Europe: Vatnajökull National Park, Iceland

(https://www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/reykjavik_airport)

Severe Weather

The southern coast of Iceland does not have much varying weather due to warm waters from the Gulf Stream. The weather in Iceland can change very quickly. This is due to to the air that travels along with the Gulf Stream. The largest source of severe weather comes from either heavy rain/winds or dust storms. During drier and warmer times, high winds can kick up areas of rock and dust throughout the rough landscape and cause some dangerous storms.

Biogeography in Vatnajökull

Climate Adaptations by Plants and Animals

Iceland has a low population of plants and animals due to the harsh climate that would have to sustain them. Since the weather is usually cold, the animals and plants that live there have to be able to survive the conditions. To handle this, there are mostly low shrubs that don’t have to fight against winds or cold breezes. Vatnajokull is without sunlight for most of the year, explaining why there is a lack of plants and animal species. Most plants need sunlight to survive, so the only those able to sustain can live in Vatnajokull. Most of the animals species are nocturnal to adapt to the darkness. With that being said, land animals are sparse in Vatnajokull because of the lack of diverse vegetation/animals for them to live on. Animals had to find other means of getting food. Birds are a major animal species in Iceland since they are able to fly and find their food. You also find small rodents and reptiles because these animals can live off of each other. In the marine world, the animal species are dramatic. With the amount of lakes and oceans around Iceland, this is where you can find most of their animal life.

Biome and Ecoregion

Iceland, and thus Vatnajökull, is located in the Boreal Forest/Taiga biome (WWF). This biome is categorized to have cold temperatures, heavy moisture, and a lot of vegetation. Interestingly, Vatnajökull has a lack of trees and bushes because of volcanic activity, but it is believed that the region was covered in trees 5-15 million years ago (skogur). Vatnajökull, and much of the rest of Iceland, is covered with exposed volcanic rock and glaciers. However, even with the lack of vegetation, Vatnajökull still falls into this biome.

In terms of ecoregion, Vatnajökull falls into the Iceland Boreal Birch Forests and Alpine Tundra. Because the entire island is not covered by permanent ice, it doesn't fall into ecoregions that are common just north of Iceland (WWF). The lack of high trees due to altitudes across the island contributes to the Alpine Tundra ecoregion, while the Boreal Birch Forests ecoregion applies similarly to the biomes.

Topography

Since Iceland is covered in snow, rock, and ice there is not much vegetation for the area to be diverse. Also, being an island there are many more native birds than any other species. Over three hundred different types of birds have been observed on the island. There are smaller mammals like the Artic Fox and the Long-tailed Field Mouse. Reindeer where introduced to the island in the 1700's (WWF).

Environmental Threats

Invasive Species

Internationally, Iceland is known for fighting against water pollution – Icelandic waters are some of the cleanest waters in the world. (Iceland) In these pure waters, invasive water species flourish. There are two species of invasive crab in Iceland, one of which is the Atlantic rock crab, which arrived in Iceland from North America. (Ice News) These crabs are large and carnivorous, and reproduce rapidly. This has impacted Icelandic fishing areas as these crabs will catch and eat small and growing fish. There is no way to effectively eliminate the invasive Atlantic rock crab.

Erosion and Climate Change

One of the most serious environmental threats in Iceland is wind erosion leading the loss of soil and of vegetation. The Icelandic Soil Conservation Service currently seeks to revegetate almost 2% of Iceland’s total land area in an attempt to reverse erosion. (Iceland) But while erosion is destroying parts of Iceland, global warming has been rising its land at a pace of 1.4 inches per year and also steadily melting its ice caps. (Time) The melting of icecaps and glaciers in Iceland directly affects Vatnajökull, which is a glacier.

Volcanic Activity

Due to its location on tectonic plate boundaries, Iceland is home to over thirty active volcanoes (South). These volcanoes not only erupt, but also provide the island with lava flows. This affects surrounding wildlife because the molten rock is not compatible with animals and plants. The constant eruptions and lava flow prevent the vegetation in the area from fully developing through its stages. This subsequently prevents animals from settling areas, since consumers need producers to survive. The 1783 Laki eruption on the island was 8 months of continuous eruptions and lava flows, drastically altering or destroying all surrounding ecosystems (Wired). Major volcanic events like this, plus the 5cm accumulation in landmass, keeps more complex plants from rooting themselves in the ground. This means that the island and the park are stuck repeating the primary succession phase, which explains the abundance of pioneer plants like mosses and grasses.

Landforms and Water in Vatnajökull

Rock Types and Geologic History

Rock types that are the most common in Iceland are volcanic, or igneous, rocks. There are four main geological formations that have built up during the years. Those include Tertiary Basalt Formation, Grey Basalt Formation, Hyaloclastite Formation and the last one is made up of unconsolidated or poorly hardened beds. All of these formations were made up of lava flows, with some sedimentary areas in between. These rock formations formed from layers of volcanic flow buildup. Formed all mainly during interglacial period, or buy glacial till during the glacial period, these formations have been here for hundreds of years.

Nearby Plate Boundaries and Their Impacts

Iceland has a plate boundary running right through the middle of the country. This plate boundary is between the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. This boundary is also known as the Mid Atlantic Ridge. You can see the ridge on the land before it goes back into the ocean. While the ridge does not go through our park specifically, it effects the whole island of Iceland. This causes there to be volcanoes in Iceland. These volcanoes can be good along with dangerous. They provide the island with geothermal heat but there is also the dangers of being around active volcanoes. When a volcano erupt, they interrupt travel plans and make it harder for people to get off the island and to safety.