Located on the island of Spitzbergen, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault serves as a depository for storing plant seeds. Construction began in 2006 and was completed in 2008. The site was chosen because of its remoteness, lack of seismic activity, and cold climate. It has the capacity to store over 2.35 billion seeds.
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Semibalanus balanoides - Acorn barnacles are the most common type of the more than 1,200 barnacle species. Acorn barnacles are sessile, they grow their shells directly onto a surface; goose barnacles attach themselves to a surface with their stalks. An acorn barnacle passes through 3 levels of development. During the first level, the larvae stage, they float about in the water feeding on plankton. The second level, the cyprid stage, is dedicated to finding a suitable surface for attachment. In the final stage, they reach sexual maturity.
