Sustainability

Ecosystems

Tundra

Long-distance pollution

Although remote and far away, the tundra is not spared the negative impact of some of man’s activities. Its most important problems have to do with the pollution which is caused by mining. The flowrate of the main Siberian rivers, the Lena and the Yenisey, has dramatically increased lately, despite the reduced rainfall. According to researchers, the water that swells up the rivers comes from the tundra. Recent studies actually showed the permafrost is getting thinner, probably because of the earth’s general overheating. In addition, the increased quantity of freshwater flowing into the Arctic Ocean could alter the salinity of the sea and endanger the life of the water ecosystems.