Cold Environments - Year 10

Question 1

Tundra environments

Answer 1

Found south of ice caps in the northern hemisphere. Doesn’t have permanent ice cover but does have very cold weather. Most of the ground is permanently frozen so only shrubs and mosses grow.

Question 2

Polar environments

Answer 2

Found in Inland areas, far from the warming influence of the sea. Average temperature is always below freezing, allows now and ice to accumulate over time. Most polar zones are completely covered in ice caps

Question 3

Temperature range

Answer 3

the difference between the max and minimum temperatures

Question 4

Thermal growing season

Answer 4

A period where plants can grow - temperatures have to be 6 degrees Celsius or above. There are no growing seasons in polar regions. However, for 6 to 10 weeks in tundra regions there is a thermal growing season

Question 5

Permafrost

Answer 5

Most of the ground is permanently frozen

Question 6

Thermokarst

Answer 6

Over time the seasonal melting and re-freezing of the active layer results in great expanses of uneven ground surface called thermokarst making travel impossible in some places

Question 7

Solifluction

Answer 7

Collectives name for gradual process in which a mass moves down a slope related to freeze/thaw activity

Question 8

Cold environments cover…

Answer 8

one third of the earth’s surface

Question 9

Cold environments sinking air generates…

Answer 9

freezing winds and sunlight is thin

Question 10

At the highest latitude the sun doesn’t rise for…

Answer 10

several months of the year

Question 11

Few people want to…

Answer 11

live in such extreme conditions

Question 12

What are adaptations?

Answer 12

Unique characteristics that allow animals or plants to survive in their environment

Question 13

Structural adaptations

Answer 13

How the animals body’s functions or looks on the outside. E.g., Feet, ears, fur, scales

Question 14

Physiological adaptations

Answer 14

Physiological adaptations are how the animals body functions on the inside. E.g., changes in the cells, chemicals and processes inside an animal’s body

Question 15

Behavioral adaptations

Answer 15

How an animal acts. E.g., hibernating and communicating

Question 16

In cold environments, why do plants have shallow root systems?

Answer 16

Allows the plant to grow in the active layer and avoid permafrost

Question 17

In cold environments, why do plants grow in close proximity to one another?

Answer 17

Each plant acts as a barrier for others for wind and ice particles

Question 18

In cold environments, why do plants grow close to the ground?

Answer 18

Reduce damage caused by cold and icy wind

Question 19

Why was the Antarctic agreement created?

Answer 19

To protect Antarctica from commercial exploitation

Question 20

When did the antarctic wilderness begin? Why?

Answer 20

After Shackleton’s expedition of 1914-17. He brought back spectacular image of glaciers and wildlife

Question 21

Antarctic agreement conditions and when were they made

Answer 21

No new activities are allowed in Antarctica until their potential impacts on the environment have been assessed and minimised. 1998

Question 22

When did the number of tourists in Antarctica triple?

Answer 22

between 2000 and 2010

Question 23

When was the Antarctic treaty signed?

Answer 23

1961

Question 24

How might seasonal changes to the environmental conditions in tundra regions create challenges for local people? [6 marks]

Answer 24

One way in which a seasonal change creates challenges for local people is Thermokarst/ This is when over time the ice layer (permafrost) under the active layer melts and refreezes causing uneven ground surfaces. This is a problem for local people because it can make travel impossible, due to roads becoming damaged. ANother way seasonal changes can creates challenges for local people is through solifluction. This is when the permafrost layer starts to flow downhill on slopes when melted. This is a problem for local people because this can lead to landslides. This can lead to roads being covered for months, which can cut places off.

Question 25

How are people connected to plants and animals of cold environments?

Answer 25

People from the arctic circle depend on animal skin and feathers for clothing, and indigenous people depend on marine species for food

Question 26

How is moss adapted to live with permafrost and low drainage?

Answer 26

Shallow roots. Melting of permafrost in the summer causes boggy wet conditions. Mosses are happy in both wet and dry conditions so are perfectly suited to live in the tundra which is dry when the active layer is frozen in winter and very wet in the short summer when the active layer melts.

Question 27

How have arctic poppies adapted to live in cold environments?

Answer 27

this has a hairy stem to retain heat. The flower can track the sun in the sky to maximise the amount of sunlight it receives so that it can increase photosynthesis.

Question 28

How has cotton grass adapted to live in cold environments?

Answer 28

this grass has small seeds that can easily be dispersed by the wind to ensure its survival. It is low lying to protect it from cold winds and has thin leaves to reduce water loss by transpiration.
Cotton grass grows and produces seeds quickly as soon as the temperature increases.

Question 29

Development opportunities for economic growth - Mineral extraction

Answer 29

reserves of gold, silver, iron ore and copper can all be found in cold environments. These minerals are extremely valuable and countries are increasingly tempted to mine from underneath the tundra. Russia has already started exploiting minerals from beneath the tundra.

Question 30

Development opportunities for economic growth - Energy

Answer 30

fossil fuels such as gas and oil are abundant in cold environments. The US government are extracting oil from the Alaskan oilfields near Prudhoe Bay. This has caused concerns as heat from the terminal buildings, workers’ houses and transporting warm oil through the 800 km pipeline has led to the
permafrost
melting.

Question 31

Development opportunities for economic growth - fishing

Answer 31

the coastal waters of cold environments have good fish stocks. These waters are increasingly attractive for
commercial
fishing due to an increasing global population to feed and reducing fish stocks in other parts of the world.

Question 32

Development opportunities for economic growth - Tourism

Answer 32

cold environments such as Antarctica have seen a huge increase in the number of tourists. Over 36,000 tourists visited Antarctica in 2014 to observe its wildlife and experience its beautiful wilderness.

Question 33

Development Challenges - Extremes temperature

Answer 33

very low temperatures and long hours of darkness make building very difficult.

Question 34

Development challenges - Relief

Answer 34

mountainous areas and rugged terrain make cold environments very inaccessible for vehicles delivering materials for construction.

Question 35

Development challenges - Buildings

Answer 35

if the permafrost layer begins to melt, the ground becomes very unstable and susceptible to landslides. Creating foundations for buildings is very difficult making further development challenging.

Question 36

Development challenges - Infrastructure

Answer 36

building roads, railways and pipelines for water and electricity supplies is very difficult on frozen ground that is liable to melting.

Question 37

Governments play a key role in…

Answer 37

ensuring that technology is used responsibly in cold environments. They have the power to create laws which state how cold environments can and should be used. These laws can be supported by different countries through the use of international agreements.

Question 38

International agreements allow…

Answer 38

standards to be set to ensure that economic development does not happen at the expense of the environment. For example the Antarctica Treaty is supported and recognised by 53 countries (2016).

Question 39

Conservation groups can put pressure on…

Answer 39

governments not to exploit the resources found in cold environments. Many conservation groups believe that cold environments should be protected from any human activity so that they can remain in a pristine condition. This management strategy does not allow for any economic development.