geography - living world

• a food web is a system of interlocking and inter-dependent food chains
• a food chain is a series of organisms that is dependent on the next as a source of income
• a producer is an organism that produces biomass - for example algae
• a decomposer breaks down plant matter and returns nutrients to the soil - for example bacteria
• a consumer takes energy from eating biomass - for example a minnow
• a management strategy for a cold environment is the antarctic treaty - it stops all harmful activity in antarctica such as bomb testing and mass fishing
• a management strategy for a cold environment is WWF canada - works with local communities to manage and protect critical species and ecosystems and promotes sustainability
• a challenge faced in svalbard is accessibility - as it can only be reached by plane or ship and there are only 50km of roads
• a challenge faced in svalbard is the extreme temperatures - its dangerous to work outside for too long due to hypothermia and frostbite
• an area of development in svalbard is energy - there is potential for geothermal energy plants as svalbard is near a constructive plate boundary
• an area of development in svalbard is fishing - there are over 150 species of fish in surrounding waters and they are monitored to keep fishing sustainable
• the bottom layer of the rainforest is the forest floor - only 1% of light reaches here so leaves are large to absorb as much sunlight as possible
• the second bottom layer of the rainforest is the understory - home to species as boa constrictors and tree frogs, trees grow to 13-15 metres
• the second top layer of the rainforest is the canopy - its home to the majority of plant and animal species and is a continuous layer of 30-40 metre trees
• the top layer of the rainforest is the emergents - tallest trees can grow to over 50 metres and it is a discontinous layer
• the jau national park protects the amazon as hunting, fishing and extraction of wood are all banned, ecotourism and scientific research are promoted and zones introduced to protect most remote areas of the rainforest
• deforestation can cause soil erosion - as infertile soil in the amazon means farmers use artificial fertilisers that destroy natural habitats and pollute water supplies
• deforestation can effect the biodiversity - and the loss of biodiversity destroys ecosystems and can cause mass extinction
• in equador, the yachana eco lodge promotes eco tourism by employing locals providing them with a source of income, and show people to protect the environment by causing as little damage as possible and offers guests a range of local activites to show what life is like
• a reason for deforestation in brazil is cattle ranching - there are 200 million cattle in brazil on 450,000km2 of land
• a reason for deforestation in brazil is illegal logging companies - they fell trees such as mahogany to sell to developed countries, and logging accounts for 4% of brazils gdp
• a reason for deforestation in brazil is commercial farming - up to 250,000km2 of rainforest has been felled to grow soy beans and palm oil
• an adaptation of plants in rainforests is drip tip leaves - allows water to run off without damaging the plant and prevents water build up that can cause mould and disease
• an adaptation of plants in rainforests are lianas - woody vines that use other trees to climb into the canopy for light
• an adaptation of plants in rainforests are buttress roots - they are shallow roots that spread 2 metres wide to help utilise infertile soil
• rainforests are important as they provide 25% of western pharmaceuticals with medicine and they act as a carbon sink, absorbing carbon from the atmosphere
• rainforests are important as they reduce flood risks by intercepting water and they are home to thousands of indigenous tribes
• some economic gains of deforestation in brazil are that it provides development projects that create jobs for the growing population and that HEP will provide cheap energy in surplus
• some economic losses of deforestation in brazil are that plants that could provide medical cures and benefits are becoming extinct and that the number of tourists attracted could decrease rapidly
• a plant that has adapted in a cold environment is the bearberry plant - they are low growing to avoid high winds and their stems have thick bark for stability in wind and cold
• an animal that has adapted in a cold environment is the polar bear - it has black skin and two layers of fur for warmth and has large paws to aid with swimming