2.6 Biosphere

Umhverfið

2.6 Biosphere

  • Vegetation
  • Birdlife
  • Midge Flies and Green Algae in and around Lake Mývatn
  • On Index

Vegetation

2.6 a. Density of Vegetation at Þeistareykir and Krafla

Þeistareykir
Háplöntur        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 140 25 119 13
B 107 16 108 20
C 195 21 127 12
D 153 19 141 21
E 181 32 137 23
         
Blómjurtir        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 8,8   8,1  
B 7,4   5,9 1,9
C 7,3   7,5  
D 17,8 8,2 11,5  
E 7,7 1,9 8,5 2,1
         
Byrkningar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 0,30   0,25  
B 0,45   0,40  
C 0,43   0,10  
D 0,80   0,70  
E 0,75   0,50  
         
Grös        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 8,2   11,7 3,7
B 3,9 1,8 11,3  
C 20,9 7,1 20,7 5,8
D 16,7 5,7 17,0 3,7
E 13,1   14,9 3,4
         
Hálfgrös        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 3,9   3,0  
B 1,6   1,2  
C 0,3   0,1  
D 3,7 5,7 1,4  
E 2,9   1,2  
         
Runnar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 52   56  
B 32   34 11
C 39   36  
D 51   57  
E 50 20 54  
         
Smárunnar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 67 16 40 12
B 62 11 55 6
C 127 9 62 16
D 63 15 53 13
E 107 24 59 10
         
Mosar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 7   14  
B 9   20  
C 49   47  
D 14   42 15
E 16   26  
         
Fléttur        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 24,2 14,3 9,0  
B 48,8   13,9  
C 4,4   0,6  
D 11,5   4,1  
E 20,5   4,3  
         

 

Krafla
Háplöntur        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 153 19 153 13
B 147 20 129 13
C 186 19 170 16
D 101 12 111 8
E 90 11 99  
F 140 18 171 12
         
Blómjurtir        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 17,3   16,6  
B 14,9   10,9  
C 17,1   14,7  
D 19,5 4,2 19,7 4,4
E 29,9   41,9 7,4
F 13,7 7,6 11,7 6,0
         
Birkningar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 17,3   16,6  
B 14,9   10,9  
C 17,1   14,7  
D 19,5 4,2 19,7 4,4
E 29,9   41,9 7,4
F 13,7 7,6 11,7 6,0
         
Grös        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 10,3   13,3 3,7
B 8,2   5,2 1,8
C 24,9 9,7 26,6 10,2
D 4,4   4,9  
E 27,6   19,4  
F 7,8 3,1 8,9 4,5
         
         
Hálfgrös        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 12,4 5,3 7,3 3,5
B 14,3   5,9 1,6
C 5,3   2,4  
D 11,3   9,8  
E 22,4 5,9 24,8 5,1
F 2,0   1,8  
         
Runnar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 13 11 20 14
B 29   34 14
C 35   35  
D 1   1 0
E 0   0  
F 47   61 7
         
Smárunnar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 98 12 94 12
B 78   71 14
C 103 19 91 17
D 64 13 72 9
E 6   8  
F 68 10 83 6
         
Mosar        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 64 10 58 11
B 61   62  
C 60   73  
D 70   74  
E 75   75  
F 38   44  
         
Fléttur        
Svæði Þekja 2012 - % 95% öryggismörk    Þekja 2017 - % 95% öryggismörk2
A 14,1 6,0 10,7 6,0
B 7,6   10,3  
C 17,4   17,3 7,3
D 15,3   14,2 3,7
E 9,2   14,7  
F 17,3   21,7  

 

Birdlife

Closeness of Heathland Birds

Winter Bird Census

Waterfowl at and around Lake Mývatn and in other wetlands in Þingeyjarsýsla-municipalities 

Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre is responsible for waterfowl census each spring in wetland areas outside of Lake Mývatn in Þingeyjarsýsla-municipalities. Census locations are following:

  • Vestmannsvatn, Mýlaugsstaðavatn, Múlavatn (Aðaldalur), 
  • Sýrnesvatn (Aðaldalur), 
  • Eyvindarlækur (Aðaldalur), 
  • Hólkotstjörn (Reykjadalur), 
  • Fagranestún (Aðaldalur), 
  • Tjarnir between Hólkotstjarnar and Hamrar (Reykjadalur), 
  • Hamratjörn (Reykjadalur), 
  • Miklavatn (Aðaldalur), 
  • Sandur (Aðaldalur), 
  • Sílalækur (Aðaldalur), 
  • Bæjartjörn (Ljósavatnsskarð), 
  • Leirtjörn (Ljósavatnsskarð), 
  • Kerlingartjörn (Ljósavatnsskarð), 
  • Laugar (Reykjadalur).

At Mývatn Research Station by Lake Mývatn, birdlife has been monitored for a long time so data and information is available from the sixties and seventies. 

 

More information on birds is expected in the beginning of December.

Birdlife

2.6 a. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Red-breasted merganser and Harlequin Duck

Below are the original data and their processing for christmas bird count and waterbirds for the pictures that follow.

Original Data and Processing

Fuglalíf: 2.6 b. Vetrarfuglar við Tjörnes - Stokkönd og Hávella

2.6 b. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Mallard and Long-tailed Duck

Fuglalíf: 2.6. c. Vetrarfuglar við Tjörnes - Æðarfugl

2.6 c. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Common Eider

Fuglalíf: 2.6 d. Vetrarfuglar við Tjörnes - Sendlingur og teista

2.6 d. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Harlequin Duck

Fuglalíf: 2.6 e. Vetrarfuglar við Tjörnes - Hrafn og snjótitlingur

2.6 e. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Long-tailed duck

Fuglalíf: 2.6 f. Vetrarfuglar - Dílaskarfur

2.6 f. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Great Cormorant

2.6 g. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - European Herring Gull, Iceland Gull and Great Black-bakced Gull

2.6 g. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - European Herring Gull, Iceland Gull and Great Black-bakced Gull 

Fuglalíf: 2.6 h. Vetrarfuglar við Tjörnes - Hvítmáfur og hettumáfur

2.6 h. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Black Guillemot

Fuglalíf: 2.6 i. Vatnafuglar utan Mývatns - Skúfönd og rauðhöfði

2.6 i. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Raven

Fuglalíf: 2.6 j. Vatnafuglar utan Mývatns - Duggönd, stokkönd, urtönd og gargönd

2.6 j. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Snow Bunting

Fuglalíf: 2.6 k. Vatnafuglar utan Mývatns - Toppönd, hrafnsönd, hávella, grafönd og skeiðönd

2.6 k. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - European Herring Gull

Fuglalíf: 2.6 l. Vatnafuglar utan Mývatns - Himbrimi og lómur

2.6 l. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Glaucous gull

Fuglalíf: 2.6 m. Vatnafuglar utan Mývatns - Álft, grágæs og heiðargæs

2. 6 m. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Iceland Gull

Fuglalíf: 2.6 n. Vatnafuglar við Mývatn - Skúfönd og rauðhöfðaönd

2.6 n. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Great Black-backed Gull

Fuglalíf: 2.6 o. Vatnafuglar við Mývatn - Rauðhöfðaönd og skúfönd

2.6 o. Christmas Bird Count at Tjörnes - Black-headed Gull 

Birdlife

2.6 p. Waterbirds at Mývatn - Tufted Duck 

Fuglalíf: 2.6 q. Vatnafuglar við Mývatn - Straumönd, urtönd, stokkönd og grafönd

2.6 q. Waterbirds at Mývatn - Scaup

Fuglalíf: 2.6 r. Vatnafuglar við Mývatn - Húsönd, toppönd, gargönd og hávella

2.6 r. Waterbirds at Mývatn - Widgeon

Fuglalíf: 2.6 s. Vatnafuglar við Mývatn - Himbrimi og lómur

2.6 s. Waterbirds at Mývatn - Red-breasted Merganser

Fuglalíf: 2.6 t. Vatnafuglar við Mývatn - Álft, grágæs og heiðagæs

2.6 t. Waterbirds at Mývatn - Common Scoter

Midge Flies and Green Algae in and around Lake Mývatn

Mývatn Research Station monitors midge flies and green algae in and around Lake Mývatn. Data will be published after processing.

On Index

An appraisal has been made of vegetation by Bjarnarflag, Krafla and Þeistareykir. It is important to monitor the development of vegetation and see whether the coverage of species in vegetation fields changes in the power plant's period of service and whether rare high temperature plants keep on thriving. 

Birdlife needs to be monitored because of geothermal power plants and industrial production.

Midge flies play an important part as food for other insects, fish and birds.

In this index information on the following will be published: 

  • Bjarnarflag - spreading of rare high temperature plants
  • Coverage of vegetation in fields
  • Accumulation of heavy metals in plants
  • Closeness of heathland birds in selected counting areas
  • Results of winter census of birds - number of birds per km of coastline
  • Number of waterfowl on and by Lake Mývatn and in other wetland areas in Þingeyjarsýsla - biological stock index and chick production
  • The condition of midge fly population of Lake Mývatn and Laxá (number of most common species)
  • Changes in the circulation of the moss ball

Frequency

Information on vegetation will be gathered every five years by the power stations in Þeistareykir, Krafla and Bjarnarflag. Information on birds will be published yearly along with information on the condition of midge fly population and changes in the circulation of the moss ball.

Area

Central area: Þeistareykir, Krafla, Bjarnarflag, coastal line from the estuary of Skjálfandafljót to the eastern boundary of Tjörneshreppur to Lón and Lake Mývatn.

Accountability

The project manager is responsible for acquiring the data and publishing it according to the publishing schedule.

Source Material

Data will be collected from the Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre and Mývatn Research Station (RAMÝ).