Disko Island
| Native name: Qeqertarsuaq | |
|---|---|
 Qeqertarsuaq town on Disko Island | |
  Disko Island | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Baffin Bay |
| Coordinates | 69°45′N 53°30′W / 69.750°N 53.500°WCoordinates: 69°45′N 53°30′W / 69.750°N 53.500°W |
| Area | 8,578 km2 (3,312 sq mi) |
| Length | 160 km (99 mi) |
| Highest elevation | 1,919 m (6,296 ft) |
| Country | |
|
Greenland | |
| Municipality | Qaasuitsup |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1100 |
| Ethnic groups | Inuit |
Disko Island (Greenlandic: Qeqertarsuaq, Danish: Disko øer) is a large island in Baffin Bay, off the west coast of Greenland. It has an area of 8,578 km2 (3,312.0 sq mi),[1] making it the second largest island of Greenland (after the main island of Greenland) and one of the 100 largest islands in the world. The name Qeqertarsuaq means The Large Island (from qeqertaq = island).
Geography
The island has a length of about 160 km (99.4 mi), rising to an average height of 975 m (3,198.8 ft), peaking at 1,919 m (6,295.9 ft). The port of Qeqertarsuaq (named after the island, and also known as Godhavn) lies on its southern coast. Blæsedalen valley is north of Qeqertarsuaq.
The island is separated from Nuussuaq Peninsula in the northeast by the Sullorsuaq Strait. To the south of the island lies Disko Bay, an inlet bay of Baffin Island.[2]
History
Eric the Red paid the first recorded visit to Disko Island at some time between 982 and 985 and it may have been used as a base for summer hunting and fishing by Viking colonists.[citation needed]
Geology
Mineral deposits, fossil finds and geological formations have added to the interest in the area. One of the interesting geological features is the native iron found at the island. A 22 ton lump of a mixture of iron and iron carbide (cohenite) has been found. There are only few places on earth where native iron can be found which is not of meteoric origin.[3][4]
There are numerous hot springs on the island. The microscopic animal Limnognathia, the only known member of its phylum, was discovered in these springs.
Biodiversity
Several studies on the meiofauna have been lead showing that the marine interstitial diversity is high in Disko Island. For instance, the species of Gastrotricha Diuronotus aspetos is found in Iterdla[5] and Kigdlugssaitsut[6] and so far only reported in Disko Island. It is associated to a rich diversity of other Gastrotricha like Chatonotus atrox, Halichaetonotus sp., Mesodasys sp., Paradasys sp., Tetranchyroderma sp., Thaumastoderma sp. and Turbanella sp.[5]
References
- ↑ Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- ↑ Nuussuaq, Saga Map, Tage Schjøtt, 1992
- ↑ Bird, John M.; Goodrich, Cyrena Anne; Weathers, Maura S. (1981). "Petrogenesis of Uivfaq iron, Disko Island, Greenland". Journal of Geophysical Research 86 (B12): 11787–11805. Bibcode:1981JGR....8611787B. doi:10.1029/JB086iB12p11787.
- ↑ W. Klöck, H. Palme and H. J. Tobschall (1986). "Trace elements in natural metallic iron from Disko Island, Greenland". Zeitschrift Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 93 (3): 273–282. Bibcode:1986CoMP...93..273K. doi:10.1007/BF00389387.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Balsamo, Guidi L, Ferraguti M, Pierboni L and Kritensen RM (2010). "Diuronotus aspetos (Gastrotricha): new morphological data and description of the spermatozoon". Helgoland Marine Research. 64 (1): 27–34. Bibcode:2010HMR....64...27B. doi:10.1007/s10152-009-0163-x.
- ↑ Todaro MA, Blasamo M and Kritensen RM (2005). "A new genus of marine chaetonotids (Gastrotricha) with a description of two new species from Greenland and Denmark". J. Mar. Biol. 83: 1391–1400. doi:10.1017/S0025315405012579.