Living with the physical environment: Cold Environments Flashcards
Cold environments
Regions which experience temperatures below 0°C (e.g. Antarctica)
Characteristics of cold environments - polar
Winter temperatures below -50°C, low snow levels
Soil is permanently covered by ice
Mosses and lichens are found on the fringes of ice
Polar bears have thick fur and a black nose to retain heat
Characteristics of cold environments - tundra
Winter temperatures below -20°C, snow levels high in coastal regions
Soil is frozen but thaws in the summer
Low-growing flowering plants such as bearberries, bushes in warmer areas
More food options + less extreme climate = more animals such as arctic fox and arctic hare
Adaptations of vegetation
Flowering and seed formation occur quickly so reproduction can take place during the short summers
Plants are low-growing to protect themselves from strong winds
Hairy stems to keep plants warm
Thin and waxy leaves to reduce water loss
Svalbard facts
Norwegian territory in the Arctic Ocean
Polar climate with 60% of the land covered in glaciers
2700 people
5 major islands
Opportunities in Svalbard - mineral extraction
Svalbard has a rich reserve of coal - main economic activity
However, burning coal = greenhouse gases
Employs 300 people - 11% of the population
Opportunities in Svalbard - fishing
Barents Sea has 150 species of fish and is a place for breeding and nursing fish
Barents Sea is controlled by Norway and Russia to avoid overfishing and to protect ecosystems
Opportunities in Svalbard - energy developments
One coal-fired power station supplies Svalbard’s energy needs
In the future geothermal energy will be used as Svalbard is located near a constructive plate margin (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)
Carbon capture and storage
Opportunities in Svalbard - tourism
In 2011, 70,00 people visited Longyearbyen to see glaciers, fjords, wildlife and the polar bears
Employs 300 people - 11% of the population
However, causes waste and scares animals
Challenges in Svalbard - extreme temperatures
Temperatures can fall below 30°C - making it dangerous to work outside
Thermal underclothing and socks – turtle neck and trousers – woollen socks and scarf – hat, gloves and jacket
It takes time to wear all this and makes working outside harder (construction)
Challenges in Svalbard - services
Water, electricity and sanitation are important to residents and tourists
Sewage pipes are kept off the ground to prevent thawing of permafrost and to allow easy maintenance
Challenges in Svalbard - construction
Building houses, shops and offices
Constructing and maintaining roads
Constructing harbour facilities
Mining operations
Challenges in Svalbard - accessibility
Svalbard is a remote part of Europe and therefore can only be reached by plane or ship
Only one airport close to Longyearbyen takes flights from Norway and Russia
50km of road in Longyearbyen
Most people use snowmobiles
Why are cold environments fragile?
As they can easily be damaged by human activities
Takes a very long time to be established
Alaska off-road vehicle damage caused ecosystems to be damaged
How can cold environments be damaged by economic development?
Houses have to be built for hundreds of workers
Roads have to be constructed through forests
Potential oil spills when extracting
Why do cold environments need to be protected?
Home to many species of animals and plants
Many Indigenous people live there
Need a control for scientific research
Attracts tourists through its beautiful landscape
Provide opportunities for fishing
Managing cold environments - use of technology
Trans-Alaskan pipeline -
Enables oil to be transported 1300km from Prudhoe Bay to the port of Valdez
However, oil is hot (49°C) so can melt permafrost - pipeline is raised and insulated to retain heat
However, cracks caused by earthquakes cause oil leaks - flow of oil stops automatically if there is a leak
Managing cold environments - action by governments
The National Environment Policy Act ensures that companies involved in the production + extraction of oil must protect the natural environment
Western Arctic Reserve - 9 million hectares of wilderness managed, protecting caribou, birds, foxes and polar bears
Managing cold environments - international agreements
The Antarctic Treaty -
In 1959, countries with territorial claim of the Antarctic signed to protect the natural environment of the wilderness
The Treaty controls tourism and keeps disturbance to a minimum
Managing cold environments - conservation groups
WWF in Canada -
Helps to protect Arctic environments in Canada by working with locals to manage ecosystems, supports scientific research to help protect species and works with oil companies
