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Section 2b: The Water and Carbon Cycle in the Arctic Tundra (How is the…
Section 2b
: The Water and Carbon Cycle in the Arctic Tundra
What is Tundra?
Refers to an ecosystem/biome found at
high latitudes
and
high altitudes
(N/S poles)
Treeless region with short growing season. They have severe winter temperatures.
Where is the Arctic Tundra?
Arctic Tundra in the
North
is
ocean
.
Arctic Tundra in the
south
is
land
.
Above the Arctic circle, the sun never sets in the summer and never rises in the winter.
Arctic Circle: 66.5°N
Arctic: area surrounding the N.pole. A large ocean surrounded by land.
Tundra Soils
A significant proportion is wet soil (
gleying soils
) - under
waterlogged
conditions, iron compounds are reduced to their ferrous form.
Ferrous oxides are
grey
in colour.
The soils become
waterlogged
when the
permafrost melts
in the
summer
- acts like an
impermeable rock
. And water is always on the soil as
ice
in the
winter
.
How is the water cycle unique?
2b.1
Precipitation
will be
less
as it falls as snow. :arrow_down: :snow_cloud:
Soil moisture
will be
massive
- permafrost
Water storage as ice/snow
will be
large
.
Little infiltration and percolation
- permafrost = impermeable.
No evapotranspiration
due to low temperatures.
No groundwater storage.
:warning:
SIGNIFICANT CONTRAST BETWEEN SUMMER & WINTER
:warning:
The Arctic Water Cycle
2b.1
LOW PRECIPITATION
- some areas =
< 200mm
of rainfall.
PERMAFROST
-
less
infiltration/percolation/groundwater ->
high
soil moisture.
SNOW COVER
- insulates the ground and reflects solar radiation -
high albedo
.
LITTLE EVAPOTRANSPIRATION
-
limited vegetation
+ low temperatures.
Ocean in covered in ice
= decreases evaporation.
How is the carbon cycle unique?
2b.2
Decomposition
will be
slower
and
smaller
due to
low temperatures.
Biomass
is
smaller
.
Respiration
and
photosynthesis
will be
lower
due to
colder temperatures
and
limited vegetation
.
200x more carbon
in the soil than in burning fossil fuels.
The Tundra Nutrient Cycle
2b.2
Stores and flows are
small
.
Slow
rates of
transportation
due to the
cold, dry climate
.
All stores are relatively the same size.
Biomass =
4-29 tonnes/ha.
Dead organic matter remains
undecomposed
.
Decomposition will be
significantly smaller
due to the
low temperatures
and the ground being
waterlogged
during the summer.
NPP =
less than 200 g/m2/year
Carbon Cycle
2b.5
:sunny:
Increased
temperature
and
sunlight
means the days are longer and the
growing season
is longer. So an increase in
NPP
.
Carbon Cycle
2b.5
:snowflake:
Short growing season
due to low temperatures.
Biomass
store will become
smaller
.
Limited
sunlight
hours so there will be a decrease in
photosynthesis
so a decrease in
NPP
.
Water cycle
2b.5
:sunny:
Permafrost melts
which makes the ground
waterlogged
.
Water Cycle
:snowflake:
Low evapotranspiration
as
little vegetation
.
Low soil and groundwater store.
Oil and gas in the Arctic
2b.6
25%
of the global oil and gas resources yet to be found are located in the Arctic Circle.
The ice cap in the Arctic Ocean was
4m
thick in
1950
, and is now
2m
thick.
The melting of the sea ice will open up the
North West Passage
which will link the
Atlantic
and the
Pacific oceans
. This will cut journeys between
Europe
and
Asia
by
1/3
. Making shipping of oil
easier
.