JUNE 18TH: POLAR LAND AND LIFE DAY
On June 18th, 2008, the International Polar Year 2007-8 (IPY) launches its fifth ‘International Polar Day' focusing on Land and Life: the plants and animals of polar lands and the changing permafrost and hydrologic systems. This Polar Day occurs as hundreds of researchers focus on Arctic environments. It has been timed in conjunction with the Ninth International Conference on Permafrost (NICOP) in Fairbanks, Alaska, and the UNEP TUNZA International Children’s Conference in Norway, part of IPY’s continued role in raising public awareness of polar science.
Polar landscapes and terrestrial ecosystems extend from the tree line of the continental tundra to the remote northern islands of the Arctic, and from southern cold maritime islands to the dry continental deserts of Antarctica. Ice, particularly in the form of permafrost and seasonal snow cover, plays a dominant role in all these environments. Biological communities survive through remarkable adaptations and extensive migration. A range of climatological and ecological pressures act on these northern-most and southern-most ecosystems. IPY research is assessing changes in vegetation (so-called greening) methane production (due to permafrost degradation), wildlife health and migration patterns, coastal erosion, and freshwater availability.
A special Land and Life webpage has been prepared with information for Press and Educators, details of current projects, profiles and contact details for scientists around the world, images, background information and useful links and resources. There will also be a wide range of educational and community activities, including classroom experiments, a virtual balloon launch, and three live web-conferencing events connecting polar scientists to students around the world.
Photo: Lake Hazen, Quttinnirpaaq National Park, Ellesmere Island, Nunavut, Thanks to Jim Reist
About IPY and International Polar Days
The International Polar Year 2007-8 is a large international and interdisciplinary coordinated research effort focused on the polar regions. An estimated 50,000 participants from more than 60 countries are involved in research as diverse as anthropology and astronomy, health and history, and genomics and glaciology. This fourth IPY was launched in March 2007, and will continue through early 2009. During this IPY, a regular sequence of International Polar Days will raise awareness and provide information about particular and timely aspects of the polar regions. These Polar Days include press releases, contacts to experts in several languages, activities for teachers, on-line community participation, web-conferencing events, and links to researchers in the Arctic and Antarctic. The complete schedule for International Polar Days is listed below.
March 1st, 2007: Global Launch of IPY
September 21st 2007: Sea Ice
sea Ice, marine life, changing climate
December 13th 2007: Ice Sheets
ice sheets, traverses, expeditions, adventure
March 12th 2008: Changing Earth, Past & Present
ice, climate, oceans, paleoclimate, Earth history
June 18th 2008: Land and Life
permafrost, terrestrial biodiversity, hydrology, snow
September 24th 2008: People
social sciences
December 2008: Above the Poles
astronomy, meteorology, atmospheric sciences
March 2009: Oceans and Marine Life
marine biodiversity, physical oceanography
Morulina mackenziana from Igloolik in the Canadian Arctic. One of the largest springtails found in either polar region. Photo Barry O'Brien
Contact
For more information regarding this event, please contact
Dr Rhian Salmon, IPY IPO Education and Outreach Coordinator
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +441223221297
Dr David Carlson, IPY IPO Director, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , +447715371759
For more information and contact details, please visit the IPY Land and Life webpage.
And
Ninth International Conference on Permafrost: www.nicop.org
For more information about the International Polar Year, please visit www.ipy.org