001 - Global distribution of extreme environments

Syllabus Points

Explain (AO2) the global distribution of each of the two kinds of extreme environment.

Describe (AO1) the relief and climatic characteristics that make these environments extreme.

Explain (AO2) how these characteristics present challenges for resource development and human habitation.

Key Terminology

• Explain
• Distribution
• Extreme environment
• Describe
• Relief
• Challenge
• Arid
• Hyper-arid
• Semi-arid
• Glacial
• Periglacial
• Permafrost

Define the following terms using the 'Command Term' posters in the classroom, the links provided and your 'Geography Course Companion' text book (page 168) by Nagle and Cooke.

Useful Links

• wikipedia - extreme environment
• About Education - relief
• National Geographic - distribution

Activity One - Where?

Map One - The map shows the approximate distribution of glaciers, ice caps and the two ice sheets from ESRI’s Digital Chart of the World (DCW), overlaid by the point layer of the World Glacier Inventory (WGI) and the polygons of the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) databases (status June 2008). (http://www.grid.unep.ch/glaciers/graphics.php)

Map Two - A map to show the arid areas of the world - Taken From http://www.madrimasd.org

1. Using the map above and figure 7.1 on page 169 of the 'Geography Course Companion' by Nagle and Cooke describe the location of the glacial and periglacial areas?
2. Using the map above and figure 7.1 on page 169 of the 'Geography Course Companion' by Nagle and Cooke describe the location of the arid and semi-arid areas?
3. With the aid of diagrams explain why glacial and arid areas are they located where they are? Hint you need to consider the following points:
   • Atmospheric pressure and wind systems
   • Relief and the rain shadow effect
   • Cold ocean currents
   • Continentality
   • Offshore winds
   • Changes over time

Resources

• Pages 10 - 16 in 'Arid Environments' by Cole
• Tri Cellular Model

Activity Two - Describe

Apart from knowing why extreme environments are found in certain locations it is also good to know what these areas look like. To describe the key characteristics arid and glacial areas you need to consider the following points:

• Relief - shape of the land
• Climate - temperature, average rainfall

1. What are the key climatic characteristics of arid and semi-arid environments?
2. What are the key climatic characteristics of glacial and peri-glacial environments?

3. What is the relief like in the two different hostile environments? What do the areas look like? Use the YouTube clips below to

help you.

Activity Three - Challenges

1. How do the characteristics of extreme environments create challenges for resource exploitation and habitation? Use the padlet below to share your ideas.
2. Once we have shared our ideas make a copy for your notes.