Cold environments (paper 1) Flashcards
Where are cold environments found
In the Northern and Southern hemispheres
what is temperature like in polar regions
below -50 degrees celcius
What is precipitation like in polar regions
Low
Why is there low precipitation in polar regions
The air sinks from the Polar cell
What is the soil like in polar regions
It is permanently covered in permafrost
What and where are plants in polar regions
Mosses and lichens are found on the fringes of the ice
what hemisphere are penguins located in
southern
what hemisphere are polar bears located in
northern
How are polar bears adapted
they have thick fur, an insulating layer or fat, a black nose and foot pads to absorb the sun, white fur to blend with the snow
How are penguins adapted
they have a black back to camouflage in the sea but have a white front to camouflage when above water.
What is the temperature like in Tundra regions
It may drop to -20 degrees Celsius but the brief summer can be quite warm
What is precipitation like in Tundra regions
it is mainly snow and can be quite high in costal areas
What are plants like in tundra regions
they are low growing like Artic moss but low bushes and small trees may grow in the summer
What is soil like in Tundra regions
infertile and waterlogged and the soil is in permafrost majority of the year but will melt in the summer
Why is the soil waterlogged in tundra regions
because water is trapped by permafrost
why is the soil infertile in tundra regions
because water draining through the soil removed the nutrients and there is a slow nutrient cycle
How is vegetation in cold environments adapted
they are low growing to stay out of the wind
How is the bearberry adapted
Low to the ground to avoid the wind
Grows on a rock because there is no fertilized soil
Though, thick bark for stability
Vibrant berries to attract insects
How are animals adapted to cold environments
They hibernate during the long polar night
Thick fur - insulation
Big paws - walking on snow
Where is Svalbard located
In the Artic circle above Norway
What is the population of Svalbard
2700 people are registered
what type of region is Svalbard
60% is polar and the rest is tundra but almost always frozen with snow
How much of Svalbard is a polar region
60% and 60% of that are glaciers
What are the 4 opportunities for development in Svalbard
mineral extraction
energy development
fishing
tourism
