Cold Environments Flashcards
Where is Svalbard
Norwegian territory in the Arctic Ocean
Where does Svalbard lie
74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude.
How much land on Svalbard is covered by glaciers
60%
What is there none of in Svalbard
Arable farming and trees
How many major islands in Svalbard
5 major islands
What is the largest of the islands in Svalbard
Spitzbergen
What is Svalbard’s population
2700
Where do most people in Svalbard live
Longyearbyen
What is the trend for Svalbard’s temperature in the winter months
Consistent -25°C
What is the precipitation trend for Svalbard in the winter
Low precipitation
What is the trend for Svalbard’s temperature in the warmer months
Around 5°C
What is the precipitation trend for Svalbard in the warmer months
Around 25 mm of precipitation
What are the 2 main factors to climates in polar regions
Light intensity and High air pressure
Why is Light Intensity a factor in polar climates
The Sun’s rays have to travel further distances to reach polar regions, their intensity and warmth is reduced allowing ice to accumulate
Why is high air pressure a factor in polar climates
Less moisture and reduced precipitation so sometimes there can be as little as 10mm per year
What happens for half a year in Svalbard
The sun never goes above the horizon
What is the climate like in polar regions
Can fall below -50°C
What are the soils in polar regions like
Permanently frozen
What are the plants in polar regions like
Plants like moss and lichen and are found on the fringes of the ices
What are the animals in polar regions like
Animals like polar bears are adapted as they have fur to retain heat and are insulated by their noses and foot pads
What is the climate in tundra regions
May drop to -20°C
Brief summers
Mainly snow
High coastal precipitation
What are the soils in tundra regions like
Soil frozen mostly but melts in summer
Generally infertile
Soil becomes water logged
What are the plants in the tundra regions like
Low growing plants or flowers like arctic moss
Low bushes and small trees may grow in warmer regions
What are the animals in tundra regions like
Arctic fox and hares live here birds like ptarmigans and insects like midges or mosquitoes are abundant in the summer
Why do plants grow low to the ground in cold environments
To reduce wind or ice damage
Why do plants have small leaves in cold environments
To conserve water which can be lost through the leaf surface
Why do plants have shallow root systems in cold environments
Allows the plants to grow in the active layer and to avoid the permafrost
Why do plants grow in close proximity to each other in cold environments
Each plant acts as a barrier for others against wind and ice particles
Why are stem, buds and leaves covered in small hairs
Creates an extra layer of insulation against cold temperatures
What are challenges living in cold environments
Main travel is snowmobiles Home to polar bears Below freezing for 4 months of the year No light from October to February Avalanches
Where was Svalbard 360 million years ago
Near the middle of the equator
What are developing opportunities in Svalbard
Ecotourism Windfarms Mineral extraction Fishing Hydroelectric energy Geothermal energy
How high above sea level is the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline
4739 ft
How many barrels of oil did the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline transport in 2010
226M
What are the advantages of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline
Can collect 1.4 million barrels of oil a day
Trucks only pass to Prudhoe bay for 10 weeks a year
Alaska gains revenue from the pipeline
What are disadvantages of the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline
Could stop caribou migrations
Oil temp. can cause subsidence and the pipeline can collapse and release oil into the environment so permafrost could melt which would release greenhouse gases
Could poison Water Sources
Apart from cod, how many species are estimated to live in the Barents sea
Around 150 different species
How much of cod do supermarkets get from the Barents sea
at least 70%
Why is the Barents sea important to marine life
An extremely important breeding ground and nursery ground for fish and need to be protected from pollution
Advantages of coal mining in Svalbard
Rich reserves of coal
Main economic activity
300 people are employed
New mine opened in 2014
Disadvantages of coal mining in Svalbard
Decline due to lower world coal prices
Environmentalists are against burning fossil fuels
Some jobs lost
New mine was built over a glacier
Why is Svalbard a tourist destination
Scenery
Wildlife
Northern Lights
How does tourism boost Svalbard’s economy
Provides 300 jobs for locals and 70,000 people visited in 2011
Why does Svalbard’s location help with geothermal energy
Near the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a constructive plate margin
The crust is thin so hot rocks are near the surface
The heat can generate electricity
What is carbon capture and storage
A process where carbon is caught, transported and then stored underground in geological reservoirs
What is a thermokarst
An irregular surface produced by thawing permafrost
What is solifluction
The gradual movement of wet soil or other materials down a slope where frozen subsoil acts as a barrier for percolation
Why do many houses in Svalbard have steep roofs and windows triple glazed
To increase insulation to reduce thermal transfer
Where are utilities in Svalbard kept
In utility corridors and are built above ground which are made out of wood in order to keep pipes insulated
How is Svalbard kept to be accessible in airports and on roads
Runway painted white to reflect sunlight which stops the permafrost melting and prevents the runway from sinking
Roads built on gravel pads that stop heat transfer so roads don’t absorb as much heat so permafrost underneath doesn’t melt
What does low/high albedo indicate
Sunlight absorbed (low) / reflected (high)
How are buildings constructed in Svalbard
Raised above ground surface
Cheap and easy to maintain
Why are cold environments so fragile
Tundra vegetation takes a long time to get established
Relatively minor developments can have serious long-term effects
Takes a long time to recover from human activity
Why are cold environments valuable
Rich reserves of oil, gas and other minerals like gold that are in high demand
How does industry affect cold environments
Roads need to be constructed through forests and supply bases need to be built as well as housing needs to be built
What are local opportunities in Alaska
44800 people get jobs 90% of state revenue is generated in oil Helps boost construction industry No taxation allows increased standard of living Charities benefit from donations
What are international opportunities in Alaska
Lots of investment from oil companies
No income tax attracts workers
Seen as world leader in oil
Local challenges in Alaska from oil
Oil extracted from national parks
Citizens don’t pay state tax
Local jobs like fishing lost
International challenges in Alaska from oil
Oil is a finite resource
Where was the Exxon Valdez oil spill located
Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA
What happened at the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Ruptured hull of a super tanker that leaked 40 million litres leaked across the coast because of a drunk captain who ran the ship aground
When did the Exxon Valdez oil spill occur
March 24, 1989
Short term environmental impacts from the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Fishing industry decline
Sickness from chemicals
Animal population died in thousands
Long term environmental impacts from the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Years of illness
Clean up took many years
Economic impacts of the Exxon Valdez oil spill
26K tourism jobs lost
$2.4B lost from lack of sales
Social impacts from the Exxon Valdez oil spill
Fishermen suffered from auto immune disease
What is the International Whaling Convention
An intergovernmental organisation which sets catch limits to commercial and aboriginal subsistence whaling
How successful is the International Whaling Convention
Reduced whale hunting from its peak in the 60s
how many governments are part of the International Whaling Convention
88 governments around the world
Why is setting limits on whaling sustainable
People don’t abuse catch limits
What is the arctic council
An intergovernmental forum to figure out issues in the Arctic
What is the arctic councils role in managing Alaska
Promoting co-operation, co-ordination and interaction among Arctic States
What power do national governments have
Can... Levy taxes Regulate and create federal courts Set up and maintain a military Declare war
What is Mike Dunleavy’s view on the use of Alaska
Wants to rebuild trust in the government
What is Donald Trump’s views on the use of Alaska
Drilling for oil is a priority for the government
What is Joe Biden’s views on the use of Alaska
Wants to get rid of Trump’s drilling laws and unite Alaska
What is Greenpeace?
Non-governmental organization dedicated to environmental conservation and protection; prevented overfishing and the killing of whales
How is Greenpeace funded
Individual and Foundation donations
How does Greenpeace attract supporters
Extreme campaigns and media stunts
What is Greenpeace trying to do in Alaska
Stop deforestation and preserve biodiversity
What is Greenpeace trying to do in the arctic
Ask the world leaders to create a global sanctuary where no human activity can take place
How have officials responded to Greenpeace
They feel its unfair because they are unable to see the economic benefits of Alaska
