Biology P2

What are the four spheres of Earth?

Biosphere, Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere

What is the atmosphere

The layer of air that surrounds the earth and consists of a mixture of various gases.

What is the lithosphere

The soil and rocks comprising the outer layer of the Earth

What is the hydrosphere

All the water on the surface of the Earth.

What are the two kinds of biomes?

Terrestrial and aquatic

Whats 1-7?

1- Savanahh
2- Grassland
3-Nama Karoo
4-Succulent Karoo
5-Fynbos
6-Forests
7-Thickets

Describe Savannah

Climate - Warm wet summer, cold dry winter
Soil - Sandy, lacking nutrients
Vegetations - Grasses (red grass) and trees (baobab)
Animals -Big Five

Describe Grassland

Climate - Hot summer with high rain, thunderstorms, and cold winters with heavy frost
Soil - Deep, rich, fertile, acidic
Vegetations - Mainly grasses with few trees
Animals - Lots of birds (korhaan)

Describe Nama Karoo

Climate- Hot summers, cold winters with regular frost. Semi-desert, so little rain
Soil- Rich in lime and forms thin layer over rocks
Vegetation - Mostly grasses and small shrubs (sweet thorn)
Animals - Sheeps and goats

Describe Succelent Karoo

Climate - Hot dry summer, cold winters, winter rainfall very low
Soil - Rich in lime and forms thin layer over rocks
Vegetation - Mostly small succulents (quiver trees)
Animals -Nocturnal and hide in holes in day ( meerkat)

Describe Fynbos

Climate - cool wet winters, hot dry summers
Soil - sandy, acidic, not very fertile
Vegetation - Evergreen shrubs with hard leaves (proteas)
Animals -Lots(grysbok)

Describe Forests

Climate - High rainfall no frost
Soil - Fertile, thick layer of humus
Vegetation - Trees forming closed canopy of leaves (yellowwood)
Animals - bushpigs

Describe thicket

Climate - Varies
Soil - Often shallow
Vegetation - Varied, many have thorns
Animals - (kudu)

What determines different water biomes

Salinity, temperature, depth of water

What are the two kinds of aquatic biomes?

Marine and freshwater

What are the marine biomes

Oceans, coral reefs, estuaries

What are the freshwater biomes?

Wetlands, (streams and rivers), (ponds, lakes and dams)

What are the zones of the ocean from lowest to highest depth?

Sunlight zone
Twilight zone
Midnight zone
Abyssal zone
Hadal zone with Trenches

What is one ocean organism

Algae

What two main components does an ecosystem consist of?

Abiotic and biotic component

What are three abiotic factors

Physiographic factors, Edaphic factors, Light

What are the physiographic factors?

Aspect, Slope, Altitude

In the southern hemisphere, which direction of slope gets more sunlight?

North-facing

What are three edaphic soil factors?

Type of soil, Soil air, pH

What are the three types of soil from small to large particles

Clay, Loam, Soil

What is humus?

Decayed plant and animal matter

What are ectothermic animals?

Animals whose body temperature is dependent on the environmental temperature

What are the three types of plants and their water needs

Hydrophytes - Adapted to grow in water
Mesophytes - Grow in areas with moderate water supply
Xerophytes - Adapted to grow in extremely dry conditions

Identify the labels.

1 - Evaporation
2 and 3 -Evaporation and transpiration
4 - Condensation and cloud formation
5 - precipitation
6 - run-off
7- infiltration
8 - capilarry water
9 - spring

What is the biotic component divided into?

Autotrophic and heterotrophic component

What does the autotrophic component consist of?

All green plants that can photosynthesize and produce their own carbs. Known as producers.

What does the heterotrophic component consist of?

Organisms that cannot produce their own food. Known as consumers and subdivided into primary, secondary and tertiary consumers, and decomposers.

What are the primary consumers, what trophic level do they occupy and what do they feed on?

Herbivores and omnivores, occupy 2nd trophic level, directly feed on producers.

What are the secondary consumers, what trophic level do they occupy and what do they feed on?

Carnivores and Omnivores, occupy 3nd trophic level, directly feed on primary consumers.

What are the tertiary consumers, what trophic level do they occupy and what do they feed on?

Carnivores and Omnivores, 4th trophic level, feed on secondary consumers.

What are saprophytes

Organisms that live off dead organic plant and animal matter

What are labels 1 to 5

1 and 2 - Photosynthesis
3 - weathering
4 - respiration and decomposition
5 - surface weathering

What are labels 1 to 10

1 - denitrification by denitrifying bacteria
2 - electrical fixation
3 - food
4 and 5 - death
6 - absorption by plant roots
7 - decomposition by decomposition bacteria
8 - excretion
9 and 10 - nitrification by nitrifying bacteria

What are labels 1 to 9

1 and 7 - Respiration
2 and 6 - death
3 - fossilisation
4 - food
5 and 9 - combustion
8 - photosynthesis