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AQA Geography > Living World (Tropical Rainforests) > Flashcards

Living World (Tropical Rainforests) Flashcards

(195 cards)

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1
Q

What is an ecosystem?

A

community of plants and animals interacting in a physical environment

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2
Q

What is a biome?

A

large ecosystem found on regional scale

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3
Q

What is a biome characterized by?

A

flora
fauna
climate

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4
Q

What is nutrient cycling?

A

organisms extracting minerals for growth from soil and water before passing on to food chain

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5
Q

What are biotic factors?

A

living parts of ecosystem

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6
Q

What are abiotic factors?

A

non living parts of ecosystem

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7
Q

What is a microhabitat?

A

small scale habitat

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8
Q

Give an example of a microhabitat

A

tree

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9
Q

What is a biosphere?

A

all living organisms in world and their physical environment

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10
Q

What is a producer?

A

organism that uses sunlight energy to produce food

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11
Q

What is a consumer?

A

organism that gets energy from eating other organisms

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12
Q

What is a decomposer?

A

organism that gets energy from breaking down dead material

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13
Q

What is a herbivore?

A

eats plants

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14
Q

What is a meat eater?

A

carnivore

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15
Q

Give examples of produces on Reigate Heath

A

heather
gorse

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16
Q

What is heather?

A

dominant plant thrives from acidic, nutrient poor soils
acts as shelter for insects and birds

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17
Q

What is gorse?

A

shrub that offers shelter and food for insects and birds

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18
Q

Give examples of primary consumers on Reigate Heath

A

rabbits
Silver-studded blue butterfly

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19
Q

Give examples of secondary consumers on Reigate Heath

A

Dartford warbler
weasel

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20
Q

Give examples of tertiary consumers on Reigate Heath

A

kestrel

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21
Q

Give examples of decomposers on Reigate Heath

A

fungi
bacteria
detritivores

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22
Q

What are fungi?

A

species that decompose leaf litter and dead wood, releasing nutrients back into soil

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23
Q

What are bacteria?

A

decompose organic matter, facilitating nutrient cycling

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24
Q

What are detritivores?

A

insects such as beetles and worms, feed on decomposing organic matter

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25
What is photosynthesis?
conversion of sunlight into energy, producing biomass
26
What is herbivory?
consuming plant matter
27
What is decomposition?
dead matter broken down by decomposers
28
What is soil enrichment?
decomposed organic matter enriches soil, promoting plant growth
29
How are interrelationships highlighted on Reigate Heath?
gorse offers nesting sites for Dartford warbler decomposers ensures soil enrichment occurs for plant growth
30
List 4 humans activities on Reigate Heath and the effect this could have on the ecosystem
golfing - litter / artificial / noise parking - fumes / noise roads - roadkill pub - litter / noise
31
What are the two main sources of nutrients in an ecosystem?
rainwater washing chemicals out of atmosphere weathered rock releases nutrients
32
What is biomass?
living animals and plants
33
How are nutrients spread on Reigate Heath?
relatively equal
34
How do nutrients transfer from biomass to leaf litter?
fallout as tissue dies
35
What is leaf litter?
dead matter on floor
36
How do nutrients transfer from leaf litter to soil?
decomposes
37
How do nutrients transfer from soil to biomass?
uptake from plants
38
Where are coniferous forests located?
60 degrees North
39
Where are deciduous forests located?
50 degrees North
40
Where are deserts located?
30 degrees North and South
41
Where is the Mediterranean located?
40-45 degrees North isolated pockets - West Australia and South Africa
42
Where is tundra located?
Arctic Antarctica high latitudes Canada Siberia
43
How much of the earth's surface is covered by tropical rainforests?
2% of earth's surface
44
How much of the earth's plant and animal population live in tropical rainforests?
1/2 of population
45
Where are tropical rainforests found?
broad belt close to Equator
46
Which regions have tropical rainforests?
South America West Africa Southeast Asia Australia
47
What type of climate do tropical rainforests have?
equatorial climate
48
What are temperatures like in tropical rainforests?
27 degrees Celsius all year
49
How much rainfall do tropical rainforests receive?
2000mm - high rainfall
50
What effect does the climate of tropical rainforests have on them?
ideal growing conditions lush vegetation growth
51
What do tropical rainforests have the highest level of?
highest level of biodiversity
52
How many undiscovered species are there in tropical rainforests?
1000s of species undiscovered
53
Where do birds live in tropical rainforests?
canopy
54
Where do mammals live in tropical rainforests?
trees
55
Where do snakes live in tropical rainforests?
trunks are vertical highways canopy to forest floow
56
Where do deer and rodents live in tropical rainforest?
forest floor
57
How much water is there in tropical rainforests?
lots of groundwater
58
What effect does high rainfall and groundwater levels have on tropical rainforests?
leaching of soils and nutrients
59
Why do tropical rainforests struggle with soil fertility?
nutrients concentrated in upper topsoil - taken up quickly by growing plants
60
What type of roots do plants have in tropical rainforests?
shallow roots to maximise growth
61
How do traditional tribes live in the tropical rainforests?
in harmony with natural environment sustainable system
62
How do people outside of tribes treat the tropical rainforests?
deforestation
63
What causes deforestation?
want for urbanisation, timber or ranches
64
What colour are soils in tropical rainforests?
red coloured iron rich - latosol
65
Where is the majority of nutrients in tropical rainforests?
biomass
66
Why do soils have so little nutrients in tropical rainforests?
quickly absorbed by trees and plants or leached by rainfall
67
Why does litter have so little nutrients in tropical rainforests?
prime conditions for decomposers - warm and wet
68
How do plants rely on tropical rainforest soils?
soils store nutrients which helps plants grow quickly
69
How do people and animals rely on tropical rainforests?
produce 20% of earth's oxygen
70
How do plants rely on climate and water in tropical rainforests?
plants adapted to specific conditions to take advantage of hot and humid conditions
71
What resources are species competing for in tropical rainforests?
nutrients sunlight space water
72
What are lianas?
epiphytes that climb trees so leaves reach sunlight in canopy
73
What are drip tips?
pointed tip on end of leaf
74
How are lianas adapted for tropical rainforests conditions?
maximise sunlight and space - growth
75
How are drip tips adapted for tropical rainforest conditions?
encourage rainfall to run off leaves quickly without weight of water damaging them
76
What are buttress roots?
shallow roots spread over wide areas
77
How are buttress roots adapted for tropical rainforest conditions?
maximise absorption of nutrients
78
How are poison dart frogs adapted to feeding in tropical rainforests?
absorb toxins from poisonous insects in mucus
78
How are poison dart frogs adapted to movement in tropical rainforests?
strong suction cups to climb and hold slippery branches
78
Give examples of animals adapted to tropical rainforest conditions
poison dart frog three toed frog
79
How are three toed sloths adapted to predation in tropical rainforests?
extra vertebrae to turn neck can turn 270 degrees to check for predators
80
How are three toed sloths adapted to rainfall in tropical rainforests?
ability to swim
81
How are three toed sloths adapted to surroundings in tropical rainforests?
grown green algae in fur to camouflage
82
What resources do tropical rainforests provide?
minerals fruits nuts wood
83
Give examples of resources found in tropical rainforests
bananas cocoa vanilla cinnamon sugar bauxite
84
How do tropical rainforests create employment?
tourism construction farming mining
85
What is mined in tropical rainforests?
gold
86
Give examples of tourism jobs in tropical rainforests
stewards guides
87
How do tropical rainforests create value for indigenous tribes?
1000s living in harmony - depend on maintaining local ecosystem
88
Give example of indigenous tribes in tropical rainforests
Achuar tribe in Peru - 11,000 in small communities
89
How do tropical rainforests socio economic create value?
resources employment tribes energy medicine
90
How do tropical rainforests create environmental value?
climate change water climate biodiversity
91
How do tropical rainforests provide energy?
hydro electric power created by heavy rainfall - isolated communities provided with power
92
How do tropical rainforests provide medicine?
plants have medicinal values
93
How much medicine comes from tropical rainforests?
25% of medicine from tropical rainforests
94
How many plants have anti cancer properties?
2000 plus plants have anti cancer properties
95
How do tropical rainforests prevent climate change?
absorbs carbon dioxide - offsets global warming
96
How do tropical rainforests provide water?
fresh water source
97
How much fresh water comes from Amazon basin?
20% of water comes from Amazon basin
98
What are tropical rainforests named?
'lungs of world'
99
How do tropical rainforests create value through climate?
evaporation cools air - heat extracted during process
100
How does tropical rainforests create value through climate through moisture emitted?
transpiration feeds water cycle and prevents climate being hot/dry
101
What is biodiversity?
measure of different species in an ecosystem
102
Why do plants grow quickly in tropical rainforests?
hot and moist conditions
103
What returns minerals to the soil quickly in tropical rainforests?
high rates of decay
104
Why is soil quality poor in tropical rainforests?
rapidly absorbed by soil or washed by rainfall and leached
105
Where are nutrients mainly stored in tropical rainforests?
biomass
106
How many different species of plants and animal are in the Amazon in total?
15 million species
107
How many insects are found in on hectare of Amazon?
30,000 species of insect per hectare
108
How many fish are found in one hectare of Amazon?
1500 species of fish per hectare
109
How many birds are found in one hectare of Amazon?
2000 species of bird per hectare
110
What social issues are threatening biodiversity?
slash and burn agriculture unsustainable timer harvesting urbanisation mining
111
How does mining threaten biodiversity in tropical rainforests?
toxic metals enter water supplies
112
What environmental issues threaten biodiversity in tropical rainforests?
floods lightning strikes - fire disease
113
How will reduced biodiversity affect indigenous tribes?
unable to survive - abandon lifestyle
114
How will reduced biodiversity affect medicine?
extinct before discovered
115
How will reduced biodiversity affect species?
extinct before found
116
How will reduced biodiversity affect ecosystem if keystone species extinct?
habitats destroyed food source destroyed
117
Give example of keystone species destroyed by reduced biodiversity
Borneo - orangutan decline due to habitat loss and hunting - fig tree seeds not distributed - species dependent on fig tree decline
118
Why do rates of deforestation vary?
remaining rainforests protected development of country - resources / economic gain
119
What countries are covered by Amazon rainforest?
Brazil Bolivia Peru Ecuador Colombia Venezuela
120
Which direction does Amazon river flow?
North east towards Atlantic Ocean
121
Which direction are lines of longitude?
vertical north to south
122
What direction are lines of latitude?
horizontal west to east
123
What do lines of longitude show?
how west or east
124
What do lines of latitude show?
how north or south
125
What types of farming happens in tropical rainforests?
subsistence commercial
126
Who does subsistence farming in Amazon?
tribes
127
How much deforestation does cattle grazing cause in Amazon?
80% deforestation
128
What crops are farmed in tropical rainforests commercially?
sugar cane soy beans palm oil
129
Give examples of causes for deforestation in Amazon
farming road building energy development logging settlement growth
130
Give examples of trees logged in tropical rainforests
mahogany teak
131
What are trees logged for?
charcoal furniture
132
Why does road building occur in Amazon?
new mining areas new settlements energy projects - supplies needed
133
Give an example of a road built in Amazon
Trans-Amazonian Highway
134
How long is the Trans-Amazonian Highway?
4000 km across forest
135
Give examples of mineral extracted from Amazon rainforest
bauxite copper gold
136
What environmental challenge does mineral extraction in Amazon cause?
scars in landscape rivers polluted
137
Where is the largest iron ore mine in the world?
Amazon
138
What is the largest iron ore mine called?
Carajas
139
How many people work at Carajas iron ore mine?
3000 people
140
When is iron extracted from Carajas mine?
24 hours a day
141
What allows energy development in tropical rainforests?
high rainfall
142
What type of energy is developed in tropical rainforests?
hydro electric power
143
What must be made for hydro electric power?
large dams and reservoirs
144
Give an example of a dam made for hydro electric power in Amazon
Belo Monte Dam
145
What effects will Belo Monte Dam have?
will block Xingu river
146
What is the Xingu river?
tributary of Amazon
147
What environmental effect will Belo Monte dam have?
flooding 40,500 hectares of rainforest
148
What social effect will Belo Monte dam have?
15,000 people displaced
149
How does settlement and population growth cause deforestation?
farming and mineral extraction - population increase
150
Which cause of deforestation is most significant in Amazon?
road building - deforestation - increases access
151
How do factors of deforestation link together?
road building increases access meaning farming, logging and mineral extraction can increase
152
How does deforestation affect local climate?
less evapotranspiration less moisture less clouds climate drier
153
How will deforestation effect local climate in the future?
desertification of rainforests
154
How does deforestation affect soil erosion and fertility?
nutrients in biomass removed nutrients leached soil degradation
155
How will deforestation effect soil erosion and fertility in the future?
marine ecosystems destroyed by flooding
156
How does deforestation affect river pollution?
encourages mineral extraction contamination bioaccumulation in food chain
157
How will deforestation affect river pollution in the future?
local government treat mercury poisoning contamination irreversible
158
Give examples of factors impacted by deforestation
local climate soil erosion and fertility river pollution tribes climate change biodiversity
159
How does deforestation cause decline of indigenous tribes?
unwell due to viruses alcohol/drug abuse
160
How does deforestation affect indigenous tribes in future?
tradition, culture and knowledge lost
161
How does deforestation cause climate change?
reduces photosynthesis
162
How will deforestation affect climate change in the future?
greenhouse effect extreme weather
163
How does deforestation cause biodiversity loss?
extinction - irreversible food chain breaks down
164
How will deforestation affect biodiversity in future?
cure for life threatening disease lost forever
165
Give examples of small scale forestry
selective logging agroforestry replanting
166
What is selective logging?
only felling fully grown trees
167
How does selective logging work to sustainably manage rainforests?
younger trees preserved - provide protection from soil erosion
168
How long is selective logging process?
between 30 and 40 years
169
What is agroforestry?
growing crops and trees together
170
How does agroforestry work to sustainably manage rainforests?
co existence reduces water and soil loss
171
What is replanting?
recreates forest cover to be same as original
172
How does replanting work to sustainably manage rainforests?
maintains replenishment rate
173
What scale is small scale forestry happening on?
local scale
174
What limits come with small scale forestry?
- difficult to police and manage - not economically sustainable for people who earn income from logging
175
What is the 2006 International Tropical Timber Agreement?
agreement that restricts trade in tropical rainforest hardwoods
176
How does 2006 International Tropical Timber Agreement work to sustainably manage rainforests?
discourages sale and purchase of hardwood timber - curbs illegal logging - choose sustainable grown timber
177
When was the International Tropical Timber Agreement?
2006
178
What scale is the International Tropical Timber Agreement?
global scale
179
What are the limitations to International Tropical Timber Agreement?
create black market for illegal logging and hardwood timber
180
How is debt reduction used for sustainably managed rainforests?
debt for nature
181
Give an example of a debt for nature arrangement
USA allowed Brazil to convert debt into funding to protect Amazon
182
How much debt did Brazil owe USA?
$13.5 million
183
How does debt reduction work to sustainably manage rainforests?
encourages Brazil to invest in sustainable management - writes off debt to protect rainforest
184
What scale is debt reduction happening on?
global scale
185
What are the limitations of deb reduction arrangements?
reliant on other countries to make large economic investments, with no control of how money is spent
186
What is ecotourism?
small scale tourism, aiming to protect rainforests and local people
187
How does ecotourism work to sustainably manage rainforests?
provides economic and environmental sustainable jobs for people - improves education also
188
What scale does ecotourism occur on?
local scale
189
What are the limitations of ecotourism?
significant investment for start up difficult on national/regional scale
190
What is education and conservation?
supported by NGOs promote conservation through education programmes and training conservation workers
191
How does education and conservation work to sustainably manage rainforests?
encourages sustainable choices educating importance of tropical rainforests
192
What scale does education and conservation happen on?
global scale
193
What are the limitations of education and conservation happen on?
impacts of global education cane be difficult to quantify

AQA Geography (15 decks)

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