Jökull - 01.12.1969, Qupperneq 153

M Miðsvæði
'// "
Fig. 5. Map showing the centric locations o£ seme plant species in Iceland (hatched) and pos-
sible ice-free areas during the last glaciation, as demonstrated by geologists (black). Mean annual
temperatures lor the location are given in °C and ocean currents shown by arrows.
ed Iceland from sea ice (Fig. 6), (Thoroddsen
1933, Saemundsson 1932).
It is surprising that there should be no
mention of foxes having strayed across on sea
ice-floes. It is known that foxes venture far
out on the ice off Greenland, sometimes fol-
lowing the polar bears, but it may be difficult
to distinguish the Iceland fox from the Green-
land fox.
Sea ice has also an effect on other fauna,
both small and large, where it reaches the
coast. There is very frequent mention of the
large numbers of seals accompanying the ice
and of the extra source of income provided
by their capture.
The ice, on the other liand, has a very de-
structive effect on all life on the seashore,
both by lowering the sea temperature and by
hindering land, sea, ancl air communications.
There are many tales of whales that have be-
come stranded when the ice drifted ashore.
Furthermore, tlie ice blocks the access of lairds
to their food in the sea, and by a purely
mechanical process it destroys seaweed and
various types of small fauna on the seashore.
Records frequently contain references to the
destruction by sea ice of useful products o£ the
beach, such as clams, mussels, and clulse.
It should also be mentioned that in years
of sea ice when the sheep suffered from lack
of hay, even more hardship was caused to the
animals by the absence of shore grazing due to
the ice cover, and the shore vegetation did not
grow again until a few years later.
JÖKULL 19. ÁR 1 49