The background 3 



The present sparsity of human population in the Arctic and 

 Antarctic gives the impression of vastness, but these nevertheless are 

 the smallest of the earth's climatic regions. Concentrated in the 

 ice of these limited areas are stored relics of ancient weather which 

 buffer the seasonal changes in temperature produced by current rates 

 of solar heating of the earth. Winter in the Arctic is so much colder 

 than the freezing temperatures at which vital processes slow down to 

 unproductive levels that it is, in a way, surprising to find there many 

 animals and plants which indicate their long arctic establishment by 

 having evolved special arctic forms. On the other hand, it is even 

 more surprising that some arctic species are scarcely distinguishable 

 from closly related populations living in warmer climates. 



Only a small number of mammals, about 30 common species, and a 

 similar small variety of birds, are resident in the Arctic, owing to 

 the uniformly cold winter climate and the limited extent of the area, 

 so it seemed feasible to make a comprehensive survey of their essential 

 physiological adaptation to cold. 



Research at Barrow 



It was from these beginnings that plans grew for an expedition to 

 make physiological studies of adaptation to arctic cold at Barrow, 

 Alaska. This northermost point on the American Continent (latitude 

 71° N.) had the added advantage that an elaborate base was being 

 established there to support exploration in the Naval Petroleum 

 Reserve covering a large area in arctic Alaska. Means for support 

 of the expedition were generously provided by the Office of Naval 

 Research, stimulated by the interest shown by M. C. Shelesnyak, and 

 in August 1947 seven members of our expedition of physiologists 

 reached the Point Barrow navy station by air, a few days ahead of 

 the arrival of our heavy equipment by boat. 



Per F. Scholander, who had been my colleague for eight years at 

 Swarthmore and in the Air Force, provided the scientific insight and 

 vigor, as a result of which our program of research soon showed sig- 

 nificant progress toward understanding physiological adaptation to 

 arctic cold. These prospects encouraged us and the Office of Naval 

 Research to extend our stay for a second year. 



We found, however, that the investigation of physiological adapta- 

 tion involves consideration of the many biological and physical con- 

 ditions which define the environment to which animals and plants are 

 suited by adaptation. Our need to consider these environmental con- 

 ditions served to outline the wide scope of scientific research which 

 could be usefully undertaken in arctic Alaska. As a result the Office 

 of Naval Research was led to name the small quonset hut occupied by 

 our party of physiologists the Arctic Research Laboratory, and during 



