Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Definition

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is a secure seed bank on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the remote Arctic Svalbard archipelago. It serves as a global backup storage facility for the seeds of the world's crops to ensure biodiversity and food security.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The vault is located 130 meters inside a sandstone mountain to protect against natural and human-made disasters.
2. It can store up to 4.5 million different seed samples, each containing about 500 seeds.
3. The facility is managed by the Norwegian government, the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust), and the Nordic Genetic Resource Center (NordGen).
4. The vault's design ensures that even if power fails, the permafrost will keep the seeds frozen.
5. Seeds from almost every country in the world are stored there, making it an essential resource for preserving global agricultural biodiversity.

Review Questions

Related terms

Biodiversity: The variety of life in all its forms, including genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.

Seed Bank: A facility used to store seeds of various plants as a source for planting in case seed reserves elsewhere are destroyed.

Crop Trust: An international organization working to ensure conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide.