COLD ENVIRONMENTS

• Polar

  • Very high latitude
  • Rock and ice
  • Permafrost
• Tundra

  • Below polar
  • Some vegetation
  • Ground unfreezes in summer
• Bear berries adaptations

  • 15 cm tall – cannot be knocked by wind
  • Thick bark – stability
  • Leathery leaves – retain water
  • Bright berries – attract pollinators to spread seeds
  • Hairy stem – retain heat in cold temperatures
• Arctic fox adaptations

  • Colour changing fur – hide from predators
  • Thick fur – retain heat in cold temperatures
  • Carnivore – no plants to eat
• Polar bear adaptations

  • Colour changing fur – hide from predators
  • Thick fur – retain heat in cold temperatures
  • Carnivore – no plants to eat
  • Waterproof – water hunting
• Svalbard is in the northern hemisphere, arctic circle, north of Norway, 5 islands
• Svalbard has 2650 inhabitants, a quarter of the population works in mining
• Svalbard has 6c in the summer, -16c in the winter
• Economic activities in Svalbard

  • Fishing
  • Mineral extraction
  • Energy developments
  • Oil and gas drilling
• Fishing

  Offers job opportunities for locals
• Mineral extraction

  • Offers job opportunities for locals
  • Main source of income
• Energy developments

  • Coal generates electricity, but moving towards geothermal
  • Good for inhabitants
• Pros of oil and gas drilling

  • Vastly untapped resource
  • Reduction in oil prices
  • Economic boost from revenue – tax and spending
  • Cheaper energy for locals
  • Increased jobs for locals
  • Infrastructure aid
• Cons of oil and gas drilling

  • Approval for drilling and equipment installation
  • Permits for drilling and testing
  • Permission for building homes for workers
  • Construction in harsh climate
• Pros of construction of houses

  • High rental value
  • Solid wood – traps carbon
  • Stilts prevent permafrost melting
  • Ready made panels – fast construction
• Cons of construction of houses

  • All land is owned by Norway
  • Cooperate owned houses
  • Shipping materials and weather
  • Road infrastructure
• Pros of infrastructure and transport

  • One road from airport
  • Snow mobiles in winter
  • Bus system in capital (Longyearbyen)
  • Cars for rent
  • Helicopter
• Cons of infrastructure and transport

  • Only one road
  • Airport for passengers not cargo
  • Few settlements
  • Isolated communities
  • Can only rent cars
• Challenges for development - extreme temperatures

  • Winter temperatures can go below -30c
  • Extreme temperatures make working outside difficult, frostbite
  • Warm dressing means moving slower
• Challenges for development - provision of building

  • Buildings on stilts
  • Road on gravel layer to insulate
  • Harbours for fishing and importing
  • Buildings and mining operations
  • Permafrost is good for building but risk melting
• Challenges for development - infrastructure

  • Inaccessibility
  • Only one airport to Russia or Norway
  • Longyearbyen has the only roads