Cold Environments (subject vocabulary)

• Biodiversity

  The variety of life in the world or a particular habitat.
• Fragile environment.

  An environment that is both easily disturbed and difficult to restore if disturbed.

  Plant communities in fragile areas have evolved in highly specialised ways to deal with challenging conditions. As a result, they cannot tolerate environmental changes.
• Infrastructure

  The basic equipment and structures that are needed for a country/region to function properly e.g. roads, utilities, water supply and sewage.
• Mineral extraction

  The removal of solid mineral resources from the earth. This includes ores (which contain commercially valuable amounts of metals, such as iron and aluminium); precious stones, such as diamonds; building stones, such as granite; and solid fuels, such as coal and oil shale.
• Permafrost

  Permanently frozen ground, found in polar and tundra regions.
• Polar

  The regions of Earth surrounding the North and South Poles, dominated by ice caps e.g. the Arctic region (north) and Antarctica (south).
• Tundra

  The flat, treeless Arctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. The ground is permanently frozen. Lichen, moss, grasses and dwarf shrubs can grow here.
• Wilderness area

  A natural environment that has not been significantly modified by human activities. The most intact, undisturbed areas left on Earth. They are not controlled/developed by humans.