Geography - Weather, Climate and Ecosystems

ecosystem

a community of organisms (plants, animals and bacteria) which interact with one another and the surrounding environment so that matter is exchanged between the living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) parts of the system

a biome

* a large area of similar ecosystems
* a global land area that is characterised by the plants, animals and climate in that area

key functions of an ecosystem

* balance
* dynamic equilibrium meltwater vs snowfall for glaciers
* energy needs to flow
* the second major function of an ecosystem is to recycle nutrients

make three observations about the global distribution of ecosytems.

* tundras and temperate forests concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere
* grasslands and savanna distributed almost evenly across the globe (excluding the tundra region)
* there is a linear distribution (broad bands) of ecosystems across the world generally

what explains the global distribution of ecosystems.

* soils and climate (related factors)
* dense vegetation is found where there is optimal climate for growth (warm, wet and many sunlight hours)
* dense vegetation creates a lot of litter, and warm weather aids decomposition of this. this produces a dense (surface) layer of nutrient rich soil which further enhances plant growth.
* globally, climate is influenced by latitude and locally by continentality and relief

where are tropical rainforests found?

at the Equator, which is at 0 degrees. Here, air is rising, which leads to abundant rainfall in all seasons, leading to high tree cover. this is because the ground warms up, heating the air above it causing the warm air to rise, due to the Equator being so warm

where are deserts found?

* 15-30 degrees N/S
* here air is sinking, leading to dry weather all year round

where are temperate deciduous forests found?

* 45-50 degrees N/S

describe a soil profile

* thick litter layer due to continuous leaf fall
* thin humus layer due to rapid decomposition and mixing of organic matter by animals such as ants
* continual leaching and mixing by animals prevents clear boundaries between layers
* dense root mat which can intercept as much as 99% of nutrients released by decomposition of organic matter
* heavy rainfall releases iron turning soil red
* up to 30m deep

explain why rainforest soils are actually really infertile.

despite the large input of nutrients, rapid leaching results in a low nutrient status. fertility is only maintaned by the fast and continuous replacement of lost nutrients with new leaf litter.

give ways in which nutrients can enter the soil and explain why these inputs are rapid in the rainforest.

* few nutrients are stored in decaying branches and leaves lying on the forest floor
* the chemical reactions such as weathering that release minerals from rocks
* decomposition of litter
* microbes e.g. bacteria have lots of energy, reproduce and decompose rapidly
* warm, wet conditions aids weathering of rocks

small scale ecosystem - UK 1

* Studland Bay, psammosere (sand dune succession)
* embryo dunes - sand is transported onshore and accumulates on the sheltered side of an obstacle such as a rock of a piece of driftwood. the small deposits of sand join together to form embryo dunes. plants that can tolerate the dry and salty conditions - such as sea rocket - begin to colonise these early dunes

small scale ecosystem - UK 2

yellow dunes - as the sand becomes more stable larger foredunes will be formed. plants such as marram grass start to colonise these dunes. marram grass is extremely well suited to sand dunes. its long roots seek fresh water deep below the surface and its tough stems help to bind the sand together. marram grass is folded to reduce transpiration in windy area. as sand buries it, it is actually stimulated to grow taller. in time, these dunes develop to form tall, steep-sided yellow dunes.

small scale ecosystem - UK 3

grey dunes - gradually, the environmental conditions start to improve. dead plants add nutrients to the soil and environmental conditions become less extreme. new species of vegetation, such as gorse and brambles start to grow forming a range of habitats for butterflies, insects, birds and small animals.. the darker rich soils with a higher organic content account for the name grey dunes.

small scale ecosystem - UK 4

almost completely covered by vegetation, these dunes are more stable and are soemtimes called fixed dunes.

small scale ecosystem - UK 5

strong winds and trampling by humans can cause hollows or depressions to form in places, known as ‘blowouts’. occasionally, the base of the hollow may reach the water table. a waterlogged area, called a dune slack, will form here with a completely different range of plants and animals, such as orchids and creeping willow. semi aquatic animals such as frogs may be found here.

small scale ecosystem - UK 6

after a few hundred years, shrubs and trees will become established on the sand dunes. at this point, the vegetation succession is said to have reached its climatic climax. in the UK typical trees would be oaks or pines (woodland).

impact on biodiversity in Studland Bay as a result of human activity

* loss of species due to erosion of the sand dunes by walkers creating paths
* dog walkers not picking up waste - artificially fertilising the dunes and encouraging non-native species to grow which can out compete the native species
* reduced vegetation due to erosion causing a loss of nutrient stored in biomass and the soil

reason for loss of habitat in Studland Bay

BBQs destroying areas of the dune system

impact on local flows, cycles and processes in Studland Bay as a result of human activity

* increased transportation of sand out of the system due to lack of plant roots to bind it together (plants being lost by erosion and fires)
* less water being stored in the system due to reduction in vegetation (water will quickly inflitrate through the sand with no root mat)
* reduction in photosynthesis and the storage of carbon in plants
* reduction in deposition due to less vegetation which increases friction and slows down the wind, therefore reduction in inputs to the system
* reduction in decomposition and input of nutrients to the system due to loss of vegetation

location of the Savannah

generally has a linear (horizontal) distribution in the world, specifically between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer ( thus both in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere)

distinctive features of the Savannah

* climate varies throughout the year: during the wet seasons, there are heavy storms and high humidity for 5-6 months, while in the dry seasons there are droughts, clear skies, and sunshine
* In hot semi-dry climates, the vegetation is generally made up of scattered trees and drought-resistant bushes, as the soil is porous, meaning it drains water rapidly. Additionally, the thin humus (dark, organic material that forms in soil when plants and animals decay) layer provides nutrients for plants. Due to the very arid climate, no thick forests form since the trees would not receive an efficient amount of water to grow and survive. In the wet seasons, there are also grasses that grow very rapidly in height (3-4m) during the wet season. These grasses turn yellow and die back in the dry season, thus the ground is left vulnerable to soil erosion
* The baobab and acacia are examples of xerophytic (drought-resistant) trees i.e., they can survive for long periods of time with very little water, which is especially important during the dry season.

adaptations of Baobab tree in the Savannah

* lots of shallow roots spread out from tree, collecting water as soon as it rains
* thick bark is fire-resistant
* few leaves reduce water lost by transpiration
* large-barrel linke trunk stores up to 500 litres of water

nutrient cycle in the Savannah

nutrients such as iron, phosphate and nitrogen are recycled through the ecosystem between the soil, biomass and leaf litter. when plants and animals die, they decompose, releasing nutrients which return to the soil.

examples of food chains in the Savannah

grasses → baboon → cheetah → lion

negative impacts of tourism water cycle damage

diverting water for tourists can exploit local water reserves, leaving local people, plants and animals short of water. tourist hotels sometimes dump waste into rivers.

what is desertification

the process by which fertile land becomes a desert

how does farming cause desertification?

* overgrazing strips the soil of he vegetation that protects it
* lack of roots to bind soil
* soil is being eroded
* erosion by wind and rain
* it takes very few years to erode soil
* it takes 500 years to form 2.5cm of soil
* increased temperatures dry soil out
* soil becomes infertile
* nothing grows

what impacts is farming having on the water cycle?

* less infiltration as tractors compact soil hence soil becomes impermeable while farming requires roads and infrastructure being created for transport and access, roads which are often made of tarmac, an impermeable surface, henc overall reducing vegetation cover
* hence there is less infiltration and increased surface run off
* wells used for irrigation - less ground water store
* less vegetation - less evapotranspiration, as water flows into gulleys created from farming

what is being done in Senegal (against desertification)? How does it work? What problems could exist?

* gum and acacia trees are being planted
* preserves biodiversity
* reverses desertification by preventing soil erosion and provide nutrients for soil to restore soil’s fertility
* global market (pharmaceutical, confectionary) → gum sold → income + jobs
* some harversts are small, companies do not want ot buy this, unreliable
* less money in raw products, primary goods, than manufactured products
* some profit lost from middle man
* lots of water, management, input anf funding required

what are the pros and cons of developing drought-resistant crops?

* resistant to common diseases
* double the yield of crop
* expensive
* can’t reuse the seeds

causes of deforestation

* cattle ranching
* soya bean agriculture
* hydroelectric power
* logging
* oil and gas extraction
* mining

impacts of agriculture on the Amazon Rainforest

* nutrient cycles
* soil structure
* soil erosion
* water cycle
* regional climate

impacts of agriculture on the Amazon Rainforest - soil erosion

* trees are cut down
* less roots to bind soil together
* no canopy to intercept some rainfall and reduce the intensity with which the water hits the ground
* soil eroded into rivers (river capacity reduces and potential for flooding increases)
* soil erosion increases by at least 20 times the natural rate
* loss of soil reduces future growth of vegetation
* without vegetation to ‘input’ organic matter, soil development halts
* future vegetation has no medium to grow in
* a long term problem is created

nutrient cycle after deforestation (impacts of agriculture on the Amazon Rainforest)

* very few trees offering no protection for the soil from rain erosion
* very few leaves or other organic material dropped
* less nutrient rich soil produced
* leaching occurs to the soil as there is no protection from the rain
* infertile soil
* little vegetation growth
* this is a continuous cycle

nutrient cycling before deforestation.

* many trees offering the soil protection from rain erosion
* many leaves dropped all year round
* warm, moist conditions allows decay to occur rapidly
* nutrients from decayed material form a layer of top soil (humus)
* very nutritious soil
* rapid vegetation growth

water cycle after deforestation (impacts of agriculture on the Amazon Rainforest)

* reduced interception
* increased peak flow and shorter lag times
* increased absoprtion of solar energy at the surface and higher temperatures
* reduced soil moisture storage (less organic matter, which acts as a sponge for water)
* reduced evapotranspiration from leaf surfaces
* reduced humidity, cloud formation and precipitation

what is a plantation?

where one single species grows over a vast area, creating a monoculture

explain why deforestation in tropical rainforests has an impact on both climate and the nutrient cycle (6).

deforestation leads to less transpiration from trees, as there are now less trees. this means less water forms as clouds, leading to less precipitation. this could potentially lead to droughts in a tropical rainforest, as over time less water falls as precipitation onto the rainforest, leading to even less transpiration, and thus this cycle continues. additionally, since there are less trees due to deforestation, there will be more surface run-off of water on the soil, as there are less trees to intercept. this leads to nutrients being washed off the soil via a process known as leaching. this leads to the soil becoming infertile, thus there is less vegetation growth. therefore, there is less humus in the soil due to there being less organic matter as a result of less vegetation. thus, the soil will continue to lose nutrients and will remain infertile.

in what three main ways can the rainforest habit and therefore the biodiversity be affected in the rainforest?

* habitat destruction - the physical loss of vegetation through deforestation
* habitat fragmentation - habitats nac becomes separated by a new road, a dam or water diversion, creating isolated populations. these ecological islands affect biodiversity by reeducing the amount of suitable habitat and by restricting migration between different communities and hence opportunities to breed and feed
* habitat degradation - for example pollution or the introduction of new species can cause the habitat to change and the ecosystem processes to be disrupted

what is a National Park?

* areas that are legally protected; the activity in them is highly regulated
* not adhering to the regulations would be a crime and could result in a fine or a prison sentence
* they preserve natural ecosystems of great ecological relevance and scenic beauty
* enable scientific research
* environmental education
* outdoors recreation and eco-tourism
* however illegal deforestation takes place and there are high costs of management and security due to the size of the area
* land cannot be used for urban and infrastructural development
* costs could be maintained by taxes

what is zoning?

* people will have areas that can be used for economic gain, but there will also be areas that are fully conserved (known as Amazon Region Protected Areas)
* easier to police because patrols can focus on smaller areas
* buffer zones surround protected areas and are where limited and controlled human activity can take place)
* nonetheless illegal deforestation still takes place

what are wildlife corridors?

* areas of forest that are planted to join otherwise isolated patches of forest - planting vegetation, often trees, to connect one environment to another
* main goal is to facilitate movement of individuals through both dispersal and migration, so that gene flow and diversity are maintained between local populations
* prevents inbreeding and starvation so that species continue to thrive
* by linking populations thorughout the landscape, there is a lower chance for extinction and greaters support for species richness
* little evidence that conservation corridors work as intended
* will eventually no longer require invested funds and will able to sustain itself. this means that the vegetation in the wildlife corridor would be able to reproduce at a stable and consistent rate

problems with wildlife corridors.

* wildlife corridors have to have a width of at least 400m, however, Forest Code requires only 60m. this also means more time, money and resources are needed to create these wildlife corridors for them to be successful

how is human activity being managed in the Savannah?

* alternative farming and industrial techniques - alternative likelihoods that are less demanding on local land and natural resource use, such as dryland aquatic culture for production of fish. drought resistant crops are also being developed.
* establish economic opportunities outside drylands - unpacking new possibilities for people to earn a living, such as urban growth and infrastructure, could relieve and shift pressures underlying the desertification processes

why is the rainforest important?

* habitat for animals and plants
* indigenous people’s ancestral territory
* climate regulation
* carbon sequestration (storage)
* food, medical and other resources

potential impacts of Swansea Tidal Lagoon in South Coast of Wales, Swansea Bay, next to Bristol Channel

* could create thousands of jobs in construction and maintenance
* hydropower plantation - renewable energy for 155,000 homes, has one of the highest tidal ranges in the world
* providing habitats for lobsters and crabs
* impact on migratory fish due to turbines, sensitive environment with already so many threasotened species, debate on the impact on fish, negligible?
* boost leisure and tourism in the area
* asking for a higher subsidy than nuclear or solar power, over £1 billion, while the energy output would be a third of an average-sized power station, not cost-beneficial

give one reason why tropical rainforest ecosystems are located in this part of the world (near the Equator)

* high amounts of rainfall or sunshine
* giving high levels of growth/productivity

why does nutrient cycling occur rapidly in rainforests?

* forest floor is hot and humid - decomposition occurs quickly
* decomposers release nutrients, which are taken up by living plants
* abundant in decomposers - breaks down litter

what is meant by the Quartnerary Period?

The most recent 2.6 million years of Earth’s history

what happens to glaciers with each period of the Quarternary?

glaciers advance from Polar regions then retreat, carving and molding the land with each growth

what happens to the sea with each Quarternary Period?

sea levels fall and rise with each period of thawing and freezing.

how has the sun affected temperatures in the Quarternary Period?

slight shifts in planets path around the sun has caused ice ages to come and go

when was the last ice age?

10,000 years ago

what happens during cold spells?

* temperatures drop, ice sheets spread from the Poles and covering all of Antartica and more
* sea levels fall as so much water is locked up as ice
* some continents become connected due to the low sea levels, allowing humans and animals to migrate from one landmass to another

what happens during warm spells?

* ice melts and retreats, leaving behing new rivers and giant lakes
* plants and animals that sought warm and comfort towards the Equator return to the higher latitudes, closer to the polez

why is Quarternary known as ‘age of humans’?

humans appeared in Africa at the start of the Quarternary period.

proxy records - CO2 levels

* ice cores are analysed - bubbles of gas trapped in the ice
* scientists measure CO2 as we know amount of CO2 and temperature are strongly correlated (as temp increases CO2 levels increase), can be used to make accurate inferences
* will never be as accurate as using thermometers to measure the real temperature
* deformation of the ice can make it hard to establish the age of lower proportions of the core
* ice only forms in certain conditions; if there was no accumulation of snow one year there will be no record. this can throw off the ability to date accurately
* markers in the ice such as tephra (ash) from a volcanic explosion can be used to pinpoint a particular year in the ice core
* trapping process of air in ice takes time, so the data represents a period of time, not a specific year
* upper ice core can be aged accurately be counting layers
* temperature records for over 800,000 years have been deduced from Antartic ice cores

proxy records - historical accounts

* include ancient inscriptions, chronicles, government records, etc
* reliability of the author: is it a fist hand account or are they talking about what they have been told?

proxy records - tree rings

* study of tree ring growth
* tree ring growth varies in width each year depending on temperature conditions and moisture availability

a range of processes cause change in carbon storage

* lithosphere - weathering produces carbon rich sediment whihc can be transported to oceans and lakes. burial and compaction of sediment will help lock carbon up for long periods of time.
* hydrosphere - decomposition of marine organisms produces carbon rich sediment. weathered and decomposed sediment collected at the bottom of lakes and oceans is buried and compacted, locking it up for long periods of time.

name a physical and human factors which can cause change in the transfer of carbon between stores.

* volcanic activity/eruptions
* wildfires
* hydrocarbon fuel extraction and burning
* farming practices
* deforestation
* land use change

natural causes of climate change

* solar activity → sunspots → when there are lots of sunspots there is a small increase in temperature on Earth and vice-versa
* cycle between high and low sunspot activity is every 11 years
* Milankovitch cycles - as Earth travels around the sun, its path and tilt of axis can change slightly, affecting the amount of sunlight that falls on Earth, causing temperature of Earth to change
* cycles take place over tens or hundreds of thousands of years
* volcanic eruptions and asteroids - huge amounts of gas and dust are thrown into the atmosphere, blocking out the sun - it cools the planet
* creates short term climate change

what are the largest global stores of carbon?

* lithosphere
* hydrosphere

how human activity affects the carbon cycle.

* burning of fossil fuels
* cement production (makes up 5% of man-made carbon dioxide emissions)
* waste in landfills breaks down and decays, releasing methane
* agriculture - clearing land for agriculture, growing food, packagin, processing and transportation - responsible for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions

weather

short term changes in the atmospheric conditions (e.g. wet, cold, windy)

climate

the average weather conditions over a long period of time (30 years+). this climate is what we expect the weather to be like at a certain time based on many years of observation.

latitude

* explains why it is sunny in the south in the summer
* places near the Equator are much warmer than those near to the poles due to combination of curvature of Earth, angle of the sun in the sky and the layer of atmosphere that surrounds the Earth
* when the sun’s rays strike the surface of the Earth the energy warms the surface. at the Equator the sun appears directly overhead and shines vertically downwards, concentrating the energy on a small area, resulting in higher temperatures. towards the poles, the curvature of the Earth’s surface means the sun is at a lower angle in the sky. the sun’s rays hit the earth at a less direct angle spreading the energy out over a larger area and results in a lower temperature
* a layer of atmosphere containing dust, smoke and other solid particles which absorbs heat energy surrounds the Earth. the layer of atmosphere that the sun’s energy has to pass through at the Equator is shorter than near the poles so there is less opportunity for heat to be lost through absorption

ocean currents

* explains why it is wetter in the west and warm in the west in the winter
* North Atlantic Drift is a warm body of water that moves towards the UK, warming our climate particularly in the winter
* warm ocean water transfers heat to the air above it
* this air helps to warm the UK, especially the west coast where it passes closest to
* the SW prevailing wind and North Atlantic Drift will also influence rainfall
* this air is warm so has the capacity to hold lots of moisture within it, and it has travelled over the ocean so has had the opportunity to pick up this moisture
* the prevailing wind hits the west of the UK, as it moves over land it is forced to rise and cool causing it to condensate, leading to precipitation being higher in the west

continentiality in the summer

* land heats up quickly
* tranfers heat to the air above land, warming air above land up
* ocean heats up slowly
* air above ocean remains cooled by the cold water
* cool air from the ocena blows onto the coast lowering temperatures
* this helps explain why it is hotter inland in the summer and cooler at the coast

continentiality in the winter

* land gets cold very quickly
* cools the air above it
* ocean retains heat from the summer, losing heat very slowly
* air above the ocean is warmed by the water
* warm air from the ocean blows onto the coast, warming the land
* the helps explain why it is cooler inland in the winter and warmer at the coast

altitude

temperature decreased by 1 degree Celsiu for every 100m climbed. this is because air density is reduced and so there are less air molecules per unit area with the ability to absorb and retain heat.

urban heat island effect

* occurs when urban areas such as cities replace the natural land cover with dense concentrations of surfaces that absorb and retain heat such as pavements and buildings
* results in increased energy costs, air pollution levels and heat-related illnesses (heat strokes) and mortality

what are depressions?

low pressure systems which bring cloud and rain

what are anticyclones?

high pressure systems which bring dry, stable weather

describe the formation of a depression.

* warm air from equatorial regions and colder polar air meet
* warm, lower density air rises above the cold, denser air as the two air masses do not mix
* cold air will move in below the rising warm air to fill the void. because the system is spinning in an anticlockwise direction the cold air spins from being in front of the warm sector to being behind it
* cold air pushes forward towards the warm air. the two fronts are moving closer together
* centre of depression has the lowest pressure

when is a low pressure zone created?

when warmer air is rising due to having a lower density than cold air

when is a high pressure zone created?

when colder air is sinking

why is wind high at the two fronts of a depression?

* due to the meeting of cold and warm air
* the cold dense air sinks and undercuts the warm air which is forced to rise; this movement of air is felt as wind

why is there dry year all round in anticyclones?

air is sinking, therefore it is warmed by the Earth. this means the air does not condense and produce clouds, therefore it is dry.

why is there little wind at any time in anticyclones?

wind is caused by air moving from areas of hihg pressure to areas of low pressure to try and equalise pressure. areas of high pressure are so large that within the central area there is little air movement as the air is already of equal pressure.

why is it hot and sunny in the summer in anticyclones?

there are no clouds so the sun’s enegry an easily reach the surface of the Earth heating it up

why is there cold weather in the winter in anticyclones?

* as there are no clouds large amounts of heat easily escape at night, therefore it is very cold the next day even with the sun’s energy that can reach the surface (due to no clouds), the atmosphere may not heat up more than if there had been clouds present insulating the Earth over night.
* also, due to it being winter, the days are shorter, so there is less solar energy reaching Earth to warm it up.

why is there frost mainly in winter in anticyclones?

as it can get very cold at night (due to no insulating clouds) so water droplets freeze

why is there fog mainly in winter/early spring in anticyclones?

* as the surface of the Earth loses heat very quickly (it is a poor insulator of heat) the air directly above it may be cooled overnight causing the water vapour in the air to condense back to water droplets
* as the air heats up in the day the opposite process will occur and water droplets evaporate back into water vapour, hence the fog clears

How is the Coriolis force created and what does it do?

* created by Earth spinning on its axis
* this force means that winds in the northern hemisphere are deflected to the right and winds in the southern hemisphere are deflected to the left

formation of a hurricane.

* occurs when sea temperatures exceed 26 degrees Celsius
* the ocean warms air above it which begins to rise
* this produces an area of low pressure air from surrounding area (with higher pressure) flows into the space
* the rising moist air cools and condenses, forming clouds, huge amounts of heat energy are released powering the storm further

monsoon

a term usually used to describe the wet period associated with seasonally reversing wind patterns. technically there is a dry period too. movement of the thermal equator, (the point of low pressure, the ITCZ) is responsible for the monsoon seasons in areas of the world.

what are the longer term changes in tropical storms?

* slight increase since 1990s
* fluctuating over time
* fluctuations above average are longer/more frequent than fluctuations below average

causes, consequences and responses to Hurricane Matthew.

* tropical storm in 2016
* 603 deaths
* $16.6 billion
* hurricane prood housing
* education
* hurricane warning systems and communication
* make warnings intelligible
* make warning specific
* encourage local ownership
* supplement local knowledge
* spread awareness through schools
* link warning to risk reduction
* short term responses before - Haiti - schools were allocated as shelters (capacity for 390,000 people) - Florida - the state opened 147 shelters for more than 22,300 people during the storm
* short term responses after - Haiti - the World Food Programme and NGOs distributed 1500 tons of food - Florida - president BA opened a state of emergency in Florida and released federal funds
* long term responses in Florida - strict laws exist so housing is built to certain standards - natural defences such as saltmarshes are being re-established so they provide sustainable and cost effective protection to local communities

how does high pressure lead to hot and dry weather and hazards associated with high pressure systems?

* as air falls towards the surface of the Earth it warms (Earth is warmer than atmosphere above it)
* as air increases in temperature it is able to hold more moisture vapour
* this means the process of condensation, necessary for cloud formation, does not occur
* no clouds means no rain and also no barrier reflecting the sun’s energy, allowing it to get very hot in the day
* it can get very cold at night as there are no clouds to stop the sun’e energy that is being reradiated from the Earth
* drought - a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water
* heatwaves - a prolonged period of abnormally hot weather

causes of drought

* El Nino and La Nina are periodical (\~every 2-7 years) changes to sea surface temperature. trade wind patterns, ocean circulation and atmospheric systems are all impacted.
* deforestation - less transpiration, less water vapour in atmosphere, less cloud formation, less rainfall
* regular jet streams to meandering jet streams - high and low pressure systems can get caught in one of the loops and are unable to move

Californian droughts and wildfires.

* 250,000 fled their homes in 2018
* 79 people killed in 2018
* $16.5 billion worth of damagein 2018
* 6.7 million acres of land have been burned in 2020
* pollution from wildfires contains soot and other fine particles dangerous to human health, as well as noxious chemicals

what is Haiti’s GDP?

$750

what is the USA’s GDP?

$65,280

name the different factors which affect microclimate.

* proximity to water
* cloud cover
* nature of the surface - grass vs tarmac - urban heat island effect


* altitude on a local scale - less dense - less air molecules to hold and retain heat
* vegetation cover
* distance from the sea - influence of specific heat capacity of water/land and sea breezes

low pressure systems can have negative impacts on people. explain why.

* strong winds and risk of potential injury from falling objects
* damage to property/businesses and economic/social impacts
* damage to infrastructure/transport routes/having an impact on accessibility and response of emergency services
* flooding of coastal areas/settlements on floodplains, causing damage to property/businesses and risk of drowning
* storm waves causing hazardous conditions at sea/risk of injury/drowning

responses to drought

* light deliberate fires so there is no fuel to then burn
* compulsory water restrictions introduced throughout California by the Governor
* water conservation education though million of leaflets being sent out
* consider crop types that get less thirsty
* subsidies will be offered to people who want to change their toilets and washing machines for newer models.

passage of a low pressure system weather change

* sky clearing
* showers
* heavy rain and thunder
* clear and dry
* steady rain
* drizzle light rain, wispy clouds
* sky clearing, high cloud