North American Arctic

Geographic region

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Map of the Arctic Circle and July isotherm. The North American Arctic is on the left

Main article: Arctic

The North American Arctic is composed of the northern polar regions of Alaska (USA), Northern Canada and Greenland.[1] Major bodies of water include the Arctic Ocean, Hudson Bay, the Gulf of Alaska and North Atlantic Ocean.[2] The North American Arctic lies above the Arctic Circle.[3] It is part of the Arctic, which is the northernmost region on Earth. The western limit is the Seward Peninsula and the Bering Strait. The southern limit is the Arctic Circle latitude of 66° 33’N, which is the approximate limit of the midnight sun and the polar night.[4]

The Arctic region is defined by environmental limits where the average temperature for the warmest month (July) is below 10 °C (50 °F). The northernmost tree line roughly follows the isotherm at the boundary of this region.[3] The climate of the region is known to be intensely cold during the year due to its extreme polar location.[5] The area has tundra, Arctic vegetation,[3] glaciers, and, for most of the year, is covered in thick blankets of snow and ice.[5]

It is home to various species of plants, and land, air and marine animals.[6] Due to the severe weather conditions, the region's flora and fauna has had to adapt to survive.[6] In addition to the extreme climate, permafrost and short growing seasons means that trees are unable to grow.[3] The indigenous peoples who migrated from other lands and settled in the North American Arctic also had to adapt to living conditions.[5] Their population has declined since then, however.[5][page needed]

Climate change in the Arctic has caused the region to feel the effects of global warming, with sea levels and temperatures rising, and a changing wildlife population.[4] Marine ecosystems are struggling under increasing pressure from changes in sea ice characteristics.[7] The effects of climate change have also impacted the human population whose way of living and working is facing pressure from the effects as they are finding it challenging to adapt.[4]

## Geography

[edit]

The North American Arctic geographical region consists of large land masses.[2] A major portion of the region also consists of large bodies of water.[2] This region is a relatively flat topographic part of the Earth.[2] Since the region is located in an extreme northerly part of the Earth, the sun may only appear above the horizon for a couple of hours during winter while appearing for longer during summer.[5]

## Lands

[edit]

The major lands that make up the North American Arctic from west to east are:

Name of land  | Country

|

Alaska | United States
Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut | Canada
Greenland | Denmark

### Alaska

[edit]

Alaska has endless lowlands and plains.[3] On the northern coast of Alaska, there is a 67-day-long period of darkness which begins in mid-November and ends in February.[5] An 84-day-long period of light begins in early May and finishes in July.[5]

### Northern Canada

[edit]

The Arctic portion in Northern Canada covers around a quarter of Canada's landmass at 1.6 million square kilometres (0.62 million square miles).[6] The human population density is one of the lowest on Earth and sits at 1 person per 100 km2.[6] It consists of some of the world's most uninhabitable places yet also is home to extensive herds of caribou.[6] It also contains vast ice fields, mountain glaciers, mountain peaks, shattered rock, ponds, lakes and U-shaped valleys.[6] This region supports approximately 140 species of vascular plants and 600 species of mosses and lichens.[6] There are about 20 species of mammals and 80 bird species.[6]

### Greenland

[edit]

Greenland is considered an alpine region of the North American Arctic.[3] Vegetation that grows in this area is confined to mostly narrow coastal ice-free fringes which constitutes about 14% of the total area.[3] Poor floras occur in the colder coastal areas in the northern parts of the country while rich floras occur in the southwest parts and inland in the south.[3]

## Waters

[edit]

The North American Arctic consists of some of the following major bodies of water:

* Arctic Ocean
* Hudson Bay
* Gulf of Alaska
* North Atlantic Ocean

## Climate

[edit]

The North American Arctic's climate is characterized by extremely cold temperatures throughout the year.[5][failed verification] It also experiences high seasonal fluctuations in daylight, and severe winds due to the Earth's tilt and its polar location.[5] During the year, temperatures can span a widespread range with average lows that reach around −38 °C (−36 °F) in winter to average highs that reach approximately 10 °C (50 °F) in summer.[5][6] The warmest month is July while the coldest month is January.[5] Winters have long dark days without sunlight while summers have days where the sun doesn't set.[5] Parts of the region are covered in ice for most of the year and it can snow during any month of the year and the average annual precipitation is 250 mm (9.8 in).[5][6]

## Wildlife

[edit]

The region has an abundance of wildlife that has adapted to its intense conditions, ranging from large mammals such as polar bears and muskox, to small birds, and various species of plants.[6] Marine life includes walrus, seals, fish and microscopic ocean organisms such as algae and plankton.[6] The many lakes and rivers are home to fish species such as Arctic char and lake trout.

### Plants

[edit]

Major types of vegetation of the North American Arctic include tundra, polar desert and polar semi-deserts with minor ones being coastal salt marshes and grasslands.[3] Flora must try to grow in a harsh environment that experiences continuous sunlight during the summer, and low temperatures, dry winds, heavy snow and frozen ground and soil throughout the year.[5] Freezing and thawing of soil affects vegetation patterns as it results in formations of patterned ground such as circles, nets and stone stripes.[3] Both plant diversity and species are relatively low in numbers due to lack of nutrient availability.[3][6] There is evidence that shows that diversity of species in the region is strongly correlated to warmer temperatures.[3]

Due to permafrost, a short growing season, and dark and long winters of strong winds and extreme cold, the region experiences being almost treeless with only vegetation such as moss and lichen being able to live.[3] Although not many species of plants succeed in surviving in this environment, the ones that do tend to be small and have a short seasonal life cycle, with the exception of algae which has been observed to have the ability to survive all year round.[5] Even though annual precipitation is extremely low, there are numerous lakes, ponds and wetlands that are able to support relatively lush vegetation.[6] The cycle often begins in spring, with major growth during July before the end of August when winter is about to arrive and ends the cycle.[3]

Plants that have adapted to the climate in the region have the ability to grow rapidly in the small timeframe of prime growing conditions in summer due to their ability to conserve water.[5] Plants avoid the harsh wind and chill by growing close to the ground and cluster densely.[6] Other ways that plants have adapted include having a smaller surface area to lessen water evaporation, vertical leaves to aid in receiving more sunlight, waxy leaves to assist in moisture retention, and antifreeze to enable them to continue photosynthesis under freezing conditions.[5]

### Animals

[edit]

Compared to warmer regions of the Earth, fauna species in the North American Arctic are small but populations are large.[6] The animal population can either hibernate if conditions allow it or has to remain active as it is unable to hibernate due to absence of ice-free shelter in the region.[6] This is also the reason why there aren't any reptiles and only a small number of amphibians.[6] Though numbers are depleting, the region is home to other marine life such as different species of whales and seals.[6] The region supports an enormous population of migratory birds that migrate to the region in the summer for breeding and many large fisheries.[6] Due to ice melting and turning into ponds during summer, the ecosystem also sees insects including moths and mosquitoes.[6]

Some animals have adapted to the conditions in the region by conserving heat, with many species covered in heavy fur coats and having thick layers of fat beneath the skin while others have developed compact body shapes.[5] They are characterized as having shorter legs and tails, and smaller ears compared to their relatives.[6] Many species of animals have stiff fur on their feet to create a barrier between their pads and toes, and the snow which allows them to walk more easily.[6] Despite almost being frozen, some insects can survive by going into a dormant state and allowing their naturally occurring antifreeze-like compounds to take effect.[5] The most common coping strategy, however, is to migrate seasonally and find a more suitable habitat for the winter, which can commonly be seen in birds.[5]

Animals have a small window of opportunity to successfully reproduce and birth of their young has to coincide with the abundance of prey otherwise the food chain will be disrupted.[6] Species that have adapted well tend to dominate the food chain.[6]

## People

[edit]

Main article: Circumpolar peoples

The population of the region is sparse, and its people are thought to be descendants of people who migrated northward from central Asia after the Ice Age.[5] They include the Inuit, Yupik, Aleut, Athabascans and Iñupiat.[5][6] After living in the North American Arctic for over thousands of years, they have developed unique traditions in order to adapt to the extreme climate conditions such as hunting animals and fishing during specific times of the year and gathering and preserving plants over the summer in preparation for winter.[5] They constructed tents, clothes, tools and weapons out of animal skin, antlers, teeth, horns and bones.[5]

Due to Western culture, native peoples now make up approximately 16% of the population of Alaska and they now live in wooden homes, and purchase clothing and food.[5] Climate change has also affected the traditional way of life, which doesn't exist for most anymore, as melting ice has impacted hunting and fishing.[4] Some communities are under threat from coastal erosion and it has already driven other communities to relocate.[4]

## Climate change

[edit]

Climate change, which is a phenomenon also known as the greenhouse effect, is the warming that occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere prevent heat from escaping.[8] The North American Arctic is particularly susceptible to the effects of climate change compared to other regions.[4] Climate change has caused the temperature in the region to rise, extreme weather events, changing wildlife populations and habitats, and sea ice to melt resulting in rising sea levels.[8][9] In November 2016, the daily average temperature was 2.22 °C (36.00 °F) lower than usual and sea ice cover was less than the previous recorded low in November 2012.[4]

Ice sheets have been observed to form later, separate earlier, and rapidly decline in age, thickness distribution and regional coverage.[7] The ice in the southern Beaufort Sea separates 7 weeks earlier than it used to during 1964 to 1974.[7] An instance of climate change contributing to ice loss was the 13th most extreme Arctic storm recorded that impacted sea ice in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.[7] In 2012, a cyclone had formed over Siberia and ended in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago during a period where large wave generation, oceanic upwelling, and mechanical forcing affected the ocean and its covering ice sheets.[7]

There is also potential for carbon dioxide and methane levels to rise in the atmosphere as a result of increased production by micro-organisms in thawing permafrost.[7] Climate change will significantly impact the plant species by causing an increase of shrubs, which will disrupt the regional vegetation, and a decrease in certain species of flora.[9] It has also caused a decline in survival rates of fauna which will cause a heavy strain on the ecosystem.[6]

Climate change in the region has attracted worldwide attention and interest in reduction of effects.[4] This is because effects to the North American Arctic has direct consequences on the rest of the world including sea levels rising worldwide.[4] The rising of sea levels is a critical issue as the region plays a role in the ventilation of the Atlantic and Pacific, and due to the impact that melting sea ice has on the acceleration of global warming and increased fluxes of green house gases into the atmosphere.[7]

## Gallery

[edit]

* Artificially coloured topographical map of the Arctic region

* Icebergs at Cape York, Greenland

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The North American Arctic". UCL Press. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
2. ^ a b c d Emery, K. O. (1949). "Topography and Sediments of the Arctic Basin". The Journal of Geology. 57 (5): 512–521\. Bibcode:1949JG.....57..512E. doi:10.1086/625664. ISSN 0022-1376. JSTOR 30057600.
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Daniels, Fred J.A.; Bultmann, Helga; Lunterbusch, Christoph; Wilhelm, Maike (2000). "Vegetation zones and biodiversity of the North-American Arctic" (PDF).
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Allen, Thad W.; Whitman, Christine Todd; Brimmer, Esther (2017). "The Arctic Region". Arctic Imperatives: 5–8.
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "The Arctic Environment" (PDF). National Wildlife Federation.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa Poles Apart: A Study in Contrasts. University of Ottawa Press. 1999. JSTOR j.ctt1cn6rbs.
7. ^ a b c d e f g Barber, David (2013–2014). "Sea Ice, Climate Change and the Marine Ecosystem" (PDF). ArcticNet.
8. ^ a b Gervais, Melissa; Atallah, Eyad; Gyakum, John R.; Tremblay, L. Bruno (2016). "Arctic Air Masses in a Warming World". Journal of Climate. 29 (7): 2359–2373\. Bibcode:2016JCli...29.2359G. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0499.1. ISSN 0894-8755. JSTOR 26385397.
9. ^ a b Fuglei, Eva; Anker, Rolf (2008). "Global warning and effects on the arctic fox". Science Progress. 91 (2): 175–191\. doi:10.3184/003685008X327468. ISSN 0036-8504. JSTOR 43425779. PMC 10361153. PMID 18717368.

## External links

[edit]

* Arctic Institute of North America website

* v
* t
* e

Arctic topics

History|

* Arctic exploration
* Arctic research
* History of whaling

Government|

* Arctic Council
* Arctic cooperation and politics
* Arctic Ocean Conference
* Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route
* Ilulissat Declaration
* Inuit Circumpolar Council
* Saami Council
* Territorial claims in the Arctic
* United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Geography|

* Arctic Archipelago
* Arctic Circle
* Arctic Cordillera
* Arctic ecology
* Arctic Ocean
* Arctic Cyclone
* Greenland ice sheet
* Impact craters of the Arctic
* Innuitian Region
* Nordicity
* North Pole
* Populated places in the Arctic
* Subarctic
* Tundra

Geology|

* Canadian Arctic Rift System
* Eurekan orogeny
* Greenland Plate
* Innuitian orogeny
* Queen Elizabeth Islands Subplate
* Southeast Bathurst Fault Zone
* Ungava Fault Zone

Regions|

* Arctic Alaska
* British Arctic Territories
* Canadian Arctic Archipelago
* Finnmark
* Greenland
* Iceland
* Inuvialuit
* Karelia
* Komi
* Northern Canada
* Northwest Territories
* Nunavik
* Nunavut
* Nunatsiavut
* Russian Arctic
* North
* Sakha
* Sápmi
* Yukon
* North American Arctic

Climate|

* Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
* Arctic dipole anomaly
* Arctic haze
* Arctic oscillation
* Arctic sea ice
* decline
* ecology and history
* Arctic methane emissions
* Climate change in the Arctic
* Climate of Alaska
* Effects of global warming on marine mammals
* Polar climate
* Polar amplification
* Polar vortex

Fauna|

* Arctic fox
* Beluga whale
* Bowhead whale
* Lemming
* Muskox
* Narwhal
* Polar bear
* Reindeer
* Seal
* bearded
* harp
* hooded
* ribbon
* ringed
* Snowy owl
* Walrus

Flora|

* Arctic ecology
* Arctic vegetation
* Tundra

Culture|

* Arctic peoples
* Subarctic peoples
* Chukchi
* Chukotka
* Evenks
* Karelians
* Komi
* Icelandic
* Inuit
* Gwich'in
* Khanty
* Koryaks
* Nenets
* Northern indigenous Russian peoples
* Sami
* Selkup
* Yakuts
* Yukaghir
* Arctic Winter Games
* First sunrise
* Quviasukvik (New Year's Day)

Economy|

* Natural resources
* Petroleum exploration
* Arctic Refuge drilling controversy
* Pollution in the Arctic Ocean
* Protected areas
* Transportation

Transport|

* Arctic Bridge
* Arctic shipping routes
* Northeast Passage
* Northwest Passage
* Northern Sea Route
* Polar air route
* Transpolar Sea Route
* Search and rescue

* Category
* WikiProject

* v
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Earth's primary regions and subregions

Worlds|

* Arab World
* Down Under
* New World
* Old World
* Three/Four Worlds
* First World
* Second World
* Third World
* Fourth World

Hemispheres|

* Eastern
* Land Hemisphere
* Northern
* Southern
* Water Hemisphere
* Western

Landmasses|

* Africa-Eurasia
* Eurasia
* Americas
* Antarctica
* Australia
* Zealandia
* submerged
* Tectonic plates

Continents|

| Africa|

| Saharan|

* Northern
* Mediterranean
* Maghreb
* Mashriq
* Middle East
* Middle East and North Africa

|

Sub-Saharan|

* Central
* East
* Horn
* Great Lakes
* Southern
* Western

Antarctica|

* East Antarctica
* Antarctic Plateau
* Transantarctic Mountains
* West Antarctica
* Antarctic Peninsula

Asia|

| Asia–Pacific|

* Far East
* East Asia
* Pacific Asia
* Russian Far East

| Southeastern|

* Mainland
* Maritime

|

Central|

* Aral Sea
* Aralkum Desert
* Caspian Sea

Northern|

* Siberia
* Ural
* Inner Asia
* Greater Central Asia
* Northeastern

Southern|

* Indian subcontinent
* Subregions

West Asia/
Middle East|

* Arabian Peninsula
* Caucasus
* South Caucasus
* Greater Iran
* Iranian plateau
* Levant
* Dead Sea
* Levantine corridor
* Levantine Sea
* Mashriq
* Middle East and North Africa
* Near East

Other regions|

| Himalayan|

* Himalayan states
* Indian region

|

Europe|

| Eastern|

* Balkans
* Caucasus
* North Caucasus
* South Caucasus
* Southern Russia
* European Russia
* Southeastern

|

Northern|

* Baltic
* British Isles
* Nordic
* Northwestern
* Scandinavia
* Scandinavian Peninsula

Southern|

* Mediterranean
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* Italy
* Italian peninsula
* South-eastern
* Balkan Peninsula
* South-western
* Iberian Peninsula

Western|

* Atlantic
* Low Countries
* Northwestern

* Celtic
* Germanic
* Romance
* Slavic

North America|

| Northern Am.|

* Appalachia
* Bible Belt
* East Coast of the United States

* Eastern USA

* Great Lakes
* Mid-Atlantic
* Midwest
* Mountain states
* New England
* Northeastern United States
* Northern United States
* Pacific Northwest
* Southeast
* Southern United States
* Southwest
* West Coast
* West South Central United States
* Western United States
* Atlantic Canada
* Canadian Prairies
* Central Canada
* Eastern Canada
* Northern Canada
* Western Canada

|

Middle Am.|

* Aridoamerica
* Greater Caribbean
* Caribbean
* West Indies
* Central Am.
* Mesoamerica
* Northern Mexico

Oceania|

| Australasia|

* Australia
* Mainland Australia
* New Guinea
* Tasmania
* Zealandia

|

* Melanesia
* Island Melanesia
* Micronesia
* Near Oceania
* Polynesia
* Remote Oceania

South America|

* Amazon Plain

* Amazon Basin
* Amazon Rainforest

* Andean States
* Brazilian Highlands
* Caribbean South America
* The Guianas
* Latin America and the Caribbean
* Southern Cone

* Patagonia

Supercontinents|

| Americas|

* Anglo
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* Latin America and the Caribbean
* Latin
* Ibero
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|

Islands|

| By continent|

* Africa
* Americas
* North America
* Caribbean
* Central America
* South America
* Antarctica
* Asia
* Europe
* by area
* by population
* Oceania
* Australia
* New Zealand

|

By ocean|

* Arctic
* Atlantic
* Baltic Sea
* Black Sea
* Caribbean Sea
* Irish Sea
* Mediterranean Sea
* Adriatic Sea
* Aegean Sea
* Ionian Sea
* Indian
* Persian Gulf
* Pacific
* East China Sea
* South China Sea
* Southern

Oceans|

* Antarctic/Southern
* Antarctic Convergence
* Arctic
* Atlantic
* Indian
* Pacific
* Great Barrier Reef
* Mariana Trench
* Ring of Fire
* World Ocean

Other
waterbodies|

* Lakes
* lists
* Rivers
* Seas

Rim|

* Arctic
* Atlantic
* Indo-Mediterranean
* Indian Ocean
* Mediterranean
* Pacific

Polar|

* Antarctic
* Arctic

Global|

* By direction:
* East
* Heartland
* North
* Northeast
* Northwest
* South
* Southeast
* Southwest
* West

* Continents of Earth / List of seas / Physical Earth

* v
* t
* e

Earth's polar regions

Antarctic|

* Antarctic Peninsula
* East Antarctica
* West Antarctica
* Eklund Islands
* Ecozone
* Extreme points
* Islands

Arctic|

* Arctic Alaska
* British Arctic Territories
* Canadian Arctic Archipelago
* Finnmark
* Greenland
* Northern Canada
* Northwest Territories
* Nunavik
* Nunavut
* Russian Arctic
* Sakha
* Sápmi
* Yukon
* North American Arctic

* v
* t
* e

World deserts

* Desert
* Desertification
* Polar desert
* List of deserts
* List of deserts by area
* Desert exploration

Africa|

* Algerian
* Bayuda
* Black Desert
* Blue
* Chalbi
* Danakil
* Djurab
* Eastern
* Ferlo
* Farafra (White)
* Kalahari
* Libyan
* Moçâmedes
* Namib
* Nubian
* Nyiri
* Plaine des Sables
* Richtersveld
* Sahara
* Tanezrouft
* Ténéré
* Western

Asia|

| Arabian Peninsula|

* Ad-Dahna
* Nefud
* Arabian
* Judaean
* Negev
* Ramlat al-Sab'atayn
* Rub' al Khali
* Syrian
* Wahiba Sands

|

Central Asia|

* Aral Karakum
* Aralkum
* Barsuki
* Betpak-Dala
* Dasht-e Naomid
* Karakum
* Kyzylkum
* Moiynkum
* Ryn
* Saryesik-Atyrau
* Sarykum
* Taukum
* Ustyurt

East Asia|

* Badain Jaran
* Gobi
* Gurbantünggüt
* Hami
* Lop
* Kumtag
* Ordos
* Kubuqi
* Mu Us
* Qaidam
* Taklamakan
* Tengger

South Asia|

* Cholistan
* Indus Valley
* Katpana
* Kharan
* Thal
* Thar

Iranian plateau|

* Kavir
* Khash
* Leili
* Lut
* Margo
* Naomid
* Polond
* Registan

Southeast Asia|

* La Paz

Europe|

* Bardenas Reales
* Cabo de Gata
* Monegros
* Oleshky
* Tabernas
* Deliblato

North America|

* Alvord
* Amargosa
* Baja California
* Black Rock
* Carcross
* Carson
* Channeled scablands
* Chihuahuan
* Colorado
* Escalante
* Forty Mile
* Gran Desierto de Altar
* Great Basin
* Great Salt Lake
* Great Sandy
* Jornada del Muerto
* Kaʻū
* Lechuguilla
* Mojave
* North American Arctic
* Owyhee
* Painted Desert
* Red Desert
* Sevier
* Smoke Creek
* Sonoran
* Tonopah Desert
* Tule (Arizona)
* Tule (Nevada)
* Yuha
* Yuma

Oceania|

| Australia|

* Gibson
* Great Sandy
* Great Victoria
* Little Sandy
* Nullarbor Plain
* Painted
* Pedirka
* Simpson
* Strzelecki
* Sturt Stony
* Tanami
* Tirari

|

New Zealand|

* Rangipo

South America|

* Atacama
* La Guajira
* Los Médanos de Coro
* Monte
* Patagonian
* Sechura
* Tatacoa

Polar regions|

| Antarctic|

* Antarctica
* Meyer Desert

|

Arctic|

* North American Arctic
* Greenland
* Russian Arctic

* Project
* Category
* Commons

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