cold environments

Cards (26)

  • What are cold environments?
    Cold environments experience temperatures that are at or below zero degrees Celcius for long periods of time.
  • What is permafrost?
    Permanently frozen ground, found in polar and tundra regions.
  • What are the physical characteristics?
    Soil: Top active layer freezes in winter, permafrost extends deep down
    Climate: Cold, windy, precipitation
    Plants: No trees, low growing bushes
    Animals: Polar bears, wolves
  • How have plants adapted to the climate?
    Bearberry
    Very low growing - protect against wind
    Thick bark - stability against wind
    Small leaves - reduce water lost (dry)
    Hairy stems - protect against cold
    Bright red berries - eaten to spread seeds
  • How have animals adapted to the climate?
    Arctic Fox
    Compact body, short legs, small ears - less surface area for heat loss
    Fur is grey in summer, white in winter - camouflage to ice or vegetation
    Wide diet to increase survival - cold conditions limit food
  • What threats are there to the cold environment?
    Ice melting due to climate change
    Risk of wildfire
    Human pressures (oil drilling, overfishing,, tourism)
  • Where is Svalbard?

    Islands in the Arctic Ocean. Belong to Norway
  • What opportunities are there in Svalbard?
    Mineral extraction
    Energy
    Fishing
    Tourism
  • What are the opportunities of mineral extraction?
    Lots of coal mining - vital to economy
    Declined - only 45 jobs from 300
  • What energy opportunities are there in Svalbard?
    Most energy comes from coal
    Solar energy (24 hour days in Summer) or geothermal energy (on an constructive boundary) are options for the future - not yet developed.
  • What fishing opportunities are there?
    Barents Sea has over 150 species of fish - cod haddock herring
    Controlled by Norway and Russia to prevent overfishing
  • What tourism opportunities are there?
    85000 visitors in 2018, some on cruises
    Hiking, kayaking and snowmobiles can damage environment
  • What are the challenges of development in Svalbard?
    • Temperatures
    • Buildings and infrastructure
    • Accessibility
  • How does temperature create challengest?
    Drop below -30
    Stop machinery working
    Difficult to labour due to clothes
  • How do buildings create challenges?
    Buildings warm permafrost, causing melting.  Buildings become unstable 
    Key infrastructure in above ground pipes
  • How does accessibility create challenges?
    Very remote.  One airport in main town, only roads are in the main town Longyearbyen
    People get around by snowmobile
  • What impacts are humans having on cold environments?
    • Oil spills damaging habitats
    • Deep tyre tracks damaging the active layer
    • Ice melting destroying habitats
    • Polluting the ice
  • What is a fragile environment?
    An environment that is both easily disturbed and difficult to restore if disturbed
  • Why is tundra fragile?
    Very slow growing conditions - takes decades to regrow
    Permafrost can melt easily and does not refreeze
  • What is a wilderness area?
    A natural environment that has not been significantly modified by human activity.
  • Why are cold environments important?
    • Home to indigenous people
    • Unique species 
    • Untouched environment is useful for scientists’ research
  • What are the 4 strategies for protecting cold environments?
    • Use of technology
    • Governments
    • International agreements
    • Conservation groups
  • How does technology help to protect cold environments?
    Raised oil pipelines
    • Do not melt permafrost
    • Limit impact of spills
    • Allow caribou to migrate
  • How do  governments  help to protect cold environments? 
    Create conservation areas
    The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Conservation
    E.g President Obama banned oil drilling in Alaska, but undone by Trump 
  • How do international agreements  help to protect cold environments?
    Arctic Council  work together to manage the area
    No law making power but foster collaboration 
    • Clean up pollution
    • Dealing with melting ice
  • How do conservation groups   help to protect cold environments?
    NGOs can campaign 
    Example: Greenpeace ‘Save the Arctic campaign’ raised awareness
    Led to government action against TNCs like Shell