tundra offers an ideal summer environment for
waterfowl, sandpipers, and plovers.
Sea life is rich. Although reptiles, amphibians,
and freshwater fish are absent, the inhabitants of
the polar oceans are varied and numerous.
Direct human impact in the tundra regions has
been minimal until recent years. Eskimo and
Lapp cultures have lived as part of the ecosystem
for thousands of years. Their numbers have been
small, in keeping with the relatively low primary
production of the tundra and adjacent seas. However, major disturbance to the permafrost terrain
became evident in World War II, when military
bases, airfields, and highways were hurriedly
constructed without regard for maintenance of
the natural protective surface. Recently, oil
deposits were discovered on the north slope of
Alaska with exploration and drilling creating
possibilities for environmental damage. Oil spills
on the landscape and in coastal waters are attendant problems.
Succession in the Arctic is a very slow process, and the development has the potential for
disturbing the local system so that the ecosystem
will not recover. The equilibrium of the tundra is
based on very low energy flow. This means little
chemical weathering, and slow rates of soil evolution and plant growth.
5.4
130 Subarctic Division
The source region for the continental polar air
masses is south of the tundra zone between lat.
50
and 70
N. The climate type here shows great
seasonal range in temperature. Winters are
severe, and the region’s small amounts of annual
precipitation are concentrated in the three warm
months. This cold, snowy, forest climate,
referred to in this volume as the boreal subarctic
type, is classified as E in the Ko ¨ppen–Trewartha
system. This climate is moist all year, with cool,
Fig. 5.5 Distribution of
permafrost in the Northern
Hemisphere. From Glacial
and Quaternary Geology
by R.F. Flint, p. 270.
Copyright # 1971 by John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reprinted by John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
5.4 130 Subarctic Division
51
waterfowl, sandpipers, and plovers.
Sea life is rich. Although reptiles, amphibians,
and freshwater fish are absent, the inhabitants of
the polar oceans are varied and numerous.
Direct human impact in the tundra regions has
been minimal until recent years. Eskimo and
Lapp cultures have lived as part of the ecosystem
for thousands of years. Their numbers have been
small, in keeping with the relatively low primary
production of the tundra and adjacent seas. However, major disturbance to the permafrost terrain
became evident in World War II, when military
bases, airfields, and highways were hurriedly
constructed without regard for maintenance of
the natural protective surface. Recently, oil
deposits were discovered on the north slope of
Alaska with exploration and drilling creating
possibilities for environmental damage. Oil spills
on the landscape and in coastal waters are attendant problems.
Succession in the Arctic is a very slow process, and the development has the potential for
disturbing the local system so that the ecosystem
will not recover. The equilibrium of the tundra is
based on very low energy flow. This means little
chemical weathering, and slow rates of soil evolution and plant growth.
5.4
130 Subarctic Division
The source region for the continental polar air
masses is south of the tundra zone between lat.
50
and 70
N. The climate type here shows great
seasonal range in temperature. Winters are
severe, and the region’s small amounts of annual
precipitation are concentrated in the three warm
months. This cold, snowy, forest climate,
referred to in this volume as the boreal subarctic
type, is classified as E in the Ko ¨ppen–Trewartha
system. This climate is moist all year, with cool,
Fig. 5.5 Distribution of
permafrost in the Northern
Hemisphere. From Glacial
and Quaternary Geology
by R.F. Flint, p. 270.
Copyright # 1971 by John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reprinted by John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
5.4 130 Subarctic Division
51