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Antarctic Law and Policy (ALP1076)
Get PDFEven though the legal principles are universal, there is no other place on earth that is analogous to the Antarctic, which makes studying Antarctic case material rewarding. Using practical examples of various aspects of the legal regime at work, this course will provide students with valuable translational experience that will enhance their overall knowledge of the Antarctic and international law.
This Antarctic Law and Policy course is one of the core courses of the University of Akureyri Polar Law Master's program, taught by Dr. Julia Jabour from Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania
Arctic Seabirds Breeding in the African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) Area - Status and Trends
Get PDFThis report summarizes population status and trends for 19 populations of Arctic seabirds. It is compiled as an input to
the 2012 African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement (AEWA) Report on the Conservation Status of Migratory Birds in the
Agreement Area (abbreviated Conservation Status Report, CSR) being prepared by Wetlands International. The previous
CSR report (CSR4) was published in 2008 and contained no detailed information of the status and trends of the Arctic
seabird population analysed in this report. Thus, this is the first effort to summarize status and trends of Arctic seabirds in
the agreement area. The report format including the tables are following AEWA CSR conventions, i.e., population sizes are
expressed in individuals and trend calculations and status categories are based on AEWA guidelines. The AEWA agreement
text, Action Plan and previous CRS Reports are available at: www.unep-aewa.org
Abundance estimates have largely been based on counts of breeding birds or occupied nests in colonies, which is the most
usually applied method of censusing colonial seabirds. Numbers reported as pairs or occupied nests have been multiplied
by three to get the number of individuals. Trends have been calculated using published data from national monitoring
programs and national censuses, as well as some previously unpublished data from national experts
Phylogenetic diversity of dinoflagellates in polar regions
Get PDFBecause of the limitations of sampling and seasonal study in polar regions, knowledge of dinoflagellate diversity, distribution and ecology are limited. Dinoflagellates have been incidentally reported from polar regions during some seasons and some populations have been reported as components of microalgae. Surveys of molecular diversity link the genotype of dinoflagellates from polar regions with environmental adaptation. In this study, 37 positive clones of dinoflagellates collected from different sites were used for genotype analysis, providing new insights into the biodiversity and distribution of these species based on 18S rRNA sequencing. Diverse genotypes were recorded for the summer season in Kongsfjorden (high Arctic) whilst a single novel genotype of dinoflagellate was recorded from winter samples from the Antarctic Ocean. Data from ice cores suggests that this single dinoflagellate genotype was adapted to extreme cold and clone library screening found that it was occasionally the only microbial eukaryotic genotype found in winter ice cores. The findings of this study could improve our understanding of the diverse dinoflagellate genotypes occurring in these perennially cold microbial ecosystems
Climate change: Impact on the Arctic, Antarctic and Tibetan Plateau
Get PDFThe Arctic, Antarctic and Tibetan Plateau are very sensitive to global climate change. Hence, it is urgent that we improve our understanding of how they respond to climate change, and how those responses in turn affect both regional and global climate. Against a background of current global warming, the three poles display climate diversities temporarily and spatially, which to different degrees affect the weather and climate over China. Enhanced monitoring of climate change in these three areas, as well as connected work on the responses and feedbacks of the three regions to climate change, will provide necessary support for adaptation and the sustainable development of the Chinese economy
Shock effects and the classification of H-chondrites from the Grove Mountains, East Antarctica: Implications for the shock history of H-chondrite parent bodies
Get PDFThe shock metamorphism of 47 H group chondrites (H-chondrites) from the Grove Mountains including undulatory extinction, planar fractures, mosaic extinction, shock veins and pockets, and dendritic eutectic metal-sulfide, is observed through optical microscope. The textures and assemblages of shock veins in these H-chondrites are examined by the scanning electron microscope. Based on observations of the above shock effects, the shock stages of the 47 H-chondrites are classified into S1(5), S2(19), S3(14), S4(8) and S5(1). Of these H-chondrites, GRV 022469 has the highest(S5) shock stage. The comparison of shock stages in these H-chondrites with L group chondrites(L-chondrites) indicates that the shock metamorphism of H-chondrites is relatively low (except for GRV 022469, they are all lower than S5). A scenario for the history of the H-chondrite parent body is proposed that suggests the duration of the shock events in the H-chondrite parent bodies was much shorter than those in L-chondrite parent bodies. Also, the pressure may have been released more quickly, and consequently, the high-pressure phases should be easily preserved. However, the parent bodies of the H-chondrites may have been exposed to high temperatures for a longer time after the shock event, so the high-pressure phases formed by solid transformation might have retro-metamorphosed to low-pressure ones; its peak pressure is estimated to be less than 15 GPa. Wadsleyite was found in a shock vein in GRV022469, as confirmed by the Raman spectrometer. Petrological and mineralogical characteristics support the idea that the wadsleyite was formed by solid-state transformation
Adaptation and coping strategies in Chinese Antarctic Expeditioners’ winter-over life
Get PDFThe harsh natural and social environments in Antarctica challenge the limit of physical and psychological adaptation. Psychological research on Antarctic expeditioners’ winter-over life can enhance our understanding of how humans adapt to isolated, confined and extreme environments. In this qualitative study, nine people who worked at either the Great Wall station or Zhongshan Station were interviewed. Most of the problems related to adaptation in Antarctica could be summarized and categorized into four types: physical, emotional, interpersonal and task-related. Two main sets of factors which impact quality of work and life in Antarctica were identified. The first set refers to internal factors comprising personality, attitude, age and previous experience. The second set is external factors including natural environments as well as conditions of stations and key persons, especially the chef and station master. A theoretical framework of coping strategies including organizational and individual aspects was developed. Among the seven ways of coping, energy transferring such as taking part in sports entertainment or learning played the most important role. The results not only provide a strong theoretical base for future research of polar psychology, but also provide an empirical base for more applications on Antarctic expeditions, flight and space missions
A conjugate study of the polar ionospheric F2-layer and IRI-2007 at 75° magnetic latitude for solar minimum
Get PDFLong-duration conjugate observations by the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) and the ionosonde at Zhongshan station from the International Polar Year (IPY) during solar minimum conditions are analyzed, with respect to variability in the F2-layer peak parameters. A comparison between International Reference Ionosphere- 2007 (IRI-2007) and observation data clearly demonstrates good agreement in summer, but greater deviations in winter. The IRI model reproduces the F2 peak parameters dominated by solar photoionization reasonably well, but it does not address the effect of electron precipitation. Hence, the discrepancies become large in the winter auroral ionosphere
Arctic - Changing Realities
Get PDFThe Conference "Arctic - Changing Realities" held in Copenhangen on May 26, 2010 was an attempt to bring together international key stake holders with relevance for the Arctic to discuss ideas and solutions for the challenges facing the Arctic. In this conference report you can find discussions on governance, resources and culture
Reindriftskvinner i Norge
No full textHeftets målgruppe er kvinner i reindriften. Kvinner har etterspurt et hefte der bredere informasjon er samlet. Dette heftet sier noe om viktigheten av å beholde kvinnene i reindriften, om familiebasert reindrift og ordninger som er rettet spesielt mot kvinner. Heftet redegjør for utøvende reindriftspolitikk som har til formål å styrke kvinnenes posisjon i næringen og synliggjøre deres kompetanse. Reindriftskvinne er en kvinne som har rein i eget merke. Bare personer som har rett til reinmerke, har rett til å eie rein i det samiske reinbeiteområdet, og de må inngå i en siidaandel (Reindriftsloven §§ 9, 10, 32, 51). Men i realiteten er ikke kvinner i reindriften én homogen gruppe, men det er ulikheter både i alder og tilhørighet og også om de er i lønnsarbeid utenfor næringen eller om de arbeider full tid i reindriften
Megaprojects in the Circumpolar North: Broadening the horizon, gaining insight, empowering local stakeholders - Social impacts: The case of the Kárahnjúkar power plant and Alcoa Fjarðarál plant in Iceland
Get PDFThis report is one of deliverables of the project “Megaprojects in the Circumpolar North”, focusing on the social and economic impacts of megaprojects on local communities. The report includes recommendations on how to improve the planning procedure and maximise positive effects while minimizing the negative.
Available research findings on socio-economic impacts of Kárahnjúkar hydro project and Alcoa Fjarðaál aluminium plant in East Iceland are compiled here. A research on the impacts on these small communities in East Iceland was carried out during the period 2004-2009