Geography Terms

Biome

a large ecological community of plants and animals that have formed in response to a particular climate

Terrestrial biome

a large area on land characterised by climate and plant life

Aquatic biome

a large area characterised by the presence of water

Forest

Covers 2/3 of the Earth’s surface

Boreal/Taiga Forest

has coniferous forests. Found in the high northern latitudes of North America, Europe and Asia (close to both poles). Known as snow forests as they can survive cold weather

Tropical Rainforest

a hot, humid biome characterised by lush, dense vegetation, high biodiversity, and abundant rainfall throughout the year. Commonly located near the equator

Temperate Deciduous Forest

has deciduous trees. Found in mid-latitude regions with moderate temperatures and rainfall

Mid-latitude regions

Temperate Deciduous Forest

High northern latitudes

Boreal/Taiga Forest

Near the equator

Tropical Rainforest

Deforestation

the clearing or removal of forest cover for other land uses (like urbanisation and agriculture) or resource extraction

Savannah

is characterised by trees that are present but widely spaced

Temperate grasslands

is characterised by rich soil that yields abundant growth of grasses

Grasslands - can survive with moderate rainfall

Temperate grasslands

Grasslands - requires large amounts of seasonal rain

Savannah

Desertification

the process of land degradation in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas as a result of climatic and human factors

Causes of desertification?

deforestation, drought and overuse of land and water in vulnerable regions

Desert

receives less than 25cm of precipitation per year, resulting in sparse vegetation and dry conditions

How much of the Earth’s surface do deserts cover?

1/5 of Earth’s surface

Moisture deficit

when more moisture is lost through evaporation than received from annual precipitation

Hot and dry/arid desert

very hot temperatures year round, low precipitation, sandy or rocky soil

How much of deserts is covered by sand? %

20% of deserts are covered in sand

Example of hot and dry desert

Sahara

Semi-arid desert

cooler temperatures than hot deserts, as well as more shrubs and grasses

Example of semi-arid desert

Parts of the outback in Australia

What do dry sub-humid areas include?

Savannahs and grasslands

Coastal desert

location near coastlines and its cool winters and warm summers

Example of a coastal desert

Atacama Desert (Chile)

Cold desert

very cold climate, low winter precipitation, dry summers and location further from the equator

Example of a cold desert

Gobi Desert (Central Asia)

Marine biome

high salt concentration (saltwater) and diverse vegetation. Is the largest biome on Earth.

Estuary

a partially enclosed body of water where freshwater mixes with saltwater

Freshwater biome

low salt concentration and vegetation that is limited to plants that cannot survive marine conditions.

Example of freshwater biome

river

Example of marine biome

oceans

Spatial distribution

the pattern of objects or phenomena across a geographical area

Geographical proximity

physical distance between two entities

Small-scale subsistence farming

a method where farmers cultivate land to meet the food needs of their household, with little to no surplus for sale

Where is small-scale subsistence farming common?

Developing countries

Large-scale cattle grazing

a method where farmers raise and feed large numbers of cattle – primarily for meat and dairy production. It focuses on maximising production using industrialised farming

Industrialised farming

large-scale, highly mechanised methods to produce large amounts of food or animals for profit

Forest biodiversity

the variety of life found within forests, genetic diversity of trees, animals and different types of ecosystems

Coniferous trees

typically produces cones as seeds and stays green year-round

Northern latitudes

angular distance of a point on the Earth’s surface north of the equator

mid-latitudes

the regions on Earth located between the polar and tropics regions

polar regions

the areas surrounding the North and South poles

Food security

Having reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food