"Surtsey, a volcanic island approximately 32 km from the south coast of
Iceland, is a new island formed by volcanic eruptions that took place
from 1963 to 1967. It is all the more outstanding for having been
protected since its birth, providing the world with a pristine natural
laboratory. Free from human interference, Surtsey has been producing
unique long-term information on the colonisation process of new land by
plant and animal life. Since they began studying the island in 1964,
scientists have observed the arrival of seeds carried by ocean currents,
the appearance of moulds, bacteria and fungi, followed in 1965 by the
first vascular plant, of which there were 10 species by the end of the
first decade. By 2004, they numbered 60 together with 75 bryophytes, 71
lichens and 24 fungi. Eighty-nine species of birds have been recorded on
Surtsey, 57 of which breed elsewhere in Iceland. The 141 ha island is
also home to 335 species of invertebrates." -http://whc.unesco.org
Finally completed postcards showing UNESCO Sites from Iceland!
Thank you so much Patrik from Estonia who visited Iceland!
Hope you had fun during your trip!
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