Living World Flashcards
(18 cards)
Eco systems
A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Producer
Use the sun for energy
Primary consumer
Herbivore
Secondary consumer
Carnivore
Decomposer
Organisms that break down plants
Biome
Global scale ecosystem
Examples of global scale ecosystems
Tropical Rainforests
Deserts
Tropical grasslands
Tundra
Tropical rainforests distribution
Distributed near the equator 20 degrees either way
Layers of the forest
Emergent layer
Canopy
Under canopy
Shrub layer
Causes of deforestation
1) tree decay
2) farmers need space
3) roads
4) paper / wood
5) climate change - flooding
6) mining
Impacts of deforestation on the environment
- creates 20% of greenhouse gases
- CO2 is taken in by trees
- when plants are damaged they release CO2
Impacts of deforestation on indigenous tribes
- less recourses
- diseases brought by modern humans that they can’t fight
Impacts of deforestation on river pollution
- Destroyed trees can create dams and floods
- Plants creates 70% of rain
How to manage rainforests sustainably
1) selective logging - trees have to reach a particular height to be cut down
2) afforestation - replacing felled trees with saplings
3) conservation and education for future generations
4) international agreements - give countries an incentive to stop deforestation
Characteristics of polar environments
- inland
- average temp is below 0
- partially or fully covered in ice
- well adapted wildlife
Tundra
- brief summer
- high latitude
- more precipitation
- small shrubs
Cold environments under threat
- large amount of oil
- trading routes
- countries can exploit sea 200 km away from their land
Opportunities and challenges in cold environments
Opportunities
- scientific research of wildlife and climate change
- development trough natural resources
Challenges
- impact on environment like oil spills
- no infrastructure
- phycological isolation
- climate change
