Today we are going to talk about the arctic mountain range. It is a mountainous system of deeply fractured ranges. It is also known by the name of Arctic Rockies. It is located on the northeastern coasts of North America. It has many icy peaks and large mountain glaciers that become a unique landscape. They are mountain ranges that limit to the east with the waters of Baffin Bay and in the northern part it borders the Arctic Ocean, hence their name.
In this article we are going to tell you about all the characteristics, geology, flora and fauna of the Arctic mountain range.
Key features
It is a mountain range that extends from the northern tip of the Labrador Peninsula and occupies the entire coast and most of the islands in the Canadian Arctic archipelago. They cover a total distance of more than 2.700 kilometers. It has numerous icy peaks and abundant glaciers that form huge ice fields. Administratively, it also belongs entirely to the autonomous territory of Nunavut, although the southeastern part belongs to the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.
It is a system that is divided into a series of mountain ranges and that have some mountains that have heights of more than 2.000 meters. The highest peak is known as Barbeau Peak and is 2.616 meters high. It is also known as the highest point in eastern North America. This entire mountain system is, together with the Rocky Mountains, of the top two in Canada. It is one of the ecozones that borders the northern Arctic Ocean, while in the part of the Labrador sector it has a climate known as taiga. The taiga shield does not seem to affect the Ecozone, where most of the biodiversity is found, nor does it affect the border areas. This is because their biological properties are opposite.
In this case we find a cold climate versus a warm climate and some different plant species as well as fauna that are adapted to different environments. Stands out for having a landscape dominated by huge polar ice fields with alpine glaciers and inland fjords that resemble other landscapes of great beauty such as those of the Andes mountainsIt has large bodies of water bordering it, with environmental conditions unlike many similar Arctic regions around the world. Its terrain is known for its harsh conditions, although humans have maintained a settled population of about 1,000 people.
Environmental conditions of the Arctic mountain range
The entire landscape is 75% covered by ice or exposed bedrock. Here we find the permanently frozen ground known as permafrost. This permafrost remains year-round and makes animal and plant life somewhat scarcer. It's important to keep in mind that for life to exist, a food chain must exist. This chain is how different links are established through which animals and plants can thrive.
In the Arctic mountain range the average temperature it ranges from 6 degrees during the summer to -16 degrees in winter. These low temperatures mean that vegetation is largely absent. The main reason for the lack of plants is due to the permanent ice and snow. The Arctic Cordillera is a fairly narrow ecozone compared to other areas of Canada. To better understand its climate, it is interesting to understand how the Antarctica weather can offer comparisons about its environment.
Here lies the northernmost mountain range in the world. Known as the Challenger Mountains, they are located in the northwestern region of the island. Given their importance to ecosystems and the ecological balance of nature, a perimeter was established with the status of a protected natural area. Known as the Torngat Mountains National Park Reserve, it is located on the Labrador Peninsula and covers much of the southern tip of the Arctic Cordillera. This protected natural area is responsible for protecting many species of Arctic wildlife, such as polar bears, peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and caribou.
Protected natural area of the Arctic mountain range
The natural park was established on January 22, 2005, making it the first national park to be created in Labrador. It has a large number of glaciers and polar caps whose driest region is the northern part and is covered by ice caps. Glaciers are more common in the extreme south as they are more humid. If we go to Ellesmere Island, we see that much of the options are covered by glaciers and ice. Throughout the 500th century, the entire northwest coast of the island was covered by a huge ice shelf 90 kilometers in size. As expected, these mountain ranges are affected by the effect of global warming. This entire area of ice was reduced by XNUMX% due to the effects of the increase in temperature caused by an emission of greenhouse gases.
There is a study carried out in 1986 about the effects of global warming on the Arctic mountain range and it was found that 48 km2, involving 3.3 km 3 (0.79 cubic miles) of ice, broke off from the Milne and Ayles ice shelves. between 1959 and 1974. The entire remaining largest section of thick terrestrial sea ice is known as the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf. The breakdown of the Ellesmere ice shelves has continued into the XNUMXst century: the Ward Ice Shelf experienced a major rupture during the summer of 2002.
In the context of global warming, the largest rupture ever experienced is that of the platform that could pose a threat to the oil industry in the Beaufort Sea. As with the situation in other mountainous areas, it is important to consider the impact of the change in the lithosphere in these fragile ecosystems.
As you can see, one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world is being severely affected by the effects of global warming. I hope this information helps you learn more about the Arctic Mountains and their characteristics.