7 | People And The Biosphere

Question 1

What are the 7 major biomes?

Answer 1

Tropical rainforest, 
tropical grassland (Savannah), 
desert, 
boreal forest, 
tundra, temperate grassland, 
temperate forest

Question 2

Climate characteristics of a tropical rainforest.

Answer 2

• Hot all year round as it’s near the equator (25-30°C)
• Wet all year (annual precipitation; 200-3000mm)
• Day length of around 12 hours

Question 3

Distinctive vegetation of a tropical rainforest.

Answer 3

• Dense forest, several layers of tree
• Nutrient dense soil due to fast decomposition rate
• Fast nutrient cycling

Question 4

Climate characteristics of tropical grasslands (Savannah).

Answer 4

• Hot all year (25-35°C)
• Annual precipitation of 500-1000mm of rainfall per year
• Distinct wet and dry seasons

Question 5

Distinctive vegetation of tropical grassland (savannah).

Answer 5

• Tall grass

- Drought adapted shrubs and trees (baobab)

Question 6

Climate characteristics of deserts.

Answer 6

• Hot all year (>30° C)
• Diurnal temperature range - cool nights
• Low precipitation (<250mm annually)

Question 7

Distinctive vegetation of deserts.

Answer 7

• Plants are scarce but have water storing features (cacti)

- Spines instead of leaves and extensive root systems

Question 8

Climate characteristics of temperate grassland.

Answer 8

• Summer: Hot (25°C)
• Winter: Very cold (-40°C)
• Late spring and summer: 500-900mm of annual precipitation

Question 9

Distinctive vegetation of temperate grassland.

Answer 9

• Short grass

- Few trees and bushes

Question 10

Climate features of temperate forests.

Answer 10

• Warm summer (18°C)
• Cold winter (5°C)
• Precipitation yearly (1000mm)
• Four seasons and corresponding day lengths like the UK (e.g. winter has short days and summer has longer ones)

Question 11

Distinctive vegetation of temperate forests.

Answer 11

• Broad leaves trees that drop their leaves in Autumn
• Oak, brambles, undergrowth (fern)
• Deciduous trees

Question 12

Climate features of boreal forests.

Answer 12

• Mild summer (10-20°C)
• Very cold winter (well below -20°C)
• Clear skies in daylight hours
• Low precipitation that usually occurs during the summer (annually <500mm)

Question 13

Distinctive vegetation of boreal forests.

Answer 13

• Coniferous trees such as pine and fir.
• Evergreen trees
• Mosses and lichen

Question 14

Climate features of tundra.

Answer 14

• Mostly below -20°C in the winter
• 10°C in the summer
• Short daylight hours in winter
• Long daylight hours in summer

Question 15

Distinctive vegetation of tundra.

Answer 15

• Cold climate and lack of light and organic matter means very few plants live in the tundra
• Mainly lichens and mosses

Question 16

How does latitude affect the temperature of biomes?

Answer 16

• Locations near the equator will receive more intense sunlight and are subsequently warmer than those near the Poles.
• If near the equator there is always high angle of sun (all year)
• Lack of heat and light limits vegetation growth and development in the poles

Question 17

How does latitude affect precipitation?

Answer 17

• North and south of the equator there are three major convection cells (Hadley, Ferrel and Polar).
• Air pressure is low at the rising parts of these cells so precipitation is high and vice versa.

Question 18

How does continentality affect how wet a biome is?

Answer 18

Oceans retain heat and provide moisture, so the further from the sea you are the drier it will be.

Question 19

How does altitude affect biome distribution?

Answer 19

• The higher the altitude, the colder it gets and the more wind and precipitation there is.
• E.g. on the slopes of Mt. Kilimanjaro the biomes are tropical rainforests and the higher you go it is a tundra.

Question 20

Local factors affecting biomes: Rock type/Soil

Answer 20

• Permeable rock (limestone) and impermeable rock (marble)
• Chemical weathering of rocks (influences how nutrient dense the soil is) affects the acidity/alkalinity of the soil which affects which plants grow there

Question 21

Soil types and characteristics

Answer 21

• Sandy soil drains water so it is dry, doesn’t support many plants
• Clay soil doesn’t allow much water drainage so puddles of water stay on top holding nutrients and supporting wheat and grass.
• Peat has decayed plants and is rich in nutrients, supports forestry.

Question 22

What is altitudinal zonation?

Answer 22

Change in ecosystems at different altitudes caused by changes in temp., precipitation, sunlight and soil type.

Question 23

Interaction of biotic and abiotic components: What is the hydrological cycle regulation?

Answer 23

Plants regulate the hydrological (water) system,
E.g. trees intercept and absorb rainfall, reducing surface run off, reducing flooding risk.
In Pakistan in 2010 floods were blamed on illegal logging.
Transpiration of plants returns moisture to the atmosphere,

Question 24

Interaction of biotic and abiotic components: Photosynthesis and respiration

Answer 24

Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen, and animals do the opposite meaning that gases are regulated in the atmosphere.

Question 25

Local factors affecting biomes: Drainage

Answer 25

Where there is impermeable rock the surface will be waterlogged preventing the growth of trees. It may form peat bogs or marshlands and specially adapted plants like bulrushes form.

Question 26

How does the biosphere provide for local and indigenous people?

Answer 26

• Food: grains, milk, cheese, dates etc. naturally obtained
• Medicine: treated herbally i.e bark, leaves
• Accommodation: cone-shaped tents built from grass, houses from water and clay.
• Fuel: firewood, animal waste

Question 27

How is the biosphere commercially exploited?

Answer 27

• For water: there is a huge demand for water around the world, therefore parts of the biosphere are deprived of water. E.g. Hamoun wetlands dry up in Iran
• Energy: Biofuels are a source of renewable energy but forests are being cleared to grow this crop so local people pay more for resources.

Question 28

What are the global trends in the demand for resources? (raw materials, food, water)

Answer 28

• Extract 50% more natural resources
• Developed countries consume 10 times more than developing countries.
• Higher population = higher consumption of resources.

Question 29

Regional trends in demand for resources

Answer 29

MINT (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) and BRIC countries are developing and moving to becoming developed.
They are becoming greater consumers as GDP increases.

Question 30

Give an example of exploitation of biospheres due to the demand for resources?

Answer 30

• Demand for beef, palm oil (used in many products e.g. pizza dough and ice cream) has led to massive deforestation to grow soya and cattle ranch.
• HEP projects have led to flooding of tropical rainforests (in Brazil).

Question 31

Summarise Malthus’ theory

Answer 31

Malthus believed that the world population would increase at a faster rate than the food production.
As food, energy and water resources ran out there would be wars, fighting, famine and epidemics which will reduce the population so that there is enough resources. Then the population would increase and the cycle starts again.

Question 32

Summarise Boserup’s theory

Answer 32

Boserup suggested that as the the population increased to the worlds carrying capacity, human innovation would find solutions to increase food supply .