living world

• Abiotic

  Relating to non living things
• Biotic

  Relating to living things
• Consumer

  Creature that wats herbivores and / or plant matter
• Decomposer

  An organism that breaks down dead tissue which is then recycled to the environment
• Ecosystem

  A community of plants and animals that interact with each other and the physical environment
• Food chain

  The connections between different organisms that rely on one another as their food source
• Food web

  A complex hierarchy of plants and animals relying on each other for food
• Nutrient cycling


  A set of processes whereby organisms extract minerals necessary for growth from soil and water before passing them on though the food chain
• Global ecosystem


  Large biomes with flora and fauna adapting to their environment
• Producer


  An organism or plant that is able to absorb energy from the sun through photosynthesis
• Biodiversity


  The way of life in the world or a particular habitat
• Convectional rainfall


  Warm air at the surface heats up, rises, cools and condenses forming clouds. This leads to heavy daily rainfall
• Commercial farming


  Farming to sell produce for a profit
• Deforestation


  The chopping down and removal of trees to clear an area of forest
• Logging


  The business of cutting down trees and transporting the logs to sawmills. Selective logging and clear felling. Teak and Mahogany worth the most
• Mineral extraction


  The removal of mineral resources from the earth. Gold, Bauxite, Oil and gas. Pollutes rivers and air
• Soil erosion


  Removal of topsoil faster than it can be replaced due to natural, animal and human activity
• Subsistence farming


  A type of agriculture producing food and materials for the benefit only of the farmer and his family
• Debt reduction


  Countries are relieved of some of their debt in return for protecting their rainforests
• Ecotourism


  Responsible travel to natural areas that conserve the environment, sustains the well being of local people and may involve education
• Selective logging


  The cutting down of trees which are mature or inferior to encourage the growth of the remaining trees
• Sustainability


  Actions and forms of progress that meets the needs of the present without reducing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs
• Ecosystem characteristics


  • Tropical Rainforests
  • Temperate Grassland
  • Coniferous Forest
  • Deciduous forests
  • Tundra
  • Mediterranean
  • Tropical Grasslands
  • Deserts

  
• Tropical Rainforests


  • Along equator (Asia, Africa / South America)
  • 6% earth's surface
  • 25ºC – 30ºC and over 250mm rain per year

  
• Temperate Grassland


  • 40º - 60º N of the equator (N America and E Europe)
  • Centre of continents away from the sea
  • Short grasses
  • Wet and dry seasons
• Coniferous Forest


  • 60ºN (Scandinavia / Canada)
  • Cone bearing evergreen
  • No sunlight for part of the year
• Deciduous forests


  • Higher latitudes (W Europe, N America, New Zealand)
  • 5 – 20ºC and between 500 – 1500 mm rain per year
  • 4 distinct seasons
  • Lose leaves in the winter to cope with the cold
• Tundra


  • Above 60ºN (Arctic Circle)
  • Less than 10ºC and less than 500mm per year rain
  • Cold, icy and dry means 2 month growing season
• Mediterranean


  • 30- 40ºN and S on west coast of continents
  • Drought resistant small trees and evergreen shrubs
• Tropical Grasslands


  • Between equator and tropics
  • 20 – 30ºC and between 500- 1500 mm of rain per year
  • Wet and dry seasons
• Deserts


  • Tropics (Sahara and Australia)
  • Over 30ºC and less than 300 mmm per year rain
  • 20% of land's surface
  • Average temperature 27ºC
  • More than 2000 mm rain per year
  • Wet season (December to May)
  • Infertile soils
  • Shallow roots
  • 4 layers of vegetation
  • Trees lose leaves all year
• Plant adaptations in tropical rainforests

  • Tall and straight to reach the sun
  • Buttress roots to support the tall trees
  • Lianas use trees to reach the sun
  • Drip tips so leaves don't rot
  • Thick waxy eaves
  • Smooth thin bark
  • Epiphytes grow on trees and get nutrients from air and water
  • Shade tolerant ferns

  
• Animal adaptations in tropical rainforests

  • Sloths – hook to grip branches
  • Parrots – sharp beak for nuts and fruit; 4 toes per foot to clamber
  • Long limbed spider monkey – sharp nails to peel bark to get to sap
  • Flying frog – web like feet to glide through the air
  • Titan beetle – flies and lives on decaying material
  • Anteaters – long tongues; good smell and hearing; sharp claws to open ant hills
  • Harpy eagle – short pointy wings to manoeuvre
• Small changes to biotic and abiotic factors can have serious knock on effects
• Biomass is the largest nutrient store and the biggest transfer is from soil to biomass
• Fertility s quickly lost from the soil if trees are cut down
• Poor soils due to leaching (the washing away of nutrients)
• Thick litter layer. Rapidly breaks down due to climate
• Warm humid climate means rapid plant growth
• More than half the world's species are found in rainforests