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Papers > Foreign > Research Projects and Tourism in Antarctica
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Research Projects and Tourism in Antarctica |
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1) Introduction Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, highest, driest and most isolated continent in the world. ... Alone, it holds one of the keys to the Earth’s past, and provides information about the functioning and health of Earth, with numerous research stations scatted across the continent. ... It is protected by a treaty which forms the basis for one of the largest co-operation between countries around the world, but is this interest harming the unique ecosystem of Antarctica? ... 2) Where is Antarctica Although it was not discovered until early in the 19th century, Antarctica has been thought to exist since the time of the Ancient Greeks. ... Antarctica is almost entirely located south of the Antarctica Circle (Latitude 66? ... In addition to this area, Antarctica has another area of 3 x 106km2 in Summer due to ice shelves and this doubles every Winter to form an additional area of 17 x another reason, the sea level would rise 65m. ... Antarctic is almost covered completely by ice, forming a large ice sheet which makes Antarctica the highest continent with an average height of 1600m. ... This ice sheet is a result of an accumulation of precipitation over time and if it were to melt, Antarctica would become an island archipelago. ... 3) Antarctica’s Ecosystem Antarctica is said to have the largest ecosystem in the world and it exists only in the cold water and coastal area’s around the continent. ... 1) Food web With only 2% of land free of ice on the continent, Antarctica has no land based animals inland apart from a small number of invertebrates. ... The keystone species of Antarctica’s food web is a small semi-transparent crustacean called krill (See Figure 2). ... Figure 3 is an example of Antarctica’s food web and can be found on the next page. ... 2) Flora Antarctica only has 2% of land that is ice free and coupled with the harsh environment, very little flora survives on Antarctica. ... There are only two flowering plants found in Antarctica and they are; Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort. Flora in Antarctica is also so limited because of the continents isolation from other continents which makes it hard for new species to colonise and establish. ... 3) Biotic and Abiotic Interaction Antarctica has one of the harshest climate anywhere around the world and for any fauna and flora to survive they have to specially adapt to the abiotic features of the environment. In winter, huge areas of sea ice form and most of it melts in spring so this freezing and melting of ice majority influences life in Antarctica. ... The climate of Antarctica also affects the ecosystem with many species having to adapt to the cold although the temperate of the Southern Ocean does not vary much, meaning that species living in the ocean do not have to adapt to too many changes. ... Most Antarctica sea birds also show versions of adapting to the cold climate and continent in which they breed apon, these mainly include very dense waterproof plumage and layers of fat under the skin for warmth. Penguins, perhaps the best known species in Antarctica has also involved to adapt to a life of breeding in the coastal areas of Antarctica and then spending most of their life in the ocean. ... 4) Climate Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest place on Earth. ... The annual average rainfall of the continent is only 50 mm and the winds that frequent Antarctica, commonly reach speeds of 320 km/h. Antarctica is even colder than the Arctic and Vostock Research station recorded the lowest ever recorded temperate of -88. ... The temperate of the continent is affected by its position over the South Pole which means in the austral winter, Antarctica receives little or no sunshine for up to six months while it is almost continent daylight for six months during the austral summer in the interior of the continent. ... 5) Changes in Climate As interest and human activity on Antarctica grows, the climate changes. Over the past 40 years it has been estimated that the annual rainfall has increased by 50 millimetres and the surface temperature of Antarctica has risen by 3. ... An increase in temperature of Antarctica will also lead to a decrease in the number and extend of habitats and many species adapted to the stable temperature of the Southern Ocean would not be able to deal with fluctuating temperatures that warmer temperatures would bring. ... Although there is no proof about some of the effects that increased temperature would have on Antarctica’s ecosystem, a long-term study at the Antarctica Research Stations has shown the annual deviation in the temperature in the last 40 years. ... 6) Threats Since Antarctica was discovered, its ecosystem has been at threat from human activity. ... Today, many people still do not take into regard the future impacts of their actions on the delicate ecosystem and these actions include; illegal fishing, tourism and pollution in the present day. ... 1) Mining Antarctica is thought to have large amounts of mineral deposits located around the continent. ... East Antarctica has traces of chromium, gold, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. ... To see the effect that industrial sized mining has on a ecosystem similar to Antarctica, look no further than the Arctic. |
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Title: Research Projects and Tourism in Antarctica
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