7.1: The value of glacial and periglacial Landscapes

Question 1

Relict glaciated landscapes are usually more densely …? and provide many more opportunities for …? development and employment. For example farming, tourism and forestry

Answer 1

1. populated
2. development

Question 2

Name 3 reasons why truly pristine nature is useful for research

Answer 2

1. For the need to maintain a gene pool of wild organisms to ensure the maintenance of genetic variety
2. The need to retain wilderness so that animal communities can remain in their natural environment
3. To use wholly natural communities that still exist as a control system for comparison with exploited, mismanaged systems elsewhere

Question 3

The global seed bank in Svalbard

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure backup facility for the world’s crop …?. The Seed Vault provides long-term storage of …? of seeds conserved in genebanks around the world. This provides security of the world’s …? against the loss of seeds in genebanks due to mismanagement, accident, equipment failures, funding cuts, war, sabotage, disease and natural disasters. The Seed Vault is managed under terms spelled out in a …? agreement among the Norwegian Government, the Crop Trust, and the Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen). Norway and the Crop Trust pay for operational costs. Storing seeds in the vault is …? to depositors.

Answer 3

1. diversity
2. duplicates
3. food supply
4. tripartite
5. free

Question 4

Under which 20th century treaty was Antarctica designated as a continent of peace and science?

Answer 4

1959 Antarctic treaty

Question 5

In the international polar year of 2007 - 2009 the UN Environment Programme report that 60 countries and more than 10,00-0 researchers took part in scientific research there costing $1.5 billion.

Some of the planned or ongoing research projects are being carried out by international antarctic scientists include…
Name 3

Answer 5

• Understanding global change - past present and future, by looking at ice cores
• researching ‘life on the edge’ to explore how ecosystems cope with intensely harsh conditions
• Investigating subglacial lakes beneath ice sheets such as Lack Vostok
• Developing sustainable food webs in the southern ocean ecosystem; in particular looking at changing impacts on the various trophic levels such as the decline in krill, a key component of the antarctic marine food web
• Studying the earth’s upper atmosphere and its links to the lower atmosphere and earth’s climate - taking advantage of the unpolluted atmosphere above the continent
• Understanding of how the antarctic is melting, in terms of scale and paces, using satellites and field data

Question 6

Name 3 economic uses for glacial environments

Answer 6

• Farming
• Forestry (silviculture)
• Mining and Quarrying
• Hydroelectricity
• Tourism

Question 7

Explain how Farming within glacial environments has value

Refer to Bolivian farmers case study in your answer

Answer 7

Within mountainous regions in developing nations there may be limited access to transport link and essential supplies and markets may be poor as well as employment issues being limited.

In countries like Nepal, Bolivia and Ethiopia the highland are largely inhabited by indigenous communities who gain their living from subsistence farming.

Bolivian subsistence farming:
In Bolivia 70% of the population live in the High Andes. They grow crops such as potatoes, quinoa and beans to feed themselves as well as rearing alpacas and llamas. Yet they earn only 30% of the countries GDP - so clearly many consume what they farm, supporting themselves

Question 8

Explain how Forestry within glacial environments has value

Answer 8

Depending on farm prices and the degree of government support (such as EU rural payments), hill farming is a struggle in many regions and upland areas are now being increasingly used for forestry - Silviculture.

UK forestry:
In the UK this is carried out by the forestry Commission and private investors. The main type of tree used is non-native, quick growing conifers, such as Sitka spruce, grown for softwood timber, wood pulp and paper. Conifers tolerate harsh climates and acidic soils that wouldn’t be suitable for other land uses

Question 9

Explain how Mining and Quarrying within glacial environments has value

Answer 9

Glacial erosion has the ability to remove overlying soil and vegetation in or to expose economically valuable rocks. In many active and relict landscapes there are mines and quarries extracting mineral deposits, ores and slate. Outwash deposits can be used for sand and gravel in the building industry making concrete.

Question 10

Explain how the production of Hydroelectric Power within glacial environments has value

Use at least one global named example and one concern about its use in your explanation

Answer 10

Hydroelectric power (HEP) is a major use of water derived from glaciers. In most cases a natural ribbon lake, dam or reservoir in a glaciated valley can provided the HEP.

• Both Norway and New Zealand derive over 90% of their electricity from this source
• Switzerland has over 500 HEP stations producing 70% of its electricity

Clearly HEP is a renewable source, although there can be issues with both the reliability of the water supply and environmental concerns over the damming of rivers

Question 11

Explain how Tourism within glacial environments has value

Refer to Nepal Tour Guides case study in your answer

Answer 11

The tourism industry has grown tremendously in recent decades - which has brought many economic benefits to mountainous regions. A huge range of year round activities are possible in alpine landscapes - hill walking, climbing, mountaineering and skiing, which has led to whole regions capitalising on their tourist potential

Nepal - benefits of glaciated landscapes
Nepalese Sherpas earn around $8,000 (£5,000) each season for taking commercial clients up Mt. Everest
Able to provide for their families within villages and creating a new economic space

Question 12

Name 2 ways that glaciated and periglacial landscapes provide ecological and environmental value

Answer 12

1. Providing Fresh Water
   Approximately 75% of the world fresh water is locked within ice - so glaciers contain 2% of that.
2. Providing water for reservoirs
   glacial water supplies can be dammed for reservoirs
3. Providing water for Irrigation
   As glaciers produce most water in late spring and summer, when it is often hot and dry and other sources dry up their wate can be used to irrigate crops. In the USA the Arapaho glacier produces 260 million gallon of drinking water per day and irrigates huge areas of crops
4. Acting as a Carbon Store
   Permafrost stores large amounts of CO2 in it taken from the atmosphere helping to regulate global temperatures