What is an ecosystem?
A system in which organisms interact with each other and their environment
What are biotic components?
Living parts such as plants, insects, and animals
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What is an ecosystem?
A system in which organisms interact with each other and their environment
What are biotic components?
Living parts such as plants, insects, and animals
What are abiotic components?
Non-living parts such as air, water, heat, and rock
Where are tropical rainforests located?
Along the Equator between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn
Which regions have tropical rainforests?
South America, central Africa, and South-East Asia
What do food chains show?
Energy transfer through one species at each level
What is a food web?
A more realistic model of feeding relationships in ecosystems
Why is decomposition fast on the forest floor?
Because it is hot and damp
Why do nutrients not stay long in rainforest soil?
They are quickly absorbed by fast-growing plants
What happens to soil if vegetation is removed?
It quickly becomes infertile
What is the typical evening temperature in a rainforest?
Rarely below 22°C
Why don't temperatures rise above 32°C in rainforests?
Cloud cover limits heating
What kind of rain occurs most afternoons in rainforests?
Heavy convectional rain
Why do temperatures drop at night in rainforests?
There are no clouds to insulate the heat
How do rainforests show interdependence?
Plants and animals depend on each other to survive
How do nutrients cycle in the rainforest?
Plants take in nutrients, animals eat plants, decomposers return nutrients to the soil
What is litter in the rainforest?
Surface layer of vegetation breaking down
What is biomass?
The total mass of living organisms per unit area
What is the emergent layer?
The highest layer with trees reaching 50 metres
What is the canopy?
The layer with 70% of the sunlight and 80% of life
What is the under canopy?
Trees reaching up to 20 metres high
What is the shrub layer and forest floor?
Lowest layer with small shade-adapted trees
What happens to leaf litter in the rainforest?
It decomposes rapidly in heat
What is the topsoil like in rainforests?
Shallow, red, and rich in decomposed matter and minerals
What is the subsoil?
Deep layer formed by weathered rocks
What causes subsoil formation in rainforests?
Underlying rock weathers quickly at high temperatures
What is a biome?
A large geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups, adapted to that environment
Where are tropical rainforests located?
Centred along the Equator
What is the temperature like in tropical rainforests?
Hot all year
What is the rainfall like in tropical rainforests?
Very high
What is the flora in tropical rainforests?
Tall trees forming a canopy with a wide variety of species
What is the fauna in tropical rainforests?
The greatest range of different animal species, most living in the canopy layer
Where are tropical grasslands located?
South of the equator
What is the temperature like in tropical grasslands?
Warm all year
What is the rainfall like in tropical grasslands?
Wet and dry seasons
What is the flora in tropical grasslands?
Grasslands with widely spaced trees
What is the fauna in tropical grasslands?
Large hoofed herbivores and carnivores dominate
Where are hot deserts located?
Along the tropics
What is the temperature like in hot deserts?
Hot by day and cold by night
What is the rainfall like in hot deserts?
Very low
What is the flora in hot deserts?
Lack of plants and few species, adapted to drought
What is the fauna in hot deserts?
Many animals are small and nocturnal
Where are temperate forests located?
North of the equator
What is the temperature like in temperate forests?
Warm summers and mild winters
What is the rainfall like in temperate forests?
Variable rainfall
What is the flora in temperate forests?
Mainly deciduous trees
What is the fauna in temperate forests?
Animals adapt to colder and warmer climates
Where are tundras located?
Far latitudes north and south of the equator
What is the temperature like in tundras?
Cold winters and cool summers
What is the rainfall like in tundras?
Low rainfall
What is the flora in tundras?
Small plants grow close to the ground
What is the fauna in tundras?
Low number of species, most animals are found along the coast
Where are coral reefs located?
South of the equator in tropical waters
What is the temperature like in coral reefs?
Warm water all year round, with temperatures of 18°C
What is the rainfall like in coral reefs?
Wet and dry seasons
What is the flora in coral reefs?
algae and sea grasses
What is the fauna in coral reefs?
polyps and a diverse range of fish species
What adaptations do sloths have for their environment?
They are camouflaged to the forest environment
What do buttress roots do?
They support tall trees and absorb nutrients
What is the purpose of drip tips?
They allow heavy rain to run off leaves easily
What do lianas and vines do?
They climb trees to reach sunlight at the canopy
What does the rainforest provide inhabitants?
Food through hunting and gathering, natural medicines from plants, homes and boats from wood
What is the most widely reported cause of destruction to biodiversity in rainforests?
Logging
What is timber used for in logging?
To create commercial items such as furniture and paper
What is the impact of large scale ‘slash and burn’ agriculture?
It increases carbon emissions and makes the soil infertile
What are some precious materials found in the rainforest?
Gold, iron ore, and oil
What is the effect of mining in the rainforest?
Soil and water contamination
What is the effect of mass tourism on the rainforest?
It results in the building of hotels in vulnerable areas and exposes wildlife to human diseases
What are some benefits of the rainforest?
Raw materials, water, food, health (modern medicines), and energy (hydroelectric power)
What percentage of modern medicines come from rainforest ingredients?
25%
What is a key source of energy in Brazil from the rainforest?
Hydroelectric power, generating 2
Where is the Samasati Nature Retreat located?
Costa Rica
What is the main focus of ecotourism?
Tourism directed towards natural environments and conservation
How does Samasati Nature Retreat contribute to local communities?
It employs local people for various jobs and uses locally sourced produce
What are some sustainable practices used at Samasati?
Homes are built using local materials, grey water systems, and biodegradable materials
What is a disadvantage of ecotourism in Costa Rica?
Land prices have increased and it is expensive, limiting its scale
What is a major threat to the Costa Rican rainforest?
Cattle ranching, agricultural development, and slash and burn methods
How much rainforest was being cut down annually by 1990?
32,000 hectares
How has the Costa Rican government worked to protect the rainforest?
They created 28 national parks, protecting 24% of the country’s land
What effect did laws and enforcement have on deforestation in Costa Rica?
It reduced deforestation from 1.8% to almost zero by 2005
What is afforestation?
The replanting of trees to replace lost forest
What effect is global warming having on polar ice?
Ice sheets and glaciers are melting at an alarming rate
What does the thawing of permafrost release into the atmosphere?
Methane emissions
What does the decline of Arctic ice lead to?
Coastal erosion caused by waves
What is the active layer in Arctic soil?
It thaws in the summer
What is permafrost?
Permanently frozen ground all year
What happens to bedrock in polar areas?
It weathers slowly due to low temperatures
What are the average winter temperatures in polar regions?
Below -40°C
Where is colder and drier, the Arctic or Antarctic?
Antarctic
What is a major feature of Arctic land?
Large areas of permafrost
What is a major feature of the Antarctic continent?
Large, thick ice sheets and a mountain range
What types of plants grow in polar areas?
Lichens, mosses, and grasses
What kinds of animals live in polar regions?
Polar bears, penguins, whales, seals, and plankton
What natural resources does the Arctic contain?
Untapped oil and gas
What environmental risk is linked with oil in polar areas?
Oil spills
What was a major industry that harmed whale populations?
Whaling
Why did whale populations decline?
Overhunting
Do some countries still continue whaling?
Yes
What has made fishing possible in polar areas?
Access to large untapped fish stocks
Why is policing fishing in polar regions difficult?
Harsh conditions