The birds of Pasvik / E. I. Khlebosolov, O. A. Makarova, O. A. Khlebosolova [et al. ; English transl. Nikita Chernetsov]. - Ryazan : Golosgubernii, 2007. - 175 с. : ил., портр.

A.M. Khokhlov Winter in Pasvik is long and cold. Just a few mammals and birds are adapt­ ed to life in these conditions. The climate o f this area is governed by its position between a large water body in the north and large inland areas in the south. Following the climatic district system by Alisov (1969), northwestern Kola Peninsula lies in Atlantic-Arctic districts o f two climatic belts: temperate and sub-Arctic. Southern Pasvik lies in the temperate belt in the sub-zone o f northern taiga. The northern part of this area lies in the sub-Arctic climatic belt in the sub-zone o f tundra forest o f the tundra zone. A high frequency o f lows in winter and highs in summer is typical of this area (Alisov 1969). The influence o f Nordkapp branch o f the North Atlantic warm current that gets into the Barents Sea and the closeness to the ocean make the climate milder and pre­ vents fjords from freezing in winter. For this area relatively mild winter and cool sum ­ mer are typical, together with high air humidity, a large amount o f precipitation and high frequency o f days with precipitation, frequent and quick changes o f the weather with changing wind direction. The position o f Pasvik at high latitudes (68°57’ — 69°45’ N) where the Sun stands low at midday results in 24 hours o f daylight in sum ­ mer and long nights with short twilight periods at midday in winter. The w inter is the longest season there. It usually starts in Pasvik in early October and ends in late April. The spring is as a rule late and short. The summer lasts since early June until late August. The autumn is short and rainy. Intrusions of warm Atlantic air cause thaws in winter. Intrusions o f cold and dry air from higher latitudes cause cold spells in w inter and frosts in summer. Frosts may occur in any month except for July. The mean duration o f frost-free period in the Pasvik valley is 97 days, the maximum length is 148 days, the m inimum length 62 days. 15