U1: Living World

• Biome - A global ecosystem of plants and animals covering a large area of the Earth's surface
• Ecosystem - A community of plants and animals that interact with one another and their physical environment
• Abiotic - the non-living components of an ecosystem
• Biotic - the living components of an ecosystem
• Decomposers - the organisms that over time break down dead organic matter and animal excretions
• Biomass - organic matter
• Endemic - organisms found only in a specific location

  eg. Limas are only found naturally in Madagascar
• Deforestation - the purposeful removal of trees from a large area
• Sustainable management - using the TRF in a sensitive way to ensure the security of its social, economic and environmental goods / services
• Semi-arid - between 250mm - 500mm of rainfall per year
• Diurnal temperature range - the difference between the highest and lowest temperature during a 24 hour period
• Irrigation - Applying water to land in order to supply crops and other plants with neccersary water
• Aquifer - An underground water source found in rocks
• Camels adaptations

  • Large feet - prevent sinking
  • Do not sweat - less water loss
  • Eyelashes - Prevents sand going in eyes
  • Hump stores water
• Desertification - the process by which land becomes drier and degrade (as a result of climate change and human activities)
• Desert fringes - areas of semi-arid land on the edge of hot deserts