1. Cold Environments Revision Why are cold environments considered to be fragile?

2. 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?

5. 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.

6. 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.habitat So if animals and polants adapt, why are cold environments so fragile?

7. What adaptations do plants have?

8. What do we need to examine?

9. Vegetation? A cooler and drier climate with shorter summers! Low angle of incoming sunlight

10. Continentality

12. 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.

13. Vegetation? Frozen ground?

14. Animals? Very few species due isolation and extreme environmental conditions. Low bio- diversity!

15. Animals? Specific adaptations to an extreme evironment! Especially susceptable to changes to this environment! On thin Ice! Many species have very distictive ways of surviving (niche species)

16. Animals? Limited gene pool with a small range of species. Very susceptable to disease or changes to food chain.

17. Animals and Plants? Cold environments were largely undisturbed until the 20th Century. Arctic Isolation

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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