Living World topic

• What is an ecosystem?

  An ecosystem is a community of living organisms and their interactions with each other and their physical environment.
• What are abotic factors affecting ecosystems?

  Abiotic factors: non-living components of an ecosystem such as temperature, water, sunlight, soil, and air.
• What are the layers of a pond?

  Pond bottom

  Mid Water

  Pond surface 

  Pond margin 

  Above the pond surface
• What's at the Pond Bottom?

  there is very little oxygen or light at the bottom of the pond. Decomposers and scavengers live here where they feed on dead material, eg water worms and rat-tailed maggots.
• What's at the mid water?

  fish are the main predators here. Food is found on the pond bottom or the pond surface. Animals here breathe through their skin or gills, eg stickleback fish, water fleas and dragonfly nymphs.
• Whats at the pond surface?

  animals here breathe through their gills, skin or lungs. There is plenty of oxygen and light here. Animals found here include ducks, water boatmen, midge larvae and tadpoles.
• whats on the pond margin?

  plants provide a sheltered habitat for insects and smalls animals such as frogs. There is lots of light and oxygen so plants such as marsh marigold thrive.
• what is Above the pond surface?

  birds such as kingfishers and insects like dragonflies are common here.
• Ecosystems are spread across the world with distinctive interacting characteristics and components, ranging from small (e.g., a freshwater pond) to global (e.g., the desert biome)
• The distribution of large-scale ecosystems (biomes) is determined by climate factors like latitude, air pressure, and winds
• Latitude is crucial in determining global climate patterns, with the Equator having the highest temperatures and the polar regions the lowest
• Differences in temperature lead to variations in air pressure, with low-pressure areas created when air rises and high-pressure areas when air sinks
• Low-pressure areas are associated with cloud and precipitation, while high-pressure areas result in dry, warm conditions
• Winds blow from areas of high to low pressure, maintaining pressure belts that create different global climatic zones
• Label this.

  A) Tundra

  B) Taiga

  C) Temperate deciduous forest

  D) Temperate Grassland

  E) Desert

  F) Tropical Rainforest

  G) Savanna Grassland

  H) Mediterraean

  
• Tundra biome:

  • Found near the North and South poles
  • Very few plants and animals can survive here
• Taiga (coniferous forest) biome:

  • Found in Scandinavia, Russia, and Canada
  • Evergreen trees thrive in this cool temperate climate
• Temperate deciduous forest biome:

  • Found across Europe and in the USA
  • Trees lose their leaves every year and thrive in mild and wet conditions known as a temperate maritime climate
• Temperate grassland biome:

  • Found in Hungary, South Africa, Argentina, and the USA
  • Consists of grass and trees that thrive in a temperate continental climate of moderate rainfall and mild conditions
• Chaparral or evergreen hardwood (Mediterranean) biome:

  • Found around the Mediterranean Sea, around Perth and Melbourne in Australia, and California in the USA
• Desert biome:

  • Found near the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn
  • Conditions are very hot and dry, with plants and animals specially adapted to survive
• Tropical rainforest biome:

  • Found near the Equator
  • Hot and humid climate with a high diversity of species
• Savanna grassland biome:

  • Found mainly in central Africa, southern India, northern Australia, and central South America
  • Characterized by long grasses and a few scattered trees in hot and dry conditions
• How much rainfall do rainforests get per year?

  2000 mm
• What is the soil in tropical rainforests is it fertile or not?

  Not fertile
• Why is the soil not got nutrients in the rainforest?

  A lot of rainfall carries nutrients away
• Structure of a tropical rainforest

  A tropical rainforest is made up of the following layers:

  • ground level
  • shrub layer
  • under canopy
  • (main) canopy
  • emergents
• Plant adaptations in the rainforest:

  • Lianas: woody vines with roots in the ground that climb trees to reach sunlight, with leaves and flowers in the canopy
  • Tree trunks: tall and thin to reach sunlight, with smooth bark for water flow to roots
  • Drip tips: leaves with pointy tips for water runoff without damage
  • Buttress roots: large roots with ridges for support of large trees
  • Epiphytes: plants living on tree branches in the canopy, getting nutrients from air and water, not soil
• Animal adaptations

  Many animals have adapted to the unique conditions of the tropical rainforests.

  The sloth uses camouflage and moves very slowly to make it difficult for predators to spot.

  The spider monkey has long, strong limbs to help it to climb through the rainforest trees.

  The flying frog has fully webbed hands and feet, and a flap of loose skin that stretches between its limbs, which allows it to glide from plant to plant.

  The toucan has a long, large bill to allow it to reach and cut fruit from branches that are too weak to support its weight.
• Factors contributing to deforestation:

  • Farming: large areas cleared for pastoral and arable farming, including beef farming and cash crop cultivation like soya beans
  • Logging: tropical rainforests cut down for valuable trees like mahogany for timber and paper products
  • Mining: development of mines in the Amazon Basin for resources like iron ore, copper, tin, aluminium, manganese, and gold leading to rainforest clearance
  • Roads: construction of access roads for farmers, loggers, and miners destroying large parts of tropical rainforest
  • Hydroelectric power (HEP): creation of HEP stations in the Amazon Basin resulting in forest flooding to create reservoirs and dams, like the Balbina dam in Brazil which caused the loss of 920 square miles of rainforest
  • Population growth: loss of rainforest due to land clearance for housing and infrastructure
• What happens after the trees are cleared?

  Soil erosion - Once the land is cleared of rainforest vegetation the soil is left bare. When it rains, the nutrients in the soil are washed away. The nutrient cycle stops because there are no plants or trees shedding leaves to replace the nutrients in the soil. The soil is no longer able to support plant life because it is not fertile. The roots of plants and trees no longer hold the soil together so it is easily eroded.