Cold Environments Flashcards
What is a cold environment
An environment that reaches 0 degrees Celsius or below for long periods of time
Where to find cold environments
At the poles and areas of high altitude
Are cold environments high or low pressure
High pressure- the arctic receives less than 10mm of precipitation a year
Why are the poles cold
the earth is a 23.5 degree tilt meaning that the poles (which already reflect 75-95% of the sunlight and coupling that with the fact that the sunlight is the least intense because the light is spread over the longest distance makes the poles the coldest
plant adaptations (name 3)
-Close to ground & close together - reduces damage from stray particals
-Shallow roots - avoid permafrost
-Small leaves - prevent water lost
- Accomplishes germination/ photosynthesis quickly - short growing season
-Small hairs to provide insulation
Animal adaptations of cold environments(name 3)
Strong sense of smell
Powerful legs
Can go long periods of time without eating
travel long distances quickly
hunt during daytime
thick layer of fat and/or fur
opportunities of cold environments
Fishing (70% of Atlantic cod comes from the Barents Sea)
Coal Mining
Oil extraction (trans Alaskan pipeline- can transport 1.4 million barrels a day)
Tourism (300 jobs a year in Svalbard)
What is permafrost
A layer of permanently frozen layer of soil
Challenges to development
-Construction is difficult due to the heat can cause the permafrost to melt which cause buildings and roads to sink
-Can be difficult to access because you cant use cars on gravel roads+ Runway has to be high albedo (sunlight mostly reflected)
-Extreme temperatures mean manual labor can be difficult depending on the time of year as well as the fact people have to spend a lot of money on many layers
-Have to build utilidors to to get people basic services (e.g. Sewage/water gas) sometimes utilities transported be vehicles
-Darkness from October to March
Threats to cold environments
Eco tourism- can take 10 years to erase a footprint in certain areas
Fishing- or more specifically overfishing which can harm the delicate ecosystems
Energy- burning fossil fuels
Mineral extraction- can melt permafrost
Oil- oil spills
Off roads vehicles- leave deep tracks in the tundra which over time leave muddy tracks keeping the sol loose and soggy all year round
what is carbon capture
Capturing carbon dioxide and either storing it underground or using it to generate electricity
Case study: Exxon Valdez 5Ws
Who: N/A
What:250,000 barrels of oil released into the sea
Where: Prince William Sound, Alaska
When: 24th march 1989- present day
Why: Tanker punctured by rocky reaf
Case Study: Exxon Valdez social Impacts
Social: Alcoholism and domestic violence cases increased and 60,000 Alaskans lost their livehoods
Case Study: Exxon Valdez economic Impacts
Economic:
-only 90-100 of the 273 Boats still remain
-Exxon paid 3.5 billion to clean the spill
-Exxon is still yet to pay 5 billion dollars
Case Study: Exxon Valdez environmental Impacts
Environmental:
s-1/2 of a million seabird
s-2,800 otters
s-300 seals
s-247 bald eagles all dead
L- can still find oils in the beaches and fish often suffer with health problems
