cold environments: nature and distribution Flashcards
Polar environments:
what is the current distribution of polar environments
when are the winter month in the arctic and the antarctic
what is the climate like (temp/nutrient precipitation)
what type of vegetation grows in polar environments, why
what is the soil like in polar environments
aside from marine animals like penguins, what is the largest animal in antarctica, why is this significant
-polar environemnts are located at the poles, they are 66* N/S of the equator (antarctica=S / arctic=N)
-they can be described as being 10C isotherm (in its hottest month, average temp is still below 10C)
-in the arctic it is winter from december-march
-in the antarctic it is winter from march - october
-very cold, winter temps average -40C, in the summer can reach max 10C
-slow nutrient cycle due to below freezing temp and little rainfall
-low precipitation, below 100mm per year
-only highly adapted vegetation is able to grow, such as mosses and lichen, this is because they rarey decompose - polar environments lack decomposers, when plants do decompose it is very slow
-soils tend to lack nutrients and be frozen, causes a cycke where poor soil creates poor vegetation which creates poor vegetation that creates poor soil
-aside from marine animals, the largest animal in antarctica is the wingless midge (insect), that is 1.5sm long. this is significant because it highlights the harsh conditions that only a small number of highly adapted animals are able to adhere to
Alpine environments:
what are the key characteristics of alpine environments, how are they distributed
what is temperature like in alpine environments
what is precipitation like
what do the warmer temperaturs stimulate
what vegetation type grows in alpine environmnets
what is the nutrient cycle like
what s decomposition like
what is soil like in alpine environments
-alpine environments are areas of low temperatures in high altitude, moutainous regions, found at any latitudes.
-alpine environments are found above tree lines
-temperatures fluctuate annually, alpine summers are frequently above 0C.
temperatures are high in summer months (0-10C) and are lower in winter months (0- -20*C)
-in winter alpine environments receive heavy snowfall, however in the summer they receive warmer temperatures which can bring rainfall which can create a lot of meltwater from the melting of snow and ice
-the warmer temperatures stimulate plant growth, thawing and decomposition
-vegetation that is adapted to live in alpine environments inckude low lying shrups like heather, they thrive in the summer months ad usually die in the winter
-there is a quicker nutrient cycle than in polar enviornments
-decomposition is quicker too, than in a polar climate
-higher summer temps allow the soil to thaw, increasing the veegtation that can grow in that area
-the nutrient rich vegetation allows a more fertile soil to develop when it decomposes, as its nutrients are transferrd into the soil.
-soils freeze in the summer months, meaning less plant growth
Periglacial environments:
what are periglacial environments
how are the distributed
what is a key characteristic of periglacial environments (different permafrost)
what is the climate like in alpine environemnts (precipitation/temp)
what is vegtation like in periglacial environemnts
what is the nutrient cycle like
what is the soil like in periglacial environemnts
-periglacial environments are environemts found on the edge of colder environments like polar and alpine environments, they are consistently cold enough to maintain permafrost
-they are found on the edges of colder environments, typically found at high latitudes in the northern hemisphere
-they have different types of permafrost, either continuous, discontinuous, spordaic or isolated
-low levels of precipitation, less than 100mm
-temperatures are constantly below freezing - subzero
-vegetation is more prevelant than in polar environments, but inly highly adapted plants can survive the cold temperatures and little rainfall
-there is a slow nutrient cycle due to the cold temperatures and poor soil
-lack of nutrient rich vegetation leads to soil infertility
-the lower ground is frozen all year round due to the cold temperatures, however in the summer the slightly warmer temps causes the thawing of the upper soil (the active layer)
-soil is usually extremely waterlogged in the summer due to thawing, which means plants become deoxygenated within the soil and cannot survive, butrients are often leahced ut too.
Glacial environments:
what is a glacial environment
-a glacial environment is one where temperatures are consistently cold enough to sustain glaciers or ice sheets.
-they are typically found in both polar and alpine areas
Past distribution of cold environments:
what was the most recent ice age when did this occur
what is a glacial period
what is an interglacial period
when was the most recent glacial advance (last glacial maximum)
how does present distribution of cold environments compare this period
what period is the world currently in
-the most rcent ice age was in the pleistocene era
-this occured around 2.5 imllion years ago to 11,700 years ago
-a glacial period is a period of colder temperatures, causing glavial advance and sea levels to fall
-an interglacial period is a period of warmer temperatures, causing glacial retreat and sea levels to rise
-the last glacial maximum was around 21,000 years ago
-the present distribution of cold environments are much more isolated compared to this period
-the world is currently in an interglacial period, experiencing higher global temps and retreating glaciers, with a rise in the sea levels
