Cold environment

Cold environment

1. Case study- Svalbard

   • Opportunities for development ££
     • tourism 2011- 70,000 visitors came
     • 30,000 on cruises
     • 300 jobs
     • visit the natural env; glaciers + wildlife
     • adventure tourism
     • mineral extraction coal
       • 300 people employed
       • main economy activity
     • energy development
       • at the moment the power station is powered by coal- this could be changed to geothermal energy
     • Fishing
       • richest fishing grounds in the world
       • 150 species (haddock, cod + herring)
   • A Norwegen territory in the ARCTIC OCEAN
     • 60% is covered in glaciers
     • 40% is tundra
     • population= 2700
   • Challenges for development
     • extreme temperatures/ -30(o) C
       • dangerous to work outside
     • CONSTRUCTION
       • permafrost has to be protected from melting
     • SERVICES
       • waste+water pipes above ground
     • Accessibility
       • airport- snowmobiles- 50km road

2. Adaptation

   • plants are small to avoid wind, have thick bark to protect from cold and only grow from 50-60 days during summer (e.g. bearberry)
   • many animals hibernate or migrate
   • animals have which fur or insulating fat e.g. polar bears

3. Biodiversity

   • very low- since there are few species, any slight change can be catastrophic, as plants and animals rely on each other
     • global warming is a serious threat
   • Balancing economic development and conservation
     • conservation groups
       • e.g. WWF- working with companies & government to provide research and protect wildlife
     • Role of governments
       • set up wildlife reserves such as Western Arctic Reserve, 9 million hectare (area) wilderness home to range of species
       • national environmental policy act ensures oil is extracted in a protective way for environment and local people
     • international agreements
       • e.g. antarctic treaty
       • recognises fragility of area, promotes science, bans exploitation e.g. of minerals
     • use of technology
       • houses built either elevated or on gravel beds to stop melting
       • e.g. Alaskan oil pipeline carries 49 degrees C oil across frozen Alaska
         • raised so doesn't melt permafrost, allows reindeer to migrate under it, able to slide during earthquakes

4. Value of cold

   • value is as wilderness areas or fragile ecosystems
     • important habitats, valuable for science, frozen ice stores huge volume of water to avoid global sea level rise
   • Climate- winters down to -20 in Tundra, -50 in Poloar
   • Animals- not many --> polar bears, penguins and sea creatures such as whales in polar
     • Reindeer, wolves and arctic hares in tundra
   • Plants- low trees & bushes in warmer areas
     • mosses & lichens on ground
   • Soils
     • frozen for most of the year as permafrost
       • many thaw fro a couple of months but v. waterlogged due to frozen ground below