Antarctica Flashcards

1
Q

Where is Antarctica located?

A

Southwards from other continents
5th largest continent

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2
Q

What is Antarctica in terms of continent? Climate - 2 things

A

Driest continent and largest desert

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3
Q

Why does Antarctica have very little snow or rain?

A

Temperature

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4
Q

How thick can the ice be ?

A

Up to 4km thick in some places

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5
Q

How do floating ice shelves form?

A

By ice flowing off the continent and these shelves break to make icebergs

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6
Q

How much of the world’s oceans would rise if Antarctica’s ice sheets melted?

A

60-65 meters

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7
Q

Who is Antarctic governed by?

A

Antarctic Treaty

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8
Q

What is the sea called that surrounds Antarctica?

A

Antarctica sea

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9
Q

Why do no one own Antarctica?

A

Cold War

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10
Q

What does ATS mean?

A

Antarctica Treaty system

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11
Q

What does the ATS regulate?

A

International relations

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12
Q

When was ATS introduced?

A

1961

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13
Q

How many countries signed the ATS?

A

53 countries

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14
Q

What are 2 agreements about ATS?

A

No nuclear testing
Freedom of scientific research

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15
Q

When do the ATS group meet and why?

A

Annually and discuss territory issues

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16
Q

What else does the ATS designate?

A

Protected Areas through schemes

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17
Q

What is an example of a scheme that protects areas?

A

Antarctica Specially Protected Areas - ASPA

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18
Q

What does the ocean support?

A

Marine life

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19
Q

When did whaling and fishing start in Antarctica?

A

19th century

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20
Q

What has whaling resulted in?

A

Whale population declining dye to massive exploitation

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21
Q

Give us a fact about whaling population in 1960?

A

Population declined by 90%

22
Q

Why do certain countries want to hunt whales?

A

Because they provide a range of products

23
Q

What are the 2 fish species that were sought after?

A

Krill and Antarctica Toothfish

24
Q

What are 3 risks to Antarctica linking to fishing?

A

Overfishing
Destruction of marine habitats
Contamination

25
What is the global body called that is responsible for conservation of whales?
International Whaling Commission - IWC
26
Where are the 2 main whaling stations?
South Shetlands and South Georgia
27
What do Krill feed on?
Phytoplankton
28
What is phytoplankton?
Single celled, microscopic plants that drift near the ocean's surface
29
Why is scientific research and tourism a threat to Antarctica?
Some degree of disturbance to wildlife and environment
30
How is there some degree of disturbance to wildlife and environment? 2 points
Oil spills Tourism season coincides with peak breeding season
31
What is seaborne tourism?
Cruises with opportunities to transfer to smaller boats for landing or cruising close to shore
32
What is airborne tourism?
Flying - scenic flights over continent or in some cases landing
33
What are fly cruises?
Visitors land on King George Island from flights and onto a cruise boat
34
How many tourists were there landing in Antarctica in 2018?
56000
35
What about in the past year, how many tourists?
105000
36
What is the body responsible for regulating tourists?
International Association of Antarctic Tour Operations - IAATO
37
When was Greenpeace founded?
1971
38
What does Greenpeace do?
Investigate, exposes and confronts the causes of environmental destruction and they work to bring about change by lobbying, consumer pressure etc
39
What does Antarctica treaty mean?
Off-limits to military activity and exploitation
40
Where is Greenpeace present?
Over 40 countries
41
What is an example of a victory for GP?
1982 - Commercial whaling banned worldwide
42
What is a negative of GP?
That it is strictly bureaucratic structure - control
43
When was Sea Shepherd founded?
1977
44
What is Sea Shepherd?
Their mission is to protect and conserve the world's oceans and marine wildlife
45
What is the notable action Sea Shepherd has done?
Operation Antarctica
46
What is an example of a positive impact that SS has done?
Serve local communities most at risk from climate change
47
What is an example of a negative impact that SS has done?
People say that they have a practice of attacking and sinking other ships
48
When was WWF founded?
1961
49
What does WWF do?
Works to help local communities conserve the natural resources they depend upon
50
What is an example of a positive impact that WWF has done?
Successful snow leopard survey