Science Centres in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico connected to IPY scientists in the first of many live events starting today (March 17) at 1600UTC. Students were able to interact with and ask questions directly of the scientists using videoconferencing technologies. Andy Mahoney (Scott Base, sea ice), Russ Hopcroft (Alaska, zooplankton and the Arctic Ocean Diversity project), Martin Nweeia (Massachusetts, narwhal tusks), Irene Schloss (Quebec, plankton ecology) and Rachael Mueller (Oregon, physical oceanography) talked about their research and answered students’ questions about climate change, snow and ice, and polar organisms. Students at UNAM (Mexico) and the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry gave presentations on climate change and its impacts on local and polar environments. Stude...

Return to Main Land and Life Pages Courtesy of the McMurdo Dry Valleys Long Term Ecological Research Program The McMurdo Dry Valleys are the coldest and driest desert system in the world and represent 2% of the Antarctic Continent that is free of ice. This polar desert is a configuration of barren ground, alpine, terminal, and piedmont glaciers, and ephemeral streams. The high winds and bitt...

Return to Main Land and Life pages Several IPY projects study water within the Land system. Here are some examples profiling in the Antarctic: • Antarctic Peninsula • Dry Valleys in the Arctic: • Soil Moisture • Arctic Char ____ Hydrology in the Antarctic Peninsula ...

There are many IPY projects studying Polar Flora, Fauna, and Ecology and several of these projects also are members of other collectives focussing on the Arctic and Antarctic. For more information, please see: Conservation for Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic (EBA) Examples of some of these project areas are described below in the following topics: Arctic Adaptations Evolution and Biodiversity in the Antarctic Soil Ecosystems in the Antarctic Dry Valleys Springtails Nemetodes...

Return to Main Land and Life page Many thanks to Jerry Brown for text, images, and enthusiasm. Further permafrost resources can be found at the end of this page. The following text and selected figures are based mainly on excerpts from a chapter entitled Permafrost and Periglacial Environments by J. Alan Heginbottom (Canada), Jerry Brown (USA), Ole Humlum (Norway) and Harald Svensson (Denmark). It is scheduled for publication later in 2008 in the U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386-...

Return to Main Land and Life page Many thanks to Jerry Brown for text, images, and enthusiasm. Further permafrost resources can be found at the end of this page. The following text and selected figures are based mainly on excerpts from a chapter entitled Permafrost and Periglacial Environments by J. Alan Heginbottom (Canada), Jerry Brown (USA), Ole Humlum (Norway) and Harald Svensson (Denmark). It is scheduled for publication later in 2008 in the U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386-...

Return to Main Land and Life page Many thanks to Jerry Brown for text, images, and enthusiasm. Further permafrost resources can be found at the end of this page. The following text and selected figures are based mainly on excerpts from a chapter entitled Permafrost and Periglacial Environments by J. Alan Heginbottom (Canada), Jerry Brown (USA), Ole Humlum (Norway) and Harald Svensson (Denmark). It is scheduled for publication later in 2008 in the U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1386-...

Return to Main Land and Life page Talk to Polar Researchers Studying Land and Life!! There will be 3 opportunites throughout the week of June 17 - 20th to talk to scientists studying Land and Life. These are Wednesday June 18th, UTC 1300 This is UTC 1300, east coast US 0900, UK/Portugal 1400, continental Europe 1500, Kuala Lumpur/Beijing 2100, Adelaide 2230, Sydney 2300 PARTICIPATION INSTRUCTIONS Watch this archi...

Return to Main Land and Life page Press Releases Polar Day: Land and Life Press Release PDF version ...

Previous International Polar Days have focussed on Sea Ice, Ice Sheets, our Changing Earth, and Land and Life. The IPY Day on September 24th will focus on People. Back to main People Pages ...