Impacts of Glacial Retreat Flashcards
What 2 things affects tourism?
Glacial retreat.
Unreliable snowfall.
The economies of many areas that are covered in snow and ice rely on what?
Money from tourism.
Eg winter sports and sightseeing of glaciers.
What does glacial retreat mean?
Ice will no longer be available for winter sports.
Eg trekking, ice climbing or sightseeing.
Glacial retreat and unreliable snow fall means what?
The area will attract fewer tourists.
What does unreliable snow fall mean?
Might not be enough snow fall to do winter sports.
Eg skiing and snowboarding.
The fewer tourists to the area means what?
Businesses that rely on tourism.
Will make less money and potentially go out of business.
There would be an increase in what in the area?
Unemployment.
Glacial retreat has what other impacts?
Economic.
Environmental.
Social.
What happens when a glacier has completely melted?
The amount of meltwater decreases.
The reduction of meltwater means?
Industries which rely on meltwater will make less money and shut down.
What industries rely on meltwater?
Agriculture for irrigation.
Hydroelectric power for electricity production.
What is irrigation?
Used to assist the growing of agricultural crops.
Maintenance of landscapes.
Revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas.
Glacial retreat will mean water supply…
To some settlements is reduced.
Disruptions to power supplies from HEP could do what?
Leave people with an unreliable power source.
If businesses shut down what will local people have to do?
Move away to find work.
Younger people primarily move away, older family members left behind.
If an areas population declines what will happen?
Local services and recreational facilities will shut down.
What is glacial retreat linked too?
An increase in natural hazards.
Rapid melting of ice can cause what?
Flooding.
Rockslides.
Avalanches.
The hazards from ice melting does what?
Destroys habitats.
Disrupts food chains.
Meltwater from retreating glaciers contributes to what?
Rising sea level.
Water is no longer stored as ice on the land, it returns to the sea.
What does rising sea level do?
Destroys coastal habitats by causing flooding and erosion.
What happens to fish species who live in the cold meltwater?
When the glaciers have completely melted, there’s no cold meltwater.
Fish die out as they aren’t adapted to live in normal sea temperatures.
What can be trapped inside glacial ice?
Harmful pollutants.
Give an example of harmful pollutants?
The pesticide DDT was used from the 1940s to 1980s.
