Geographical location of the ice zone. Natural area of arctic deserts
In our line of work, we often have to deal with the fact that the “Internet generation,” having reached the age of 18, cannot imagine all the diversity of the nature of our planet. For them, trees grow in the taiga, and grass grows in the tundra; they cannot imagine the African savanna and do not know why hard-leaved forests are called hard-leaved forests.
Let's start our excursion into the diversity of the world from the northernmost natural zone - the arctic desert zone.
1. Arctic deserts are shown in gray on the map.
The Arctic desert is the northernmost of the natural zones, characterized by an arctic climate, with arctic air masses prevailing all year round. In the zone of Arctic deserts lie the islands of the Arctic Ocean (Greenland, the northern part of the Canadian archipelago, the Spitsbergen archipelago, the Northern Island of Novaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands, and a narrow strip along the coast of the Arctic Ocean within the Yamal, Gydansky, Taimyr peninsulas, and further east to Chukotka Peninsula). These spaces are covered with glaciers, snow, rubble and rock fragments.
2. Arctic desert in winter 
3. Arctic desert in summer 
The climate is extremely harsh. Ice and snow cover lasts almost the entire year. In winter there is a long polar night (at 75°N its duration is 98 days, at 80°N - 127 days, and in the polar region - six months). Average January temperatures are about -30 (for comparison, in Tomsk the average January temperature is -17), frosts are frequent below - 40. Northeast winds blow almost constantly at a speed of more than 10 m/s, and snowstorms are frequent. In February-March, the sun appears over the horizon, and in June, along with the onset of the polar day, spring comes. The snow cover on the well-warmed southern slopes melts by mid-June. Despite round-the-clock lighting, temperatures rarely rise above +5, and the soil thaws by several centimeters. The average temperature in July, the warmest month of the year, is 0 - +3. In summer, the sky is rarely clear; it is usually overcast, it rains (often with snow), and thick fogs form due to the evaporation of water from the ocean surface. Precipitation falls mainly in the form of snow. Maximum precipitation occurs in the summer months. There is not much precipitation - about 250 mm/year (for comparison, in Tomsk it is about 550 mm/year). Almost all the moisture remains on the surface, not seeping into the frozen soil and evaporating slightly due to low temperatures and the low position of the sun in the sky.
4. Typical vegetation of arctic deserts - mosses and lichens. 
The Arctic desert is practically devoid of vegetation: there are no shrubs, lichens and mosses do not form a continuous cover. The soils are thin, arctic desert, with an island distribution, localized under vegetation, which consists mainly of sedges, some grasses, lichens and mosses. Plants rarely reach a height of 10 cm, usually nestle against stones (cold air is heated from the surface of the earth, so plants tend to hug the relatively warm ground as tightly as possible), and grow mainly in depressions, on southern slopes, on the leeward side of large stones and rocks. Damaged vegetation is restored extremely slowly.
5. Sedge 
6. Cuckoo flax moss (right) 
6.1. Lichen moss (light), lingonberry leaves (bottom left). Lingonberry leaves are covered with a waxy coating that protects them from excess solar radiation - the polar day can last for many days, weeks and even months. 
The fauna is predominantly marine: walrus, seal, in summer there are bird colonies - in summer goose, eider, sandpiper, guillemot, and guillemot fly and nest. The terrestrial fauna is poor: arctic fox, polar bear, lemming.
7. Lemming - a mouse with a very short tail and ears hidden in fur. The shape of its body is spherical, the most favorable for retaining heat - this is the only way to avoid frostbite in the Arctic climate. 
8. 
9. Lemmings live under the snow for most of the year. 
10. 
11. And this is an arctic fox - a lemming hunter 
12. Arctic fox on the hunt 
13. Do you still want to wear a coat with a collar made of arctic fox fur? 
14. The white (polar) bear prefers to live on the coasts. Its main food lives in the waters of the Arctic Ocean.
15. Seal with her baby 
16. Walrus 
17. Beluga dolphin - inhabitant of the waters of the Arctic Ocean 
The color of the beluga whale is uniform, changing with age: newborns are dark blue, after a year they become gray and bluish-gray; individuals older than 3-5 years are pure white (hence the name dolphin).
The largest males reach 6 m in length and 2 tons in weight; females are smaller. The beluga has a small, “browed” head, without a beak. The vertebrae in the neck are not fused together, so the beluga whale, unlike most whales, is able to turn its head. The pectoral fins are small and oval in shape. The dorsal fin is missing; hence the Latin name of the genus Delphinapterus - “wingless dolphin”. By the way, it is interesting that the stable expression “roar like a beluga” was formed in the Russian language. It is associated with the loud sounds that the beluga whale makes. In the 19th century, the names “beluga” and “beluga” were used equally. Currently, "beluga" refers primarily to the name of the beluga fish, and wingless dolphins are called beluga whales.
18. 
19. 
20. Gaga. The down of this particular bird is considered the best thermal insulation material for winter clothing - it “breathes”. In such clothes it is not hot during thaws and not cold during frosts. For many decades, polar explorers' clothing was made using eider down. Down is collected from empty eider nests, each nest containing about 17 grams of down. 
21. 
22. Kulik 
23. Chistik 
24. Bird market. Guillemots. 
25. Guillemot in flight 
26. Bird market. 
To be continued.
Russia belongs to the northernmost part of its territory and is located in the highest latitudes of the Arctic. The southern border is Wrangel Island (71° N), the northern border is the Franz Josef Land Islands (81° 45′ N). This zone includes: the northern edge of the Taimyr Peninsula, Franz Josef Land, Severnaya Zemlya, the northern island of Novaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands, Wrangel Island, as well as the Arctic seas that are located between land areas.
Due to the high latitude, this area has very harsh nature. A feature of the landscape is an almost year-round cover of snow and ice. The average monthly air temperature exceeding 0°C is typical only for lowlands, and only for two or three months a year, not rising even in the hottest August time higher than +5°C in the south of the zone. Precipitation in the form of snow, frost and frost falls no more than 400 mm. The thickness of the snow cover is small - no more than half a meter. There are often strong winds, fog and cloudiness.
The islands have complex terrain. Coastal areas with flat, low-lying plains are characterized by a pronounced zonal landscape. The interior regions of the islands are characterized by the presence of high mountains and table plateaus. The highest elevation on Franz Josef Land is 670 m, on Novaya Zemlya and Severnaya Zemlya - about 1000 m. Only on the New Siberian Islands is flat terrain predominant. Significant areas of Arctic deserts are occupied by glaciers (from 29.6 to 85.1%)
The total area of glaciation on the Russian Arctic islands is about 56 thousand km2. When continental ice moves to the coast and breaks off, it forms icebergs. There is permafrost everywhere with a thickness that can exceed 500 m, incl. and fossil ice of glacier and vein origin.
The seas of the Arctic Ocean, which wash the archipelagos and islands, are covered with special ice - perennial Arctic pack and coastal fast ice. Two main massifs - Canadian and Atlantic - are separated at the underwater Lomonosov Ridge. Among the drifting ice of the Central Arctic and low-latitude territories, it is necessary to distinguish fast ice, ice of the continental slope and stationary french polynyas. The last two types are characterized by the presence of open water, which is quite rich in various forms of organic life: phytoplankton, birds, large animals - polar bears, walruses, seals.
Due to the low temperature, intense frost weathering occurs, which helps slow down the intensity of chemical and natural weathering, therefore the soils and soils of this zone consist of large rock fragments. Due to frequent changes in air temperature and the close occurrence of permafrost, solifluction and heaving of soils occur. These cracked soils, prone to the formation of ravines and erosion, are called polygonal.
When permafrost thaws, it contributes to the formation of lakes, sinkholes and depressions that are characteristic of thermokarst landscapes (often found on the New Siberian Islands). Thermokarst and erosive erosion of the loose sediment layer causes the appearance of conical earthen mounds, which are called bajjarakhs (height from 2 to 12 m). Baidzharakh small hummocks are often found among the landscapes of the sea and lake coasts of Taimyr and the New Siberian Islands.
The vegetation of the Arctic desert of Russia is characterized by the fragmentation of plant covers, with a total cover of up to 65%. On inland plateaus, mountain peaks and moraines such coverage does not exceed 3%. The predominant plant species are mosses, algae, lichens (mainly crustose), arctic flowering plants: snow saxifrage (Saxifraga nivalis), alpine foxtail (Alopecurus alpinus), buttercup (Ranunculus sulphureus), arctic pike (Deschampsia arctica), polar poppy (Papaver polare). There are no more than 350 species of higher plants. In the south there are shrubs of the polar willow (Salix polaris), saxifrage (Saxifraga oppo-sitifotia) and dryads (Dryas punctata).
The productive production of phytomass is very low - less than 5 t/ha, with a predominance of the above-ground part. This feature of the flora affects the scarcity of fauna in the ice zone. This is the habitat of lemmings (Lemmus), arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus), polar bears (Thalassarctos maritimus), and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus).
There are numerous colonies of seabirds on the steep shores. Of the 16 species of birds living here, 11 settle in this way: auks, or little auks (Plotus alle), fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis), guillemots (Cepphus), guillemots (Uria), kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), glaucous gulls (Larus hyperboreus ) and etc.
Video: Wildlife of Russia 5. Arctic / Arctic.1080р
The Arctic deserts of Russia are an amazing world that bewitches with its harshness.
Arctic deserts are a natural area located in the Arctic, the northern polar region of the Earth; part of the Arctic Ocean basin. This natural zone includes the northern edges of the Arctic mainland and numerous islands located around the North Pole.
The Arctic desert zone is the northernmost natural zone with a characteristic Arctic climate. The territory of such deserts is covered with glaciers and stones, and the flora and fauna are very scarce.
This message is devoted to the features of the Arctic deserts as a natural area.
Welcome to the Arctic!
Climate
Arctic the climate is very cold, with harsh winters and cool summers.
Winter in the Arctic is very long, strong winds blow, and snowstorms rage for several weeks. Everything is covered with snow and ice. The air temperature reaches -60 °C.
From the second half of October comes polar night. It lasts for six long months. There is no sun in the sky, and only sometimes bright and beautiful northern lights appear. The duration of auroras varies: from two to three minutes to several days. They are so bright that you can even read by their light.
Northern lights.
In winter, all animals either hibernate or go south. Nature stands still, but at the end of February the sun appears and the days begin to increase.
Starts from the second half of May polar day, when the sun doesn't set at all. Depending on the latitude, the polar day lasts 60-130 days. Although the sun shines around the clock, there is little heat from the sun.
Long, long day.
Summer is very short, but during this time hundreds of thousands of different birds fly to the Arctic, pinnipeds swim: walruses, seals, seals. The air temperature rises very slowly and reaches above zero only in July (+2-6 °C). The average temperature in summer is about 0 °C.
Already at the beginning of September, the air temperature drops below zero, and soon snow falls and water bodies are frozen.
Flora and fauna of the Arctic
The soils in the Arctic deserts are very poor. From plants Mostly mosses and lichens grow and even those do not form a continuous cover. Arctic flowers and small shrubs bloom in summer:
- polar poppy;
- polar willow;
- arctic buttercup;
- semolina;
- snow saxifrage;
- chickweed.
Polar poppy.
Grasses also grow: alpine foxtail, bluegrass, sow thistle, arctic pike. All these plants, even shrubs, do not grow more than 3-5 cm. There are no trees in Arctic deserts.
The underwater flora is richer: algae alone number up to 150 species. Crayfish feed on algae, and crustaceans feed on fish and birds—the most numerous animals in the Arctic deserts.
Birds settle in nests on rocks and form noisy “bird colonies”. This:
- guillemots;
- seagulls;
- guillemots;
- eider;
- dead ends;
- kittiwakes and other birds.
Northern bird.
On the coast Pinnipeds live: walruses, seals, seals. There are whales and beluga whales in the sea.
The terrestrial fauna, due to the scarcity of plant life, is not very rich. These are mainly Arctic foxes, lemmings, and polar bears.
The king of the Arctic deserts is the polar bear. This animal is perfectly adapted to life in a harsh region. He has thick fur, strong paws, and a keen sense of smell. He swims well in water and is a wonderful hunter.
Polar bears in search of prey.
The bear's prey is mainly marine life: fish, seals, seals. Can feast on eggs and chicks of birds.
Human influence on the natural zone of Arctic deserts
The natural world of the Arctic deserts is fragile and slow to recover. Therefore, human influence must be careful and careful. Meanwhile, the ecology in this area is not very favorable:
- ice melts;
- water and atmosphere are polluted;
- the population of animals, birds and fish is declining;
- The habitat of various animals changes.
Human development of the Arctic.
These things happen negative processes due to human activities, active development of the natural resources of the Arctic zone: extraction of natural resources (natural gas, oil), fishing and seafood, shipping.
Meanwhile, the environmental problems of the Arctic deserts affect the entire climate of the Earth.
- (polar desert, ice desert), a type of desert (see DESERT) with extremely sparse vegetation among the snows and glaciers of the Arctic and Antarctic belts of the Earth. Distributed over most of Greenland (see GREENLAND) ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Same as ice desert. Geography. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. M.: Rosman. Edited by prof. A. P. Gorkina. 2006 ... Geographical encyclopedia
ARCTIC DESERT- type of sparse vegetation of the Far North; differs from the tundra, where the vegetation cover is closed... Dictionary of botanical terms
ARCTIC DESERT- cold desert, arctic or high mountain regions, in which the scarcity of vegetation is determined primarily by low temperatures, and not by dry air. Among the Arctic deserts, there are ice deserts, high mountain deserts... Ecological dictionary
- (wrong. Streletsky; English Strzelecki Desert) desert in Australia: northeast of South Australia, northwest of New South Wales and extreme southwest of Queensland. Located northeast of Lake Eyre and north of the ridge... ... Wikipedia
- (Urdu خاران) desert located in Kharan district of Balochistan province in Pakistan. It consists of sand dunes drifting over a base of pebble conglomerate. Drifting dunes reach a height of 15-30 meters. The desert is limited by spurs... ... Wikipedia
This term has other meanings, see Desert (meanings). &... Wikipedia
AND; pl. genus. tyn; and. 1. A vast arid region with little rainfall, rapid fluctuations in air and soil, and sparse vegetation. Boundless, sultry, hot, scorched p. Solonchakovaya p. P. Sahara. P. Karakum. Deserts... ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Landscape in the Simpson Desert Simpson Desert is a sandy desert in the center of Australia, bo ... Wikipedia
Gibson Desert Region according to IBRA... Wikipedia
Books
- Coal crumbs
- Coal crumbs, Christensen Monica. Paulsen Publishing House presents Monika Christensen's detective story "Crushed Coal", which continues the "Arctic Crime Novel" series. This psychological thriller tells the story of what seemed...
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 latitude - 98 days; at 80°N latitude - 127 days; in the polar region - six months). This is a very harsh time of year. The temperature drops to −40 °C and below, strong hurricane winds blow, and snowstorms are frequent. In summer there is 24-hour lighting, but there is little heat and 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 archipelagos of Spitsbergen, Franz Josef Land, Severnaya Zemlya, Novaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands, as well as a narrow strip along the coast of the Arctic Ocean within the Yamal, Gydan, Taimyr, and Chukotka peninsulas.
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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 over 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 a small man with a red face, shiny black eyes, and 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"a, 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!
