Living World (COLD ENVIRONMENTS) Flashcards
What is a cold environment?
A region experiencing sustained below freezing temperatures
Where are cold environments located?
High latitudes, polar regions
Polar
Areas surrounding poles, eg. Antarctica or Greenland
Tundra
- High latitude
- Low temperatures
- Short growing seasons
- Permafrost
- Eg. Canada, Russia
Alpine
- Cold
- Mountainous
- Snowy conditions
- Warmer summers
- Eg. Himalayas and Alps
Characteristics of CLIMATE in POLAR environments
- Temperatures consistently below 0 for most of the year
- Very little precipitation
Characteristics of SOILS in POLAR environments
- Soils lack nutrients
- Constantly frozen
- Or covered in thick ice sheets
Characteristics of PLANTS in POLAR environments
- Mosses and lichens are most prevalent plants
- Poor soils make if difficult for plants to grow
Characteristics of ANIMALS in POLAR environments
- Highly adapted to life
- Antarctica has very little life, eg. Small insects
- Southern oceans are full of wildlife
- Arctic has polar bears
Characteristics of PEOPLE in POLAR environments
- 4 million people living in the Arctic
- No permanent residents in Antarctica
- Life is heavily influenced by living conditions, eg. Temperature, lack of biodiversity
Characteristics of CLIMATE in TUNDRA environments
- Temperatures less extreme than polar
- May reach above freezing during summer
- Growing season is short
Characteristics of SOILS in TUNDRA environments
- Nutrient poor
- Permafrost
- During summer, permafrost can melt making soil waterlogged
Characteristics of PEOPLE in TUNDRA environments
- More residents than polar
- Lives are still influenced by cold environment
Characteristics of ANIMALS in TUNDRA environments
- Greater biodiversity than polar
- More diverse wildlife
- More developed food chains
- Foxes, hares, birds, insects, etc
Characteristics of PLANTS in TUNDRA environments
- Generally LOW GROWING flowering plants, eg. moss, grass, flowers, etc
- Generally too cold for trees
- Plant life is NOT nutrient rich, due to lack of nutrients in soils
How have some animals adapted to cold environments?
- Thick insulating fur
- Layers of fat
- Behavioural altercations, eg. Hibernation, migration#
How have some plants adapted to cold environments?
- Grow low to the ground to reduce exposure to winds
- Flowering and seeding occurs in short time periods
(within very short summers) - Water loss reduced by waxy leaves
- Hairy stems for insulation
How are cold environments fragile?
- Small changes to environment can have detrimental impacts on it
- Due to them being highly adapted to the harsh environment
- They can take a very long time to recover from disruption
Why does being highly adapted make cold environments fragile?
- Being highly adapted to specific conditions
- Means change in ecosystem makes it more difficult for organism to cope with changes
- So are therefore fragile
Why does a slow nutrient cycle make cold environments fragile?
- Being nutrient deprived means growth is slow
- So when an ecosystem is damaged, recovery and restoration is very slow
Why does a lack of biodiversity make cold environments fragile?
- Food chains are limited and species depend on each other
- So if a species is removed or damaged, it spreads throughout the entire chain
- Affecting every aspect of the eco system
Why should we protect cold environments?
- Very important areas of scientific research
- Accurate readings of temperature, cloud cover, etc, WITHOUT the influence of human activity is very important
- Endangered species and fragile ecosystems
- Developments would be of high risk and complicated. Would cause damage to environment, as well as it being very expensive
How can we balance development with conservation in cold environments?
- Using technology to minimise environmental impact
- Government intervention such as implementation of environmental laws
- International agreements to regulate actions of many countries
- Conservation groups who campaign and research to protect environments
How can we use technology to protect the environment?
Technology can be used to ensure economic development does not come at the EXPENSE of environmental conservation
- TRANS-ALASKA PIPELINE
What is the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline?
800 mile-long pipe transporting OIL across Alaska
How is the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline made to be more environmentally friendly?
- Half the pipeline made on stilts to ensure permafrost doesn’t melt
- Stilts and insulation also make sure the pipe does not freeze and crack
- Migrating animals such as CARIBOU can pass under the pipe so migration is not affected
- Oil flow can be blocked at multiple points in the pipeline if there is a link
How can government action prevent damage to cold environments?
- Environmental protection laws ensure activity occurs with MINIMAL IMPACT
- Creating quotas for fishing, hunting or mineral extraction
- Nature reserves and conserved areas
- Investment into environmental science organisations for managing sustainability
What is was the Antarctic Treaty?
- AN EXAMPLE OF AN INERNATIONAL AGREEMENT
- 53 countries signed
- Treaty states Antarctica should only be used for PEACEFUL MEANS
- Scientific research is open to the world
- Nuclear activity is banned
What is ASOC?
A conservation group which focuses on…
- Environmental protection in Antarctica
- Monitoring endangered species
- Wildlife conservation
- Antarctic governance
What is Greenpeace?
A charity enhancing conservation of cold environments by…
- Report on issues
- Release findings of data to public and governments
- Create petitions
- Campaign for change
What are some opportunities for development in svalbard?
- Mineral extraction
- Energy developments
- Fishing
- Tourism
What are some opportunities in mineral extraction is Svalbard?
- Large coal reserves
- However drop in coal price affected coal mining in 2014
What are some opportunities in energy developments in Svalbard?
- Coal mining is coming to an end
- So geothermal energy can be a main source
- Close to the mid Atlantic ridge, so Svalbard can harness this energy in future
What are some opportunities in fishing for Svalbard?
- Seas are rich in marine life
- Barents Sea rich in fish, over 150 species, including Cod, herring and haddock
- Barents Sea has one of the largest stocks of cod in the world
- Major economic activity, attracting tourists too
What are some opportunities in tourism for Svalbard
- People want to experience cold environments
- Unique wildlife, glacier walks, northern lights are attractions
- Provides job opportunities and an income for the industry
What are some challenges to development in Svalbard?
- Extreme temperatures
- Accessibility
- Construction and infrastructure
How do extreme weather affect development in Svalbard?
- Daylight hours are often very short, so development becomes difficult
- Warm layers of clothing make workers and residents immobile and are inconvenient and expensive
- Extreme temperatures make growing food near to impossible, so needs to be imported from other areas of the world which is expensive
How does accessibility prove be a challenge to development in Svalbard?
- Remote location and climate make accessibility difficult
- Transports of goods are limited due to limited access
- Glaciers, snow and fjords take up lots of the landscape so some areas are inaccessible
How does construction and infrastructure prove to be a challenge to development in Svalbard?
- Ground is permafrost, so houses on top of the permafrost can melt it causing damage
- Warming climate has made permafrost thaw so some houses are unstable and damaged
- Utilities such as pipes and sewage must be above ground to prevent permafrost from melting
- Builders must make houses on stilts to prevent permafrost thawing
