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28 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What is an ecosystem? |
A grouping of plants and animals that interact with each other their local environment. |
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What is a biome? |
A large ecosystem- a grouping of plants and animals over a large area of earth. |
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Where can coniferous biomes be found and what are they like? |
Fairly high latitude (50-60N) where sun's rays are weak. Cold, with lots of CONIFER trees with tiny needles adapted to the cold. |
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Where can a deciduous biome be found and what are they like? |
Relatively high latitudes. High rainfall and seasonal variations in the sun's rays. Trees lose leaves in winters. The UK is this. |
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Where can tundra biome be found and whassit like? |
Arctic circle. Cold with little rainfall. Only tough, short grasses survive. |
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Where are tropical biomes found and what the heck are they like? |
Either side of the equator. Hot and heavy rainfall. Amazon is a funky example. |
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Desert biomes? Where? What? |
Close to tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. Hot, dry air and concentrated sun rays. |
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What does the biosphere do for us? |
Regulates the water cycle. Plants slow the flow of water to rivers and filter it clean. Keeps soil healthy. New nutrients provided by rotting plants. Regulates gasses. Plants absorb CO2 and produce oxygen. |
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What is the biosphere? |
The part of the earth and its atmosphere that consists of living organisms. |
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What are some things that the biosphere provides us with? |
Timber, bamboo, rubber, water, oil and gas store carbon, vitamins, etc |
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How are humans destroying the biosphere? |
Deforestation, mining, quarrying, farming, overfishing. Pollution: sea temp rise, sea acidification, melting icecaps, changes in rainfall, treeline changes, stress within ecosystems due to rapid change. |
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What are some reasons for rainforest deforestation? |
Timber, mahogany, creation of agricultural land, mining and quarrying, transport routes, building human settlements. Dams and power-stations for power for all this! |
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Define ecosystem degradation |
An environmental problem that diminishes the capacity of species to survive; it occurs in different ways and is manifested in a reduction in the richness of the ecosystems as well as their biological diversity, and in the goods and services they can offer. |
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What is a National Park? |
An area of countryside, or occasionally sea or fresh water, protected by the state for the enjoyment of the general public or the preservation of wildlife. |
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The higher the altitude the ___ the temperature? |
Lower |
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Inland areas are wetter than coastal areas, true or false? |
False. Inland areas are drier. |
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Why do swamps and bogs occur? |
Where drainage is poor. |
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What local factors can affect biomes? |
Altitude (colder higher), geology (limestone creates dry soil conditions because water passes through it easily), Direction of slope affects growing season and sunshine hours. Distance from coast and drainage. |
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Advantages or sustainable biosphere management? |
Ensures the ecosystem can recover quickly from use, prevents damage to the environment, helps local people benefit from their ecosystem, helps local people understand why this management benefits them. |
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Why might there be tensions between the environment and the economy? |
To improve the economy we often have to harm the environment- like cutting down trees and mining, etc. Costs a lot to conserve an area. |
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What are the world's major biomes? |
Tundra, Coniferous Forests, Grasslands, Shrublands, Rainforests, Temperate Deciduous Forests and Deserts |
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What are ecosystem services? |
Benefits provided by ecosystems |
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What are ecosystem goods? |
Actual tangible items we obtain from the ecosystem |
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What goods and services are provided by rainforests? |
Expensive woods like mahogany, as well as plants which we take compounds from for use in cancer medicine. Services: carbon sink |
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What goods and services are provided by tundra? |
Arctic’s tundra supports reindeer populations, which in turn provide food and income for hunters and their families. Services: Cultural value, contributing to various communities’ sense of identity. |
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Indirect impact of climate change on disease spreading? |
In the Northern Hemisphere,it's played arole in geographic shifts of disease vectors. For example, the black-legged tick, whichcarries and transmits Lyme disease in North America, has been expanding north into southernOntario. Could bring tropical diseases closer to home. Malaria has already hit avians in Hawaii. |
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What is CITES? |
A global biosphere conservation programme. Subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species has to be authorized through a licensing system using Appendices according to rarity. |
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What is an example of a national park? |
Peak District. (there are 15 members tho) Protects areas of natural beauty for the benefit of the habits and organisms living within them and for the enjoyment of the public. Laws make sure that nature and wildlife are protected and that people can continue to benefit from it. |
