Year 10 Geography Test Study Guide: Ecosystems

Ecosystem Focus Areas

  1. Tropical Rainforest Ecosystem

    • Distribution: Found near the equator in areas like the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia.

    • Equatorial Climate: Typically warm and humid with high rainfall (over 2000 mm annually).

    • Vegetation Adaptation:

      • Types: Dense canopy, emergent layer, understory.

      • Example: Large leaves and driplines help quickly shed rain.

    • Nutrient Cycle:

      • Rapid decomposition due to warm climate allows for quick nutrient recycling.

  2. Deforestation of Tropical Rainforest

    • Causes:

      • Agricultural expansion- Creates more farmland to grow crops and raise livestock.

      • logging- Provides wood for construction, paper, and other products.

      • Infrastructure development- Builds facilities like roads, bridges, and cities.

    • Impacts:

      • Loss of biodiversity- Weakens ecosystems by reducing the variety of species

      • Climate change contribution- Worsens global warming through greenhouse gas emissions.

      • Disruption of water cycles- Alters rainfall and reduces water availability.

    • Strategies to Address:

      • Sustainable logging practices, reforestation, policy regulations.

  3. New Zealand Rainforest Ecosystem

    • Distribution: Located on the western coasts of New Zealand.

    • Oceanic Climate: Mild temperatures with moderate rainfall, contributing to diverse plant life.

    • Vegetation Adaptation:

      • Trees adapted to high winds; e.g., pōhutukawa trees have flexible trunks.

    • Nutrient Cycle:

      • Leaf litter decomposition supports soil fertility, balancing nutrient supply..

Key Terms to Know

  • Afforestation: Planting trees in an area that didn't have them before.

  • Annual temperature range: Difference between the hottest and coldest temperatures in a year.

  • Canopy: The second highest layer of trees in a forest.

  • Commercial farming: Farming to make money by selling crops or animals.

  • Deforestation: Cutting down forests.

  • Epiphyte: A plant that grows on another plant.

  • Equatorial: Relating to the region around the equator.

  • Emergent layer: Top layer of a forest with the tallest trees.

  • Global: Relating to the whole world.

  • Local: Relating to a specific area or place.

  • Nutrient: Substance needed for growth or health.

  • Oceanic: Relating to the ocean.

  • Soil: The top layer of earth where plants grow.

  • Subsistence farming: Farming to grow food for personal use, not for sale.

  • Temperate: middle of hot and cold

Where can kauri trees be found in NZ?

-Primarily found in the subtropical northern regions of the North island, including northland, The Auckland region, and the coromandel peninsula.