People and Environment Issues Flashcards
page 1
what are the 4 global factor influencing the location of World biomes
Climate
temperature
precipitation
sunshine hours
definition of biomes
what are the local factors
affecting biomes
Altitude
Rock and soil type
Drainage
how do Altitude affect
biomes
1.Temperatures drop by approximately 6.5°C for every 1000m increase in height
2.Soils on mountains also gets thinner making it difficult for larger plants to grow
3.too cold and trees cannot grow- this is called the treeline
how do Rock type affect biomes
- permeability of rocks will affect whether or not there is enough water for plants to grow
- rocks are chemically weathered they release nutrients and chemical into the soil
- rocks are harder than others which may make it more difficult from plants to grow through them
how do soil type affect biomes
- Sandy soil has lots of small air gaps and water flows through it easily so plants must be able to stand dry conditions
- Clay soil has few air gaps and water will not flow through it so plants need to be able to grow in wet conditions
- Peat is different from other types of soils as it does not contain rock particles it is rich in nutrients so forests can grow
how Drainage affect biomes
impermeable rocksmay often be only when some plants like to grow in these conditions. The amount of drainage also affects the amount of evaporation from the soil
Tropical forest
Hot and wet all year
very dense forests
Tropical grasslands (savannah)
Hot all year
has a dry season
tall grasses and drought-adapted plants eg baobab
Deserts
Very hot all year but with cool nights
very low rainfall
Plants are scarce
Temperate grasslands
Hot in summer, very cold in winter
most rain in late spring and summer
Short grasses found.
Temperate forest
Warm summer and cool winters
precipitation all year round
Deciduous trees such as oak
Boreal forest
Mild summer and very cold winters
low precipitation
Coniferous trees such as pine
Tundra
Temperatures are below freezing most of the year
low precipitation and short daylight hours in winter
Very few plants can live
what are the Trends and why
increasing demand for food, energy and water globally but it is rising most steeply in regions such as South East Asia as emerging countries’ populations and economies are growing rapidly.
name of the 2 Geographical
theories
Thomas Malthus
Ester Boserup
what is the Ester Boserup theory
As populations grow new technologies will be invented in order to increase the supply of resources to cater for everyone
“Necessity is the mother of invention”
what is the Thomas Malthus theory
Populations will eventually grow so large and so quickly that food production cannot keep up
This will lead to food shortages and in turn war and famine
These events will cause the population to decrease until it reaches a sustainable level
Goods and services provided
Indigenous and local people
The biosphere provides food, medicine, building materials and fuel resources.
Goods and services provided
Exploitation
The biosphere can be exploited for commercial gain for energy
eg HEP or mining,
water can be extracted and other mineral resources can be mined
Goods and services provided
Services
The biosphere regulates the composition of the atmosphere
eg trees take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen
It also maintains soil health by rotting litter providing humus
The hydrological cycle (water cycle) is also regulated by the biosphere.
