Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

geography > Living world > Flashcards

Living world Flashcards

1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

An ecosystem is a natural system that is made up of plants, animals and the environment in which they live

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Two types of component in an ecosystem

A

Biotic- eg plants, animals, bacteria, fungi
Abiotic- eg climate water and soils

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is a food chain?

A

Shows the direct links between different organisms that rely on each other as a source of food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is a food web?

A

The complex hierarchy of plants and animals that rely on each other as a source of food within an ecosystem

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Two main sources nutrients are derived from

A
  • rainwater washing chemicals out of the atmosphere
  • weathering of rocks, releasing chemicals into the soil
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Natural changes of an ecosystem

A

-extreme weather events
-fire caused by lightning
-climate change/ global warming
- spread of invasive species or introduction of alien species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Human induced change of an ecosystem

A

-land use change eg- deforestation and hedgerow removal
-alteration to water and soils, such as land draining or adding fertilisers
- hunting or trapping animals
-introduction of alien species

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

how changes effect pond ecosystem

A

-climate change and extreme weather events can dramatically effect water levels. low water levels put organisms in danger
-fertilisers on farmland can result in an influx of nutrients into a pond, causing algal bloom, which effectively deprives the pond of oxygen
-introduction of alien species could reduce food supple for other organisms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

how changes affect deciduous forests?

A

-Chalara- disease that affects many ash trees, causing bark loss and tree damage. Lack of ash trees affects the ecosystems food supply for primary consumers
-controlled hunting for species such as deer can be important to maintaining balance within an ecosystem, as it will keep food supply for other consumers higher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What factors affect the distribution of global ecosystems (biomes)?

A

-climate (primary factor)
-warm/ cold ocean currents
-distribution of land and sea
-pattern of surface winds

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Characteristics/ location deserts

A

-roughly 30 degrees N and S of equator, close to tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
-sinking air suppresses rain formation- arid conditions
-hot in daytime but cooler at night- no cloud cover, heat cannot be contained
- plants and animals well adapted

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Location/ characteristics of tropical rainforests

A
  • close to equator, widespread across Asia, Africa and South America
  • high sun insolation
  • low pressure due to rising air
  • high rainfall
  • high biodiversity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the 3 nutrient stores

A

-biomass (trees, plants etc)
-soil
-leaf litter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Tropical rainforest facts

A

-cover about 2% of earth’s surface
-home to over 50% of the worlds plants and animals
-experience high temperatures (about 27 degrees throughout the year)
-high rainfall (over 2000 mm per year)
Typically have ‘wet season’ from June to october

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Rainforest soils characteristics

A

-not very fertile
-red coloured and iron rich
-nutrients concentrated in upper topsoil- very quickly taken up by plants as they grow

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Rainforest Plants and animals characteristics

A
  • highest level of biodiversity
    -birds live in canopy high above flood feeding off seeds and nectar
    -mammals such as monkeys and sloths well adapted to life in trees
    -snakes use trees as vertical highways
    -animals like deer and rodents browse on vegetation on forest floor
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Characteristics of people in rainforests

A

-tradition tribes live in harmony with natural environment-hunting only what is needed to survive- sustainable
-People from outside local area exploit rainforests for commercial gain- extremely harmful to rainforest

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Nutrient stores in rainforests

A
  • vast majority of nutrients in biomass
  • soil contains few nutrients, as they are quickly absorbed by plants or leached into soil by rainfall
  • few in litter store, as decomposed quickly break down dead leaves due to perfect conditions
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Plant adaptations in rainforests

A
  • buttress roots help anchor trees in shallow rainforest soil
  • lianas- woody vines which grow around and between tree trunks
  • tallest trees punch their way through the main canopy to exploit maximum sunlight
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Animal adaptations in rainforests

A
  • Toucans and parents have strong breaks for cracking hard nuts which other birds cannot break
  • three toed sloths have long claws allowing them to climb trees. also algae grows on their fur, acting as camouflage
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

how biodiverse are rainforests?

A
  • contain 170,000 of the worlds 250,000 known plant species
    -recent survey found 487 separate tree species in a single hectare
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

reasons for high diversity in rainforests

A
  • wet and warm climate allows rapid plant growth, providing habitats for animals also
  • rapid recycling of nutrients speeds up plant growth
  • many parts untouched by people, so can grow and thrive as they please
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

How much deforestation has occurred in brazilian rainforest since 1970?

A
  • 18% of total rainforest cleared (3x size of Uk)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

how does farming lead to deforestation?

A
  • land cleared for crop plantations and cattle grazing
  • cattle ranching accounts for 80% of deforestation in brazil
    -indigenous tribes clear small areas of land to practise subsistence farming
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

how does logging lead to deforestation?

A
  • trees cut down for timber- woods such as mahogany and teak valuable for furniture
  • small trees used for fuel
  • 80% of deforestation in Malaysia is for logging
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

how does road building lead to deforestation?

A
  • trees cleared to make way for roads
  • roads provide access to new mining areas, settlements and energy projects
  • Trans- amazonian highway in brazil stretches for 4000 km through rainforest
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

how does mineral extraction lead to deforestation?

A
  • minerals such as gold, bauxite are mined extensively, meaning trees need to be cleared before mining can take place
  • also pollutes rivers
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

how does energy development lead to deforestation?

A
  • high rainfall leads to ideal conditions for hydroelectric power dams
  • in brazil, Belo Monte dam has flooded over 40,000 hectares of rainforest and displaced 20,000 locals
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

how is economic development an impact of deforestation?

A
  • mining an commercial farming create jobs for locals
  • hydro electricity is cheap renewable energy, boosting industrial development
  • improved infrastructure opens up new areas for economic development
  • loss of biodiversity may reduce tourism
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

how is soil erosion an impact of deforestation?

A
  • without trees to intercept high rainfall, land is exposed, meaning soil is much more vulnerable to the torrential rain
    -with no roots to bind it together loose soil can be easily eroded and washed away
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

how is climate change an impact of deforestation?

A

-high levels of evaporation from plants cools the air, so without this air becomes warmer
- trees are carbon sinks, so when they are burned the carbon is released back into the atmosphere, contributing to the enhanced greenhouse effect-> global warming

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

how are rainforests important resources?

A
  • people use reserves of wood, nuts, fruit and minerals- items such as banana, cocoa and sugar from here
    -20% of worlds freshwater comes from amazon basin
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

how are rainforests valuable for medicine

A
  • 25% of all medicines come from rainforest plants, with more than 2,000 plants having anti-cancer properties
  • on top of this, less than 1% of plants have actually been tested for medicinal qualities
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

how much of the worlds oxygen is contributed by rainforests?

A

-28%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

different management techniques for rainforests?

A
  • selective logging + replanting
  • conservation and education
    -debt for conservation swaps/ debt reduction
  • ecotourism
  • international agreements about hardwoods
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

what is selective logging/ replanting?

A
  • trees selected by professionals or machines in order to reduce damage to other trees
  • monitored by officials to ensure legal and correct
  • new trees planted after
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

what is conservation and education?

A
  • national parks in rainforests mean areas are protected from development, due to large companies supporting conservation projects in exchange for materials or scientific research
  • charities such as WWF support these programmes which train conservation officers and scientists, and promote rainforest conservation in school
38
Q

what are debt for conservation swaps or debt reduction?

A

-countries that have money owed by other countries will write off debts in return for rainforests being protected
- eg a brazilian debt of £13.5m was converted into a fund to protect areas of rainforest

39
Q

what are international agreements about hardwoods?

A

-involves companies agreeing to only using timber which has been verified by organisations such as Forest Stewardship Council, who make sure timber comes form sustainable sources, reducing illegal felling
-the International Tropical Timber agreement in 2006 restricted the trade in hardwoods by only marking timber with a registration mark if it is form a sustainably managed forest

40
Q

what is ecotourism?

A

-a sustainable form of tourism that focuses on the natural environment and has a very low impact.
- supports local communities employing indigenous people as guides, and often providing education or social improvements
- offers local people and government a financial return for preserving rainforests

41
Q

What are the physical characteristics of hot deserts?

A
  • Arid (dry), blow 250mm of rainfall per year
  • hot, temps rising well above 40 degrees Celcius
    -rocky, desolate places with isolated thorny bushes and cacti
    -low biodiversity
42
Q

Where are deserts found?

A
  • between 15 and 35 degrees N and S of equator
43
Q

What is soil like in hot deserts?

A
  • Dry
  • not very fertile
  • sandy and rocky
  • typically about 1m deep
  • lack of vegetation
44
Q

in what ways are soils and plants interdependent

A
  • vegetation/ plants provides shade and food for animals- this means stops soil losing water, nutrients also provided when dead matter is broken down
  • soil provides the structure for roots to take hold and grow
45
Q

examples of Producers in hot desert

A
  • cacti
  • creosote bushes
  • thorn acacias
  • annual flowers
  • rabbit brush
  • ocotillo
  • sage brush
46
Q

examples of primary consumers in hot deserts

A
  • insects
  • lizards
  • rodents- eg kangaroo rats
47
Q

examples of secondary consumers in hot deserts

A
  • tarantulas
  • scorpions
    -lizards
  • snakes
48
Q

examples of tertiary consumers in hot deserts

A
  • hawks
  • kit fox
49
Q

adaptations of xerophytes (plants that live in dry conditions) that live in hot deserts

A
  • have thick waxy cuticles
  • shed leaves to reduce water loss through transpiration
  • some have the bulk of their biomass below ground surface where conditions are cooler
  • grow very quickly after rainfall
50
Q

examples of hot desert plants

A
  • desert yellow daisy
  • prickly pear cactus
  • saguaro cactus
51
Q

adaptations of saguaro cactus

A

-xerophyte
- grows very slowly to conserve energy
- can store up to 9 tonnes of water
- body made of vertical pleats that expand to allow greater water storage
- can lose up to 82% of its water before dying do dehydration

52
Q

examples of adapted hot desert animals

A
  • fennec fox
  • peringuey adder
  • kangaroo rat
    -camel
53
Q

how is fennec fox adapted to hot deserts

A
  • large ears- dissipates excess body heat
    -kidneys adapted to restrict water loss
    -thick fur insulates them on cold desert nights
  • sandy fur helps reflect heat, and acts as camouflage
  • thick fur on soles of feet to insulate against hot sand
54
Q

camel adaptations to hot deserts

A

-can go a week or more without water, can last for several months without food
-can drink up to 46 litres in one drinking session
- store fat in hump which can be metabolised for energy
- body temp fluctuates throughout the day from 34 to 41.7 degrees, allowing them to conserve water by not sweating
- thick lips allows them to eat prickly plants without pain

55
Q

opportunities in hot deserts

A

-solar energy panels
- tourism
- agricultural farming
- mineral extraction

56
Q

issues of possible opportunities in hot deserts

A
  • expensive to build solar panels
  • inaccessibility for tourists
  • irrigation needed for farming
  • mineral extraction bad for environment
57
Q

which desert is case study

A
  • western desert, USA
58
Q

reasons for tourism in western desert

A
  • visitors get chance to experience wilderness areas
  • celebrates culture of natives
  • 37 million annual visitors to Vegas
    -Lake powell and lake mead create water sports opportunities
59
Q

challenges of tourism in western desert

A
  • artificial lakes eg Mead and Powell, could effect habitats/ change ecosystem
  • lack of accessability
60
Q

reasons for farming in deserts

A

-hot conditions and high sun insolation perfect for growth of many plants
-irrigation supplied by aquifers, which extract water form stores beneath ground
and also by canals

61
Q

challenges of farming in western desert

A
  • canals can cause floods
  • high maintenance
62
Q

reason for mineral extraction/ energy generation in western deserts

A

-rich in minerals- copper, uranium, lead, zinc and coal
- solar energy due to high sun insolation- sonoran solar project projected to provide energy for 100,000 homes
-hydroelectric power created by water in lake Mead
-lots of oil in these regions

63
Q

challenges of mineral extraction and energy generation in western desert

A

-land conflict
- risk to wildlife
-solar panels expensive

64
Q

explain challenges of extreme temps in western desert

A

-avg temp of 27 degrees, but can soar up to 50 in the summer
- work very hard outside during the day
- high rates of evaporation leads to water shortages
- western desert expected to warm faster than other regions

65
Q

how is challenge of extreme temp in western desert managed?

A
  • plants and animals already adapted
  • houses have thick walls, which keeps cool during day and keep heat inside during night
  • walls white washed to reflect sunlight
  • workers eg farmers only work outside during morning or evening- banned throughout day
66
Q

explain challenge of water insecurity in western desert

A
  • increasing population- demand for water increases
  • decreasing snowfall in rockies- less meltwater which flows through rivers and canals to
    people
67
Q

how is challenge of water insecurity in western desert managed

A

-storing water in reservoirs such as lake Powell and Mead-large bodies of water reduce evaporation
-flat roofs to collect rainwater
- shade balls in reservoirs to reduce evaporation

68
Q

Explain problem of nevada’s water deficit

A
  • lack of rainfall
    -lack of freshwater from colerado river
    -struggle to reduce demand for water
  • people watering their lawn uses 60% of water
69
Q

how to manage challenge of Nevadas water defeci

A
  • ‘xeriscaping’- gardens which use drought resistant plants
  • new developments- no front yard grass, 50% backyard grass only, $2 for every square foot of grass
70
Q

explain challenge of inaccessibility in western desert

A
  • lack of roads due to low population density
  • route 60, route 70 only main roads
71
Q

how challenge of inaccessibility managed in western desert

A
  • 4 airports in las Vegas
    -118 routes to vegas- 38 millions visitors a year
72
Q

what is desertification

A
  • the process of land becoming drier and degrading in quality, due to both human activities and natural process
73
Q

reasons for desertification

A
  • climate change (global)
  • population growth (global)
  • removal of fuel wood (regional)
  • overgrazing (local)
  • over-cultivation (local)
  • soil erosion (regional)
74
Q

cycle of desertification

A

-amount of natural vegetation decreases (due to external factor)
-no plants of leaves can intercept rain and soil is exposed to sun
- sun bakes soil and it cracks
- rain water runs over surface rather than it being absorbed
-soil is easily washed away (leaching)
-soil is degraded, losing fertility and structure
- soil is worn out, poor quality and so it is hard to grow crops and natural vegetation
-cycle repeats

75
Q

Desert fringe case study

A
  • Sahel region (south of Sahara)
76
Q

where is Sahel

A
  • thin band that runs ways to west across 9 countries, such as Chad and Sudan, and is just south of Sahara
77
Q

How does overcultivation cause desertification

A
  • exhausts soils fertility
    -more children born into farming families- more crops planted- some aquifers drained dry
    -European countries using large areas of Ghana to grow water-hungry cash crops
78
Q

how does overgrazing cause desertification

A
  • if too many animals graze for too long on one site, all vegetation is eaten and may be unable to regrow
    -Due to political boundaries, Normandic groups cannot wander freely meaning that they have to stay in the same place- land gets overgrazed
79
Q

how does soil erosion cause desertification

A

-overcultivation and over grazing both result in soil erosion
- topsoil becomes exposed due to lack of interception or shade, therefore it becomes baked and hard, meaning that rainfall washed over soil, carrying topsoil away and leaching its nutrients
-this makes it impossible for vegetation to regrow

80
Q

methods to prevent desertification

A
  • water and soil management
  • afforestation ( planting trees)
  • use of appropriate/ intermediate technology
81
Q

how does afforestation prevent desertification

A

-allows tree roots to bind soil together and prevents it from drying out due to more shade and coverage
- this means soil is not eroded as it cannot easily be washed away by rainfall or blown away by wind
-e.g great green wall across Africa

82
Q

limitations of afforestation

A
  • costs a lot
  • with Great Green wall example- lots of countries need to agree to it
83
Q

how does water and soil management reduce risk of desertification

A
  • traps soil that is being transported by wind or by water during rainfall
  • meaning that soil isn’t eroded, and less water is lost through surface run off
    -leading to an increased crop yield by up to 50%- significantly reduces risk of desertification
  • eg Burkina Faso
84
Q

-limitations of soil and water management

A
  • difficult to maintain
  • small scale
85
Q

how does appropriate (intermediate) technology (fuel efficient stoves) reduce risk of desertification

A
  • needs 55% less firewood to cook food
  • less trees cut down for firewood- less deforestation
    -more trees = soil held together by roots and not dried out due to shades, and leaves intercept rainfall- less leaching
  • eg Senegal - 86% of aural population depends on biomass for cooking
86
Q

limitations of appropriate technology (fuel effiecient stoves)

A
  • still uses firewood
  • hard to give everyone stove
87
Q

How many plant species in amazon rainforest

A
  • 60,000
88
Q

How many live in amazon rainforest

A
  • 20 million
89
Q

What type of forest is epping forest

A
  • Ancient deciduous forest
90
Q

How many species of fungi in epping forest

A
  • 700

geography (10 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions