Cold environment

• Cold environments have extreme climatic conditions including very low temperatures
• Survival for plants, animals and people in cold environments depends on adaptation and high levels of interdependence
• Climate change is having significant impacts on the ecological web of cold environments
• Cold environments


  • Extensive ice sheets, polar and tundra regions, high mountain Alpine areas
• Polar regions


  • Winter temperatures can fall below -50°C, strong winds, low snow totals, mostly covered by ice, presence of polar bears and Antarctic penguins
• Tundra regions


  • Winter temperatures may drop to -20°C, warm brief summers, high snow in coastal regions, summer surface permafrost melting causing waterlogging, low growing flowering plants
• Cold environments are very fragile, with extreme climatic conditions that are challenging for plants, animals and people
• Interdependence is high in cold environments for survival
• Permafrost restricts plant root growth and animal burrowing


  Summer surface melting causes waterlogging, which supports breeding insects
• Climate change


  Extensive melting of permafrost creating huge lakes and exposing topsoil to erosion, earlier seasonal plant growth, indigenous species threatened by invasive species, increasing human access (e.g. Arctic tourism)
• Plants in cold environments

  • Low growing, self-protected, thick bark, small leathery leaves, bright red berries to attract pollinators
• Animals in cold environments

  • Thick fur to keep warm, small ears to reduce heat loss, wide foot pads to enable walking on snow
• Cold environments are very biodiverse but this biodiversity is threatened by climate change, wildfires and increasing human activities
• Svalbard is a group of islands in the Arctic Ocean close to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• Development opportunities in Svalbard

  • Coal mining
  • Geothermal energy
  • Fishing
  • Tourism
• Environmentally controversial


  Development activities that have negative environmental impacts
• Living and working in the cold environment of Svalbard poses significant challenges
• Challenges in Svalbard


  • Extreme temperatures
  • Construction difficulties
  • Service provision on permafrost
  • Accessibility
• A wilderness area is a wild, unspoiled area unaffected by human activity
• Cold environment ecosystems are easily damaged and can take a very long time to recover
• Exploitation of oil and gas reserves in cold environments can cause pollution
• Reasons to protect cold environments

  • Climate change impacts
  • Opportunities for forestry and fishing
  • Potential for unique materials and plants
• Strategies to manage cold environments sustainably

  1. Using technology

  2. Government actions

  3. International agreements

  4. Conservation group work
• The Trans-Alaska pipeline is an example of using technology to reduce the impact of development in a cold environment
• The US government protects wilderness areas in Alaska through laws and policies
• The Antarctic Treaty prevents economic development and promotes scientific research in Antarctica
• Conservation groups work with companies, organisations, communities and governments to plan for a sustainable future in the Arctic