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A Level Geography (OCR) > ELSS - Case Studies - Arctic Tundra > Flashcards

ELSS - Case Studies - Arctic Tundra Flashcards

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1
Q

What is a Tundra?

A

A treeless region in the sub-Arctic which has a very short growing season and severe winter temperatures

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2
Q

How big is the Arctic Tundra?

A

8 million km2

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3
Q

Temperature

A

Very low average temperature
- -15’C
- for 8-9 months of the year the tundra has a negative heat balance

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4
Q

Precipitation

A

Very low mean average of precipitation
- 100mm of precipitation but mostly snow

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5
Q

Humidity

A

Very low humidity
- so cold that only a small amount of water can. be stored in the atmosphere
- low absolute humidity
- very dry

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6
Q

Is there seasonal variation in the Tundra?

A

Tundra is at 60’ latitude therefore, there is huge seasonal variation
- winter months = axis pointed away from the sun = little insolation
- summer months = axis pointed towards the sun = huge insolation

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7
Q

What is insolation?

A

Exposure to the sun’s rays

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8
Q

Geology

A

Impermeable igneous and metamorphic rock

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9
Q

Relief

A

Very flat land

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10
Q

Growing season

A

Very short due to only 50-60 days of summer

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11
Q

Physical factor affecting water cycle

A
  • Insolation
  • Geology
  • Relief
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12
Q

Water flows effected by physical factors (3)

A
  • precipitation
  • transpiration
  • evaporation
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13
Q

How is precipitation effected by physical factors?

A
  • summer = low rates of precipitation
  • winter = lower rates of precipitation
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14
Q

How is transpiration effected by physical factors?

A
  • summer = low rates of transpiration
  • winter = no/little transpiration
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15
Q

How is evaporation effected by physical factors?

A
  • summer = low rates of evaporation as active layer melts creating pools and lakes
  • winter = no evaporation
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16
Q

Water stores effected by physical factors (3)

A
  • vegetation
  • humidity
  • water storage (surface, ground, soil)
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17
Q

How is vegetation effected by physical factors?

A
  • summer = short, rapid growing season allowing grass and shrubs to grow and store water
  • winter = no vegetation as covered in snow
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18
Q

How is humidity effected by physical factors?

A
  • summer = low humidity
  • winter = lower humidity, very dry
    Very cold all year round so little water can be held in atmosphere so humidity is low all year round
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19
Q

How is surface storage effected by physical factors?

A
  • summer = active layer melts - creating pools and marshland as water cannot infiltrate impermeable rock
  • winter = water on active layer freezes forming ice
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20
Q

How is groundwater storage effected by physical factors?

A

Groundwater rocks (geology) are impermeable and thus, hold very little water

21
Q

How is soil storage effected by physical factors?

A

summer - active layer melts, saturating the soils but water is stored in permafrost all year round
winter - active layer freezes into ice

22
Q

Physical factors affecting the carbon cycle

A
  • Insolation
23
Q

What is permafrost / soil’s role in the carbon cycle

A
  • summer = active layer melts - carbon stored in frozen soil is released
  • winter = active layer thaws - small amount of carbon released
24
Q

What is vegetation’s role in the carbon cycle

A
  • summer = growing season - rapid growth of small flora - small store of carbon
  • winter = no vegetation - no store of carbon
25
Q

What is photosynthesis’s role in the carbon cycle

A
  • summer = intense, long days of sunlight = high rates of photosynthesis
  • winter = no sunlight and no vegetation - little / no photosynthesis
26
Q

What is organic matter / decomposition’s role in the carbon cycle

A
  • summer = higher rates of decomposition, thawed active layer creates inundated land which reduces decomposition
  • winter = cold and dry - minimal decomposition
27
Q

Who manages the Arctic circle

A

Arctic council (made up of 8 countries)

28
Q

Why is an Arctic council needed

A

No one owns the Arctic but everyone wants it due to its profit opportunities in oil. Thus, the council is needed to stop conflict

29
Q

Why was the trans-Alaskan pipeline built?

A

To transport oil from Prudhoe bay (North Alaska) to the US

30
Q

How long is the trans-Alaskan pipeline?

A

1,300km
800 miles

31
Q

Impact of the trans-Alaskan pipeline on surrounding permafrost (4)

A
  • manufacturing of pipeline caused the permafrost to become thinner and increasingly discontinuous
  • oil is carried at 60’C which melts surrounding permafrost
  • thawing permafrost can create risks for the pipeline
  • breakages in the pipe can cause mass environmental damage
32
Q

Impacts of oil and gas exploration on the water cycle (4)

A
  • Melting of permafrost
  • Strip mining of sand and gravel
  • Artificial lakes at Goldstream
  • Disruption of drainage networks
33
Q

How has the melting of permafrost caused by exploration impacted the water cycle

A
  • increase surface run off
  • increase river discharge
    = increased risk of flooding
    during summer ponds and lakes become more extensive, increasing evaporation and thus, precipitation
34
Q

How has the strip mining caused by exploration impacted the water cycle

A
  • construction of lakes which disrupt drainage basin
  • exposes permafrost to increased melting
35
Q

How has the artificial lakes at Goldstream caused by exploration impacted the water cycle

A
  • Lakes have been caused by 15m of permafrost melting in the past 60 years
36
Q

How has the disruption of drainage networks caused by exploration impacted the water cycle

A
  • roads, construction and seismic explosions have disrupted drainage networks = increasing risk of flooding
37
Q

Impacts of oil and gas exploration on the carbon cycle (3)

A
  • melting of permafrost
  • oil spillages
  • destruction of tundra vegetation
38
Q

How has the melting of permafrost impacted the carbon cycle

A
  • releases CO2 and methane
  • 7-40million tonnes of CO2 released per year
  • 24,000-114,000 tonnes of methane release per year
39
Q

What melts the permafrost (3)

A

Permafrost is highly sensitive to changes in thermal balance
- construction diffusing heat directly onto the environment
- dust creates dark surfaces on the snow, increasing absorption of sunlight
- removal of vegetation which protects the permafrost

40
Q

How has the oil spillages impacted the carbon cycle

A

Input CO2 into the atmosphere

41
Q

How does the destruction tundra vegetation impact the carbon cycle

A

Reduces photosynthesis - reduced uptake of CO2 in the atmosphere to biosphere

42
Q

Why should the Artic permafrost be protected?

A

The Tundra stores 1600GigaTonnes of carbon which would be extremely detrimental to the climate if it were released
- sea level rise
- destruction of habitats
Protecting it would prevent the thawing of permafrost - reducing global warming - positive feedback loop

43
Q

Buildings / pipeline elevated on stilts

A
  • Global scale
  • Constructing buildings, oil/gas pipelines on stilts allows cold air to circulate beneath these structures
  • Prevents local permafrost from thawing
  • V. expensive
44
Q

Drilling laterally from drilling rigs

A
  • Local scale
  • New drilling techniques allow oil and gas to be accessed several kilometres away from the drilling site. Shell has developed the ‘snake’ drill, which allows for directional drilling across a wide area from a single drilling site
  • With fewer sites needed for drilling rigs, the impact on vegetation and the permafrost is greatly reduced
  • V. expensive and damages local permafrost
45
Q

Refrigerated supports on the legs of the Trans-Alaska pipeline in the Arctic

A
  • Local scale
  • Refrigerated supports are used on the trans-Alaska pipeline to stabilise the temperature of the permafrost.
  • Similar supports are widely used to conserve the permafrost beneath buildings and other infrastructure.
  • V. expensive
46
Q

Insulated ice and gravel pads in the Arctic

A
  • Local scale
  • Roads and other infrastructural surfaces can be constructed on insulating ice or gravel pads
    -Protects the permafrost. E.g the spine road at Prudhoe bay lies on a 2m deep pap
  • V. expensive
47
Q

More powerful computers for detection in the Arctic?

A
  • Local scale
  • Fewer exploration wells are needed thus reducing the impact on the environment
  • V. expensive
48
Q

Polar code 2017

A
  • Global scale
  • Places limitations on the discharge of oil, sewage, and rubbish on ships passing through the Arctic
  • Protects the environment
  • Difficult to enforce

A Level Geography (OCR) (11 decks)

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