Paper 1 - Section B, Cold Environments Flashcards
Where are cold environments found
Areas of high latitude and are found in mountainous regions of the world
What are the characteristics of polar regions
- climate - long cold winters, annual temps below freezing, very windy and little precipitation and permanent ice caps
- soil - soil is covered in ice throughout the year
- plants - species of moss, algae and lichen survive
- animals - polar bears, penguins, whales, seals and snow owls
What are the characteristics of the tundra regions
-
climate - cold,windy and little rainfall, average temp between -12 and -6
-permafrost - in higher latitudes, ground remains frozen all year round and in southern parts of Arctic, surface layer of permafrost melts - soil - high in organic material as too cold for dead organisms to decompose
- plants - no trees, when the snow melts small plants flower
- animals - arctic foxes, polar bears, grey wolves etc
How is the bearberry plant adapted to survive in the tundra environment
- grow low to the ground - can survive strong winds
- thick bark for stability in windy conditions
- small leathery leaves to help retain water in dry environment
How is the lichen adapted to grow in tundra environments
- doesn’t need soil to grow
- grows very slowly
- can withstand cold temps and survives beneath snow
How has the arctic fox adapted to the tundra environment
- thick seasonal camouflage fur (allows to retain heat and blend in the surroundings)
- thick layer of insulation fat (allows to retain heat and allow food storage)
- relatively low surface area to volume ratio (less surface to lose heat from)
How are animals adapted to cold environments
- good insulation - dense fur and insulating fat layers
- ability to hibernate - lowers metabolic rate and uses very little energy
- white fur - provides camouflage against snow and ice
What are the main opportunities for development in Svalbard
- mineral extraction
- energy developments
- fishing
- tourism
How is mineral extraction an opportunity for development in Svalbard
- rich reserves of coal but controversial issue as burning coal is a big contributor to greenhouse gases
- mining of coal is a main economic activity
- more than 300 work in mines (provides jobs)
How is energy development an opportunity for development in Svalbard
- some of coal mined used to generate electricity in Longyearbyen power station (supplies Svalbard energy needs)
- environmentalists believe using geothermal energy should be looked into as Svalbard is located near Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the earths crust is thin and hot rocks are close to surface
- another option is carbon capture and storage as capturing carbon dioxide from burning coal used to generate electricity
What is geothermal energy
Use the heat from the earth to generate electricity
How is fishing an opportunity for development in Svalbard
- waters of Barents Sea, south of Svalbard are one of richest fishing grounds in world
- waters are important for breeding and nursery grounds and for fish stock and needs protection from pollution
- fishing monitored by Norway + Russia in order to keep fishing sustainable
How is tourism an opportunity for development in Svalbard
- people seek to explore natural environments (eg glaciers)
- for example in 2011, 70,000 people visited Longyearbyen
- harbour was increased to help cope with increase in cruise ships
- tourism industry created jobs for people
What are the challenges of relocating to Svalbard
- extreme temperatures
- limited accessibility
- buildings and infrastructure
How is extreme temperatures a challenge for relocating to Svalbard
- temp can drop below -30 degrees Celsius
- extreme temps make it difficult to work outside as serious risk of frostbite
- need to wear many layers and this can make it difficult and slow to do things eg construction
- most building done during summer
