ee.1 The characteristics of extreme environments
Unit Contents
- ee.1.1 Global distribution of extreme environments
- ee.1.2 Hot and arid extreme environments
- ee.1.3 Cold / high altitude extreme environments
- ee.1.4 Changing distribution of extreme environments over time
ee.1 The characteristics of extreme environments is part of the Extreme environments geographic theme (Paper 1). The geographic inquiry for this sub-topic is: why some places are considered to be extreme environments
Geographic inquiry: Why some places are considered to be extreme environments
- Global-scale distribution of cold and high altitude environments (polar, glacial areas, periglacial areas, high mountains in non-polar places) and hot arid environments (hot deserts and semi-arid areas)
- Relief and climatic characteristics that make environments extreme, including unreliability and intensity of rainfall in arid environments and the risk of flash floods
- How relief, climate, human discomfort, inaccessibility, and remoteness present challenges for human habitation and resource development
- The changing distribution of extreme environments over time, including the advance and retreat of glaciers and natural desertification
