Ecosystems and Rainforests GCSE Geography AQA

Food Chains

Shows the transfer of producers and consumers in a line

Food Webs

Illustrates the links between food chains

Producers

Organisms that generate food from sun and water

Consumers

Organisms that take energy from producers

Decomposers

Organisms that break down dead organic matter e.g. bacteria and fungi

Ecosystems

The interrelationship between between biotic and abiotic components.

Biome

Large scale ecosystems made up of flora and fauna and determined by climate

Biotic Factors

Plants and animals

Abiotic factors

Atmosphere, precipitation, rocks, soil and temperature

Nutrient stores in the nutrient cycle

Biomass, litter, soil

Which factors affect climate?

Latitude, altitude, ocean currents

Causes of deforestation:

• Logging

• Wildfires

• Farming

  • Arable (crops)

  • Pastoral (animals)

• Mining (cobalt, tin, gold)

• Energy (broken dams for hydropower)

• Infrastructure e.g. roads

Impacts of deforestation:

• Habitat loss

  • Endangered species and extinction

  • Loss of biodiversity

• CO2 levels rise

  • Slash and burn farming releases CO2

• Soil erosion

  • Fewer roots holding soil together, causing infertility

  • The tree canopy cannot protect soil from erosion

• Tribes forced out of homes

  • Cultural traditions lost

  • Puts pressure onto urban areas

Summarise Malaysia’s selective management system:

Name three other forest management systems:

National park creation, international agreements and ecotourism