Antarctica

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Antarctica

• 1 Introduction to a continent

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Antarctica

• Area USA Mexico
• Highest continent
• Driest Continent
• Windiest continent
• Coldest Continent
• Last inhabited continent
• Dark 50 of the year

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Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen January 28,
1820
Nathaniel B. Palmer November 17, 1820
Edward Bransfield January 30, 1820
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James Clark Ross

• 1839-1843 Antarctic Expedition
• HMS Erebus
• HMS Terror
• Sailed as far south as Ross Island, Ross Ice
  Shelf in the Ross Sea

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First Antarctic winterCape Adare 1899
Carstens Borchgrevink 1864-1934
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The Heroic Era(1900-1920)
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Pre-1957

• Richard E. Byrd
• Admiral, US Navy
• Private and US-funded expeditions
• Meteorological research
• First flight to South Pole
• Commanded post-war Operation High Jump and
  Operation Deep Freeze

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International Geophysical Year 1957/58

• Largely Meteorology and Atmospheric physics
• Saw the US, NZ, UK, Australia etc etc. establish
  permanent bases, including at the South Pole

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International Polar Year 2007/08
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History of Antarctica
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Antarctic glaciation

• First full-scale ice sheet 34 Ma
• Reached maximum 15 Ma
• Some fluctuations since then
• e.g. at LGM Ross Ice shelf covered approx. 3x
  current area
• Extinctions
• Almost all terrestrial flora and fauna

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The Antarctic Treaty

• in effect June 23 1961
• Governs activities in Antarctica
• Subsidiary treaties govern flora Fauna, Seals,
  Marine Living resources the Environment

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The Antarctic Treaty

• Article 1 Peaceful purposes only
• Military personnel and equipment allowed, but
  only for peaceful purposes
• Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation
  and cooperation
• Article 3 - free exchange of information and
  personnel
• Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or
  establish territorial claims, prevents new
  claims.
• Article 5 - No nuclear explosions or radioactive
  waste
• Article 6 - all land and ice shelves south of 60
  degrees
• Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take
  place

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Protocol on Environmental Protection to the
Antarctic treaty

• In force 1998
• Article 7
• Any activity relating to mineral resources,
  other than scientific research, shall be
  prohibited.

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Antarctic Biology

• A long history
• the first marine samples collected by Cook (18th
  C)
• the first terrestrial samples collected in late
  19th C
• Biology was a major goal of many of the heroic
  era expeditions

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Habitats in Antarctica

• Terrestrial
• Nunataks
• Coastal areas
• Oases and Dry Valleys

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Habitats in Antarctica

• Marine
• Normal range of marine
• Benthic
• Pelagic
• (Some) intertidal
• Special habitats
• Beneath ice shelves and sea ice
• Associated with platelet ice
• Freshwater
• Streams
• Lakes
• Ponds

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Major issues in Antarctic Biology

• Survival of environmental extremes
• Responses to climate change
• Origin of the flora and fauna
• Sustainable use of marine resources