Human Occupation and Development

Question 1

Why do fragile environments take long to recover from human activity?

Answer 1

Short summers and long winters means cold temperatures and limited rainfall - this limits plant growth
Slow rate of plant growth means any disruption to the ecosystem takes a long time to be corrected
It could take over 50 years for an area of the tundra to return to equilibrium after distruption

Question 2

What are the 5 main natural causes of climate change?

Answer 2

Changes in solar activity
The Milankovitch cycle
Volcanic activity
Plate movement
Changes in oceanic circulation

Question 3

What are the 2 main human causes of climate change?

Answer 3

Greenhouse gas emissions

Deforestation

Question 4

What conditions cause challenges for human occupation and development in cold environments?

Answer 4

Low temperatures
Short growing seasons
Low precipitation
Thin, stony, poorly developed soils
Permafrost
Surface thaw in the summer = waterlogging/flooding
Snow and blizzards

Question 5

What human issues cause challenges for human occupation and development in cold environments?

Answer 5

Shortage of labour/skills because of low population
Remoteness/inaccessibility
Lack of permanent jobs and limited education opportunities
Absence of modern conveniences
Remoteness leading to economic/political neglect
Impacts from outside on natural resources that are relied upon

Question 6

How have Inuit’s adapted to cold environments?

Answer 6

Living in small communities, with small family sizes and low birth rates (puts little pressure on resources)
Able to eat raw meat and use all parts of an animal for clothing, hunting, etc.

Question 7

How have humans developed sustainably in cold environments?

Answer 7

Smaller buildings can be elevated above the ground - gap allows air to circulate and remove heat that would have been conducted into the ground
Larger structures can be built on aggregate pads which substitutes the insulating effect of vegetation and reduces the transfer of heat from building to ground
Utilidors - insulated box elevated above the ground that carries water, heating pipes and sewers between buildings

Question 8

What are the human impacts on cold environments?

Answer 8

Hunting - over exploitation
Transport - risks of spillages and damaging the ground
Tourism - Vegetation removal, litter and waste
Air pollution