Neighboring natural zones of arctic deserts. Arctic deserts - the planet's ice cap

Arctic deserts

Geographical location

Located on the North Islands Arctic Ocean and in the far north of the Taimyr Peninsula. The Arctic is the name given to the lands lying under the constellation Ursa Major, i.e. around north pole. Distributed throughout most of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, as well as on other islands of the Arctic Ocean, on the northern coast of Eurasia.

In this zone, ice and snow remain almost all year round. In the warmest month - August - the air temperature is close to 0°C. Glacier-free areas are bound by permafrost. Very intense frost weathering.

Climate

The climate of this zone is extremely harsh: the average January temperature is -28°C. There is little precipitation - from 100 to 400 mm per year in the form of snow. The winter is long and fierce. The polar night lasts up to 150 days. Summer is short and cold. The frost-free period with temperatures above 0°C lasts only 10-20 days, very rarely up to 50 days. Placers of coarse clastic material are widespread. The soils are thin, underdeveloped, and rocky. The territory of the Arctic deserts has open vegetation, which covers less than half of the surface. It is devoid of trees and bushes. Crustaceous lichens are widespread here rocks, mosses, various algae on rocky soils, only some flowering ones.

Animal world

The fauna of the Arctic zone is represented by polar bears, arctic foxes, polar owls, and deer. Seabirds nest on rocky shores in summer, forming “bird colonies.”

In this zone, marine animals are hunted - seal, walrus, arctic fox. Among birds, the eider is of particular interest; its nests are lined with down. Collecting eider down from abandoned nests is a special craft. It is used to produce warm and light clothing worn by polar pilots and sailors.

King of the Arctic Deserts

One of the members of the reigning house of the northern Arctic desert decided that it was time for him to go hunting. His royal bins were empty. He boarded his royal yacht - on an ice floe - and set sail. He knew the place where he was most likely to find more game now, and he was heading there!

This king is a polar bear, huge beautiful beast, he is often called the king of the Arctic, because he is the strongest here, and if so, then everything is under his control. He's not afraid of anyone, maybe just a man with a gun. Many of his brothers fell prey to these strange creatures, who for some unknown reason come into his domain and even feel quite confident in his own bearish kingdom.

The king of the Arctic desert knows the laws of the Arctic well. In winter and summer, he wanders among the ice and on ice islands, looking for prey. Arctic foxes? No, they are probably too small for him. Another thing is the seal. This huge beast, if the wind is not blowing in its direction, allows you to just come close to it: poor thing, it can’t see well. Nansen often recounted how seals would swim up to them when he and Johansen pitched their tent near the water and “stare at them.” Probably because they didn’t know the person well. The walrus is another matter. The walrus has rather nasty long tusks; the bear, in any case, tries not to mess with him, otherwise you will run into trouble, he will rip your stomach open!

The skin perfectly warms a polar bear. He is not afraid of water, it is unlikely that it will wet him to the skin - his fur is too thick and warm and there is a lot of fat. The bear can travel throughout his kingdom wherever he wants, the main thing is where there is more profit and food. He walks, swims and on ice floes. Neither storm nor wind are afraid of him.

Polar bears have a slightly different life; they have serious responsibilities as mothers of the family. For the winter, they settle somewhere firmly, on solid ground, in a well-camouflaged den. There are islands in the Arctic that are jokingly called “bear maternity hospitals.” Most of them are on Franz Josef Land, on Wrangel Island, De Long Island, and on Severnaya Zemlya. In her winter home, the bear is warm and calm, no one will disturb her. And in February the babies appear - it’s a sight to behold, how cheerful, fluffy, and affectionate they are.

First, the bear feeds them with her milk. You yourself are hungry, but what can you do? Then, in mid-March, she carefully releases the furry mischief-makers into the wild; Here, for starters, you can give them moss to eat, tearing it out from under the snow. And at the end of March, the mother and children go to the drifting ice, and here the school of life begins, full of anxiety and danger. The scariest thing is meeting a person. Fridtjof Nansen is not only a first-class scientist and brave man, but also an excellent writer. He has many masterfully written scenes of polar bear hunting in his diary. I remember, perhaps more than others, one hunt for a mother bear and cubs. The travelers on the way to Spitsbergen became poor with food, and they were really looking forward to the opportunity to finally use their dexterity and skill.

Early morning. Johansen and Nansen were having breakfast. Nearby lay the two dogs that survived from the entire team. The bear smelled the prey - she was very hungry! - and began to sneak up on the dogs. They barked. Nansen quickly turned around and saw a huge beast nearby. Without wasting time, the travelers rushed into the tent for a gun. Nansen wounded the bear with his first shot. The beast turned sharply and ran away. Following him is Nansen, and after Nansen is Johansen. It was a great speed race.

Suddenly the travelers saw two heads peeking out from behind the hummock with concern.

“They were two cubs,” recalls Nansen. “They stood on their hind legs and looked out for their mother. The bear walked towards them, staggering and leaving a trail of blood behind her. Then all three, and we followed them, ran through the wormwood, and a wild chase began along hummocks, polynyas, along flat ice and all sorts of devilry... An amazing thing - hunting fever! It's like setting fire to gunpowder. Where under normal conditions the traveler makes his way with difficulty, slowly and carefully, falling knee-deep into the snow, stopping in thought, not daring to cross or jump, he, seized by the hunting fever, rushes headlong, as if across a flat, smooth field. The bear was seriously wounded and, dragging her front paw, did not run very fast, but she still ran, and we could hardly keep up with her. The cubs nervously jumped around their mother, mostly running ahead, as if beckoning her to follow them. They couldn't understand what happened to her. From time to time, all three of them suddenly turned to me, and I ran after them with all my might. Finally, the bear, having climbed a high hill, turned sideways to me and... fell... The cubs, when she fell, sympathetically hurried to her. It was truly a pity to watch how they sniffed her, pushed her and ran away in despair, not knowing what to do..."

Such a tragic end for bear cubs, of course, does not always happen. For the most part, cute furry animals grow into huge, magnificent animals of the Arctic deserts. They wander throughout their vast desert kingdom, crossing that cherished point “around which everything revolves,” where with such hard work brave travelers got there.

For a polar bear, neither frost nor wind is scary. He feels good here, at home, in his gloomy, cold kingdom. And nowhere else, no other place globe, you won't meet him. Yes, the king of the Arctic desert has no need to move to other lands. He is the owner here, a permanent resident - an aborigine!

The Antarctic desert is the largest and coldest on Earth, characterized by large temperature changes and almost complete absence precipitation. It is located in the very south of the planet, completely occupying the sixth continent - Antarctica.

Cold deserts of the Earth

Deserts evoke associations among all people with heat, endless expanses of sand and small bushes. However, there are also cold types of them on Earth - these are the Arctic and Antarctic deserts. They are called that because of the continuous ice cover and due to the low temperature, the air cannot retain moisture, so it is very dry.

In terms of precipitation, the objects we are considering are reminiscent of hot southern ones, such as the Sahara, which is why scientists gave them the name “cold deserts.”

Arctic and Antarctic desert zones are the territories of continents and adjacent islands at the North Pole (Arctic) and South Pole (Antarctic), belonging, respectively, to the Arctic and Antarctic climatic zones. They consist of glaciers and rocks and are practically lifeless, but scientists discover microorganisms under the ice.

Antarctica

The territory of the Antarctic desert is 13.8 million square meters, which is the area of ​​the ice continent, which is located in the southern polar part of the world. WITH different sides it is washed by several oceans: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian, the shores are made of glaciers.

Geographical location The Antarctic deserts that occupy Antarctica are determined not only by the mainland zone, but also by the islands located near it. There is also the Antarctic Peninsula, jutting into the depths of the ocean of the same name. On the territory of Antarctica lie dividing the continent into 2 parts: western and eastern.

The western half is located on the Antarctic platform and is a mountainous area almost 5 km high. In this part there are volcanoes, one of which, Erebus, is active and is located on an island in the Ross Sea. In coastal areas there are oases where there is no ice. These small plains and mountain peaks, called nunataks, have an area of ​​40 thousand square meters, located on the coast Pacific Ocean. There are lakes and rivers on the mainland that appear only in the summer. In total, scientists have discovered 140 subglacial lakes. Only one of them does not freeze - Lake Vostok. The eastern part is the largest in area and the coldest.

Mineral resources located in the bowels of the continent: ore of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, mica, graphite, coal, there is information about reserves of uranium, gold and diamonds. According to geoscientists, there are deposits of oil and gas, but due to the harsh climate, mining is not possible.

Antarctic deserts: climate

On southern continent a very harsh and cold climate, which is caused by the formation of cold and dry air currents. Antarctica is located in the Earth's belt.

In winter, temperatures can reach -80 ºС, in summer - -20 ºС. More comfortable is the coastal zone, where in summer the thermometer reaches -10 ºС, which occurs due to natural phenomenon, called “albedo,” is the reflection of heat from the ice surface. The record for the lowest temperature was recorded here in 1983 and amounted to -89.2 ºС.

The amount of precipitation is minimal, about 200 mm for the entire year, it consists only of snow. This is due to the intense cold, which dries out moisture, making the Antarctic desert the driest place on the planet.

The climate here is different: in the center of the mainland there is less precipitation (50 mm), it is colder, on the coast the wind is less intense (up to 90 m/s), and precipitation is already 300 mm per year. Scientists estimate that the amount of frozen water in the form of ice and snow in Antarctica accounts for 90% of the world's total fresh water supply.

One of the essential signs of the desert is storms. They also happen here, only with snow, and the wind speed during the storm is 320 km/h.

In the direction from the center of the continent to the coast, there is constant movement of shelf ice, in summer months parts of glaciers break off, forming masses of icebergs that drift in the ocean.

Mainland population

There is no permanent resident population in Antarctica, according to international status it does not belong to any state. On the territory of the Antarctic desert zone there are only scientific stations, on which scientists conduct research. Sometimes tourist or sports expeditions are carried out.

The number of research scientists living at scientific stations increases to 4 thousand people in the summer, and only 1 thousand in the winter. According to historical data, the first settlers here were American, Norwegian and British whalers who lived on the island of South Georgia, but with 1966: Whale hunting is banned.

The entire territory of the Antarctic desert is icy silence surrounded by endless expanses of ice and snow.

Biosphere of the southernmost continent

The biosphere in Antarctica is divided into several zones:

• coast of the mainland and islands;
• oases located near the coast;
• nunatak zone (mountains near Mirny station, mountainous areas in Victoria Land, etc.);
• ice sheet zone.

The richest flora and fauna is the coastal zone, where many Antarctic animals live. They feed on zooplankton from sea ​​water(krill). Land mammals not at all on the mainland.

In nunataks and coastal oases, only bacteria, lichens and algae, worms can live, and birds can occasionally visit. The most favorable climate zone is the Antarctic Peninsula.

Flora

Plants of the Antarctic deserts are those that appeared millions of years ago, during the existence of the continent of Gondwanaland. Now they are limited to several species of mosses and lichens, which, according to scientists, are more than 5 thousand years old.

Flowering plants were found on the territory of the peninsula and nearby islands, and in fresh water blue-green algae live in oases, which form a crust and cover the bottom of reservoirs.

The number of species of lichens is 200, and there are about 70 mosses. Algae usually settle in the summer when the snow melts and small reservoirs form, and they can be of various colors, creating bright multi-colored spots that resemble lawns from a distance.

Only 2 species of flowering plants were found:

• Colobanthus Quito, belonging to This is a “pillow-shaped” grass, decorated with small flowers of white or light yellow shades, about 5 cm in size.
• Antarctic meadow grass from the grass family. Grows in sunny areas, tolerates frost well, grows up to 20 cm.

Animals of the Ice Desert

The fauna of Antarctica is very poor due to the cold climate and lack of food. Animals live only in places where there are plants or zooplankton in the ocean, and are divided into 2 groups: land-dwelling and water-dwelling.

There are no flying insects because due to the strong cold wind they cannot fly into the air. However, small mites, as well as wingless flies and springtails, are found in oases. Only in this area lives the wingless midge, which is the largest terrestrial animal of the Antarctic desert - this Belgica Antarctica measuring 10-11 mm (photo below).

In freshwater bodies of water in the summer you can find the simplest representatives of the fauna, as well as rotifers, nematodes and lower crustaceans.

Animals of Antarctica

The fauna of Antarctica is also quite limited and is present mainly in the coastal zone:

• 17 species of penguins: Adelie, emperor, etc.;
• seals: Weddell seals (up to 3 m long), crabeaters and predatory leopard seals (the skin is stained with spots), sea lions, Ross seals (endowed with vocal abilities);
• whales that feed on small crustaceans and ice fish live in the ocean;
• huge jellyfish weighing up to 150 kg;
• some birds settle here in the summer, creating nests and raising chicks: gulls, albatrosses, white plover, cormorants, great pipit, petrels, pintail.

The most representative species of animals is penguins, of which the most common are emperor penguins, living on the coast of the mainland. The height of these beauties can reach human height (160 cm), and weight - 60 kg.

Another numerous representative of birds is the Adélie penguin, the smallest, growing up to 50 cm and weighing no more than 3 kg.

The Antarctic ecosystem and its conservation

Mainland icy deserts and the cold waters of the oceans that surround Antarctica provide an ecosystem inhabited by living organisms that have existed here for thousands of years. The main food of animals is phytoplankton.

Due to warming, glaciers and masses of snow in Antarctica are gradually retreating, moving closer to the coast. Ice shelves are gradually melting, and the soil is gradually exposed, which helps create a more favorable environment for plant growth. However, the appearance of non-native plant species is not at all welcome on the continent.

The ecosystem of Antarctica and the Antarctic desert needs protection from the appearance of “alien” species of life, so every scientist or tourist who comes here undergoes mandatory processing. In the process, plant parts or spores are washed away and destroyed.

In accordance with the Treaty signed by 44 countries of the world, military operations and tests, including nuclear tests, burial are prohibited on the territory of Antarctica radioactive waste. Only scientific research is permitted.

And fragments of stones.

Climate

The climate in the Arctic is very harsh. Ice and snow cover lasts almost the entire year. In winter there is a long polar night (at 75°N - 98 days; at 80°N - 127 days; in the pole area - six months). This is a very harsh time of year. The temperature drops to −40 °C and below, strong winds blow hurricane winds, snowstorms are frequent. In summer there is round-the-clock lighting, but there is little heat, the soil does not have time to completely thaw. The air temperature is slightly above 0 °C. The sky is often overcast with gray clouds, it rains (often with snow), and thick fogs form due to the strong evaporation of water from the surface of the ocean.

Flora and fauna

Arctic deserts

The Arctic desert zone, the northernmost of the natural zones, is located in the high latitudes of the Arctic. Its southern border runs approximately 71° N. w. The zone includes the islands of the Arctic basin: Greenland, the northern part of the Canadian archipelago, the Spitsbergen archipelagos, Franz Josef Land, Severnaya Zemlya, New Earth, New Siberian Islands, as well as a narrow strip along the coast of the Arctic Ocean within the Yamal, Gydansky, Taimyr, Chukotka peninsulas.

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Notes

Land World ocean

Australia and New Zealand Asia Africa Middle East Europe North America South America Subpolar regions

Excerpt characterizing the Arctic desert

- Look, take it out well!
Another hussar also rushed to the horse, but Bondarenko had already thrown over the reins of the bit. It was obvious that the cadet spent a lot of money on vodka, and that it was profitable to serve him. Rostov stroked the horse's neck, then its rump, and stopped on the porch.
“Nice! This will be the horse!” he said to himself and, smiling and holding his saber, ran up onto the porch, rattling his spurs. The German owner, in a sweatshirt and cap, with a pitchfork with which he was clearing out manure, looked out of the barn. The German's face suddenly brightened as soon as he saw Rostov. He smiled cheerfully and winked: “Schon, gut Morgen!” Schon, gut Morgen! [Wonderful, good morning!] he repeated, apparently finding pleasure in greeting the young man.
- Schon fleissig! [Already at work!] - said Rostov with the same joyful, brotherly smile that never left his animated face. - Hoch Oestreicher! Hoch Russen! Kaiser Alexander hoch! [Hurray Austrians! Hurray Russians! Emperor Alexander, hurray!] - he turned to the German, repeating the words often spoken by the German owner.
The German laughed, walked completely out of the barn door, pulled
cap and, waving it above his head, shouted:
– Und die ganze Welt hoch! [And the whole world cheers!]
Rostov himself, just like a German, waved his cap over his head and, laughing, shouted: “Und Vivat die ganze Welt”! Although there was no reason for special joy either for the German, who was cleaning out his barn, or for Rostov, who was riding with his platoon for hay, both these people looked at each other with happy delight and brotherly love, shook their heads as a sign of mutual love and parted smiling - the German to the cowshed, and Rostov to the hut he occupied with Denisov.
- What is it, master? - he asked Lavrushka, Denisov’s lackey, a rogue known to the entire regiment.
- Haven't been since last night. That’s right, we lost,” Lavrushka answered. “I already know that if they win, they’ll come early to brag, but if they don’t win until morning, that means they’ve lost their minds, and they’ll come angry.” Would you like some coffee?
- Come on, come on.
After 10 minutes, Lavrushka brought coffee. They're coming! - he said, - now there’s trouble. - Rostov looked out the window and saw Denisov returning home. Denisov was little man with a red face, shiny black eyes, black tousled mustache and hair. He had an unbuttoned mantle, wide chikchirs lowered in folds, and a crumpled hussar cap on the back of his head. He gloomily, with his head down, approached the porch.
“Lavg’ushka,” he shouted loudly and angrily. “Well, take it off, you idiot!”
“Yes, I’m filming anyway,” Lavrushka’s voice answered.
- A! “You’re already up,” Denisov said, entering the room.
“A long time ago,” said Rostov, “I already went for hay and saw the maid of honor Matilda.”
- That's how it is! And I puffed up, bg "at, why" like a son of a bitch! - Denisov shouted, without pronouncing the word. - Such a misfortune! Such a misfortune! As you left, so it went. Hey, some tea!

General characteristics of the Arctic desert

Note 1

There are special territories on our planet - these are the northernmost outskirts of two continents, North America and Eurasia, as well as the island part of the Arctic, enclosed by the borders polar belt. Ice and snow cover vast areas here, and day and night last half the year - this is an area of ​​arctic deserts.

The Arctic deserts of Russia are among the most unexplored natural areas. Their lower limit is the 71st parallel or Wrangel Island. The upper limit is the 81st parallel or Franz Josef Land.

Arctic deserts also include part of the Taimyr Peninsula, Severnaya Zemlya, a number of islands of Novaya Zemlya, and the New Siberian Islands.

Among the territories of other countries, this will be the island of Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, and the island of Spitsbergen, which belongs to the Netherlands.

The severity of nature is explained by the high geographical latitude, and a feature of the zone’s landscapes is snow and ice cover throughout the year.

The relief of the Arctic islands is quite complex - the coastal areas, with flat low-lying plains located on them, have a pronounced zonal landscape. In the interior of the islands there are high mountains and table plateaus. For example, on Franz Josef Land the highest point is 670 m high, and on Severnaya Zemlya it is about 1000 m.

The New Siberian Islands are dominated by flat landforms.

Up to 85% of Arctic deserts are occupied by glaciers. The islands of the Russian Arctic have total area glaciation up to 56 thousand square meters. km. Continental ice has the ability to slide onto the coast and break off, forming giant icebergs. The thickness of the permafrost exceeds 500 m. There are fossil ices of glacier and vein origin here.

Islands and archipelagos washed by the seas of the Arctic Ocean are covered with special ice - perennial Arctic pack and coastal fast ice.

Low annual temperatures lead to intense frost weathering, which in turn slows down intense chemical and natural weathering. This circumstance leads to the fact that the soils of the Arctic desert are represented by large rock fragments.

The close location to the surface of permafrost and frequent changes in air temperature lead to the fact that soil supersaturated with water flows down the frozen surface of the ice-cemented base (solifluction) and soil heaving.

Such soils, prone to the formation of ravines and erosion, are called polygonal. When permafrost thaws, lakes, sinkholes, and depressions are formed, characteristic of thermokarst landscapes. Most often they are found on the New Siberian Islands.

Erosion erosion and thermokarst contribute to the appearance of conical earthen mounds - bajzharakhs, the height of which can reach 2-12 m. Such bajzharakh small mounds are found on the coast of Taimyr and the New Siberian Islands.

Within this zone, there are rocky outcrops from the ground - these are dikes or cracks filled with magmatic melt. Their length varies from several tens of meters to hundreds of kilometers.

The presence of nodules is another feature of the Arctic desert. Concretions are round-shaped mineral formations in sedimentary rocks. The growth of the nodule occurs according to the principle of pearl formation, i.e. around some kind of “core”.

Characteristic of the Arctic deserts is the northern lights, shimmering in different colors.

There is no indigenous population in the Arctic and very few representatives of flora and fauna.

Arctic desert climate

The climate of the Arctic deserts is distinguished by its severity; it is a zone of eternal snow and ice.

The climate of the continental part of the Arctic desert differs from the climate of the island part and the climate of the ocean. The reason is heat transfer water masses ocean.

Water releases when it freezes thermal energy, so the temperature in winter on the extreme coast and on the islands is about 30 degrees. The continental part of the zone has a temperature of -32…-36 degrees. IN winter period it can reach -60 degrees. Arctic cold winds are not uncommon here.

Summer is short and cold, with temperatures no higher than 0…+5 degrees. This temperature is typical only for low-lying areas. At low temperatures the air contains Not large number water vapor, so there is little precipitation - up to 300 mm.

But, it must be said that their number increases to 500-600 mm on the northern island of Novaya Zemlya, in the Byrranga mountains and on Chukotka Plateau. Precipitation falls in the form of snow, and the snow cover has a small thickness, generally no more than 0.5 m.

Fallen snow can remain unchanged for several years. When cold summer period Snow melting does not occur.

In addition to snow, rain falls in the summer, and since moisture evaporates over the warmer ocean, thick fogs form. On Wrangel Island, which is south island Arctic desert, winter comes immediately after the short Arctic summer, there is no autumn here.

Formation arctic climate associated not only with high latitudes and low temperatures, but also with thermal reflection during the daytime. This phenomenon is called albedo. Reflection from the surface of ice and snow occurs all year round.

When summer temperatures are above zero, the effect of thermal reflection leads to the evaporation of moisture from the surface of glaciers, and this, in turn, leads to the fact that the sky is constantly overcast with lead clouds.

Permafrost plays an important role on the climate of Arctic deserts.

Note 2

Thus, Arctic deserts are patches of rocky land that are very short period freed from under the snow. This is a territory of severe and long winter with a long polar night in winter, and an equally long cold polar day.

Flora and fauna of Arctic deserts

The harsh climate with low temperatures cannot create conditions for the plant life of the zone, so it is not rich.

There are no more than 350 species of higher plants. There are no bushes here, just scattered moss and lichens. There are some types of flowers - polar poppy, foxtail, buttercup, saxifrage, etc.

Representatives of herbaceous vegetation include sedges and grasses. Vegetation is forced to simply “bite into” everything just to catch on to something.

In the southern part of the zone you can find shrubs of polar willow. The productive production of phytomass, with a predominance of the above-ground part, is very low and amounts to less than 5 t/ha.

The peculiarity of the Arctic flora influences the scarcity of terrestrial fauna, which is not very diverse.

Animals have adapted to harsh conditions of its habitat. Arctic fox, polar bear, and lemming live here.

The birds that fly here from year to year - waders, geese, eiders, guillemots, gulls, etc. - are not afraid of the harsh climate.

Mammals have “settled” in the coastal seas – beluga dolphin, seal, ringed seal, sea seal, walrus. In cold seas there is an abundance of phytoplankton, and this is food for fish such as nelma, cod, cod, and vendace.

The polar bear, the main symbol of the Arctic, leads a semi-aquatic lifestyle.

The main task of animals, which they cope well with, is to adapt to the harsh climate and maintain thermal conditions. For this purpose, for example, arctic foxes and polar bears have warm and thick fur, birds have loose plumage, and seals have a solid layer of fat.

Their characteristic color, which they can change depending on the season, also helps them adapt. But polar bears do not have such a feature, and remain white all year round.

Plan

1. Location
2. Natural conditions
3. Flora
4. Birds
5. Animal world
6. Power circuits
7. Population
8. Environmental problems

The Arctic desert zone on the map is highlighted in gray-blue color
1. Location of the Arctic desert zone:

• Geographical location: Arctic Ocean, northern seas and islands. The seas of the Arctic Ocean are very cold. All year round they are almost completely covered with ice, floating ice floes.
• Islands: Franz Joseph Land, Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya, New Siberian Islands, Wrangel Island.
• Seas: Barents Sea, White Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, Chukchi Sea

Rivers carrying water to the seas of the Arctic Ocean: Pechora, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, Indigirka, Kolyma.

2. Natural conditions

Sun in the Arctic never rises high above the horizon. Its rays glide over the surface of the earth, giving it very little heat. That's why here kingdom of ice and snow . Long frosty winter of 10-11 months, short cool summer. The surface of the ocean is covered with ice 3-5 meters thick or more. Snowstorms are raging over the ocean, frosts are raging. The cold air in this zone can spread far to the south. The icy breath of the Arctic is felt throughout Russia. Therefore, the ice zone is often called the “refrigerator” of our country. In winter it's as cold as freezer. The air temperature drops to -40–50 degrees below zero. In summer, in the ice zone the temperature rises to +4 degrees above zero. This is also the temperature in the refrigerator, but in the fruit compartment.

Sometimes amazingly beautiful polar lights appear. The whole sky sparkles. And the reflection of light plays everywhere on the ice. The masses of light are divided into brilliant multi-colored stripes and intertwined in the most bizarre way, sparkling with unusually pure and bright colors of the rainbow.

3. Flora

To the harsh conditions of the Arctic deserts few species of living organisms have adapted . Lichens are found on the rocks of the islands; they are very small. Mosses and polar poppies have also adapted to life on the rocks. In the water column, not covered with ice, there is a large number of planktonic and algae, which enrich the water with oxygen and cleanse it of bacteria. During the Arctic summer, they quickly grow in the water and serve as food for millions of animals, which in turn feed on fish, squid and even giant whales.

4. Birds

Of the animals in these parts most birds . In summer, seagulls, guillemots, and auks gather on the rocky shores. Noisy Congestions seabirds on steep rocky shores they are called “bird colonies”. Living in such a concentration, on inaccessible rocks, has its advantages: the birds are well protected from many predators. Here the birds hatch their chicks. Interestingly, guillemots do not build nests, but lay their eggs on bare rock ledges. Why don't eggs roll off cliffs? Because they are pear-shaped. But in the bird market, guillemots, puffins and kittiwakes have enemies. Large gulls, glaucous gulls and long-tailed skuas, nest near the bazaar. These birds have learned to take advantage of other people's labor. A skua will take fish away from any bird. He chases and pounces until the bird throws the fish, and he catches it on the fly! For this, the skua was nicknamed Fomka the Robber.

5. Animal world

Except for warm-blooded birds in the ice zone large mammals live .

Feels great here polar bear . White fur helps it camouflage itself and sneak up on its future victim unnoticed. The thick, long coat is lubricated with a fatty substance secreted by the skin glands, does not get wet in water, and does not freeze in cold weather. Polar bears travel on Arctic ice, but they are also excellent swimmers. Polar bears hunt seals near ice holes, waiting for them to come up for air. A thick layer of fat, evenly distributed under the skin, protects against cold weather. In the most severe frosts, polar bears bask in water whose temperature is +2°C. When winter comes, bears dig a den in the snow, where they shelter from unfavorable weather conditions. weather conditions(females).

They wander in search of food wolves, arctic foxes. Arctic fox is also called polar fox. In winter, its fur becomes white and extremely thick. White allows the arctic fox to camouflage itself in the snow and hunt with greater ease. It is an omnivore and feeds on birds, crabs or fruits.

Seals and walruses They spend most of their lives in water, and come to land to give birth and molt. On hard surfaces they are clumsy due to their sheet-like limbs. Walruses are larger than seals; walruses have tusks. The walrus uses bottom mollusks for food, the seal feeds on fish. A walrus can rest right in the water, but a seal needs to climb out onto ice floes to rest, where a polar bear can lie in wait for it.

Numerous aquatic animals that live in the ice zone include fish feeding on small crustaceans and algae. I live in the seas of the Arctic zone narwhal, bowhead whale, polar dolphin or beluga whale, killer whale .

6. Food chains that have developed in the Arctic.

1. Algae——>crustaceans——>fish——>birds

2. Algae crustaceans fish birds

seals

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polar bears

7. Population

Live hereEskimos, Chukchi, Yakuts . Man is not a native inhabitant of the Arctic, but it has always attracted people with its mystery. The Northern Sea Route has been laid. Scientific stations operate on the islands and in the ice of the Arctic Ocean. Brave polar explorers live and work here. They monitor the weather around the clock, day after day, and report it on the radio. mainland. People are engaged in fishing and hunting. But this is not always done wisely.

8. Environmental problems

Main environmental problems of this region are

• — climate change and melting of Arctic ice;
• — pollution of the waters of the northern seas with oil and chemical compounds, as well as by sea transport;
• — reduction in the population of Arctic animals and changes in their habitat.

In general, according to research, temperatures in the Arctic are rising faster than in the rest of the world. According to 2004 data, over the past 30 years, the thickness of Arctic ice has decreased by half on average. In the 21st century, most of the Arctic waters will be completely ice-free. And by 2070, the Earth may completely lose its northern ice cap

The main sources of pollution are the mining and transport industries, military facilities, and processing industries. One more important issue is a reduction in the population of Arctic animals. Every year at the beginning of March, seal pups are born. At the age of 3-4 weeks, when small seals cannot hide from danger even in the water, people catch them on the ice in the thousands and kill them for their skins. The main enemy of the arctic fox is man. The Arctic fox attracts him with its luxurious fur. Thousands and thousands of these animals are destroyed for the sake of luxurious fur coats. The walrus and pink gull have become rare; they are included in the Red Book of Russia.

The dramatic increase in industrial fishing and the increasing exploitation of oil and gas deposits since the second half of the 20th century have seriously threatened resources once considered inexhaustible. People thought about their behavior, took rare animals under protection, limited fishing, and created nature reserves.

9. Reserve “Wrangel Island”

Reserve "Wrangel Island" located on two islands: o. Wrangel and Fr. Herald, it was organized in 1976. Three chains of mountains, separated by valleys, run across the entire island from west to east. Mother bears come to Wrangel Island from different corners Arctic. Every spring, scientists count up to two hundred dens on the island in which babies are born. That's why the island is called " maternity hospital” polar bears. The island is home to the largest ungulate animal in the Arctic - the musk ox, brought to the reserve from America. The reserve has the largest concentration of walruses. A large number of birds fly to the island to nest. In spring you can meet rare bird- the pink gull, it is called the firebird of the north. Wrangel Island is the only place where white geese nest.

According to experts from the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve, poachers kill 200-300 polar bears in the Russian Arctic every year.

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