Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 08/07/2013 - 12:05
Forums
Drumlin Formation in Iceland

Hello Mr. Esler, this is Alexis Rollins. I hope your having a fantastic time on your trip ! My question for you is : What kind of animals live in these drumlin areas ? Are the conditions that you are living in too harsh for some animals so survive in ? And if there are animals that live near/on the ice, how do they survive ?

Can't wait to hear all about your trip !

---Alexis Rollins

Fri, 08/09/2013 - 12:29

Jamie Esler

Hi Alexis!I am officially one week away from leaving the Mulajokull base camp and
heading back to Reykjavik. I will spend two days there before heading
home on the 20th. I really look forward to having all of you in class
this year. I have a gut feeling this is going to be a strong collection
of minds!
To answer your questions:
1.) The only living organisms I have observed directly ON the drumlins
are spiders, and an occasional bird. The birds typically only stay for
a brief period of time before flying away again. The spiders, however,
seem to actually inhabit the sharp angular rocks in the drumlins. I'll
try to post a picture the next time I see one. They look similar to the
familiar 'daddy long legs' we see back home. If I had better internet
connection I would google search 'icelandic spiders', or 'arctic
spiders' to find out more. You could always try this if you were
curious about them more... :)
2.) The conditions are certainly too harsh for certain animals to
survive in. Arctic environments all across the globe experience extreme
changes in temperature, sunlight, and precipitation throughout the year.
Animals must adapt to these conditions over long periods of time, and
ultimately evolve to require these conditions for survival. Most of the
birds I have seen here this summer are various species of Arctic geese,
loons, and terns. All of these are adequately adapted to this
environment.
3.) The glacier itself is home to very, very few living organisms. When
I used to live in Alaska, we used to see 'glacier worms' in the ice.
They feed on pollen and other wind-blown organic debris that falls on
the surface of the ice. I have not observed any of these worms here at
Mulajokull, however, I suspect it is possible they could inhabit the
glacier here.
Thanks for the great questions Alexis. Overall, the most common type of
wildlife I have seen here are birds, geese, and loons. Today I enjoyed
watching three Arctic terns fishing in a nearby lake for their supper.
They were quite generous with one another, always sharing with the other
two when they caught a fish. It was nice to see another animal species
appreciating the art of sharing. :)
Take Care Alexis,
Mr. Esler