Human Impacts on Cold Environments & Snowdonia Flashcards
Environmental Fragility:
The concept of an environment being vulnerable and at risk , as it lacks
the ability to be resilient and adapt to changes.
Cold Environments are sometimes classed as environmentally fragile because they are highly
adapted and have a slow nutrient cycle, meaning small changes can have large impacts.
Tourism impacts
-foreign objects disturbing nutrients cycle
-disruption to active layer (trampling)
-ship crashes and oil spills
Pollution impacts
-CO2 released from thawing permafrost
-sea levels rise causing flooding
-invasive species & habitats destroyed
Exploitation of resources impacts
-disruption to flora and fauna through mining
-oil spills
Fishing and Whaling impacts
-Food chains disrupted
-Endanerment of species
What is the U-shaped valley in Snowdonia called?
Nant Ffrancon
What is Nant Ffrancon ?
Nant Ffrancon is a glacial trough/ U-shaped valley, carved by a glacier moving north-wes. The formation of the glacial tough led to the creation of several other glacial landforms such as a infilled glacial lake, which filled the floor of the Nant Ffrancon valley when the ice melted
What is the economy like in Snowdon
Snowdonia is also a working
environment, where 27,500 people
work in farming, forestry, quarrying
and the tourism industry
Who preserves Snowdon
The Nature Conservancy Council
Why do they preserve Snowdon
-Habitats for species and wildlife
-Essential landscapes
-Health and well-being
How many National Nature Reserves are there in Snowdonia
17
How many Sites of Special Scientific Interest are there in Snowdon
56
These reserves and sites are essential for species of international importance.
How does Snowdon itself mitigate the effects of climate change
There are 17 million tonnes of carbon stored in the peatlands of Snowdonia.
Effects of climate change in Wales
The temperature of Wales is over 1°C higher on average than it was 100 years ago.
25% less summer rain is falling in Wales than a hundred years ago. A further 15% reduction is likely by the middle of the century.
What is the The Nature Conservancy Council doing to mitigate climate change?
One example is the peatland restoration projects, as this type of landscape can protect and restore biodiversity and store carbon. Upland peat in the National Park is a vast carbon store (17 million tonnes), and 30% of Wales’ peatland is in Snowdonia.
