Sustaining Ecosystems

Question 1

What is an ecosystem?

Answer 1

A system in which organisms interact with each other and with their emvoironment

Question 2

Abiotic

Answer 2

Non living, such as air, water, heat, rock

Question 3

Biotic

Answer 3

Living, such as plants, insects, and animals

Question 4

Flora

Answer 4

Plant life occurring in a particular region or time

Question 5

Fauna

Answer 5

Animal life of any particular region or time

Question 6

Food chains

Answer 6

how energy and nutrients move through an ecosystem

Question 7

Nutrient cycle

Answer 7

animals and plants consume nutrients found in the soil, and these nutrients are then released back into the environment via death and decomposition.

Question 8

Litter

Answer 8

Surface layer of vegetation, over time breaks down to become humus

Question 9

Biomas

Answer 9

The total mass of living organisms per unit area

Question 10

Distribution of tropical rainforests

Answer 10

Centred along the equator between the tropic of cancer and capricorn

Question 11

Convectional rainfall

Answer 11

1. Roots of plant take up water from the ground and the rain is intercepted as it falls
2. As rain forest heats up, water evaporates into the atmosphere
   3.finally, the water condenses and forms clouds to make the next day’s rain

Question 12

Climate of tropical rainforest

Answer 12

Temps rarely fall below 20 degrees and temps rarely rise above 32 degrees due to clouds, at night temperature drops

Question 13

Layers of rainforest

Answer 13

Emergent, canopy, U-canopy, shrub layer

Question 14

Emergent layer

Answer 14

Highest layer with trees reaching 50m

Question 15

Canopy layer

Answer 15

Most life found here as it receives 70% of sunlight and 80% of light

Question 16

U-canopy layer

Answer 16

Consists of trees that reach 20m

Question 17

Shrub layer

Answer 17

Lower layer with small trees adapted to living in the shade

Question 18

What is interdependence?

Answer 18

Where plants and animals depend on each other to live

Question 19

Leaf litter

Answer 19

Thin litter layer rapidly decomposes in heat

Question 20

Top soil

Answer 20

Mixture of decomposed organic matter and minerals

Question 21

Sub soil

Answer 21

Deep due to weathering of rocks below

Question 22

Rock

Answer 22

Weathers quickly at high temperatures to form sub-soil

Question 23

What is a biome?

Answer 23

Large geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups that are adapted to the particular environment

Question 24

Effects of human activity on rainforests

Answer 24

Logging, agriculture, mineral extraction, tourism

Question 25

Logging

Answer 25

- cause of destruction to biodiversity - timer harvested to create commercial items - lead to confrontation between indigenous tribes and logging companies

Question 26

Agriculture

Answer 26

- large scale slash and burn of land for ranches and palm oil - increased carbon emission - river saltation and soil erosion increasing due to large areas of exposed land - increase in palm oil makes soil infertile

Question 27

Mineral extraction

Answer 27

- Precious metals found in rainforest - areas mined can experience soil and water contamination - indigenous people becoming displaced from their land due to roads being built

Question 28

Tourism

Answer 28

- mass tourism resulting in building of hotels - cause negative relationship between government and tribes -tourism affected wildlife (apes) by being exposed to human diseases