Meteorological Observations 1997 at the Arctic Station, Qeqertarsuaq (69°15'N), Central West Greenland/A New Climate and Water-Balance Station on the Peninsula Skallingen, South West Jutland/A Quantitative Method for Analysing Landscape Structure

Abstract

An automatic meteorological station has been operating at the Arctic Station (69°15'N, 53°31'W) in West Greenland since 1990. This paper summarizes meteorological parameters during 1997, including snow and sea ice cover, ground temperatures and active layer development, and presents comments on the local permafrost thickness. In March 1997 an automatic climate and water balance station was established on the peninsula Skallingen, 55°30'N, 8°15'E. The data can be retreived by a cellular phone and a modem. The station and selected data are described. The present paper sketches out a method for a quantitative description of landscape structure, which can be used for biologically optimal landscape management. The approach suggested is based on a landscape ecological framework and emphasis is laid on spatial characterisation of the landscape. It aims at supplementing conventional landscape descriptive parameters of biological importance, which are derived from a range of empirical data, with a spatial characterization. The method is implemented in a vector-based GIS (ArcView) and allows quantification of landscape structure in different landscape types. Suggestions to further development of the method are discussed.