Geography Living World

Question 1

What are the four layers of the rainforest?

Answer 1

Shrub layer, undercanopy, canopy and emergent layer.

Question 2

What is the shrub layer?

Answer 2

Dark and moist, animal and plant remains decay very quickly. Micro-organisms recycle and feed on decaying matter, beginning of the food chain.

Question 3

What is the undercanopy?

Answer 3

Canopy grows very tall so undercanopy is dim and dark. Very dense, when there is rainfall the canopy blocks out most of the rain.

Question 4

What is the canopy?

Answer 4

80% of sunlight absorbed here. Most of the rainfall captured here.

Question 5

What is the emergent layer?

Answer 5

Tallest trees can reach over 70m with diameters of 5m.

Question 6

What is the meaning of biodiversity?

Answer 6

The variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a habitat.

Question 7

How does biodiversity change throughout the rainforest?

Answer 7

As we go up the layers, there is increasing biodiversity, peaking at the canopy as this is where there is the most energy through photosynthesis.

Question 8

What are buttress roots?

Answer 8

Rainforest soils are very thin so trees need shallow roots to absorb nutrients. Because rainforest trees grow very tall, giant buttress roots form to give the tree extra stability.

Question 9

What are stilt roots?

Answer 9

Provide tall rainforest trees support as they are anchored in the shallow rainforest soils.

Question 10

What are red leaves?

Answer 10

Young rainforest saplings have these to reflect sunlight while their internal organs for photosynthesis are still developing.

Question 11

What are lianas?

Answer 11

Rainforest plants that have their roots in the ground and use other trees to climb up to the canopy and receive maximum sunlight.

Question 12

What is leaf angling in rainforests?

Answer 12

Leaves are arranged at different angles so that plants don’t shade their own leaves.

Question 13

What are drip tips in rainforests?

Answer 13

Leaves have a waxy surface and pointed tips so that rainwater flows off and algae doesn’t grow on the plant.

Question 14

What are epiphytes?

Answer 14

Rainforest plants that live on the surface of trees, allowing them to make the most of sunlight in the canopy.

Question 15

Why do rainforest trees have thin bark?

Answer 15

To make it harder for other plants to grow on them.

Question 16

What is cattle ranching?

Answer 16

Large areas of rainforest cut down for keeping cattle, which makes lots of profits.

Question 17

What is crop farming?

Answer 17

Farmers cut down trees to grow cash crops, with huge profits.

Question 18

What is subsistence farming?

Answer 18

Poor farmers grow crops for food. Chop down or burn small areas of rainforest to use for farming, then leave the area after about 3 years, allowing the rainforest to grow back and using a different area for farming.

Question 19

How does product creation affect the rainforest?

Answer 19

Large areas of trees are cut down for expensive furniture and paper.

Question 20

What is mining in rainforests?

Answer 20

Rainforests are rich in natural metals so mines are set up. Large pits are set up for surface mining, and mercury is used for gold mining, poisoning rivers and lakes.

Question 21

How do roads cause deforestaion?

Answer 21

Although roads don’t cause much deforestation by themselves, they make access into different parts of the rainforest much easier for other groups such as miners.

Question 22

How do hydroelectric power stations affect the rainforest?

Answer 22

Rainforests have huge rivers ideal for creating hydroelectric power. However, the construction of dams has lead to large areas of rainforest being flooded.

Question 23

How has population growth affected rainforests?

Answer 23

Land is cleared to build houses and infrastructure.

Question 24

What are some adaptations of polar bears?

Answer 24

Thick fur for insulation as temperatures as low as -50°C.
White fur for camouflage so can hunt prey.
Small surface area- small ears and short legs for less heat loss.

Question 25

What are some adaptations of plants in cold environments?

Answer 25

Grow close to the ground to reduce damage caused by wind and ice particles. Grow close to each other to act as barriers. Small leaves to conserve water that can be lost through leaf surface.

Question 26

What are some properties of a polar environment?

Answer 26

Winter temperatures often below -50°C. Low precipitation. Large areas permanently covered in ice. Some plants such as mosses and lichen. Polar bear and penguins (not in the same place.)

Question 27

What are some properties of a tundra environment?

Answer 27

Winter temperatures around -20°C. Brief warm summers. Can have high precipitation. Soils are frozen but melt closer to the surface in summer. Relatively infertile. Low growing flowering plants, small trees. Arctic foxes, arctic hares and some birds.

Question 28

What is Svalbard?

Answer 28

A group of islands east of Greenland and directly north of Scandinavia. Longyearbyen is the main city, with 2700 people. Norwegian territory.

Question 29

What are the opportunities in Svalbard?

Answer 29

Coal mining. Fishing industry. Tourism. Energy from burning coal.

Question 30

Why is tourism an opportunity in Svalbard?

Answer 30

Little light pollution- good for stargazing and seeing northern lights. People can ski and sled. Wildlife such as polar bears and natural landscapes such as glaciers can be seen.

Question 31

What are some challenges in Svalbard?

Answer 31

5 months where the sun doesn't rise. Temperature down to -50°C. Only one hospital in the main city.

Question 32

How does temperature affect Svalbard?

Answer 32

As temperatures are normally below -30°C, it is dangerous to work outside, meaning people have to dress very warmly making work slow and clumsy. Heated water and sewage pipes need to be kept off the ground so that the permafrost doesn't melt.

Question 33

How does Svalbard's remote location affect it?

Answer 33

Svalbard can only be reached by plane or ship, and most islands are hard to access as there is only 50km of road, and only in the immediate area around Longyearbyen.

Question 34

Why is crop farming impractical in Svalbard?

Answer 34

Crop farming is impractical as it is often below -30°C and the Sun doesn't rise for 5 months.

Question 35

Why is coal mining a threat to Svalbard?

Answer 35

Pollutes surrounding soils and water with heavy metals. Detrimental effects on plant life through high heavy metal concentrations.

Question 36

Why is tourism a threat to Svalbard?

Answer 36

Increased pollution from tourists. Increased risk of oil spills from tourist boats.

Question 37

Why is coal mining an opportunity in Svalbard?

Answer 37

It is a large source of employment.

Question 38

Why is fishing an opportunity in Svalbard?

Answer 38

Svalbard has very rich fishing grounds.

Question 39

Why should cold environments be protected?

Answer 39

Wilderness areas of cold environments are largely untouched, so are important for scientific research. They are fragile and contain rare plants and animals.

Question 40

What strategies are being used to maintain cold environments?

Answer 40

£15 million being spent on 60 new apartments. Roughly 250 homes in high risk areas are being destroyed. Conservation groups work with governments and communities to protect biodiversity.

Question 41

What is the Antarctic treaty?

Answer 41

Aims to protect the natural environment of antarctica, limiting tourism and disturbance and doesn't allow development. 12 countries have signed, including the UK.