Extreme Environments

Key Terms

ecosystem

biome

desert

pressure

prevailing winds

climate

equator

tropic cancer

tropic capricorn

23 degrees south

23 degrees north

weather in a location, averaged over a period of time

polar

permanently covered in ice

tundra

not permanently covered by ice

Nutrient Cycle

the rainforest has many species of plants and wildlife adapted to the hot and wet conditions

it is a fragile ecosystem

the climate, plants and soil are in a delicate system/balance

plants grow all year round and supply falling material to the forest floor

the hot wet conditions make this decompose quickly

the soil gets all of it's nutrients and these are taken up quickly by the plants

if this cycle is broken, the soil looses it's fertility very quickly

Parts Of The Rainforest

lianas

grows around the trees to get to the light quicker

buttress roots

very big so they can soak up lots of water at a time

fan palm

large fan shaped leaves for catching sun and water

strangler fig

Layers

the forest floor

the understory

the canopy

the emergent layer

Reasons For Deforestation

farmland for poor

cattle ranches

repaying debt

selling timbre

finding materials

building dams

Deserts

located on the tropic of cancer and capricorn

23 degrees north and south of the equator

Mexican desert

Sahara

the western margins of continents

Types Of Desert

prevailing wind

the prevailing wind is going in one direction which is east to west. this means that it needs to go over all of Asia first. because of this it doesn't go over big rivers or seas so it doesn't pick up any moisture

Sahara Desert

rain shadow

goes over a mountain range which is a warm and moist wind which causes the water to condensate and rise.it rains going down one side of the mountain leaving the other side as a desert

Australian Desert

cold ocean currents

next to the sea, the prevailing winds move warm moist air into the cold ocean current. this causes the air to quickly condense and rain. this then leaves cold and dry wind to hit the desert area

Atacama Desert