living world- case study Flashcards
(11 cards)
what is background on svalbard
norwegian territory in arctic ocean, 5 major islands
population is 2700
what are the opportunities for development in svalbard
MINERAL EXTRACTION= rich in coal,the main economic activity, employing over 300 people in the mines and as support staff. in recent years, industry faced decline and jobs lost
ENERGY= coal fired power station meets energy requiremnet of island. want to come it down and use geothermal energy tapping into heat of earth and using it too generate electricity. located near mid-atlantic ridgeso hot rocks close to surface
FISHING= barents sea has 150 species.best fishing grounds in the world. fishing is controlled(russia and norway) to ensure its sutainable and ecosystem is protected
TOURISM=people set to explore extreme natural environments. 2011-70,000 people visisted and 30,000 were cruise passengers. most come from norway to see northern lights, hike. creates 300 jobs,brings money
what are the challenges for development in svalbard
EXTREME TEMPERATURE= winter temps can fall below -30’C can be very dangerous to work outside,sea and roads freeze. lack of sunlight too
CONSTRUCTION= working outside is limited due to light in winter so most is carried out in summer. permafrost can provide good,solid foundations but has to be protected from melting. if ground melts, buildings can become unstable. most roads are dirt and gravel
ACCESIBILITY= can only be reached by plane or ship.almost all transport systems are restricted to the immediate area around longyearbyen. one airport with flights from norway to russia. most people use snow mobiles
SERVICES= water,electricity and sanation are very important to residents and tourists who expect comfortable conditions. most services are provided to individual buildings by overgrounds heated water and sewage pipes- must be kept off ground to prevent melting perma frost
what is the background of the amazon rainforest
- located in the north of south america, spanning an area of 8 million KM2 including parts of brazil ,columbia and peru
- rates of deforestation in brazil have reached a record low in the past few years as usa have said that they would stop trading with brazil if they didnt stop chopping down the trees in the RF
describe and explain the causes of deforestation in the amazon (7)
AGRICULTURE AND FARMING= forest is being cleared to make way for plantations. the amount of land cleared has doubled since 1990 and in 2010, rearing cattle accouts for 80% of rainforest destruction in brazil.
LOGGING= percentage figure for logging in amazon is small. it is the first step in the conversion of forest to other uses. timber companies see trees to other companies to make furniture. smaller trees are used as wood for fuel. vast areas are cleared in one go
ROAD BUILDING= roads are needed to bring in equipment and transport products to market, but it means cutting great swathes through the RF. one road built makes forest accesible for other exploiters. the construction of the transamazon highway has increased access to remote areas of RF
MINERAL EXTRACTION= some minerals developed countries need are found beneath the amazon. mining is mainly for gold. 1999-10,000 hectares of land used for mining now over 50,000. RF suffers as top soil completely removed and trees felled
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT= unlimited supply of water and ideal river conditions have led to dams being built. involves flooding vast areas of RF for construction. the submerged forest gradually rots causing water to be very acidic also dams become blocked with soil washed down slopes by heavy rains
ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE= poaching, hunting is big business in brazil. it is not a direct cause of deforestation but its upsetting natuarl behaviour of the RF ecosystem
SELLMENT/POPULATION GROWTH= as industry develops,it brings economic opportunities which result in people migrating to the RF to get a job. these people need homes and services so further deforestation occurs
what are the impacts of deforestation in brazil (4)
CLIMATE CHANGE=amazon RF plays vital role in regulating the earths climate by absorbing co2. deforestation leaves more co2 in atmosphere. trees give of moisture so results in a drier climate, trees cool air so the temp rises, act as carbon sinks so release co2 when cut
LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY= 137 plant,animal and insects species lost daily due to deforestation. 50,000 each year. RF are most biodiverse ecosystems in world. loss of species also means discovery of new medicine isnt possible
SOIL EROSION= when vegatation is removed, soil is left exposed to heavy rainfall and is rapidly eroded. this removal of top soil means little vegatation will grow. it also leads to flooding as soil becomes deposited on river beds
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT= bought wealth to many countries, mining industry creates jobs for lots of people eg. company in peru employ 8000 people, farming allows more food to be grown which can then sold
what is the background of epping forest
- ancient, deciduous woodland, east of woodland
- 19km long, 4km wide
- used to be used for hunting and resources
- now area of conservation and scientific interest
what are the characteristics of epping forest
- large variety of native trees
- 177 species of lichen and moss
- 700 species of fungi
- over 100 lakes
- 38 species of bird
what is the nutrient cycle like in epping forest
- biomass store is large because of height or trees and large dense undergrowth
- soil store is large as theres always plenty of hummus
- loses a lot of nutrient each year
how is epping forest interdependant
- trees lose leaves in winter. trees grow broad leaves in spring to maximise photosyntheisis during summer. shed leaves in autumn to conserve energy in winter
- autumn forest floor covered in leaves. decomposers get rid of leaves
- nutrients in leaves converted into hummus in soil, ready to support new seasons plant growth incl fruits and berries which feed primary consumers
