Svalbard

• Cold environments

  Experience temperatures that are below 0 for long periods of time
• Where are cold environments located

  Found in both the north and south hemisphere in the arctic and antarctic circle (66.5 N/S) There are tundras in Northern canada and siberia and polar areas in greenland and antarctica
• Difference in soil between polar and tundra regions

  Polar: Permanantly covered by ice (permafrost) so soil is frozen

  Tundra: Frozen but will melt close to surface in the summer

  Infertile

  Water draining removes nutrients

  Waterlogged - water trapped by the permafrost
• Difference in inhabitants between polar and tundra regions

  Polar: No permanant settlements except for research scientists

  Tundra: Indigenous people like inuits live in Greenland, Alaska and Canada, particularly at the coast since they survive off fishing
• Difference between plants in polar and tundra reigons

  Polar: Mosses and lichens found on fringes of Ice

  Tundra : Low growing flowering plants like bearberries

  Low bushed and small trees may grow in warmer regions
• Difference between animals in polar and tundra reigons

  Polar: Polar bears and Penguins

  Tundra: Arctic foxes and hares, birds like ptarmigans and insects like mosquitoes are abundant in summer
• Why is there more life in tundra reigons

  More food options and less extreme climates
• How are Penguins adapted to Polar reigions

  Lay eggs on land to bring up offspring before returning to the ocean

  
• How are Polar bears adapted to Polar reigons

  • Thick fur to retain heat
  • Insulating layer of fat (10cm thick)
  • Black nose and feet pads to absorb sunshine
  • Hibernate in winter to conserve energy
  • Large paws spread out weight
  • White fur to camoflage and sneak up on prey

  
• Example of polar reigon

  Anctarctica
• What do plants in tundra have to cope with

  • Low temperatures
  • Strong winds
  • Dry conditions
• How have tundra plants adapted to conditions

  • Low growing cushion like plants to protect and insulate them from strong dry winds
  • Hairy stems to keep plants warm
  • Thin and waxy leaves to reduce water loss
• How are bearberries adapted to the tundra

  • Bright red berries attract birds to help with seed dispersal
  • Thick hairy stems to protect from wind and cold conditions
  • Less than 15 cm off the ground to protect from wind
  • Small leathery leaves help retain water in dry environment

  
• How are Arctic foxes adapted to cold environments

  • Thick fur to keep them warm
  • White fur in winter to camoflage in the snow
  • Can survive off variety of food which is good when food is scarce

  
• Climate in Polar reigons

  • Long cold winters
  • Extremley cold annually
  • Very windy
  • Temperatures often fall below -50 C !
  • Low precipitation (snow)
• Climate in tundra reigons

  • Cold but not as cold as polar
  • Average temperature between -12 and -6 but can drop to -20
  • Summer is 50-60 days long with permanant daylight
  • Windy
  • Little precipitation but quite a lot in coastal areas
• How are musk oxes adapted to cold environment

  • Two layers of fur for insulation
  • Wide hooves allow them to walk on snow or waterlogged ground

  
• Svalbard

  • Norweigan territory in the Arctic ocean
  • The most northernly permanantly inhabited group of islands in the world
  • Polar climate
  • 60% of land covered by glaciers, rest of land is tundra
  • No arable farming or trees as it is too cold
  • Five major islands
  • More polar bears and snowmobiles than people!
• Captial city of Svalbard

  Longyearbyen
• Population of Svalbard

  2700
• Where in the world is Svalbard

  Northern hemisphere in the Arctic ocean. Its in the arctic ocean in the Barents sea. It is just north of scandinavia and is north-west of Russia
• Development opportunities for Svalbard

  • Mineral Extraction
  • Fishing
  • Toursim
  • Energy
• Mineral extraction in Svalbard

  Coal. It is controversial since it produces greenhouse gases but it is vital to Svalbard's economy as it is their main economic activit and 300 + people are employed in this industry (number has declined)

  In 2014 a new mine was built near Svea (a town in svalbard) and a road had to be constructed over a glacier
• Mineral extraction in cold environments

  Gold, silver, copper and iron ore can all be found in these environments. They are extremely valuble.
• Fishing in Svalbard

  Barents sea is one of the world's richest fishing grounds

  Apart from cod there are estimated to be about 150 different fish species (including herring and haddock)

  It is a very important breeding and nursery ground for fish stock (can be damaged by pollution)

  Fishing here is heavily monitored by Norway and Russia to keep it sustainable
• Why is fishing good in cold environments

  Good fish stocks

  These waters are becoming increasingly attractive for commercial fishing due to an increasing global population to feed and reducing fish stocks in other parts of the world
• Tourism in Svalbard

  • Grown in recent years as people want to see extreme natural environments
  • 15000 visitors in 2022
  • Harbour at Longyearbyen has been enlarged for cruise ships
  • Provides 300 jobs for locals
  • Most tourists come from Norway and visit in organised tours
  • They can see the northern lights, glaciers and wildlife like polar bears and do adventure tourism like hiking or kayaking
• Tourism in cold environments

  Becoming increasingly popular, for example over 36000 tourists visited Antarctica in 2014 to observe its wildlife and experience its beautiful wilderness
• Energy in Svalbard

  • Some coal mined in Svalbard is burned to generate electricity in Longyearbyen
  • Geothermal energy - similarly to Iceland, Svalbard is close to the mid-atlantic ridge so it can get it from there
  • Carbon capture and storage - capturing carbon dioxide from coal combustion and circulating it to generate electricity
• Energy in cold environments

  Fossil fuels such as gas and oil are abundant in cold environments. US government are extracting oil from alaskan oil fields near Prudhoe Bay. This has caused concerns because heat from terminal buildings, worker's houses and transporting oil through the 800 km long pipeline has led to permafrost melting
• Challenges for Svalbard

  • Extremely low temperatures
  • Threat from Polar bears
  • Depending on time of year, too much sun or none at all
  • Difficult to grow crops
  • Construction is difficult
  • Very isolated- lack of amenities
• In Svalbard how low can winter temperatures drop to

  -30
• What are people working outside at risk to

  Frostbite
• Why is transport around Svalbard a problem

  Very remote. Only one airport and a limited road network of 50km. People mainly use snowmobiles. Flights only go to and from Russia and Norway
• Why are pipes raised above ground


  Prevent heat causing the permafrost to melt. They are insulated. It also makes them a lot easier to maintain
• Wilderness areas


  Unspoilt areas of land that are very remote, they have largely escaped human development and remain natural and undisturbed
• Examples of wilderness areas

  Mountains, hot deserts, antarctica
• Building and infrastructure

  • Buildings can sink into permafrost which can then melt which is dangerous
  • Pipes must be built above ground to stop permafrost from melting
  • Buildings are built in summer because buildres get too cold (frostbite)
• Three main challenges in a cold environment

  • Extreme temperatures
  • Inaccessibility
  • Building and infrastructure
• Why is it important to protect wilderness areas

  • Cold environments provide important habitats for many species of plants, animals and birds
  • Some wilderness areas are inhabited by indigenous tribes like inuits
  • Research can be done here