Cold Environments

Polar Environments

Found in land, away from sea

Average monthly temp below freezing

Large amounts of snow and ice

Majority of precipitation is snow but there isn a lot

Permafrost

Furthest North and South

Plant adaptations

Able to grow under snow

Quickly produce flowers in the windows they have

Shallow roots and small leaves and flowers due to low nutrients

Photosynthesise in freezing temp

Endangered by climate change

Tundra Environments

Majority of them are just south of the Northern ice caps

5th of worlds land mass

Ground is frozen most of the year

6-10 week thermal growing season

More precipitation than Polar still nearly all snow

No sun in winter

Sun is 24/7 in the summer

Very occasionally rises to 20℃

Permafrost, melts for 1-2 months a year on top layers

Waterlogged when permafrost melts

Qaanaaq & Tradition Living

Qaanaaq is 77.367 N, 69.229 W

Based around hunting culture

Minimal service industry

Trading is the main economy

Resourceful with kills, use every part of animal

Main transport is dog sleigh

No modern tech other than heating and electricity

Self reliant

Stilted houses

No. of hunters going down, lured to supermarkets, teaching and mining

Climate change means hunting grounds are cut off for both human and prey

Quotas are being introduced for the amount of animals allowed to kill

35 walruses a year, 5 polar bears a year

Disko Bay and Mining

Ice has melted in last 20 years reveal rubies, sapphires, gold and other metals

Huge mining opportunities

Foreigners are buying mines. They have money and expertise

Greenlandic people are being employed but no in high ranking positions

Greenlandic government is promoting foreign investment

Black Angel Mine: Owned by Aussie, licensed by government, brings in foreigners for specialised tasks

FI is good for economy

Pre 2000 suicide rate was one the lowest in the world. Post it's the highest

83 suicides per 1000. Global average is 16 per 1000

Mining expanded from 1.1% of GDP to 7.7% in 1 year