Paper 1 Cold Environments

Question 1

describe an area in a tundra biome

Answer 1

-less extreme winter
-thawing of permafrost in spring/ summer
-higher biodiversity
-low growing shrubs
-arctic hares/ foxes
-infertile soil-frozen and waterlogged

Question 2

describe the soil in a cold environment

Answer 2

-ice sheets cover ground
-not fertile
-permafrost traps greenhouse gases

Question 3

are ecosystems in cold environments dependent?

Answer 3

yes they are very dependent on each other

Question 4

describe how plants grow in cold environments

Answer 4

-grow slower and decompose slower when they die as the soil is also low in nutrients
-herbivores rely on plants growing so they migrate to areas with plants in winters, carnivores follow them.

Question 5

do cold environments have a high or low biodiversity?

Answer 5

LOW BIODIVERSITY
-few animal and plant species

Question 6

describe plant adaptations in cold environments

Answer 6

-low growing to avoid wind
-shallow and wide roots to get as many nutrients as possible
-thick bark and small hairs to trap heat
-become dormant
-short growing season (50-60 days)

Question 7

example of plant adapted to cold environments

Answer 7

bearberry has:
-bright red berries to attract birds and insects
-low growing to avoid wind
-shallow roots
-thick bark
-small hairs

Question 8

describe animal adaptations in cold environments

Answer 8

-hibernation in winter to conserve energy
-migration
-white winter coats
-insulating skin and fat
-large paws to balance weight on surface, absorbing energy

Question 9

example of animal adapted to cold environments

Answer 9

polar bear and arctic fox
-camouflage with white fur in winter
-thick fur and blubber fat for insulation
-black skin absorbs heat
-large paws- spreads out weight
-good smell

Question 10

what is our cold environment case study?

Answer 10

svalbard

Question 11

where is Svalbard?

Answer 11

-arctic ocean
-norweigan territory

Question 12

what is the northern most town in the world?

Answer 12

Longyearbyen
-polar climate
-long polar night- 4 months of darkness
-2700 people live their
-more polar bears than people.

Question 13

name the 4 main challenges of living in a cold environment

Answer 13

-tourism
-mining
-fishing
-geothermal energy

Question 14

describe how permafrost is a challenge in cold environments?

Answer 14

-less accessibility around the area
-makes building infrastructure hard
-transport is challenging- use snowmobiles
-pipes can easily freeze- raised to prevent this

Question 15

describe how the cold climate is a challenge in cold environments?

Answer 15

-clothes have to be designed to keep people warm
-underfloor heating systems

Question 16

how is inaccessibility a challenge in cold environments?

Answer 16

-one 50km road around the country
-small airport

Question 17

how to having polar bears create challenges in cold environments?

Answer 17

-have to carry guns with them for protection
-guides have to be trained to handle them.

Question 18

why is mining a challenge for cold environments?

Answer 18

-it is not a renewable resource meaning it is finite
-affects local environment and can cause local avalanches

Question 19

why is tourism a challenge for cold environments?

Answer 19

-destroys natural beauty as ecosystems are fragile
-impacts local community and landscape

Question 20

why is fishing a challenge for cold environments?

Answer 20

-overfishing is a problem
-extinction of species
-trophic cascade can occur which changes an ecosystem and its food chains
-quotas need to be put in place to regulate how many fish can be caught at a time

Question 21

why is geothermal energy a challenge for cold environments?

Answer 21

-takes up space
-visual pollution
-better compared to coal
-less disadvantages as it is renewable and a natural process

Question 22

how can mining create opportunities for Svalbard?

Answer 22

-mineral extracting
-creates jobs with 300 people currently employed
-boosts economic activity

Question 23

how can tourism create opportunities for Svalbard?

Answer 23

-awareness of wildlife
-snow mobiles
-northern lights are popular
-70,000 people a year arrive by boats

Question 24

how can geothermal energy create opportunities for Svalbard?

Answer 24

-on a constructive plate boundary, forms oceanic ridge
-lots of volcanic activity

Question 25

how can fishing create opportunities for Svalbard?

Answer 25

-huge supply in Barrents sea
-over 150 fish species
-supplies Scandinavia demand

Question 26

how can research, education and conservation create opportunities for Svalbard?

Answer 26

-there is a university for students
-scientific research takes place here
-much of land is untouched by humans making it a perfect place for research.

Question 27

what needs protecting in cold environments?

Answer 27

-rare species to maintain global diversity
-it is a fragile ecosystem- will take longer to recover
-has a beautiful, untouched ecosystem which is important for research

Question 28

what factors harm cold environments?

Answer 28

-mineral extraction
-tourism- cruises, vehicles, litter, overfishing
-infrastructure- settlements
-climate change- global warming
-oil spills- fishing

Question 29

name 4 main ways of managing cold environments

Answer 29

-using technology
-international agreements
-government action
-conservation groups

Question 30

how can using technology manage cold environments?
example.

Answer 30

Trans-Alaskan pipeline, safely pumps oils
-however it can freeze and affect migration
-it is raised so it doesn’t freeze
-automatic shutters in case a spill occurs
-pumps fast to prevent back flow over steep gradients

Question 31

how can Government action manage cold environments?
examples.

Answer 31

-NOAA
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is used by the US government, set of laws to prevent over fishing by including quotas and net sizes

-Western Arctic Preserve- national parks
no buildings are built to conserve species.

Question 32

how can conservation groups manage cold environments?
examples.

Answer 32

WWF-world wide fund
-Alaska wildlife centre raises money and awareness, it has breeding programmes so no species go extinct.

Question 33

how can international agreements manage cold environments?
example

Answer 33

Antarctic treaty
-group of countries that own Antarctica
-it is collective so there are no permanent residents
-no mining
-share resources so they don’t harm it even more