ANTARCTICA
By the Bonka Toucans
Contents
About Antarctica
History of Antarctica
Weather and Climate
Flora and Fauna
Global warming and antarctica
About Antarctica
The history of Antarctica emerges from early Western
theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis,
believed to exist in the far south of the globe. The term
Antarctic, which means to the opposite of the Arctic Circle,
was coined by Marinus of Tyre in the 2nd century AD.
About Antarctica
In 1473, Portuguese navigator Lopes Gonçalves proved that
the equator could be crossed. Then cartographers and
sailors began to assume the existence of another,
temperate continent to the south of the known world.
About Antarctica
Antarctica is located almost wholly within the Antarctic
Circle with the South Pole at its center. In terms of its area,
the continent covers almost 20% of the Southern
Hemisphere. It is the world's highest continent standing at
about 2200 m above sea level. About 98% of the continent
is covered by ice.
About Antarctica
TYPES OF PHYSICAL FEATURES:
Antarctica would have been the smallest ANTARCTIC ICE SHEETS
continent if it were not covered by ice sheets. MOUNTAIN RANGES
Its Physiography and position on the globe LAKES AND RIVERS
makes it unique and different from the other PLATEAUS
continents. FLAT AND ROLLING TERRAIN
History
Antarctica is a continent that was believed to exist in the far south of
the globe since ancient times.
It was probably first seen in 1820 by a Russian expedition, and
confirmed as a continent in 1840. Several explorers from different
countries visited and landed on Antarctica in the 19th and 20th
centuries.
Antarctica separated from South America 35 million years ago and
developed ice sheets.
After World War II, Antarctica became a site of scientific research.
History
Antarctica is the remotest part of the world, but it is a hub of scientific discovery,
international diplomacy and environmental change.
Early explorers were drawn there by the myth of Terra Australis, a vast southern
continent that scholars imagined for centuries as a counterweight to the Northern
Hemisphere.
Some sought economic bounty from hunting whales and seals, or the glory of
conquering the planet’s wilderness. Others wanted to understand Earth’s magnetic
fields in order to better navigate the seas.
Weather & Climate
Antarctica is a continent bigger than Europe, North America, or
Australia, because of this Antarctica doesn’t just have one
climate zone but several.
Weather
1.Continental Low Plateau:
Very cold year-round, approx. -12°C to -35°C monthly averages, smaller temperature range than
higher altitude
2. Continental High Latitude Coast:
Cold winters and short cold summers, approx. -2°C to -30°C
3. Continental Low Latitude Coast:
Cold winters and short cold summers, approx. +2°C to -20°C monthly averages
,
Weather
4. Antarctic Peninsula:
Cold winters and short cold summers, approx. +1°C to -15°C monthly averages
5. Antarctic Islands:
Cold winters and short cold summers, approx. +1°C to -10°C monthly averages
6. Sub-Antarctic Islands:
approx. +4°C to -1.5°C monthly averages strong winds year-round
Climate
Wind Precipitation
CLIMATE IN
ANTARCTICA :
Cloud Blizzards
Weather & Climate
Flora
The flora of Antarctica consists mainly of soil and
freshwater algae, lichens, mosses, fungi, and only two
native species of vascular plants. The terrestrial fauna
consists of a few invertebrate species of protozoans,
rotifers, nematodes, tardigrades, collembola (primitive
wingless insects), and a species of mite.
Some animals that live in Antarctica are:
1. King penguin
2. Emperor penguin
3. Antarctic krill
Fauna
4. Blue whale
5. Killer whale
6. Albatross
7. Blue-eyed shag (bird)
8. Leopard seal
9. Colossal squid
10. Antarctic spiny plunder fish
Global Warming
The main effects of global warming in Antarctica are:
Collapsing ice shelves
Warming of the southern ocean
Loss of penguin habitat
Increase in temperature by 3 degrees celcius
Retreating glaciers and loss of ice shelves
Rising sea levels and ocean acidity
Issues in Antarctica
The major issues in Antarctica are:
Climate change
Parts of the continent are experiencing the greatest increases in temperature on the planet.
Conflict over resources
As no single country owns Antarctica, access to these resources causes conflict.
Holes in the ozone layer
In the 1970s, scientists found that ozone was being destroyed and that ‘holes’ existed above the
Arctic and Antarctic.
Timeline
1. 2. 3.
1911 1959 1961
Roald Amundsun reaches the south pole 12 countries sign the antarctic treaty They start acting on the treaty
4. 5. 6.
1982 2002 2016
CAMLR convention regulates harvesting of Larcon B ice shelf collapsed The ross sea marine protection area is
finfish, molluscs, crustaceans and sea established
birds
The treaty prohibits military activities, mineral mining,
nuclear explosions and nuclear waste disposal in Antarctica.
It supports independent scientific research and undertakes
the protection of the continent's eco zone . A total of 53
parties were involved in the Antarctic Treaty by 2016.
Gone
In the near future Antarctica’s ice sheets are going to disappear
causing havoc on Earth in terms of climate. We need to save
Antarctica and all the species thriving there while still gaining
resources from there. This harmony between human and nature must
be achieved and not only in Antarctica but everywhere.
Thank You
