ELSS SG4 Flashcards
Define Arctic Tundra
A periglacial environment, which has frozen ground known as permafrost, long cold winters, short cool summers and little precipitation
What is the annual precipitation in Kaktovic, North Slope, Alaska?
50-350mm
How many months per year is the temperature below 0 degrees C in Kaktovic?
8-9 months
What is the temperature range in Kaktovic?
23 degrees C
What is the average temperature in Kaktovic?
-12.2 degrees C
What are three limitations of climate graphs?
Only shows average temperature/rainfall per month, The scale could be unsuitable/difficult to read, Only shows rainfall not total precipitation (in Alaska most precipitation falls as snow)
What are three natural factors affecting the water cycle in the Arctic Tundra?
Temperature, Rock Permeability and Porosity, Relief
Is the rock permeability of the rock in the Arctic Tundra high or low?
Low - The ground is frozen as permafrost, so water can’t infiltrate it
What is the main flow in areas of steep relief?
Surface runoff - means surface storage will be high
What is the main flow in areas of gentle relief?
Infiltration - This will not happen in the Arctic Tundra due to the permafrost, so surface storage will be high
What % will the contribution of carbon being given off by the permafrost amplify human impacts by?
30%
How much carbon is released from the permafrost per year?
3GT
How much carbon is stored in the permafrost globally?
1600GT
What fraction of all global soil carbon is stored in the permafrost?
1/2
How long is carbon stored in the permafrost soil for?
> 10,000 years
What are two natural factors affecting the carbon cycle in the Arctic Tundra?
Daylight hours, Vegetation
How much daylight does the tundra experience in winter?
0-12 hours - minimal chance for photosynthesis and plant growth
How much daylight does the tundra experience in summer?
12-24 hours - allows plant growth to occur
What is the main store of carbon in the Arctic Tundra?
Permafrost soil
What are five challenges to exploiting oil and gas at the North Slope, Alaska (TAPS)
Weight of snowfall (up to 4m deep), Built on active fault and earthquake zone, Beaufort Sea frozen for most of the year (too dangerous for oil tankers), Damage to vegetation, Permafrost meant TAPS had to be built above ground
What are three impacts of human activity on the water cycle in the Arctic Tundra?
Thaws permafrost leading to more run-off, Mining for sand and gravel leads to artificial lakes being made, Water extraction for industrial use and ice roads leads to a decrease in localised flooding
What are three impacts of human activity on the carbon cycle in the Arctic Tundra?
Thaws permafrost leading to more microbial activity and so more CO2 emissions, Gas flaring and oil spillages releases CO2, Less vegetation means less photosynthesis so smaller biomass store
How much CO2 is released from the North Slope each year?
7-40 million tonnes
What are three management strategies to moderate the impacts of the oil industry in Prudhoe Bay?
Roads and buildings on gravel pads, Buildings elevated on piles, TAPS on elevated and refrigerated piles
Define Tipping Point
Point of no return - tundra becomes carbon source rather than carbon sink
How much more is the tundra warming by than the global average?
2x
How much have temperatures increased in the Arctic since the 1970s?
2.3 degrees C
What is the NPP in the Arctic Tundra?
200g/m2/year
