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