The wildlife of Iceland includes the plants, animals, and fungi that live on the island of Iceland, which is in the North Atlantic Ocean just south of the Arctic Circle. The types of plants, animals, and fungi found there are influenced by the island's land features and weather. The island has many different environments, such as high mountains, lava fields, tundras, rivers, lakes, and coastal plains of different widths. Iceland has a long coastline that is divided into many parts by deep, narrow valleys called fjords, especially in the west, north, and east, and there are many small islands near the coast. The whole country is part of one large area called the Iceland boreal birch forests and alpine tundra ecoregion.
Background
Iceland was formed by volcanic activity. The landscape has been shaped by water and wind erosion, as well as frost and abrasion. The Highlands are a plateau about 500 meters (1,640 feet) above sea level, located in the central and southeastern parts of the island. These highlands cover about 40% of Iceland’s land and include large areas with little vegetation, called volcanic deserts, along with glaciers. Other regions of the country have mountains and hills surrounded by coastal lowlands, which are divided by steep valleys and fiords. There are many small lakes and short, fast-moving rivers. Only about 25% of the land has full vegetation cover, and two-fifths of this area is marshland. Another 69% of the land has very little vegetation.
The climate in Iceland is subarctic. The southern part of the island is generally warmer, wetter, and windier than the northern part. The coldest region is the Central Highlands. The low-lying inland areas farther north are the driest parts of the country but receive the heaviest snowfall during winter. The climate is warmer than other places at similar latitudes because of the North Atlantic Current, which keeps the coast free of ice.
Flora and funga
Iceland has a limited number of plant species. Some may have survived from the ice age, while others were carried to the island by wind, birds, or sea ice. Although Iceland was once covered with forests at lower elevations, early settlers cut down trees for building and fuel. Today, few trees remain. Settlers also brought animals, and overgrazing by sheep damaged the volcanic soil. Now, three-fourths of the island has soil erosion, and the remaining soil supports little plant life. Iceland’s plant life includes about 540 species. Woody plants often include heather, bilberry, bearberry, crowberry, hairy birch, rowan, and willow. Most trees are less than 2 meters (7 feet) tall, though some taller trees grow in river valleys in the north and east.
The northern part of Iceland is mostly marshy or tundra, with mosses, lichens, and sedges as the main plants. Iceland moss, a type of lichen, grows in thick mats on tundras and mountain slopes and can be used for survival when food is scarce. Sedges and grasses are the most common vascular plants, with 53 sedges and 47 grass species. Among flowering plants, the most common group is the daisy family, followed by the carnation family. Iceland has about 560 moss and liverwort species, 550 lichen species, and 1,200 fungus species. These lichens and fungi are similar to those found in Scandinavia.
Fauna
The only native land mammal in Iceland is the Arctic fox. Walruses were once native to Iceland but no longer live there, likely because of hunting, changes in climate, and volcanic activity after humans arrived. Polar bears sometimes reach Iceland by drifting from Greenland, but these visits are rare. When polar bears are seen, they are often killed to protect people.
Some animals were brought to Iceland by humans. The American mink escaped from fur farms and now lives successfully in the wild. Reindeer were also introduced, but a group in the southeast no longer exists, while a larger group in the northeast has thousands of animals. The wood mouse was introduced and lives in rural areas, while house mice, brown rats, and black rats are found only in cities. Bats have been seen more often in recent years, and they may have arrived by accident or through human activity.
About 72 bird species breed in Iceland. These include the gyrfalcon, white-tailed eagle, merlin, snowy owl, and short-eared owl. Other birds such as ducks, geese, waders, gulls, and seabirds also live there. The Arctic skua and great skua are present, with most of the world’s great skua population found in Iceland. Few perching birds live in Iceland, possibly because there are not enough places to nest or enough insects for food at certain times of the year.
Rivers and lakes in Iceland are home to Atlantic salmon, brown trout, Arctic char, European eel, and three-spined stickleback. Rainbow trout, which were released from fish farms, also live in some areas. No reptiles or amphibians are known to live in Iceland.
Around 270 species of marine fish live near Iceland. Important fish for fishing include cod, haddock, sea perch, plaice, herring, capelin, and blue whiting. Harbour seals and grey seals breed on beaches, and several whale species, along with dolphins and harbour porpoises, live in the surrounding waters.