The Arctic Tundra

Map Of Arctic Tundra Region:

                       

 

Map of protected sections of Arctic Tundra ecosystem.

Present:                                                               

                                             

                                              

Historic:

             

Historical state of Arctic Tundra

In past times, the ice covering large parts of the arctic tundra used to be thicker and more abundant than it was today. Temperatures were low, days were long, and precipitation was limited. Layers of permafrost, permanently frozen ground, covered the ground and kept the nutrient level poor. Both animal and plant species were scarce; with the cold weather and mostly barren land unable to support much life.    

 

Comparison of the Arctic Tundra landscape. The soil has been getting drier.

Current Human Impacts

Direct human impact on the arctic tundra has been limited; the overall conservation status of the biome is good. The direct impact comes in the form of oil drilling and military use, both of which threaten inhabiting species. The most important human impacts on the arctic come indirectly and are related to global warming. Burning fossil fuels and using products which emit chlorofluorocarbons contribute to the increased amount of greenhouse gases residing in Earth’s atmosphere. Greenhouse gases capture heat within the atmosphere, increasing global temperatures as a result. This increase in temperature is what has affected the arctic tundra; the ice has either melted or become thinner in many regions of the ecosystem. The disturbance to the environment has endangered various species of plants and animals inhabiting the biome. 

Historic:                                  Present:

Amount of ice has significantly decreased in Greenland glaciers from the historic times.

 

 Throughout the years, we can see the ice is melting and the layer is getting shallower.

Future prospect of the Arctic Tundra

The future of the arctic is bleak if climate change continues to progress at current levels. With fossil fuel burning and greenhouse emissions continuing at existent rates, global temperatures will continue to increase and the arctic ice will keep melting. Shrinkage of the arctic ice will result in further dangers to the species living in this ecosystem. The melting of ice will raise the sea level and strip animals of their habitats, while plants could be deprived of the few nutrients the arid land once provided. The glaciers will be dismantled and the sea would be filled with freezing water, affecting the ocean life. Overall, if the Earth’s climate continues to see an increase in temperature, the arctic tundra will continue to melt and life on this biome would fall under serious risk of extinction. 

       

The increase of temperature at the poles have resulted in the melting of ice. The picture is comparing the time period 2001-2005 to time period 1968-1996. The bar on the right shows the average temperature raise in a particular area.

      

Annual River Discharge for the Eurasian River has continually increased from 1934 because the the temperatures increase, which results in ice being melted.

Improving the human impact

The arctic tundra is not beyond improvement, there are multiple ways in which its environmental state could be improved. Replacing the use of fossil fuels with renewable energy reduce the amounts of greenhouse gases emitted to the atmosphere, therefore limiting the increasing temperature of future years. Furthermore, making an effort to develop more energy efficient cars would decrease the need for oil drilling in the biome. Preserving the protected areas of the arctic, such as the Arctic Wildlife Refuge, would ensure the survival of many of the ecosystem’s species and keep their habitats off limits from oil exploitation. Additionally, enforcing the cap and trade policy within the major polluting companies would help keep large manufacturers from abusing environmental standards by placing mandatory caps on the amount of emissions allowed. Subsidizing advancements in environmental studies and rewarding industries that are environmentally friendly could also improve the future outlook of the arctic tundra.

  

References:

Location Map: http://msgroarksscience.wikispaces.com/10+Arctic+Tundra

Protected Area Map: http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/protected-areas-in-the-arctic

Information: http://www.birdlife.org/action/science/species/asia_strategy/pdf_downloads/wetlandsWO1.pdf

Charts, images and information:

http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/pdf/10.1175/2010EI315.1

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/pubs/PDF/rich2952/rich2952.pdf