What are alpine environments?
Areas of low temperatures in high altitude, mountainous regions, found at any latitudes.
Where are alpine environments found?
Above the tree line.
How do temperatures behave in alpine areas?
Temperatures in alpine areas fluctuate annually.
What are alpine summers like?
Frequently above 0°C.
What is an example of an alpine environment?
Mount Washington, The White Mountains.
What happens in alpine environments during winter?
Alpine environments receive heavy snowfall.
How does snowfall compare to polar environments?
More than in polar environments in most cases.
What happens in summer in alpine environments?
Milder temperatures can lead to sometimes heavy rainfall and a lot of meltwater from the melting of snow and ice.
What does the alpine climate allow animals to do?
Adapted animals to move to higher altitudes.
What do milder temperatures stimulate?
Plant growth, thawing, and decomposition.
How does vegetation behave in alpine environments?
Vegetation that is adapted to the alpine climate thrives in milder alpine summers, and usually dies back in winter.
What does the alpine climate allow in terms of nutrient cycles?
A quicker nutrient cycle.
Why is the nutrient cycle quicker?
As wildlife use vegetation for food and the warmer climate encourages decomposing.
How does decomposition compare to polar climates?
Alpine vegetation is decomposed more quickly than in a polar climate.
How does plant growth compare to polar climates?
Grows quicker too due to soil fertility and climate.
What effect do higher temperatures have on soils?
Allow soils (usually at lower altitudes) to thaw.
What does thawing increase?
The area that vegetation can grow in.
What does nutrient rich vegetation allow?
A more fertile soil to develop when it decomposes.
Why does soil become fertile?
The nutrients are transferred into the soil.
What does fertile soil allow?
More nutrient rich plants to grow.
What happens to soils in winter?
Soils usually freeze, meaning less plants can grow in the colder conditions.
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Glacial Systems & Processes38
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Cold Environments - POLAR16
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Cold Environments - ALPINE21
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Cold Environments - PERIGLACIAL20
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Cold Environments - GLACIAL3
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Past Distribution of Cold Environments11
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Historical Periods of Glacial Advance & Retreat12
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Warm & Cold Based Glaciers23
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Development of Glaciated Landscapes34
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Geomorphological Erosional Landforms36
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Geomorphological Depositional Landforms25
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Fluvioglacial Landforms18
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Periglacial Landforms38
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Environmental Fragility53
