Abstract

Brosø, B. & Elvebakk, A. 2000. Levende værstasjoner – en bioklimatologisk studie fra Svalbard. Blyttia 58: 35-45.
Living weather stations – a bioclimatological study from Svalbard, Norway

The relationship between the distribution of plant species and summer temperature is known from many studies. Elvebakk and collaborators developed a botany-based method where temperature indices were calculated based on the the relative importance of thermophilous species within an area. The indices were found to be positively correlated with summer temperature. This project is the first attempt to apply the method on a series of separate localities scattered over a larger geographical area in the Arctic. The flora was recorded and the temperature in the phytosphere 5 cm above ground was measured at eight meteorological stations and six other localities on Svalbard. In spite of the differences in environmental conditions between the localities there was a high positive correlation between the temperature indices and the temperature sum in the phytosphere during the growing season. The method thus seems promising for estimating summer temperature conditions in areas of the Arctic where little meteorological information is available.

Birgit Brosø, Kings Bay AS, 9173 Ny-Ålesund
Arve Elvebakk, Institutt for Biologi, Universitetet i Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø

Blyttia 57(4)
Blyttias hjemmeside
Lagt ut 26.4.2000 JW