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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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LAKE TORNE AREA |
 © Photo: Mikael Krekula |
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| General Description |
Situated about 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in north-west Sweden, this biosphere reserve comprises mixed terrestrial ecosystems (sub-arctic mountain birch, alpine and sub-alpine heaths, meadows, mires, bare rock communities) surrounding the nutrient poor Lake Torne. The biosphere reserve is only sparsely inhabited (25 to 200 people depending on the season, 1999). Tourism provides main income opportunities in the region, which is otherwise also used for hunting, fishing and livestock raising. Meetings among representatives from the tourist sector and Saami villages aim at managing tourism in areas of cultural importance for Saami people. The research and education infrastructure in the biosphere reserve is well developed and comprises the well-equipped Abisko Scientific Research Station with a large number of permanent and visiting scientists. Public education programmes, exhibitions, and guided tours are also offered. Activities in the biosphere reserve have been reinforced recently with the establishment of a new MAB office in Abisko. A project, financed by the Swedish Research Council (FRN), seeks to provide a framework for the development of scientific understanding and management tools for the ecological and economic sustainable use of the natural resources of the Lake Torne Area Biosphere Reserve. The extent and spatial distribution of natural resources in the area are currently identified. A database and a Geographical Information System (GIS) are under development as a management tool for storing, processing and presenting information. |
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| Major ecosystem type | Tundra communities and barren arctic deserts | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Lowlands to mountains; subarctic mountain birch (Betula spp.) forest; alpine and subalpine heaths represented by heather (Calluna sp.) and bilberry (Vaccinium spp.), meadows and mires with Salix spp.; bare rock communities; nutrient poor lake | |||
| Location | 68°25'N; 19°00'E | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 96,500 | |||
| Core area(s) | 11,050 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 25,000 (Lake Torne) | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | 60,400 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | +340 to +1,610 | |||
| Year designated | 1986 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Swedish MAB Committee Swedish Nature Protection Board County administration | |||
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| Brief description |
Geomorphic processes Hydrology and meteorology Paleoclimatology and paleogeomorphology Permafrost Climate change, UV-B radiation, CO2 Adaptions and dynamics of organisms Tourism Population and communities response to environmental changes Conservation of genetic resources Sustainable development in Abisko National Park Economical impact by the road E10 |
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| Specific variables... | ||||
| Abiotic | Acidic deposition/Acid rain, climate, geomorphology, hydrology, meteorology, uv radiation/solar radiation. | |||
| Biodiversity | Community studies/Communities, conservation, evolutionary studies/palaeoecology/evolution, genetic resources, population genetics/population dynamics. | |||
| Socio-economic | Tourism, transport. | |||
| Integrated monitoring | Environmental change, impact and risk studies/environmental impact, sustainable development/sustainable use. | |||
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| Contact address |
Mikael Krekula MAB, Man and the Biosphere, Lake Torne Area Biosphere Reserve, ANS PO Box 62 SE-981 07 Abisko Sweden |
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| Telephone | (46.980) 400 21 (46.980) 402 90 |
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| Fax | (46.980) 402 80 | |||
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mikael.krekula@kiruna.se manager@laketorne.org |
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| Web site | www.laketornebr.org | |||
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| Last updated: 1/9/2002 |
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