GCSE AQA geography
Section B – the living world
Cold environments
What are cold environments?
Cold environments have temperatures that are or at below 0 degrees Celsius
for long periods of time. For instance an example of a cold environment is
Antarctica. Polar areas climates are very cold temperatures are never above
10 degrees Celsius. Winters are normally below -40 degrees Celsius and can
reach to -90 degrees Celsius. Tundra areas are cold as well and temperatures in
the warmest month are a maximum of only 10 degrees Celsius and winters
can reach to -50 degrees Celsius.
What’s characteristics of cold environments?
Soils- polar environments are covered by ice sheets, so there is no soil
exposed and few plants or animals. Soil in tundra environments are very
thin and acidic and not very fertile. There is normally a layer of
permanently frozen ground called permafrost beneath the thin soil and
the permafrost contains large amounts of trapped green house gasses.
Plants- very few plants in polar areas for example: lichens, mosses and a
few grasses on the coast on Antarctica where it’s a bit warmer.
Animals- relatively few different species of animals like polar bears,
penguins, marine animals, whales ,seals, walrus are found in the polar
regions. Lemmings, Arctic hares, wolves, reindeers are found in tundra
areas.
People- a few scientist live on Antarctica for short periods of time and
tundra environments are home to many oil and gas workers in larger
towns.
Section B – the living world
Cold environments
What are cold environments?
Cold environments have temperatures that are or at below 0 degrees Celsius
for long periods of time. For instance an example of a cold environment is
Antarctica. Polar areas climates are very cold temperatures are never above
10 degrees Celsius. Winters are normally below -40 degrees Celsius and can
reach to -90 degrees Celsius. Tundra areas are cold as well and temperatures in
the warmest month are a maximum of only 10 degrees Celsius and winters
can reach to -50 degrees Celsius.
What’s characteristics of cold environments?
Soils- polar environments are covered by ice sheets, so there is no soil
exposed and few plants or animals. Soil in tundra environments are very
thin and acidic and not very fertile. There is normally a layer of
permanently frozen ground called permafrost beneath the thin soil and
the permafrost contains large amounts of trapped green house gasses.
Plants- very few plants in polar areas for example: lichens, mosses and a
few grasses on the coast on Antarctica where it’s a bit warmer.
Animals- relatively few different species of animals like polar bears,
penguins, marine animals, whales ,seals, walrus are found in the polar
regions. Lemmings, Arctic hares, wolves, reindeers are found in tundra
areas.
People- a few scientist live on Antarctica for short periods of time and
tundra environments are home to many oil and gas workers in larger
towns.
