Ch4 Sustaining Ecosystems

What is an ecosystem?

A system which organisms interact with eachother

What are the components of a ecosystem

Abiotic

Biotic

Flora

Fauna

Whats Abiotic

Non living e.g Air, water, heat , rock

What’s biotic?

Living organisms e.g plants, insects and animals

What’s Flora?

Plant life

What’s Fauna

Animal life

What is Litter?

The surface layer of vegetation which overtime breaks into humus

What’s Biomass?

The total mass of living organisms per unit area

What are Biomes?

A large area of plant and animal groups, which are adapted to that particular environment

What is the distribution of Tropical rainforests?

Centred along the equator, between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn

What is the rainforest nutrient cycle?

Hot damp conditions of the floor allow rapid decomposition of dead plants.

This provides a lot of nutrients that are absorbed by plant roots

What are the layers of the rainforest?

E Emergent - Highest layer

C Canopy - Most life found here, receives 70% of sunlight

U Understory Canopy

S Shrub Layer - Small trees

What is the climate of Tropical Rainforests?

Temperatures rarely fall below 22°C

Because of clouds, temperatures rarely rise above 32°C

Heavy showers in the afternoon

No Clouds insulate so at night temperature drops

What is the rainforest Water cycle?

1. Heavy convectional rainfall

2. Trees intercept the rain

3. Some rain reaches the ground

4. Trees take up water

5. Water evaporates

What is the Rainforest Soil profile?

Top:

Leaf litter - Thin layer that rapidly decomposes in heat

Top soil - shallow top soil is a mixture of minerals and decomposed matter

Sub soil - Deep due to weathering of rocks

Rock - Underlying rock weathers quick at high temperatures to form sub soil

How are sloths Adapted to rainforests?

They are camouflaged

How are Lianas and Vines adapted to the rainforest

Climb trees to reach sunlight at canopy

What do forests provide inhabitants with?

Food through hunting

Natural medicines from plants

Homes and boats from wood

What are Human activities that effect the rainforest?

Logging

Agriculture

Mineral extraction

tourism

How does logging effect the rainforest?

Cause destruction to biodiversity and habitats

Whats the effect on rainforests of Agriculture?

Increases carbon emission

Large areas of exposed land leads to soil erosion increasing

Increase in palm oil makes soil infertile

effects of tourism on rainforests

Tourism leading to building of hotels

Tourism has affected wildlife

effects of mineral extraction on rainforest

Areas mined experience soil and water contamination

What are benefits of the rainforest?

Raw materials - timber, rubber

Water - controls water flow

Food

Health - 25% of medicines

Energy - Dams

What are the polar regions?

Arctic and Antarctic

What is the climate in Polar areas?

Very cold, Temperatures rarely reach above 0°C

Low rainfall

Features of the Arctic and antarctic

Large areas of permafrost

Mountain ranges

Very few plants

Few species

What is the soil profile in the arctic?

Active layer

Permafrost - Permanently frozen all year

Bed rock - low temperatures weathers rock slowly

What human activities effect the polar regions?

Oil and gas exploration

Whaling

Tourism

Fishing

How does oil and gas exploration effect the arctic?

Oil spills could threaten ecosystems

How does whaling effect the arctic?

Rapid decline in whale populations

how does tourism effect the arctic

Increases emissions

disturbs wildlife