Cold Environments

Question 1

Cold environments

Answer 1

Areas of the world that are at or below zero degrees Celsius for long periods of time.

Question 2

3 types of cold environment :

Answer 2

POLAR
TUNDRA
ALPINE (mountainous areas)

Question 3

What’s the climate like in Polar areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 3

Low precipitation (little snow)
Winter temps often fall below -50 degrees

Question 4

What’s the climate like in TUNDRA areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 4

Brief summers can be warm
Winter temps may drop below -20 degrees
High Precipitation in coastal areas

Question 5

What is the climate like in alpine areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 5

Cold&dry throughout the year
Average temps Never rise above 10 degrees
Average precipitation = 30cm a year

Question 6

What is the soil like in POLAR areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 6

Permanently covered by ice -> soil = permanantly frozen

Question 7

What is the soil like in TUNDRA areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 7

Soils = frozen (permafrost)
But in summer will melt closer to surface
Infertile - water draining through soils removes nutrients

Question 8

What are soils like in ALPINE areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 8

Well drained - steep slopes
Rocky - freeze-thaw
Thin on steep slopes

Question 9

What plants grow in POLAR areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 9

Mosses & lichens

Found on fringes of the ice

Question 10

What plants grow in TUNDRA areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 10

Low-growing flowering plants

Bearberry

Question 11

What plants grow in ALPINE areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 11

No trees
Small leafed shrubs
Heather
Edelweiss

Question 12

Animals in POLAR areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 12

Polar bears - thick fur to retain heat, insulating layer of fat
Penguins

Question 13

Animals in TUNDRA areas? (Cold environments)

Answer 13

Arctic fox
Arctic hare
More animals than POLAR due to more food options and less extreme climate

Question 14

Animals in the ALPINE area? (Cold environments)

Answer 14

Mountain goats
Sheep
Elk

Question 15

How are Caribou adapted to survive in cold environments?

Coats

Answer 15

2 coats - one short and fuzzy

          - a longer one with hollow hairs with air inside 
                  - warms up and  " keep him buoyant when swimming

Question 16

How are Caribou adapted to survival in cold environments?

Hooves

Answer 16

Split hooves - they can spread out on the snow & ice

- making them less likely to slip and distributes their weight so they don’t sink in

Question 17

How are Caribou adapted to survival in cold environments?

Legs

Answer 17

In the legs the veins and arteries are next to each other, so warm blood keeps the cold blood warm

Question 18

How are Caribou adapted to survival in cold environments?

Nose

Answer 18

Nose chamber traps & heats air and stops freezing air getting into their lungs

Question 19

How are Caribou adapted to survival in cold environments?

Body

Answer 19

Compact & stocky to reduce heat loss

Question 20

How are Bearberry adapted to survival in cold environments?

Leaves

Answer 20

Small, leathery leaves helps retain water in the dry environment

Question 21

How are Bearberry adapted to survival in cold environments?

Stems

Answer 21

Hairy stems help to retain heat & keep the plant safe from v low temperatures

Question 22

How are Bearberry adapted to survival in cold environments?

Seeds/berries

Answer 22

Bright red berries are eaten by birds/owls

Question 23

How are Bearberry adapted to survival in cold environments?

Height

Answer 23

Very low growing - to enable survival through strong winds