Topic 7 - People and the biosphere

Question 1

Define biotic

Answer 1

the non-living parts of an ecosystem (atmosphere, water, rock and soil)

Question 2

What is absorption?

Answer 2

the process of taking something in, such as moisture in the soil by the roots of plants

Question 3

Define arid

Answer 3

a region with little or no regular precipitation

Question 4

What is biodiversity?

Answer 4

the variety of living species in an ecosystem or area

Question 5

Define biofuel

Answer 5

made from plant oils and waste materials and can be used to power diesel vehicles and generate electricity

Question 6

Define biogas

Answer 6

a gas produced by the breakdown of organic matter, such as manure or sewage, in absence of oxygen.

Question 7

Define biomass

Answer 7

the mass (weight) of all the living things in an ecosystem

Question 8

What is a biome?

Answer 8

global-scale ecosystem, such as tropical rainforest or taiga forest

Question 9

Define biotic

Answer 9

the living parts of an ecosystem

Question 10

Define a boreal forest

Answer 10

a type of forest found in high northern latitudes, also called the taiga

Question 11

Define the term canopy

Answer 11

the continuous layer of tall trees which shades the forest floor

Question 12

What is carbon dating

Answer 12

uses radioactive testing to find the age of rocks which contained living material

Question 13

Define carbon footprint

Answer 13

measurement of all the greenhouse gases an individual produces expressed as tonnes (or kilogram) of carbon dioxide equivalent

Question 14

Define carbon sequestration

Answer 14

removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and locking it up in biotic material

Question 15

What is a carbon sink?

Answer 15

something that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases, such as a forest

Question 16

Define coniferous

Answer 16

having needles instead of leaves: most coniferous trees have cones and are evergreen

Question 17

Define conservation

Answer 17

protecting threatened biomes e.g setting up national parks or banning trade in endangered species

Question 18

Define altitudinal zonation

Answer 18

the change in ecosystems at different altitudes, caused by alterations in temperature, precipitation, sunlight and soil type

Question 19

Define climate

Answer 19

the average weather conditions of an area occurring over many years

Question 20

Define ecosystem

Answer 20

the connections between living things (plants and animals) and non-living things (water, soil) in a particular place

Question 21

What is ecosystem stress?

Answer 21

ecosystem stress factors, which can be natural or human-produced, which put pressure on ecosystem productivity and processes; ecosystems can tolerate some changes but if the change is too big, or goes on too long, then damage starts to occur

Question 22

What is equatorial climate?

Answer 22

the constantly hot and wet climate of regions near the Equator

Question 23

Define equilibrium

Answer 23

a state of rest or balance due to the equal action (for an ecosystem)

Question 24

Define flora

Answer 24

Plants within a certain ecosystem

Question 25

What is a food web?

Answer 25

nutrients and energy absorbed by plants are passed along a line of living things

Question 26

Define humus

Answer 26

organic material in soil, made from decayed plants or animals

Question 27

What are indigenous communities

Answer 27

Communities that have rights based on their historical ties

Question 28

Define indigenous people

Answer 28

the original human inhabitants of an area

Question 29

Define leaching

Answer 29

when minerals are washed downwards through the soil by rainwater

Question 30

What is the litter layer?

Answer 30

a layer on the forest floor made up of leaves and other dead organic material

Question 31

Define nutrients

Answer 31

mineral or chemical that plants and animals need to grow and thrive

Question 32

What is the nutrient cycle?

Answer 32

the transfer of nutrients around different parts of an ecosystem

Question 33

Define photosynthesis

Answer 33

the chemical process in plants where water, carbon dioxide and sunlight are used to produce glucose

Question 34

Define productivity

Answer 34

a measure of the biomass of an ecosystem: all its biotic components

Question 35

What is a subarctic climate

Answer 35

a climate zone that runs around the northern hemisphere, just south of the Arctic Circle (at a latitude of around 66° north)

Question 36

Define the term taiga

Answer 36

a forest ecosystem in the sub­arctic regions of Canada, Russia, Scandinavia and Alaska (USA); also known as boreal forest

Question 37

Define a tropical rainforest

Answer 37

forest that grows in the constantly hot and wet climate zone near the Equator