Artic Tundra

Question 1

What is the annual precipitation

Answer 1

50 to 350 mm with the most falling as snow

Question 2

Name three physical factors that are affecting flows

Answer 2

Due to low concentrations of cloud forming nuclei there is low rainfall

Due to the sparseness of vegetation cover and the short growing season there is limited transpiration and interception

The snow uses most of the suns energy in order to be melted causing ground temperatures to stay low which means low rate of evaporation

Question 3

Four physical factors affect stores

Answer 3

Surface and soil water of frozen for most of the year

Extensive wetlands ponds and lakes on the tundra during thermokast

Due to low temperatures small stores of moisture in the atmosphere which reduces absolute humidity

Question 4

Name four physical factors affecting the flows and stores of the carbon cycle

Answer 4

Snow cover can insulate microbes which then allows slow decomposition despite low temperatures

During the growing season plants input carbon rich litter to the soil, decomposition increases releasing CO2 into the atmosphere through respiration

Plants can grow and flower rapidly in the summer when active layer thaws long hours of daylight alarm for rapid photosynthesis

Artic ocean is 3% of earths oceans but sequesters 5 to 15% of the earths ocean carbon uptake due to the downwelling of the physical pump

Question 5

What is respiration and decomposition like in a tundra

Answer 5

Slow

Question 6

Name three vegetation stores and flows

Answer 6

Vegetation is in active in the winter months due to the dark but has 3 growing months in summer

There is an increase in biosphere due to increased photosynthesis of the vegetation

Increase in soil due to littering

Question 7

Organic matter in the tundra

Answer 7

The partly decomposed organic matter stored in the permafrost is locked away for 500,000 years and stores 1600 GT of carbon

Question 8

Mineral composition in The tundra

Answer 8

This is to the permeability of the permafrost, rock permeability, porosity and mineral composition of rocks exerts little influence on the carbon cycle

Question 9

What changes are there during the winter

Answer 9

The polar night period between November to January, the Sun doesn’t rise due to the earths axial tilt their extremely low temperatures due to less direct sunlight exacerbated by the lack of installation what temperatures of -28 degrees to -10°

Question 10

Winter changes to carbon cycle

Answer 10

Photosynthesis and plant growth is very limited there are fewer pockets of unfrozen soil and water which release CO2 and CH4

Question 11

Winter changes to water cycle

Answer 11

Limited ground water and soil moisture as permafrost is a barrier to infiltration, percolation and groundwater flow

Extensive wetlands plus lakes on the tundra called thermokast

Also an accumulation of snow and river ice

Question 12

Summer changes

Answer 12

Midnight Sun period between May and July where the Sun doesn’t set due to axial tilt, still low temperatures due to less direct sunlight, however temperatures increase to -10° to 5°, due to increased insulation

Question 13

Summer changes to the carbon cycle

Answer 13

As active layer thaws, the organic matter within the permafrost begins to decompose and release CO2 to the atmosphere at a faster rate

Plants photosynthesise, growing and flowering

Plants input Carbon rich litter to the soil and decomposition increases releasing CO2 into the atmosphere through respiration

Question 14

Summer changes to water cycle

Answer 14

There is an increase in rainfall with monthly rainfall being greater than 30 mm in August

Two peaks in channel Flow as snow and ice melt and the gradual saturation of the thawed active layer increases Overland flow

Daylight hours increase the suns energy cause ablation of snow