Ecosystems: Tundra (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Geography B): Revision Note

Specification Link

This page covers part of 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 of the WJEC Eduqas GCSE B specification

3.2.2 - How are ecosystems damaged by human activity?

• How tundra have been damaged by human activity.

• How processes within the ecosystem have been affected

• The effects of the damage at the local scale, to include the effect on biodiversity, and at the global scale

3.2.3 - Why and how are ecosystems managed in a sustainable way?

• The reasons for conservation and management.

• The ways in which tundra have been managed

• Strategies for sustainable management.

Human activity in the tundra

How human activity has damaged the tundra

• Cold environments, such as the tundra, are fragile and easily damaged

• They are mainly undisturbed, undeveloped, and usually uninhabited

• They are considered important and worthwhile areas to protect because:

  • They provide niche habitats for organisms, which protect biodiversity

  • Scientists can research plants and animals in their natural habitats

  • Comparing natural ecosystems to managed ecosystems is useful

  • They are the last remaining areas that were unaltered by human activity

• The biome has low biodiversity

• Human impacts are increasing

• The main threats to the biome are:

  • Resource exploitation

  • Infrastructure and development

  • Pollution

  • Fishing

  • Tourism

• Resource Exploitation (Mineral/Energy Extraction)

  • Valuable reserves like oil, gas, gold, silver, iron ore, and copper are found beneath the tundra

  • Activities like drilling and mining, such as the extraction of oil and gas near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, exploit the tundra

  • Russia has also exploited large parts of the tundra for minerals

  • Pipelines such as the Trans-Alaska pipeline impact migration paths

• Infrastructure and development

  • Heat generated by infrastructure, such as terminal buildings, worker homes, and transport associated with oil fields, causes environmental damage

  • The development of settlements and industry leads to the use of vehicles in these fragile areas, which can damage plant cover

    • If plants are damaged, they take a very long time to regrow, if at all

• Pollution

  • Increased human activity leads to an increase in waste, including sewage

    • This leads to land, water and air pollution

  • Oil spills, such as the Exxon Valdez, have caused major environmental catastrophes

  • Mineral and energy mining can also cause ground and water pollution

• Fishing

  • Overfishing has led to the depletion of fish stocks in cold coastal waters

  • Salmon, crab and pollock are fished in the waters around Alaska

• Tourism

  • Growing adventure tourism increases pressure on these environments

  • Over 2 million tourists visit Alaska each year

The impact of human activity on ecosystem processes

Nutrient cycle

• The nutrient cycle in the tundra is slow due to the low temperatures

• The soil has low nutrient levels and is acidic because the organic matter decomposes very slowly

  • This means that the nutrients needed for plant growth, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are not available to the plants

• When plants are damaged, for example, by vehicles, they take a long time to regrow or may not regrow at all

  • This affects the addition of nutrients to the soil

• Habitat and food supply loss can affect the populations of animals such as reindeer

  • These animals add nutrients through their waste

    • If populations decrease, the amount of nutrients added to the soil decreases

Gas exchange

• The layer of permafrost holds large amounts of methane and carbon

• When the permafrost melts, both methane and carbon dioxide are released

• This adds to the enhanced greenhouse effect and global warming, which has a global impact

Water cycle

• The construction of settlements and industry increases the impermeable surfaces in the biome

• Melting of the permafrost increases flooding

The impact of human activity on biodiversity

• Human activities often damage the permafrost layer, which is vital for the tundra ecosystem

• In the summer, the tundra has more plant cover

  • This helps surface plants absorb heat from the sun and keeps the permafrost below from thawing

• Permafrost gives water and nutrients to plants

• Damage to permafrost causes it to melt, which leads to flooding and halts plant growth

• When it melts, the permafrost releases trapped greenhouse gases like methane

  • This increases global warming and alters the climate in cold environments, threatening plants and animals that rely on the delicate balance within the biome

• Animal species in the tundra are highly specialised, which means that it is difficult for them to adapt to any changes

• Changes which impact one species will have a significant impact on other species in the food web

Management of tundra

The reasons for conservation and management

• For the tundra to survive, there needs to be some sustainable management because the tundra ecosystems are:

  • Biodiversity hotspots for specialised species (e.g. polar bears, Arctic foxes, migratory birds)

  • Important for scientific research, especially climate change studies

  • Wilderness areas that are mostly untouched and extremely fragile

  • Slow to recover—vehicle tracks can last 30+ years

  • Carbon stores in permafrost help regulate the climate

  • Home to Indigenous communities with unique traditional cultures

• Sustainable management:

  • Makes sure an environment can recover quickly from any use

  • Prevents damage to the environment

  • Helps local people get benefits from their environment

  • Helps local people understand the benefits

Ways in which the tundra has been managed

• Basic management strategies include:

  • Using geothermal power where available

  • Having conservation zones to protect the tundra fauna and flora

  • Protecting the environment from pollution

  • Promoting ecotourism

  • Use of technology

Strategies for sustainable management in the tundra

How global actions can protect:

• Placing animals on the Endangered Species List

  • In 2008, polar bears were added to the list

• The Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) covers biodiversity in all biomes

• The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit global warming and climate change

  • If successful, this would reduce permafrost melt

Government role:

• Regulation of development is needed to prevent damage to the environment; e.g., mineral and energy mining can cause ground and water pollution and logging activities destroy habitats

• Environmental protection laws can be put in place, such as the 1964 Wilderness Act, which designates wilderness areas but also protects them from future development

  • Large parts of Alaska have protection laws in place

• The USA invests in environmental science initiatives like NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to safeguard marine habitats and fisheries, and to assess the sustainability of any activities 

• Establishing conservation zones

Use of technology

• Roads are constructed on 1-2 metre thick gravel pads

  • This stops heat from the vehicles from transferring to the soil beneath, reducing permafrost melt

• The use of geothermal energy reduces the use of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions

• Building houses and other constructions on stilts to prevent heat from the building melting the permafrost

• Raised pipelines, including the Trans-Alaskan pipeline

Conservation groups:

• Conservation groups have less power than governments, but they can put pressure on governments to protect cold environments at risk or damaged

  • Groups such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) encourage sustainable management and pressure governments to prevent any actions that would cause damage

  • They collect data and information independent of governments and monitor the reliability of other data

  • Create petitions, lobby and campaign for change

  • Report on issues and release findings to the public and governments, which spreads awareness on issues and boosts donations