Cold Environments Flashcards
Polar Climate
Never above 10 degrees. Winters can be minus 40 degrees and even minus 90 degrees.
Rainfall and snowfall is low, less than 100mm per year.
Defined seasons; cold summers and even colder winters.
Tundra Climate
Maximum of 10 degrees in summer. Can fall to minus 50 degrees.
Low rainfall, less than 380mm per year.
Defined seasons; cold summers and even colder winters.
Soil in Polar and Tundra
No soil in Polar, covered by ice sheets.
Soil in tundra is thin, acidic and not very fertile.
What is permafrost?
Permanently frozen ground beneath the soil.
Plants in polar environments
Few plants, some lichens and mosses.
Grow slowly, not tall, mainly grasses.
Some small trees in warmer sheltered areas.
Animals in polar and tundra environments
Few animals compared to other ecosystems.
Polar bears, penguins, whales, seals, walrus in polar.
Lemmings, arctic hares, wolves and reindeer in tundra.
People on polar and tundra environments
Polar hardly inhabited. Some scientists in Antarctica. Small number of indigenous people in Arctic region.
More people in tundra including indigenous people and oil and gas workers.
Interdependent ecosystems
Biotic and abiotic closely linked. If one changes it impacts others.
1) Plants gain nutrients from the soil and provide nutrients to the animals that eat them. Animals spread seed through their dung helping plants to reproduce.
2) Low plant cover, grow slowly, decompose slowly, low nutrients in soil, further reducing plants to grow.
3) Herbivores like reindeer rely on plants like mosses need to migrate to areas where mosses grow. Carnivores like wolves have to follow the herbivores.
4) In Summer the tundra has greater plant cover, absorbs the heat, stops the permafrost from thawing.
How do plants adapt to live in cold, dry climates
1) Most plants are dormant and stop growing in cold drak winters.
2) Plants are small, round-shaped protects from wind.
3) Shallow roots because can’t penetrate the permafrost layer.
4) Leaves are small to limit moisture loss.
5) Short growing season of around 50-60 days.
6) Many plants use underground runners or bulbs instead if seeds to reproduce.
How do animals adapt to live in cold, dry climates
1) Well insulated, thick fur coats, layer of blubber to limit heat loss.
2) Some hibernate in the winter.
3) Those that don’t hibernate survive on limited food.
4) Birds migrate away from colder areas in the winter.
5) White coats in winter for camourflage. Harder for predators to see.
Biodiversity in cold environments
Fewer species than other ecosystems.
Low biodiversity means that one species change can affect dependent species.
Global warming causes some species to move closer to poles.
Species already adapted to poles have no where to go and at risk of decline or extinction.
What are wildernesses and why are they worth conserving?
They are wild natural environments. Mainly undeveloped, uninhabited and undisturbed.
1) Provide habitats for organisms so help protect biodiversity.
2) Scientists can study wild plants and animals in natural habitats.
3) Natural ecosystems which can be compared to managed ecosystems.
4) Last remaining areas not disturbed or altered by human activity.
Why are cold environments fragile?
Take a long time to recover if interfered with because:
1) Slow plant growth, long time to re-grow if disturbed.
2) Some species are highly specialised, find it difficult to adapt.
What strategies can balance conservation and economic development?
1) Use of technology - Development causes issues that technology can solve. E.g. heated buildings can melt permafrost leading to subsidence. Modern construction can minimise impact, e.g. elevate buildings.
2) Conservation groups - pressure governments. E.g. WWF, Greenpeace.
3) International agreements - some areas protected, e.g. Antarctica, limits visitors, prevents cruise trips.
4) Role of governments - Can regulate development and anything that would damage the environment.
