Location
Most of the islands north of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories are found in the
Northern Arctic.
Climate
Extending over most of the arctic islands, this is the coldest and driest part of the
country. Winter nights last for days or even months, and average annual
temperature is as low as -3ºC in the northerly part of the region. Precipitation is so
low here, only 100 to 200mm a year, which the region can be classified as an arctic
desert. July and August are the only months in which snow doesn't usually lie on the
ground. Permafrost, constantly frozen ground, is present everywhere in this ecozone
and can extend downwards for over a kilometre. Only a thin layer at the surface
thaws during summer. The waters in the northern half of the Northern Arctic are
permanently frozen, but the southern waters can be open in the summer, although
ice still persists offshore throughout the year.
Geology and Geography
The western section of the ecozone consists of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary
rock. Towards the east, the bedrock is mostly Precambrian granite. Most of the
Northern Arctic is flat or slightly rolling terrain. The west is littered with glacial
deposits and shattered limestone. Plains may extend for several kilometres inland
from the coast; once underwater, these plains are now rising as the continent rises
after having been pushed down by glaciers during previous ice ages. The east is
characterized by plateaus and rocky hills, which eventually lead to the Arctic
Cordillera ecozone's mountains.
Flora and Fauna
Plants
The entirety of the Northern Arctic lies above the tree line, so no full-sized tree
species can be found here. Very few plant species can survive in these conditions.
Plants are generally stunted and become more so to the north.
Some plants found here include purple saxifrage, mountain avens, arctic poppy,
arctic willow, Dryas species, kobresia, sedges, cottongrass, moss, dwarf birch,
northern Labrador tea, Vaccinium species, alder, alpine foxtail, wood rush, wire rush,
moss campions, white arctic heather, arctic bladder campion, yellow oxytrope,
mastodon flower, arctic lousewort, mountain sorrel, pygmy buttercup, river beauty,
chickweed.
Animals
Mammals
Only about twenty mammal species live here. The largest are the carnivorous polar
bear, and arctic wolf and the herbivourous barren-land caribou and muskox. The
smaller carnivores found here include arctic fox, while smaller herbivores include
the snowshoe hare, arctic hare. marine mammals that live in the waters off the coast
include walrus, seals, bearded, beluga, and various other whales.
Birds
Most of the bird species migrate to the Northern Arctic in spring to mate, leaving in
fall. Birds of prey that can be found in the northern arctic include gyrfalcon, roughlegged hawk, and snowy owl. Waterfowl include snow goose, brant. Canada
goose, oldsquaw duck, red-throated loon, arctic loon and king eider. Shorebirds and
seabirds include the red knot, long-tailed jaeger, northern fulmar, black-bellied
plover, and ruddy turnstone. Some forest birds of the ecozone are the willow
ptarmigan, rock ptarmigan, hoary redpoll, snow bunting and lapland longspur.
Amphibians and Reptiles
No reptiles or amphibians can survive the conditions here.
Humans
About 15 000 people live in the Northern Arctic, and the bulk of the population is
Inuit. Most people live through survival activities, such as hunting, trapping and
fishing, though gas and oil exploration also provide a living for some, many people
travel to the Northern Arctic for tourism.