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2 Description 2.a Description of property Iceland – geological overview Iceland is an integral part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and also its largest supramarine segment (Fig. 2.1) with a landmass of 103,000 km 2 . Sometimes described as a hot spot above a mantle plume, Iceland is built almost exclusively of volcanic rock, predominantly basalts, while sediments constitute about 10% of the island's overall volume. Since the land has been built up during the last 16 million years, it is geologically speaking a young country. Iceland's rocks can be divided into four geological formations: the Late Tertiary Basalt Formation, the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Basalt Formation, the Late Pleistocene Móberg Formation, and the Holocene Formation (Fig. 2.2). The crest of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge marks the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. These two plates move towards the west-northwest and east-southeast respectively, with an average spreading rate that is calculated to be ≤1 cm/yr in each direction in Surtsey Fig. 2.1. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge in the region of Iceland, with a red line showing the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. the region of Iceland. Because the centre of spread, running from southwest to northeast, crosses Iceland, the island expands continuously through a process of rifting apart and accreting new crust, which stems from volcanism along the crest zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. 50 km Fig. 2.2. Simplified geological map of Iceland, displaying the principal geological formations. Holocene sediments Basic and intermediate lavas. Holocene Acid rocks Basic and intermediate tuffs and sediments. Late Pleistocene Basic and intermediate lavas. Late Pleistocene Basic and intermediate lavas. Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene Basic and intermediate lavas. Late Tertiary 11
SURTSEY – NOMINATION FOR THE UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE LIST The volcanic zones of Iceland (Fig. 2.3), are among the most active on Earth, with an eruption occurring every three years on average. Moreover, the country's volcanic activity is associated with vigorous hydrothermal activity. Icelandic volcano-tectonics appear to have been characterised by volcanic systems throughout the island's geological history. A volcanic system is a spatial grouping of eruption sites, including feeder dikes and possibly shallow magma chambers, that usually have in common certain structural, petrographic and geochemical characteristics within the bounds of the system. Volcanic production is generally most intense around the middle of each system, where many have developed a central volcano with the concomitant production of intermediate and acid rocks. High-temperature hydrothermal activity is 12 Snæfellsnes Zone Vestmannaeyjar Surtsey Western Zone Eastern Zone Hekla Katla Krafla 50 km Askja Northern Zone Öræfajökull Zone Tholeiitic Transitional alkalic Alkalic Fig. 2.3. Active volcanic systems in Iceland and on its insular shelf, grouped according to petrological criteria. The distribution of rocks from the Late Pleistocene and Holocene (dark grey) is also shown. often connected with the central part of each system, evidenced by steaming vents and solfataras. In Iceland and on its insular shelf, about 44 volcanic systems have erupted at least once during the Holocene and Late Pleistocene (Fig. 2.3), the most active being the Hekla, Katla, Askja and Krafla systems. The Hekla central volcano has erupted 19 times during the country's historic period (i.e. since AD 870), most recently in the year 2000. The subglacial central volcano of Katla has during the same period erupted on average twice a century, including the most recent eruption in 1955. The latest eruption within the Askja caldera occurred in 1961, while the Krafla volcanic system produced nine small eruptions from 1975 to 1984 (Ari Trausti Guðmundsson 2001).
Page 1 and 2: Ministry of Education, Science and
Page 3 and 4: • O F ICELANDIC INSTITUTE N AT U
Page 5 and 6: This nomination has been commission
Page 8 and 9: Contents 1 Identification of the pr
Page 10 and 11: 22’’N 5’’W Surtsey Nature R
Page 14 and 15: Vestmannaeyjar archipelago Surtey i
Page 16 and 17: and of the islands of Bjarnarey and
Page 18 and 19: 150 m 100 m 50 m 0 m - 50 m - 100 m
Page 20 and 21: Typical ropy lava surface at the so
Page 22 and 23: Geological definitions Accretionary
Page 24 and 25: (Friedman and Williams 1970). Altho
Page 26 and 27: sorting than the original tephra, w
Page 28 and 29: Fig. 2.9. Wind direction frequency
Page 30 and 31: older and more eroded. It is likely
Page 32 and 33: The lichen Xanthoria parietina and
Page 34 and 35: study plots revealed four main vege
Page 36 and 37: carefully recording any observation
Page 38 and 39: carried out. In the early years of
Page 40 and 41: Amara quenseli Atheta graminicola B
Page 42 and 43: 1 2 3 4 6 - 8 northern sublittoral
Page 44 and 45: Marine mammals Marine mammals have
Page 46 and 47: 2.b History and development Geologi
Page 48 and 49: Lava effusion on Surtsey, April 21,
Page 50 and 51: 0 m -100 m -200 m -300 m 6/’65 (D
Page 52 and 53: 17 February 1964: hydromagmatic eru
Page 54 and 55: The hydrothermal area at the surfac
Page 56 and 57: Area [km 2 ] 3 2 1 0 1960 1970 1980
Page 58 and 59: History of life Influx of terrestri
Page 60 and 61: Number of vascular plant species 60
Page 62 and 63:
upon later attempts after growing c
Page 64 and 65:
colony, a community composed mainly
Page 66 and 67:
Erling Ólafsson 1982; Gjelstrup 20
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Number of species 60 50 40 30 20 10
Page 70 and 71:
13 Justification for inscription 3.
Page 72 and 73:
Surtsey's emergence has provided a
Page 74 and 75:
forms and biological communities. T
Page 76 and 77:
Italians landed and named it Ferdin
Page 78 and 79:
These include, to name but a few: s
Page 80 and 81:
The tephra cones have been converte
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4 State of conservation and factors
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Fig. 4.2. Mean yearly catches of fi
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(iii) Natural disasters and prepari
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15 5.a Ownership Protection and man
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“A room with a view.” (Photo fr
Page 92 and 93:
The Surtsey Research Society has co
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6 Monitoring 6.a Key indicators for
Page 96 and 97:
71Documentation 7.a Supplementary m
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except by permission of the Environ
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Gjelstrup, P. 2000. Soil mites and
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8 8.a Preparer Contact information
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9 Signature on behalf of the State
Page 106 and 107:
List of figures Lists of figures, t
Page 108 and 109:
Appendices Appendix 1a. Declaration
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APPENDICES Species status in 2005 A
Page 112 and 113:
Appendix 4. Lichens species recorde
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Appendix 6. Bird species seen on or
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Coccinellidae Coccinella undecimpun
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Neomolgus littoralis (Linnaeus) Any
Page 120 and 121:
APPENDICES Appendix 9a. Marine zoob
Page 122 and 123:
Crustacea/Amphipoda amphipod Hippom
Page 124:
effects on natural features, landsc
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