Living World (COLD ENVIRONMENTS) Flashcards
1
Q
What is a cold environment?
A
A region experiencing sustained below freezing temperatures
2
Q
Where are cold environments located?
A
High latitudes, polar regions
3
Q
Polar
A
Areas surrounding poles, eg. Antarctica or Greenland
4
Q
Tundra
A
- High latitude
- Low temperatures
- Short growing seasons
- Permafrost
- Eg. Canada, Russia
5
Q
Alpine
A
- Cold
- Mountainous
- Snowy conditions
- Warmer summers
- Eg. Himalayas and Alps
6
Q
Characteristics of CLIMATE in POLAR environments
A
- Temperatures consistently below 0 for most of the year
- Very little precipitation
7
Q
Characteristics of SOILS in POLAR environments
A
- Soils lack nutrients
- Constantly frozen
- Or covered in thick ice sheets
8
Q
Characteristics of PLANTS in POLAR environments
A
- Mosses and lichens are most prevalent plants
- Poor soils make if difficult for plants to grow
9
Q
Characteristics of ANIMALS in POLAR environments
A
- Highly adapted to life
- Antarctica has very little life, eg. Small insects
- Southern oceans are full of wildlife
- Arctic has polar bears
10
Q
Characteristics of PEOPLE in POLAR environments
A
- 4 million people living in the Arctic
- No permanent residents in Antarctica
- Life is heavily influenced by living conditions, eg. Temperature, lack of biodiversity
11
Q
Characteristics of CLIMATE in TUNDRA environments
A
- Temperatures less extreme than polar
- May reach above freezing during summer
- Growing season is short
12
Q
Characteristics of SOILS in TUNDRA environments
A
- Nutrient poor
- Permafrost
- During summer, permafrost can melt making soil waterlogged
13
Q
Characteristics of PEOPLE in TUNDRA environments
A
- More residents than polar
- Lives are still influenced by cold environment
14
Q
Characteristics of ANIMALS in TUNDRA environments
A
- Greater biodiversity than polar
- More diverse wildlife
- More developed food chains
- Foxes, hares, birds, insects, etc
15
Q
Characteristics of PLANTS in TUNDRA environments
A
- 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
16
Q
How have some animals adapted to cold environments?
A
- Thick insulating fur
- Layers of fat
- Behavioural altercations, eg. Hibernation, migration#
17
Q
How have some plants adapted to cold environments?
A
- 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
18
Q
How are cold environments fragile?
A
- 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
19
Q
Why does being highly adapted make cold environments fragile?
A
- Being highly adapted to specific conditions
- Means change in ecosystem makes it more difficult for organism to cope with changes
- So are therefore fragile
20
Q
Why does a slow nutrient cycle make cold environments fragile?
A
- Being nutrient deprived means growth is slow
- So when an ecosystem is damaged, recovery and restoration is very slow
21
Q
Why does a lack of biodiversity make cold environments fragile?
A
- 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
22
Q
Why should we protect cold environments?
A
- 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
23
Q
How can we balance development with conservation in cold environments?
A
- 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
24
Q
How can we use technology to protect the environment?
A
Technology can be used to ensure economic development does not come at the EXPENSE of environmental conservation
- TRANS-ALASKA PIPELINE
25
What is the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline?
800 mile-long pipe transporting OIL across Alaska
26
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
27
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
28
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
29
What is ASOC?
A conservation group which focuses on...
- Environmental protection in Antarctica
- Monitoring endangered species
- Wildlife conservation
- Antarctic governance
30
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
31
What are some opportunities for development in svalbard?
- Mineral extraction
- Energy developments
- Fishing
- Tourism
32
What are some opportunities in mineral extraction is Svalbard?
- Large coal reserves
| - However drop in coal price affected coal mining in 2014
33
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
34
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
35
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
36
What are some challenges to development in Svalbard?
- Extreme temperatures
- Accessibility
- Construction and infrastructure
37
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
38
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
39
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
