The Cold weather It is one whose temperatures are permanently below 0 ° C. These areas are not highly populated, since subsistence requires certain conditions and the combination of cold and strong winds makes it very difficult to inhabit them..
In order to make a definition of the climate, it is necessary to understand the values of the different components. Elements such as precipitation, cloud cover, insolation, temperatures, winds, humidity and atmospheric pressure must have a duration of at least 30 years to be considered as determining factors in the climatic characteristics of an area..
Likewise, these elements will be conditioned by climatic factors such as latitude, altitude and geographical location. It must be taken into account that all these agents are governed by the shape of the planet and the inclination of its axis, which makes the incidence of solar rays uneven in the different regions..
The cold climate is governed by air masses that come from the Arctic, Polar and Antarctic areas. It can be classified into subclimates with specific characteristics, the common being low temperature. They are found in high latitudes, although in other latitudes it is possible to find climates similar to mountain and polar.
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The cold zones are located in the polar circles, the Arctic and the Antarctic, which correspond to the north and south poles. These regions cover almost 28% of the floating or emerged lands.
The tundra area is located in northern North America, in southeastern Europe, northern Asia and on the coasts of Greenland. For its part, the polar zone is located in Antarctica and north-central Greenland.
The mountain area is divided between the regions of the Himalayas, the Altai Mountains, the Andes mountain range, the Sierra Madre, the Caucasus, the Rocky Mountains and the Alps.
There are regions in South America such as the Puna and Patagonia that are located in high areas of the mountain ranges and that, although to a lesser degree than the poles, are very cold.
Chile and Argentina are the southernmost regions of South America and are characterized by the fact that their most isolated areas have a cold climate throughout the year..
The first of these landscapes in the tundra, which corresponds to an open and flat area in which plants do not develop. Mosses, grasses and lichen grow on its soil.
The second landscape is the glacial one. These are frozen surfaces and mountains of very high elevation with the presence of snow.
Due to the low incidence of solar rays as a result of the axial tilt of the planet, temperatures are below 0 ° C, reaching much less than -50 ° C in the areas that are more icy.
The percentage of radiation from snow and ice (albedo) is very high, so the rays that hit the surface are reflected before they can heat it.
In these climates, humidity is scarce due to low temperatures, so the rainy seasons are practically non-existent. This conditions the life cycles of plant and animal species.
The internal soils of the tundra are permanently frozen throughout the year, due to the fact that their internal layers are affected by extreme low temperatures..
The air masses that move horizontally are called winds, which are produced by the variation in atmospheric pressure. As temperatures drop, these become much more intense.
This phenomenon occurs when hot, humid air masses rise into the atmosphere due to a contrast in temperatures..
This forms clouds that condense the water into crystals and are precipitated by the weight, falling on the ground and forming layers because the temperatures are below 0 ° C..
These areas have a scarce population due to the fact that their climatic conditions exceed the limits of human resistance. In addition, they do not have soils suitable for cultivation; these characteristics also hinder the development of plant and animal species.
Different types of cold climates or subclimates can be found. These are determined by its location and the elements and climatic factors that affect it. Within cold climates, three categories stand out: tundra climate, polar climate and mountain climate.
In these areas (Arctic, Greenland coast, Siberia and Antarctic coast) the winters are rigorously long; These are regions that are located between 60 and 75 degrees latitude.
Summer as such does not exist, there is only a very short and cool season of 0 ° in May, which is the least cold month. Snow is the permanent form of precipitation.
Polar air masses predominate and cyclonic storms are normal. Plants such as lichens, ferns, grasses and mosses grow in these areas..
They are areas of permanent cold, with a winter that lasts from eight to nine months and with a very cold summer. On average, temperatures range from -20 to -30 ° C, even as low as -90 ° C.
The axial tilt of the Earth causes the polar zones to move away from the equator. For this reason, these regions do not receive a large amount of sunlight, which makes them the coldest on the planet..
The height of this area reduces the pressure and the temperature, and its relief causes an increase in rainfall due to the fact that the air masses are forced to rise. This produces a particular climate regardless of latitude.
The animal species capable of surviving in these latitudes are few and with very particular characteristics. Throughout their evolution, they have developed systems that allow them to face the inclemency of this type of climate.
These species are subdivided into predators and herbivores, and have had to adapt to survive in these extreme spaces..
There are also those who, despite not having developed these systems that allow them to adapt to extreme cold conditions, have found a way of survival in the construction of underground tunnels..
These areas are rich in plankton, which makes them attractive to certain aquatic species such as mollusks, aquatic mammals, and fish. Likewise, elephant seals, seals and whales are part of the marine fauna of the region..
During the polar summer the birds migrate towards the poles. These include geese, partridges and ducks. In this summer season there are also many insects and mammals such as squirrels, wolves and reindeer..
Below we will detail the most relevant characteristics of the main representatives of the fauna of cold climates:
This species lives in the Arctic. His body has enough fat and is covered in thick and long brown hair, which makes him look very robust..
Its legs are thick and very short, as are its neck and tail. It has a small hump and horns in the middle of the head, the tips of which are black.
Adults weigh between 180 and 410 kilograms. The largest males are between 200 and 250 centimeters in length, while the females reach between 135 and 250 centimeters.
They are diurnal and social. They are characterized by living in herds and are herbivores, so they consume roots, mosses and stems.
It is the well-known white bear. Its tail and ears are small, and its diet is meat-based; seals are his favorites. Its lower extremities end in strong legs that allow it to travel long distances..
The dense layer of fat and profuse fur maintains body heat. They do not hibernate, but females waiting for young take refuge in the winter.
The boreal whale that lives in Greenland has a vigorous body and a dorsal fin. It weighs around 100 tons and is 18 meters long.
Indiscriminate hunting has reduced their population. This specimen inhabits the Arctic area and feeds especially on krill.
It inhabits the North American and Eurasian tundras. Its ears are small, its hair is white and its tail is bushy. The polar fox feeds on birds and small mammals.
It adapts very well to the cold. It can be found in Sweden, Norway, Greenland and Iceland, among other areas.
It has a white coat that turns bluish during the short summer. This hare feeds on berries, shoots and leaves.
It inhabits the Arctic glacial ocean and the North Atlantic. Harp seals live in colonies and feed on fish. During adulthood their bodies are silver and their faces are black.
Also known as caribou, it is found in the Northern Hemisphere (Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia). They move in herds and the males are not close to the herd. Its huge hooves make it easy to walk through the snow.
It is a seabird that does not fly. It can swim thanks to its rigid bone-in fins, reaching up to 60 km / hour. It has special blood vessels, three layers of feathers and a thick layer of fat.
Seed-producing vascular forms are found in Antarctica. Examples of the representative flora of cold climates are the Antarctic carnation and Antarctic grass, species that grow among mosses and are small. From these grow minimal white flowers.
Its scientific name is Colobanthus quitensis and it is also known as Antarctic pearl. The flowers of this species are yellow in color and the leaves it produces can measure up to 5 centimeters high, generating a layer on the ground of a certain thickness..
It is possible to find the Antarctic carnation in a wide territorial extension, since it grows from Mexico to the Antarctic peninsula. As a consequence of global warming, in Antarctica there have been more seeds of this plant, which germinates much more during the summer.
The carnation also has a photoprotective mechanism, through which it can reduce excess energy by releasing heat.
Antarctic grass is a plant for food and medicine. During the summer their germination also increases; thanks to this it is abundant in areas with cold climates.
It produces sugars, mainly fructans and sucrose, and is of great interest to the food industry. Its compounds absorb ultraviolet rays, filtering the sun's rays; thanks to this it has been considered as a possible treatment for foot or skin cancer.
Its scientific name is Antarctic deschampsia, and is also known as Antarctic hairy grass.
This type of climate does not allow arboreal development; instead, it gives way to an ecosystem that resists the extreme conditions that low temperatures represent: the tundra.
It is characterized by extensive plains in which the proliferation of plants is scarce and of simple and low structure. The ground is covered with moss, as well as ericaceae, lichens and sedges.
Although tall vegetation does not predominate, it does present flowering vegetation and more than 300 species, among which are flowering grasses and liverworts. Likewise, near the boreal forest we can find birches, alders and willows.
They grow microscopically on the ground. There are only 10 macroscopic structures that occur sporadically among mosses during the Antarctic summer.
They are the plant group that best adapts to the prevailing climate in Antarctica. They are plants with a double characteristic: they have an alga and a kind of fungus that performs a symbiosis. They grow on stones, moss, soil and rocks.
They are small forms without vascular tissue whose life cycle consists of two phases: the gametophyte and the sporophyte..
It is a type of perennial herb of green color and small size. These specimens grow in humid forests.
In Antarctica there are some species of green and cyanophytic terrestrial algae. These include unicellular algae and other multicellular algae..
Bird nests provide nutrients; for this reason, nests can often be seen in these formations.
It grows in the sea or in freshwater pools. It is made up especially of plankton, which floats; or by benthos, which are found at the bottom of the waters.
There are about 100 species of diatoms; these are found in both Antarctic and subantarctic waters.
There are indigenous communities that inhabit the Arctic polar region, despite the extreme weather conditions
In recent years, protection projects have been approved and implemented for this area, such as the Green Edge Project, which supports indigenous communities that depend on hunting and fishing..
The oil industry has caused serious damage to the environment in the area as a result of methane emissions produced by its activities. This affects the marine ecosystem and communities, which face the problems of global warming. As a result of these practices, the area has thawed.
These changes affect the climate and modify both the development of resources and their quality, harming the communities and their economy, since the subsistence of these inhabitants depends solely on the marine environment..
During the summer in Antarctica around 4,000 people live together, while in winter there are only about a thousand. Scientific work brings together communities of researchers throughout the year.
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