Wildlife of Norway

Last updated
Valley near the Jostedal Glacier Short Canyon near the Jostedalsbreen, Norway.jpg
Valley near the Jostedal Glacier

The wildlife of Norway includes the diverse flora and fauna of Norway. The habitats include high mountains, tundras, rivers, lakes, wetlands, sea coast and some lower cultivated land in the south. Mainland Norway has a long coastline, protected by skerries and much dissected by fjords, and the mostly-icebound archipelago of Svalbard lies further north. The flora is very varied and a large range of mammals, birds (many migratory), fish and invertebrate species live here, as well as a few species of reptiles and amphibians.

Contents

Geography

Mainland Norway is a mountainous, elongated country with a very long coastline. It extends from a latitude of 58°N to more than 71°N, which is north of the Arctic Circle, and there are some 50,000 smaller islands off the extremely indented coastline. The Scandinavian Mountains extend along the length of the country; the average elevation is 460 m (1,510 ft) and 32% of the mainland is located above the tree line. The mountains end abruptly on the west coast and there is little in the way of a coastal plain. Between the mountains are deep valleys, with lowland largely limited to the southeastern region of the country and the south coast. The far northeast of the country is less mountainous, with rolling hills and the Finnmarksvidda plateau. [1]

Ice-covered Svalbard during August Spitzbergen-2 hg.jpg
Ice-covered Svalbard during August

Further north still, the archipelago of Svalbard has an arctic climate; the land surface on the three large and many smaller islands is 60% glacier ice, 30% rock and scree, and only 10% is vegetated. [2] The island has its own distinctive flora and fauna.

Climate

The climate of much of the mainland is subarctic, with some continental climate in the southeast and some oceanic climate around the coast. Compared to other places at similar latitudes, the temperature is higher because of the warm North Atlantic Current, and the coast normally remains free of ice. [3] The predominant winds bring relatively warm, humid air in from the Atlantic. Much precipitation falls on the western side of the mountains, with the long inland valleys being rather drier and land to the east of the mountains experiencing a rain shadow effect, with less precipitation, more sunshine and usually warmer summers. The far north and northeast of the country are drier but experience much fog and drizzle. [4]

The climate of Svalbard is dominated by its high latitude, with the average summer temperature at 5 °C (41 °F) and January averages at −14 °C (7 °F). [5] The West Spitsbergen Current moderates Svalbard's temperatures, particularly during winter.

Flora

Bogs and lakes are common in the boreal zone Swamp landscape in Signaldalen with Otertinden 2, 2012 June.jpg
Bogs and lakes are common in the boreal zone
Arctic downy birch forms the treeline in most of Scandinavia Mountain-birch-Trollheimen.jpg
Arctic downy birch forms the treeline in most of Scandinavia

Vegetation zones in Norway include forests, bogs, wetlands and heaths. Boreal species are adapted to the long, cold winters but need a growing season of sufficient length and warmth. Thus typical boreal species include the Norway spruce and pine, while at higher altitudes deciduous trees like downy birch, grey alder, aspen and rowan predominate. Higher still, these give way to dwarf willows and birches above which are tundra, rock and ice. [6] The tundra is too exposed and the climate too severe to support trees and large plants, and here grow mountain grasses and low-growing alpine plants such as mountain avens and purple saxifrage. At even higher altitudes mosses and lichens provide the chief vegetation cover. [7]

Estimates of the total number of species in the country include 20,000 species of algae, 1,800 species of lichen, 1,050 species of mosses, 2,800 species of vascular plants, and up to 7,000 species of fungi. [8]

In parts of the country with a more continental climate, spruce and pine are dominant and grow at higher elevations than other trees, but in other areas, mountain birch forms the tree line, at around 1,200 m (4,000 ft) in central southeastern Norway, descending to 750 m (2,500 ft) at the Arctic Circle and to sea level further north. [4] At higher altitudes, the terrain is arctic tundra.

Svalbard has permafrost and tundra, with both low, middle and high Arctic vegetation. 165 species of plants have been found on the archipelago. [9] Only those areas which defrost in the summer have vegetation cover and this accounts for about 10% of the island group.

Fauna

Muskox in the low alpine tundra at Dovrefjell National Park Muskus.jpg
Muskox in the low alpine tundra at Dovrefjell National Park

Excluding bacteria and viruses but including marine organisms, the total number of animal and plant species in Norway is estimated at 60,000. [8] This includes 16,000 species of insects (probably 4,000 more species yet to be described), 450 species of birds (250 species nesting in Norway), 90 species of mammals, 45 fresh-water species of fish, 150 marine species of fish, 1,000 species of fresh-water invertebrates, and 3,500 species of marine invertebrates. [8]

Terrestrial mammals on mainland Norway include the European hedgehog, six species of shrews and ten of bats. The European rabbit, the European hare and the mountain hare all live here as do the Eurasian beaver, the red squirrel and the brown rat as well as about fifteen species of smaller rodent. Of the ungulates, the wild boar, the muskox, the fallow deer, the red deer, the elk (N. American usage: 'moose'), the roe deer and the reindeer are found in the country. [10]

Terrestrial carnivores include the brown bear, the Eurasian wolf, the red fox and the Arctic fox, as well as the Eurasian lynx, the European badger, the Eurasian otter, the stoat, the least weasel, the European polecat, the European pine marten and the wolverine. The coast is visited by the walrus and six species of seal, and around thirty species of whale, dolphin and porpoise are found in Norwegian waters. [10]

Rock ptarmigan, partly in winter plumage Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus Muta).jpg
Rock ptarmigan, partly in winter plumage

Norway has a great variety of bird species utilising its many habitats, cliffs, wetlands, forests and tundra. In the summer, insects and other food sources are plentiful and the days are long, giving plenty of time for birds to forage and feed their young. This is not the case in winter when the ground is covered in snow, the wetlands in ice and the days are short, so many of the birds are migratory, usually breeding in Norway and overwintering in southern Europe or Africa. [11]

Six terrestrial species of reptiles have been recorded in Norway: the viviparous lizard, the sand lizard, the slow worm, the European adder, the grass snake and the smooth snake, and leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles occasionally visit the coast. Amphibians are limited to the smooth newt, the great crested newt, the common toad, the common frog, the moor frog and the pool frog. [12]

There are four terrestrial mammalian species on Svalbard, the Arctic fox, the Svalbard reindeer, the polar bear and the accidentally introduced southern vole, which is found only around Grumant. There are around eighteen species of marine mammal including whales, dolphins, seals and walruses. [9] The rock ptarmigan is the only resident species of bird but the snow bunting and wheatear also nest on Svalbard as do the nearly thirty species of seabird that migrate here each year. [9] Most freshwater lakes in the Svalbard archipelago are inhabited by Arctic char. [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Svalbard</span> Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean

Svalbard, previously known as Spitsbergen or Spitzbergen, is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. North of mainland Europe, it lies about midway between the northern coast of Norway and the North Pole. The islands of the group range from 74° to 81° north latitude, and from 10° to 35° east longitude. The largest island is Spitsbergen, followed in size by Nordaustlandet and Edgeøya. The largest settlement is Longyearbyen on the west coast of Spitsbergen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tundra</span> Biome where plant growth is hindered by frigid temperatures

In physical geography, tundra is a type of biome where tree growth is hindered by frigid temperatures and short growing seasons. The term is a Russian word adapted from Sámi languages. There are three regions and associated types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine tundra, and Antarctic tundra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Norway</span>

Norway is a country located in Northern Europe in the northern and western parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The majority of the country borders water, including the Skagerrak inlet to the south, the North Sea to the southwest, the North Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Barents Sea to the north. It has a land border with Sweden to the east; to the northeast it has a shorter border with Finland and an even shorter border with Russia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scandinavian montane birch forest and grasslands</span> Tundra ecoregion in Scandinavia

The Scandinavian montane birch forests and grasslands is defined by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as a terrestrial tundra ecoregion in Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Svalbard</span>

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. The climate of Svalbard is principally a result of its latitude, which is between 74° and 81° north. Climate is defined by the World Meteorological Organization as the average weather over a 30-year period. The North Atlantic Current moderates Svalbard's temperatures, particularly during winter, giving it up to 20 °C (36 °F) higher winter temperature than similar latitudes in continental Russia and Canada. This keeps the surrounding waters open and navigable most of the year. The interior fjord areas and valleys, sheltered by the mountains, have fewer temperature differences than the coast, with about 2 °C lower summer temperatures and 3 °C higher winter temperatures. On the south of the largest island, Spitsbergen, the temperature is slightly higher than further north and west. During winter, the temperature difference between south and north is typically 5 °C, and about 3 °C in summer. Bear Island (Bjørnøya) has average temperatures even higher than the rest of the archipelago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Canada</span> Overview of the wildlife of Canada

The wildlife of Canada or biodiversity of Canada consist of over 80,000 classified species, and an equal number thought yet to be recognized. Known fauna and flora have been identified from five kingdoms: protozoa represent approximately 1% of recorded species; chromist ; fungis ; plants ; and animals. Insects account for nearly 70 percent of documented animal species in Canada. More than 300 species are found exclusively in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecotourism in the United States</span>

Ecotourism in the United States is commonly practiced in protected areas such as national parks and nature reserves. The principles and behaviors of ecotourism are slowly becoming more widespread in the United States; for example, hotels in some regions strive to be more sustainable.

Svalbard is an Arctic, wilderness archipelago comprising the northernmost part of Norway. It is mostly uninhabited, with only about 3,000 people, yet covers an area of 61,020 square kilometres (23,560 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Svalbard reindeer</span> Species of deer

The Svalbard reindeer is a small subspecies or species of reindeer found on the Svalbard archipelago of Norway. Males average 65–90 kg (143–198 lb) in weight, females 53–70 kg (117–154 lb), while for other reindeer generally body mass is 159–182 kg (351–401 lb) for males and 80–120 kg (180–260 lb) for females.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kandalaksha Nature Reserve</span> Strict nature reserve in Murmansk Oblast, Russia

Kandalaksha Nature Reserve is a Russian 'zapovednik' on the south shore of Kandalaksha Bay in the Murmansk and Karelia regions on the opening to the White Sea. The reserve also includes two small sectors on the northern coast of the Kola peninsula on the Barents Sea; notably, the warm Atlantic current causes the northern sectors on the Barents Sea to be warmer than the more southerly White Sea sectors. Over 550 islands are covered in the boundaries of the reserve. It is one of the oldest nature reserves in Russia, created in 1932 to protect the marine habitats and waterfowl of the region, particularly the eider. The reserve is situated in the Kandalakshsky District, Kolsky District, and Lovozersky District of Murmansk Oblast. The nearest city, Kandalaksha, is at the northwest entrance to the Kandalaksha Gulf, about 5 km from the nearest point in the reserve. Since 1976, the reserve has been part of the Ramsar wetland site of international importance "Kandalaksha Bay". It covers an area of 70,530 ha (272.3 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Canadian Arctic tundra</span>

The Canadian Arctic tundra is a biogeographic designation for Northern Canada's terrain generally lying north of the tree line or boreal forest, that corresponds with the Scandinavian Alpine tundra to the east and the Siberian Arctic tundra to the west inside the circumpolar tundra belt of the Northern Hemisphere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Iceland</span> Flora and fauna of Iceland

The wildlife of Iceland is the wild plant and animal life found on the island of Iceland, located in the north Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle. The flora, fauna, and funga is limited by the geography and climate of the island. The habitats on the island include high mountains, lava fields, tundras, rivers, lakes and a coastal plain of varying width. There is a long coastline, much dissected by fjords, especially in the west, north and east, with many offshore islets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arctic desert</span> Ecoregion in Arctic Ocean

The Arctic desert ecoregion is a terrestrial ecoregion that covers the island groups of Svalbard, Franz Josef Land, Severny Island and Severnaya Zemlya in the Arctic Ocean, above 75 degrees north latitude. The region is covered with glaciers, snow, and bare rock in a harshly cold environment. The temperature does rise above freezing for short periods in the summer, so some ice melt occurs, and the area supports colonies of sea birds and mammals. It has an area of 161,400 square kilometres (62,300 sq mi).

Located in the Scandinavian Peninsula, Sweden is a mountainous country dominated by lakes and forests. Its habitats include mountain heath, montane forests, tundra, taiga, beech forests, rivers, lakes, bogs, brackish, marine coasts, and cultivated land. The climate of Sweden is mild for a country at this latitude, largely owing to the significant maritime influence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Spain</span> Flora and fauna of Spain

The wildlife of Spain includes the diverse flora and fauna of Spain. The country located at the south of France has two long coastlines, one on the north on the Cantabrian Sea, another on the East and South East on the Mediterranean Sea, and a smaller one on the west and south west on the Atlantic Ocean, its territory includes a big part of the Iberian Peninsula, the Canary Islands, the Balearic Islands and two enclaves in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla. and the different climate zones, Spain is one of the countries in Europe with the greatest biodiversity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southern Hudson Bay taiga</span> Taiga ecoregion of Canada

The Southern Hudson Bay taiga is a terrestrial ecoregion, as classified by the World Wildlife Fund, which extends along the southern coast of Hudson Bay and resides within the larger taiga biome. The region is nearly coterminous with the Hudson Plain, a Level I ecoregion of North America as designated by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) in its North American Environmental Atlas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Greece</span> Flora and fauna of Greece

The wildlife of Greece includes the diverse flora, fauna, and funga of Greece, a country in southern Europe. The country is mostly mountainous with a very long, convoluted coastline, consisting of peninsulas and many islands. The climate ranges from Mediterranean through temperate to alpine, and the habitats include mountains, hills, forests, rivers, lakes, coasts and cultivated land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alps conifer and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Central Europe

The Alps conifer and mixed forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion in central Europe. It extends along the Alps mountains through portions of France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Slovenia. The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Low Arctic tundra</span> Tundra ecoregion of Canada

The Canadian Low Arctic Tundra ecoregion covers a rolling landscape of shrubby tundra vegetation along the northern edge of the mainland Canada along the border of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and a small portion in Quebec on the northeast coast of Hudson Bay. The region is important for large herds of caribou and other large mammals, and for large nesting colonies of birds such as snow geese. The region is mostly intact, with 95% remaining intact.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Middle Arctic tundra</span> Tundra ecoregion of Canada

The Canadian Middle Arctic Tundra ecoregion covers a broad stretch of northern Canada - the southern islands of the Arctic Archipelago, plus the northern mainland of Nunavut and, across Hudson Bay to the east, a portion of northern Quebec. This is the coldest and driest ecoregion in Canada, and can be referred to as a 'polar desert'. It is an important region for breeding and migratory birds, and supports 80% of the world's muskox.

References

  1. ↑ Philip's (1994). Atlas of the World. Reed International. pp. 12–13. ISBN   0-540-05831-9.
  2. ↑ Torkildsen, Torbjørn (1984). Svalbard: vårt nordligste Norge (in Norwegian). Oslo: Forlaget Det Beste. pp. 102–104l. ISBN   82-7010-167-2.
  3. ↑ Amundsen, Bård; Lie, Else (2 December 2011). "The chaotic current that warms Norway". The Research Council of Norway. Retrieved 13 February 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. 1 2 Wielgolaski, Frans E. (2006). Plant Ecology, Herbivory, and Human Impact in Nordic Mountain Birch Forests. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 4–7. ISBN   978-3-540-26595-5.
  5. ↑ "Temperaturnormaler for Spitsbergen i perioden 1961–1990" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Meteorological Institute. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  6. ↑ Fouberg, Erin Hogan; Hogan, Edward Patrick; Gritzner, Charles F. (2009). Norway. Infobase Publishing. pp. 24–25. ISBN   978-1-4381-0527-7.
  7. ↑ Ratcliffe, Derek (2010). Lapland: A Natural History. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 43. ISBN   978-1-4081-3402-3.
  8. 1 2 3 "NOU 2004" (in Norwegian). Regjeringen.no. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  9. 1 2 3 "Protected Areas in Svalbard" (in Norwegian). Norwegian Directorate for Nature Management. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Norsk Zoologisk Forening" (in Norwegian). Sabima. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "Norway: Bird migration" (PDF). Fugletrekket. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  12. ↑ Skei, Jon. "Amphibians and reptiles in Norway - monitoring and research". Council of Europe. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  13. ↑ O'Malley, Kathleen G.; Vaux, Felix; Black, Andrew N. (2019). "Characterizing neutral and adaptive genomic differentiation in a changing climate: The most northerly freshwater fish as a model". Ecology and Evolution. 9 (4): 2004–2017. doi:10.1002/ece3.4891. PMC   6392408 . PMID   30847088.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.