Jökull - 01.12.1969, Page 159

Fig. 12. A graph showing the number of
sheep in Iceland in thousands (broken
line) ancl frequency of sea ice at the coast
of Iceland (continuous line). (From Thor-
arinsson 1966 and Koch 1945).
þúsund fjár
be able to withstand the same climate without
such a decline, or could we, on the other
hand, perhaps accept the statistics on sucli
decline as some sort o£ yardstick by which to
measure the climate and temperature of former
years? Can we say that, with a fall of one or
two degrees in mean temperature, the numbers
of sheep will decline, with a fall of anotlier
degree there will he fewer horses, or with a
fall of yet another degree there will be a de-
cline in the cattle stocks Or that, as a result
of periods of prolonged lower temperatures in
spring and siimmer, bad weather and lack of
grass, liuman beings will also die?
We have some knowledge of how long cattle,
horses or sheep can withstand severe weather
and lack of fodder without perishing, but this
period may be weeks or months, according to
the pliysical state of the animaj concerned —
whetlier it is fat and healthy the first lialf of
winter or thin and feeble in the latter lialf.
(Table 2). The cattle stock was probably not
liighly sensitive to the temperature fluctua-
tions, because it was, whenever possible, given
hay that had been collected the previous sum-
mer. Sheep and liorses were more sensitive, as
tliey had to rely on winter grazing. Famines
do not necessarily coincide with sea ice years.
People are not likely to languish and die
except after long periods of severe weather
and hardship. Furthermore, in former times
other economic circumstances could have been
the deciding factor in whether people died or
not. If a ship failed to arrive with the necess-
ary supplies of corn or fishing gear, that coulcl
have just as direct consequences as an addi-
TABLE2
Years classifiecl according to famine andl sea ice
Century Years of sea ice Years of starvaton of
Horses Cattle Sheep Humans
12th and before 2-3 1 5 (1) 7
13 3-4 1 1 5 (4) 1
14 .... 6 3 3 9 (1) 8 (3)
15 1 2 2 4 1
16 8 8 (5) 6 (5) 12 (4) 4 (1)
17 27 6 (4) 7 (2) 12 (9) 11 (7)
18 .... 23 12 (9) 3 (2) 15 (12) 5 (3)
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