cold environments Flashcards
what is a cold environment?
an area that experiences temperatures of 0 degrees or lower for an extended period of time
where does the word “tundra” come from?
Finnish word “tunturia” meaning treeless or barren land
where is tundra biome found?
almost entirely above the arctic circle
North America, Europe , Asia
Canada, Norway tip of Finland and Russia
why are there no trees in the tundra?
layers of soil are permanently frozen so roots cannot establish themselves
how are plants adapted in the tundra?
round, short , to protect themselves from the wind and losing moisture
what’s the population of Alaska?
736,000
Where do most people in Alaska live?
south or south east in Fairbanks, Juneau or Anchorage
what opportunities are there in Alaska?
fishing ( salmon), oil, mining , tourism
where is alaska?
along the arctic circle in the north west of North America where it boarders Canada
how is the Caribou adapted?
double coat holds air to keep dry
noses have a chamber for holding heat and moisture to warm incoming inhaled icy air before it can freeze their lungs
why is permafrost an issue for travel?
off road travel cannot take place during summer
what is thermokarst and why is it a problem?
seasonal melting and re freezing of the active layer - results in uneven ground surface - travel is impossible in some places
what is solifluction and why is it a problem?
soils **active layer starts to flow downhill and starts to collect at the bottom*, covering highways - cutting places off for months
what is coniferous forest
do not drop leaves - grow needles
deciduous forest
lose all leaves during winter
