Cold Environments
Revision
Why are cold environments
considered to be fragile?
Introduction
There is a close relationship between
different ecosystems and climate.
Examine the next map, what types of
ecosystem may be found in these regions?
What is this environment like?
Very cold seasons with hard frosts.
Strong winds and wind chill.
Prolonged drought, especially in winter
when water is frozen.
Heavy snowfalls – Weight, but does insulate
ground.
Competition for limited resources.
Adaptation
It is the process whereby an organism
becomes better suited to its habitat. Also,
the term adaptation may refer to a
characteristic which is especially important
for an organism's survival.
So if animals and polants adapt, why are
cold environments so fragile?
What adaptations do plants have?
What do we need to examine?
Vegetation?
A cooler and drier climate with shorter summers!
Low
angle of
incoming
sunlight
Continentality
Vegetation?
Low productivity (the amount of energy available) which
is often similar to arid deserts!
There is a low level of inputs and outputs in the nutrient
cycle. High latitude environments mean a reduction in
solar input.
Vegetation?
Frozen ground?
Animals?
Very few species due isolation and
extreme environmental conditions.
Low biodiversity!
Animals?
Specific
adaptations
to an extreme
evironment!
Many
species
have very
distictive
ways of
surviving
(niche
species)
Especially
susceptable
to changes to
this
environment!
On thin Ice!
Animals?
Limited gene
pool with a
small range of
species. Very
susceptable to
disease or
changes to
food chain.
Animals and Plants?
Cold environments were largely undisturbed
until the 20th Century.
Arctic Isolation
Soils?
Cold environments are
some times strongly
affected by thawing
permafrost.Which leads to
water logging.
This along with the low
temperatures reduces the amount
of bacterial activity and causes
the formation of acidic soils.
The Nutrient Cycle?
May be prohibited in cold
environments.
Low nutrient stores as weathering is
slow and has vulnerable flows.
Low precipitation means few nutrients
can be dissolved by rain water and
added to system.
Possible threats to cold
environments
For each of these decide in groups why.
Climate
Landslides and floods
Fire
Urbanisation
Transport
Industry
Recreation
Mining
Farming
Deforestation