snakes

18
Q

plants and animals in desert

A

cacti and shrubs - store water in fleshy leaves

nocturnal animals - camels scorpions adapted to needing little water

19
Q

how is epping forest interdependant

A
  • lose leaves in winter so trees conserve energy
  • by spring all leaf litter disappeared due to decomposers and detrivores
  • nutrients stored in leaves → humus in soil, to support new plant growth
  • fruits and berries that will support primary consumers
20
Q

how does epping forest lose lots of nutrients each year

A

leaching during episodes of heavy rainfall

21
Q

soil in tropical rainforst

A

shallow and lack minerals

not fertile

nutrients leached away`

22
Q

water cycle in tropical rainforest

A
  1. sun heats ground
  2. warm air rises
  3. air cools and water vapour condenses
  4. clouds create precipitation
23
Q

nutrient cycle in tropical rainforest

A

most nutrients stored in biomass

soil poor store of nutrients

decomposition occurs quickly so few nutrients stored in leaf litter

24
Q

what is litter

A

dead organic material eg fallen leaves

25
Q

what is soil

A

mixture of dead organic material and weathered bedorck

26
Q

adaptations of biotic components in a rain forest

A

plants of forest floor - large leaves - lack of light - and drip tips to help shed rainwater easily

buttress roots = stability for height and a nutrient store

harpy eagle lives in canopy

sloths live in canopy - camouflague and slowness, green algae grows in fur

trees in canopy have small leaves - reduce water loss through transpiration

hummingbird - strong flight muscles so can hover

toucans - long bills to reach fruit

27
Q

what happens if rain forest deforested

A

less interception and transpiration = more runoff

less moisture caught by vegetation so less rainfall

drought and desertification

28
Q

why are rain forests important

A

produce oxygen

half of worlds plants and animals

modern food staples

drugs

remove carbon

indigenous people

fresh water source - 20% of worlds rainfall

29
Q

impacts of deforestation in borneo

A

habitat loss

carbon emissions

fire

water quality

land degradation

social issues

30
Q

development opportunities in hot deserts

A

mineral extraction, energy, farming, tourism

31
Q

challenges of development in hot deserts

A

extreme temperatures, water supply, inaccessibility.

32
Q

causes of desertification?

A

climate change, population growth,

removal of fuel wood, overgrazing, over-cultivation and soil erosion

33
Q

strategies to minimise risk of desertification

A

water and soil management, tree planting and use of appropriate technology.

34
Q

why do deserts not appear as a uniform band

A

ocean currents - if cold can cool air near a continent = rain

relief rain - only rains on side wind blows from = rain shadow eg arizona

some areas a long way from ocean so no moisture - continentality

35
Q

why is it cold at night in desert

A

no clouds so when heat rises it leaves atmosphere (outgoing long wave radiation)

low temps could be prob for plants and animals adapting

36
Q

characteristics of desert soils

A

sandy rocky

1m deep

little organic material due to lack of vegetation

white powder on surface (salts drawn to surface by evaporation)

little rain and soil not fertile

37
Q

what is the white powder on desert surface

A

calcium carbonate

38
Q

energy in western desert

A

solar power

hep - lake mead, hoover dam

fossil fuels - arizona since 1905

39
Q

tourism in western desert

A

entertainment - LA 37m visitors a year

national parks - grand canyon - wilderness area

colorado museum in arizona

lake mead and powel - water transfer projects - attract 2m people/yr - boating fishing water skiing

40
Q

two dams on colorado river

A

hoover dam 1935 - stores 2 yrs of water in lake mead

glen canyon dam 1963

  • bring water to western desert however silt get trapped, species lost
41
Q

what areas are at risk of desertification

A

long dry season

unreliable rainfall

suffer drought

42
Q

how does overcultivaton lead to desertification

A

population growth puts pressure on farmland

farmers use land for crops that would be better for animals

cash crop = fields dont lay fallow

43
Q

link between climate change and desertification (possible)

A

higher temps = more transpiration, reduced condensation and rainfall

44
Q

what is land degradation

A

loss of soil and progressive lowering of land surface by wind ( blows away soil) and water (washes away soil) - human mismanagement

45
Q

soil erosion link to loss of vegetation

A

limited fertility - become exhausted if over grazed

vegetation cant ground so soil not bound by roots

rain - runoff because cant percolate through baked soil

degradation of land - farmers cultivate marginal areas - livestock search larger areas for food

water sources dry up - trees disappear

famine - rural-urban migration

46
Q

problems in sahel

A

droughts

population pressure - better medical care so more livestock to feed people = overgrazing

social - 300k people died in 1970s droughts, mainly farmers, cities grew due to migration = famine in ethiopia

47
Q

solutions to overcultivation

A

fertilisers and manure improve fertility so yields however expensive

drought resisting qualities

48
Q

solutions to overcultivation in sahel

A

better farming methods - crop rotation, irrigation, contour ploughing, bunds to stop rain dripping down

49
Q

solutions to overgrazing in sahel

A

↑ stock quality - vaccination

better management - smaller herd size, graze land on rotational basis

50
Q

tackling desertification sahel using afforestation

A

planting trees on communal basis

crops amongst trees hold soil together

biogas reduce need for firewood

use solar power

51
Q

probs with cash crops sahel

A
  • governements dont have money for anti desetification
  • governments have encouraged cash crops to pay debts to HICs and export to richer countries
  • less food
  • subsistence farmers pushed to arid land as cash crops grown on good land
52
Q

why are solutions in sahel not easy

A

cost money, involve training and education in land management

  • subsistence farmers need to be encouraged to put more back into land
  • good irrigation schemes required
  • animal numbers need to be correctly managed
  • trees need to be planted to replace those lost by deforestation