Population and economy in the arctic and tundra. Human activity and its impact on the natural zone Types of economic activity in the Arctic

When you hear the word "desert", what immediately comes to mind? For most people, the desert evokes images of endless sandy expanses, high temperatures, and scrub vegetation. To some extent, this representation is accurate. Many of the world's deserts are characterized by large amounts of sand and high temperatures (at least during daylight hours).

However, there are Arctic deserts that are fundamentally different from the rest of the deserts. There is no sand here, and temperatures are often far from hot, but rather sub-zero.

If you know anything about the Arctic, you are probably wondering who came up with the idea to call this region a desert. After all, the Arctic has the Arctic Ocean. However, arctic temperatures are so low that the ocean is almost always covered in ice. Severe frost also means that the air is unable to retain moisture. Thus, the air is dry, as in a classic desert.

Another weighty argument is the insignificant amount of precipitation in the form of rain or snow. In fact, the Arctic receives about the same amount of rainfall as the Sahara. All of the above factors have led to the emergence of the concept of "arctic or cold desert".

Natural conditions of the Arctic desert zone

To determine the natural conditions of the Arctic desert, below is a brief description and table of the main factors (geographical location, topography, soil, climate, natural resources, flora and fauna) that affect the life of people in this natural area.

Geographical position

Arctic desert on the map of the main natural areas of the world

Legend:

Arctic deserts

The natural zone of the Arctic desert is located above 75 ° north latitude and is adjacent to the North Pole of the Earth. It covers a total area of more than 100 thousand km². The Arctic Desert covers Greenland, the North Pole and several islands, many of which are inhabited by humans and animals.

Relief

The relief of the Arctic desert consists of various physical features: mountains, glaciers and flat areas.

The mountains: the arctic desert contains mountainous regions where a cold and dry climate prevails. In appearance, some of the region's mountains resemble mountains in Central America.

Glaciers: due to extremely low temperatures, the arctic desert is replete with numerous glaciers of various shapes and sizes.

Flat areas: make up the bulk of the region's territory and have a distinct patterned texture, which is the result of cycles of melting and freezing water.

If you've watched the TV series Game of Thrones, then the lands beyond the Wall give you a general idea of what the Arctic wilderness looks like. These scenes were filmed in Iceland, which is not officially part of the Arctic desert, but has a superficial resemblance to it.

Soils

In the main part of the territories of the natural zone of the Arctic desert, the soils remain frozen for most of the year. The permafrost reaches 600-1000 m deep and makes it difficult to drain water. In summer, the surface of the Arctic desert is covered with lakes from the melt water of the upper soil layer. Crushed stone and rocks, due to the movement of glaciers, are scattered throughout the natural zone.

The soil horizon of the Arctic deserts is very thin, poor in nutrients, and also includes a lot of sand. In warmer areas, there are soil types that contain little organic matter and are capable of supporting the growth of small shrubs, algae, fungi and mosses. One such soil type is brown soils.

Climate

The climate of the natural zone of the Arctic desert is characterized by long, very cold winters and short, cool summers. During the cold months (typically December to January), temperatures can drop as low as -50°C. During the warmer months (typically July), temperatures can rise to +10°C. However, over many months, average temperatures range from -20° to 0°C.

The arctic desert receives very little rainfall. The average annual rainfall is below 250 mm. Precipitation, as a rule, falls in the form of snow and light drizzle, more often in the warm season.

During the summer months, the sun does not set at all in the Arctic desert. In fact, for 60 days, the sun is above the horizon around the clock.

Animals and plants

In total, about 700 plant species and about 120 animal species are found in the natural zone of the Arctic deserts. Flora and fauna have adapted to survive and even thrive in such extreme conditions. Plants were able to adapt to nutrient-poor soils, low ambient temperatures and low rainfall. , as a rule, have a thick layer of fat and thick wool to protect from the cold. They breed during the short summer and often hibernate or migrate during the winter. The birds usually fly south during the cold winter months.

Only about 5% of the territories of the natural zone of the Arctic desert has vegetation cover. Although this is not surprising, given the status of the desert. Most plant life consists of the following plants: lichens, mosses and algae, which can survive in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.

Every year (especially in the warm season), some types of low (from 5 to 100 cm) shrub plants bloom. They typically include sedges, liverworts, grasses, and various kinds of flowers.

Animal life in the Arctic desert is very diverse. There are numerous mammals, birds, fish and insects. All these animals are adapted to extremely low temperatures. Here are some examples of animals from the natural zone of the Arctic deserts:

Mammals: arctic foxes, polar bears, wolves, squirrels, hares, arctic voles, lemmings, reindeer, seals, walruses and whales.
Birds: crows, falcons, loons, sandpipers, snipes, terns and various types of gulls. Most of these birds are migratory (i.e. spend only part of their life cycle in the Arctic wilderness).
Fish: trout, salmon, flounder and cod.
Insects:

Natural resources

The Arctic includes significant reserves (oil, gas, minerals, fresh water and commercial fish species). Also in recent years, there has been a significant increase in interest in this region from tourists, which also provides additional economic benefits.

The pristine and vast deserts of the Arctic play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity due to the growing human presence, as well as the fragmentation of vital habitats. The Arctic deserts are particularly susceptible to land cover depletion and habitat disturbance for the region's rare animals. The Arctic also contains 20% of the world's fresh water.

Table of the natural zone of the Arctic deserts

Geographical position

Relief and soil

Climate

Flora and fauna

Natural resources

Arctic regions located above 75° north latitude and receiving low rainfall (less than 250 mm per year).

The relief is mostly flat, but sometimes there are mountainous areas.

Soils are very poor in organic nutrients and remain frozen for most of the year.

The climate is dry and cold. Average temperatures range from 0° to -20° C. In winter, the air temperature can drop below -50° C, and in summer it can rise to +10° C.

Animals

mammals: polar foxes, polar bears, wolves, reindeer, hares, squirrels, voles, lemmings, walruses, seals and whales;

birds: crows, falcons, loons, sandpipers, snipes, terns and gulls;

fish: trout, salmon, flounder and cod;

insects: grasshoppers, arctic bumblebees, mosquitoes, moths, midges and flies.

Plants

shrubs, grasses, lichens, mosses and algae.

oil, gas, minerals, fresh water, commercial fish species.

Peoples and cultures

The most numerous inhabitants of the Arctic deserts are the Inuit. If the word "Inuit" is not clear to you, then most likely you have heard of the Eskimos.

The Inuit have adapted their lives to the difficult conditions of the Arctic wilderness. As a rule, there are practically no building materials in the Arctic. The Eskimos build snow huts called igloos. In the summer, when the Igloo is melted, they live in tents made from animal skins and bones.

Given the extreme conditions of the desert, the Inuit do not grow crops or vegetables. They eat mainly meat and fish. Thus, their main food sources are fishing, as well as hunting for seals, walruses and whales.

For transportation, the Inuit usually use dog sleds. Sleighs are made of skins and bones. They are pulled by strong, hardy, sledding breeds of dogs (huskies, malmutes, samoyeds). When moving through the water, they use kayaks or umiaks. Kayaks are small boats suitable for carrying one or two people. Umiaks are large enough to carry several people, dogs, and supplies.

Eskimo communities are found in various parts of the Arctic desert and. In Greenland, they are known as Iñupiat or Yup'ik. In Russia they are called Eskimos. Regardless of name or geographic location, the Inuit speak the same language, Inuktitut. They also have similar cultural traditions and way of life.

Significance for a person

In recent years, the Arctic wilderness has experienced an increase in tourism. Visitors to the cold desert come here for the unique ecosystem and mesmerizing snowy landscapes. Lakes, rivers, streams and mountains provide additional leisure activities for tourists from all over the world. Some recreational activities include sea cruises, boating, sport fishing, mountain climbing, hunting trips, white water rafting, hiking, dog sledding, skiing, snowshoeing, and more. The non-setting sun during the arctic summer is another reason for the interest of tourists who visit the arctic desert for this surreal phenomenon. Visitors also experience Inuit culture and life by visiting their settlements. The Arctic Desert, being the planet's polar region, plays a key role in regulating the Earth's climate.

Environmental threats

The population of people in the natural zone of the Arctic desert and adjacent areas is quite low. The most pronounced threat comes from exploration and extraction of mineral deposits. Global warming is also having a negative impact on the Arctic desert environment, upsetting the delicate balance of this ecosystem. As the planet's temperature rises, it heats up and melts, releasing carbon from the soil into the atmosphere, which accelerates the processes of climate change. Due to global warming, polar ice is melting, which contributes to sea level rise and increases the threat of flooding of the planet's coastal regions. Melting ice caps also threaten polar bears. They need ice to hunt, and melting ice cuts and fragments their hunting grounds. In addition, orphaned cubs have even lower survival rates because they are left to fend for themselves.

Protection of the Arctic deserts

To protect the natural zone of the Arctic deserts, it is necessary to provide assistance, cooperation, coordination and interaction between states with the participation of communities of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection of the region.

The main goals of Arctic desert conservation include:

Preservation of the rich biodiversity of the region;
Sustainable use of renewable natural resources;
Reduce pollution and wasteful consumption.

To achieve these goals, it is necessary to focus international attention on the following problematic aspects:

Marine environment;
Fresh water;
biodiversity;
Changing of the climate;
Pollution;
Oil and gas.

Only the political will and interaction of states can give a positive result in the struggle for the conservation of both the natural zone of the Arctic desert and the nature of the world as a whole.

You will learn from this article how people use deserts and semi-deserts, the Arctic desert zone.

Human use of the desert

Deserts are distinguished from other systems by natural contrasts. Natural processes in them proceed on the verge of extreme conditions, violent reactions to imbalance in ecosystems. Desert phenomena affect the soil, relief, wildlife and vegetation, and human economic activity.

The main use of the desert zone by man is as grazing. In deserts and semi-deserts, fine-fleeced sheep and camels are raised. Agriculture develops only in oases. Since animal husbandry is the leading branch of the national economy, natural vegetation is important as a natural source of food. In this regard, sandy deserts are the most important, followed by sagebrush and saltwort deserts, and then ephemeral ones.

The desert, whatever it is, is the land of the sun, heat and light. But for the successful cultivation of agricultural plants, it is also necessary to irrigate the land. In the conditions of constant watering in the desert and semi-desert zones, cotton is grown - "white gold". Also, man learned to grow wonderful and tasty melons, sweet grapes, peaches, apricots, pomegranates and various vegetables. The desert is becoming more and more submissive to man every day - sources of minerals are being developed, desert vegetation is becoming natural and cultural, animal husbandry is developing more and more.

Arctic desert zone. Human use

When the word "desert" comes to mind, the following associations come to mind: sandy expanses, high temperatures, palm trees and shrubs. All this is true. But there are also Arctic deserts, which are characterized by the absence of sand and sub-zero temperatures. For example, the Arctic, almost all the time covered with ice. Severe frost prevents the retention of moisture in the air, so it is dry here, like in the Sahara. In addition, precipitation in the Arctic falls exactly like in the hottest desert in the world. The above factors directly indicate that there are Arctic deserts.

The possibility of using the resources of the Arctic deserts by man is increasing every day. Recently, they have been popular as tourist sites - many tourists come here to see the unique ecosystem and mesmerizing snowy landscapes. Water resources such as streams, rivers and lakes provide leisure activities for tourists and financial security for local residents. The use of the resources of the Arctic deserts by man also consists in the development of sources of minerals - oil, gas, fresh water. Also in the Arctic there is a catch of commercial species of fish.

People have been living in the Arctic for about 30,000 years, according to archaeologists. That is how old, in their opinion, the sites of ancient man found in Yakutia and Komi. Of course, we are talking about the ancestors of modern northern peoples - the Nenets, Evenks, Pomors and others. Exploration, mapping and development of these lands began much later. At the same time, human activity in the Arctic began to be divided into the life of indigenous peoples and the "alien" population, in the Russian zone of influence it is mainly the "titular nation" - Russians.

The way of life of indigenous peoples requires separate consideration. Here we will talk about those who came to explore this harsh land.

A resident of the central regions of Russia most often represents the Arctic as a country of eternal ice, and people's lives as a constant struggle with harsh nature. Fantasy depicts the darkness of the polar night, bears roaming everywhere, small houses of drifting stations and harsh, hardened people who are able to survive in these conditions.

The role and activities of man in the Arctic

On the one hand, these ideas have a basis - probably, the beginning of the development of these lands looked something like this, and even today people in the Arctic are required to be resistant to cold, the ability to work and endure hardships.

What are people doing in the Arctic today? Of course, first of all, research activities. These are climatic, meteorological, hydrological, geophysical, biomedical observations; this is the work of biologists and ecologists in numerous reserves and national parks. Here, people are engaged both in the study and conservation of various biological species, and in solving environmental problems that arose during the development of the Arctic during the Soviet period - the removal of a huge amount of garbage.

In addition, people are engaged in mining - if you look at the map, most of the cities and towns in the Arctic are concentrated around the places of extraction and processing of gas, oil, metals and other minerals and transport hubs. Life in Arctic cities and towns is not too different from life in any other settlements of the country - except that the thermometer falls much lower in winter than in the middle lane, and the sun appears above the horizon for an hour and a half a day.

In the post-Soviet period, there was a fairly large outflow of the population from the Arctic regions to more moderate ones, and many activities in the Arctic, mainly related to the mining industry, have acquired a rotational character, when workers come for a certain period, and the family lives, as they say here, “on earth." But today new ports and settlements are already being built, new deposits are being developed, tourist routes are being opened.

Source: xn--8sbbmfaxaqb7dzafb4g.xn--p1ai

Topic. Human activities in the Arctic desert zone. Protection of the natural zone.

Target. : To expand the understanding of the activities of people in the zone of the Arctic deserts.
1056;develop skillformulate and justify measures for the protection of the nature of the ice zone.

Tasks:

- to teach to recognize, classify, generalize information, draw conclusions.

Learn on. iv>
x conditions of the Arctic.

To form the ability to find and explain the environmental problems of the study area.

- foster respect for the environment and nature;

Equipment and materials : Computer, screen, projector, presentation for the lesson “Natural areas. Arctic Desert Zone”, globe, textbooks, video clips.

Literature : 1. Pleshakov A.A. Green house. Methodological guide to the system of training courses with an environmental focus for elementary school. >
1052; osqua. Education. 1997

During the classes.

organizational stage.

Good afternoon guys! Today we have not quite an ordinary lesson, it is open, which means that guests have come to us.

What do you think will be useful for successful work in the classroom? (attention, diligence, self-confidence, diligence)

Motto: Believe in yourself and you will succeed!

Actualization of knowledge (repetition).

- Guess the encryption, if you discard the extra letters in each line, then two words will remain. What? (ICE ZONE)

OXULIC BIFM

HALFZONESVMYA

Correctly. What is another name for the ice zone? (Arctic)

Is this topic new to us? (No)

— Now let's work on the options and remember what we know about the Arctic.

- Here are the words on the topic "Ice Zone". Let's work on the options.

Option 1 writes out words on the topic Inanimate nature of the Arctic.

Option 2 on the topic - Plants of the Arctic.

3 option on the topic - Animals of the Arctic.

Work on options.

Mutual verification.

- Now exchange sheets of paper and check each other's work according to the model on the slide. If the answer is correct, put a + sign, if not correct, then -.

3. Setting goals and objectives of the lesson.

Have you chosen all the words? What are left? (polar explorer, icebreaker, reserve)

— Do these words refer to the theme of the Arctic? (Yes)

- Explain.

— Can any of you tell in detail what polar explorers do in the Arctic? (no, why? (we didn't study it)

Let's formulate the topic of today's lesson. (What does a person do in the Arctic?)

— And what does the word “reserve” mean to you? (What needs to be done to protect nature)

Conclusion:

- Think about where we can find information about human activities in the Arctic and about the protection of its nature? (in textbook)

4. Discovery of new knowledge.

- Open textbooks, who guessed on what pages this information is located? (p. 71, 72, 73)

Read the title on p. 71. This message was prepared by Tanya Perova. How many parts could you share her message? Suggest. (for three - p.71, p.72, p.73).

- Each option will get acquainted with its part of the text, and then we will try to combine what we learned in a table.

They read: 1st option - 71, 2nd option - p. 72, 3rd option - p.73.

5. Physical education.

Name the animal you see in the photo. (polar bear) The polar bear is a kind of symbol of the Arctic.

Let's fill in column 1. What did you learn from the message?

Let's fill in column 2. What environmental issues does Tanya report on?

- Did you find information in the textbook to fill in the 3rd column?

6. Inclusion of new knowledge in the knowledge system.

- What problem is not solved in Tanya's message? (water pollution)

- Is this a problem? Let's find its description in the textbook and read it. (read)

How do you understand the meaning of the word plankton? (it is in the dictionary, you can read it)

And so the composition of plankton includes algae and crustaceans that feed on them.

What else is said about plankton? (this is a link in the food chain)

- Let's make a food chain typical for the Arctic. (you can go back to the slide)

(Read out their food chains)

For example: algae - crustaceans -fish- seals -polar bear.

What causes water pollution?

- How should a person behave in order not to pollute the water?

How do oil products get into the water? What should be done to prevent this from happening?

(do not throw garbage into the water, do not pour out oil products, monitor the serviceability of ships, cars, be responsible for your actions, protect nature) Enter in the table.

- Let's consider what will happen if other links of this food chain suffer. (Depending on time)

- Guys, we filled out the table, how to solve environmental problems, what rules to follow we wrote. Are these rules only for polar explorers, do you think? Are they suitable for us? Let's try to make rules for us, each to ourselves, how to and how not to behave in nature. (make up)

Conclusion:

do not leave garbage in nature and do not throw it on the streets;

do not break branches, do not uproot bushes, do not damage the bark;

do not pour dirty water, gasoline into reservoirs, do not throw garbage there;

do not light a fire, it can cause a fire;
be responsible and take care of nature. Understand that by harming her, you are harming yourself ....

7. Reflection.

Let's remember what questions we planned to answer with you?

Did we manage to do it? (YES, table as an example)

Will the knowledge gained in today's lesson be useful to you in life?

Read the verse.

B. ZAKHODER. "ALL-ALL, EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, IN THE WORLD IS NECESSARY!"
Everything, everything, everything in the world, everything in the world is needed,

And midges are no less needed than elephants.

You can't do without absurd monsters

And even without predators - evil and ferocious.

Everything in the world is needed! Need everything

— Who makes honey and who makes poison.

Bad deeds for a cat without a mouse,

A mouse without a cat is no better off.

And if we are not very friendly with someone,

We still really need each other

And if someone seems superfluous to us,

That, of course, would be a mistake...

Everything, everything, everything in the world is needed,

And all children should remember this!

8. Homework:

1. Prepare answers to questions 1 - 7 on p. 73 of the textbook.

2. Prepare a report about one of the reserves of the ice zone. (optional)

Source: xn--j1ahfl.xn--p1ai

polar deserts

These are the most unsuitable regions of Russia for the economy. The soil here is represented by permafrost and covered with ice. Therefore, neither animal husbandry nor crop production is possible here. There is only fishing here.

Rice. 1. The most unsuitable natural area for farming is the Arctic Desert

Tundra and forest tundra

Natural conditions are not much better than in the polar deserts. Only indigenous people live in the tundra. They are engaged in hunting, fishing, reindeer herding. What changes did the person make here? The soil of these areas is rich in gas and oil. Therefore, they are actively mined here. This leads to significant environmental pollution.

forest zone

This includes taiga, mixed and broad-leaved forests. The climate here is temperate, characterized by cold winters and relatively warm summers. Due to the large number of forests, flora and fauna are widespread here. Favorable conditions allow various types of human economic activity to flourish. A large number of factories and plants have been built in these regions. Here they are engaged in animal husbandry, agriculture, fishing, woodworking industry. This is one of the natural areas modified by man to the greatest extent.

Rice. 2. There is active deforestation in the world

Forest-steppes and steppes

These natural and economic zones are characterized by a warm climate and insufficient rainfall. The soil here is the most fertile, and the animal world is very diverse. Agriculture and animal husbandry flourish most of all in these regions. Various varieties of vegetables and fruits, cereals are grown here. Coal and iron ore are actively mined. This leads to a distortion of the relief and the destruction of some species of animals and plants.

Semi-deserts and deserts

It is not the most favorable conditions for human economic activity. The climate is hot and dry. The soil is desert, not fertile. The main type of economic activity in the deserts is animal husbandry. The population here breeds sheep, rams, horses. The need to graze animals leads to the final disappearance of vegetation.

Rice. 3. Livestock in the desert

Subtropics and tropics

This region has been the most affected by human activity. This is due to the fact that it was here that civilizations were born and the use of these areas has been going on for a very long time.

Source: obrazovaka.ru

Natural conditions of the Arctic desert zone

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Geographical position

Legend:» data-layzr=»https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/label-arctic-desert.jpg» /> — Antarctic desert.

Relief

The relief of the Arctic desert consists of various physical features: mountains, glaciers and flat areas.

The mountains: the arctic desert contains mountainous regions where a cold and dry climate prevails. In appearance, some of the region's mountains resemble mountains in Central America.

Glaciers: due to extremely low temperatures, the arctic desert is replete with numerous glaciers of various shapes and sizes.

Flat areas: make up the bulk of the region's territory and have a distinct patterned texture, which is the result of cycles of melting and freezing water.

Soils

Climate

The arctic desert receives very little rainfall. The average annual rainfall is below 250 mm. Precipitation, as a rule, falls in the form of snow and light drizzle, more often in the warm season.

During the summer months, the sun does not set at all in the Arctic desert. In fact, for 60 days, the sun is above the horizon around the clock.

Animals and plants

In total, about 700 plant species and about 120 animal species are found in the natural zone of the Arctic deserts. Flora and fauna have adapted to survive and even thrive in such extreme conditions. Plants were able to adapt to nutrient-poor soils, low ambient temperatures and low rainfall. Animals of the Arctic tend to have a thick layer of fat and a thick coat to protect them from the cold. They breed during the short summer and often hibernate or migrate during the winter. The birds usually fly south during the cold winter months.

Every year (especially in the warm season), some types of low (from 5 to 100 cm) shrub plants bloom. They typically include sedges, liverworts, grasses, and various kinds of flowers.

Mammals: arctic foxes, polar bears, wolves, squirrels, hares, arctic voles, lemmings, reindeer, seals, walruses and whales.

Birds: crows, falcons, loons, sandpipers, snipes, terns and various types of gulls. Most of these birds are migratory (i.e. spend only part of their life cycle in the Arctic wilderness).

Fish: trout, salmon, flounder and cod.

Insects:

Natural resources

The Arctic includes significant reserves of the planet's natural resources (oil, gas, minerals, fresh water and commercial fish species). Also in recent years, there has been a significant increase in interest in this region from tourists, which also provides additional economic benefits.

Table of the natural zone of the Arctic deserts

Geographical position

Relief and soil

Climate

Flora and fauna

Natural resources

Arctic regions located above 75° north latitude and receiving low rainfall (less than 250 mm per year).

The relief is mostly flat, but sometimes there are mountainous areas.

Soils are very poor in organic nutrients and remain frozen for most of the year.

The climate is dry and cold. Average temperatures range from 0° to -20° C. In winter, the air temperature can drop below -50° C, and in summer it can rise to +10° C.

Animals

mammals: polar foxes, polar bears, wolves, reindeer, hares, squirrels, voles, lemmings, walruses, seals and whales;

birds: crows, falcons, loons, sandpipers, snipes, terns and gulls;

fish: trout, salmon, flounder and cod;

insects: grasshoppers, arctic bumblebees, mosquitoes, moths, midges and flies.

Plants

shrubs, grasses, lichens, mosses and algae.

oil, gas, minerals, fresh water, commercial fish species.

Peoples and cultures

» data-layzr=»https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/sled-dogs-in-arctic-desert.jpg» alt=»» width=»500″ height=»235″ data-layzr-srcset="https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-desert-dog-sled.jpg 500w, https://natworld.info/wp-content/ uploads/2017/02/sled-dogs-in-the-arctic-desert-300x141.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />

The most numerous inhabitants of the Arctic deserts are the Inuit. If the word "Inuit" is not clear to you, then most likely you have heard of the Eskimos.

Eskimo communities are found in various parts of the arctic desert and tundra. In Greenland, they are known as Iñupiat or Yup'ik. In Russia they are called Eskimos. Regardless of name or geographic location, the Inuit speak the same language, Inuktitut. They also have similar cultural traditions and way of life.

Significance for a person

» data-layzr=»https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-tourism.jpg» alt=»» width=»500″ height=»333″ data-layzr- srcset="https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-tourism.jpg 500w, https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/tourism- arctic-300×200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />

Environmental threats

» data-layzr=»https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-threats.jpg» alt=»» width=»500″ height=»333″ data-layzr-srcset= »https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-threats.jpg 500w, https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-threats-300× 200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />

The population of people in the natural zone of the Arctic desert and adjacent areas is quite low. The most pronounced threat comes from exploration and extraction of mineral deposits. Global warming is also having a negative impact on the Arctic desert environment, upsetting the delicate balance of this ecosystem. As the planet's temperature rises, permafrost heats up and melts, releasing carbon from the soil into the atmosphere, accelerating climate change. Due to global warming, polar ice is melting, which contributes to sea level rise and increases the threat of flooding of the planet's coastal regions. Melting ice caps also threaten polar bears. They need ice to hunt, and melting ice cuts and fragments their hunting grounds. In addition, orphaned cubs have even lower survival rates because they are left to fend for themselves.

Protection of the Arctic deserts

» data-layzr=»https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-protection.jpg» alt=»» width=»500″ height=»333″ data-layzr-srcset= »https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-guard.jpg 500w, https://natworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/arctic-guard-300× 200.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" />

The main goals of Arctic desert conservation include:

Preservation of the rich biodiversity of the region;
Sustainable use of renewable natural resources;
Reduce pollution and wasteful consumption.

To achieve these goals, it is necessary to focus international attention on the following problematic aspects:

Marine environment;
fresh water;
biodiversity;
Changing of the climate;
Pollution;
Oil and gas.

Only the political will and interaction of states can give a positive result in the struggle for the conservation of both the natural zone of the Arctic desert and the nature of the world as a whole.

The way of life of indigenous peoples requires separate consideration. Here we will talk about those who came to explore this harsh land.

The role and activities of man in the Arctic

The Arctic Desert is located in the Arctic Ocean basin. The entire space is part of the Arctic geographical zone and is considered the most unfavorable area for living. The desert area is covered with glaciers, rock fragments and rubble.

Arctic desert climate

About 120 species of animals live in the desert, among which squirrels, wolves, hares, whales, arctic voles stand out. All representatives of the animal world are adapted to harsh climatic conditions and are able to survive in extreme situations. Animals have thick hair and a thick layer of fat, which helps to survive the cold.

Polar bears are considered the main inhabitants of the Arctic deserts.

Mammals live both on land and in water. Bears breed on the northern coast of Cape Zhelaniy, Chukotka, about. Lands of Francis Joseph. The Wrangel Island nature reserve is located in the harsh territories, where about 400 dens for mammals are equipped. This area is called the "maternity hospital" for polar bears.

Representatives of the fish are trout, flounder, salmon and cod. Insects such as mosquitoes, grasshoppers, moths, flies, midges and arctic bumblebees live in the desert.

Trout

Flounder

Salmon

Cod

Natural resources of the arctic desert

Despite the unfavorable living conditions, the Arctic desert is quite attractive for mining. The main natural resources are oil and gas. In addition, in the snowy areas you can find fresh water, catch valuable fish species and get other minerals. Unique, unspoiled, mesmerizing glaciers attract thousands of tourists, bringing additional economic benefits.

The Arctic regions also have deposits of copper, nickel, mercury, tin, tungsten, platinoids and rare earth elements. In the desert, you can find reserves of precious metals (silver and gold).

The biodiversity of this region is largely dependent on humans. Violation of the natural habitat of animals, or the slightest change in the soil cover can lead to serious consequences. Today, the Arctic is one of the main sources of fresh water, as it contains up to 20% of the world's reserves.