Admin Are fjords destructive?
OSLO (Reuters) – Fjords from Alaska to Norway soak up potentially damaging carbon from the atmosphere, making the steep-sided inlets an overlooked natural ally in offsetting man-made climate change, a study showed on Monday.
How deep can fjords get?
Many fjords are astonishingly deep; Sogn Fjord in Norway is 1,308 m (4,290 feet) deep, and Canal Messier in Chile is 1,270 m (4,167 feet). The great depth of these submerged valleys, extending thousands of feet below sea level, is compatible only with a glacial origin.
Are the fjords polluted?
But even though they may seem like the pinnacles of purity, the air quality in many fjords is anything but. A study released in 2006 showed that the popular Geirangerfjord, which attracts some 300,000 tourists per year, was actually as polluted as several European metropolises.
What are fjords used for?
Even though skerries can be hard to get around in a boat, fjords are generally calm and protected. This makes them popular harbors for ships. Most fjords are deeper than the coastal sea into which they empty. Skerries are a navigation challenge for boaters.
How do fjords affect the environment?
According to a new study in the journal Nature Geoscience, fjords absorb approximately 18 million tones of organic carbon each year, equivalent to 11 percent of annual marine carbon burial globally.
Can you swim in the fjords?
In the summer time nothing beats a refreshing dip in the sea! In Fjord Norway you find white beaches, small coves but also swimming pools. The sea temperature can some places be above 20 degrees, and if you are really lucky with the weather you can even get the impression of being a lot further south.
What is the significance of fjords?
These regions serve as important transition areas between the land and sea environments and provide habitat not only for humans (e.g., sea ports, tourism, and aquaculture), but also for a variety of wildlife. Scientists love to study fjords as model systems.
Are fjords important?
Fjords are found in locations where current or past glaciations extended below current sea level. Dr Savage and co-authors suggest that fjords may play an especially important role as a driver of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels during times when ice sheets are advancing or retreating.