Antarctica Flashcards
How has Antarctica’s climate been affected by climate change?
It has warmed by 3°c over the last 50 years
How much if the Wilkins ice shelf has been lost?
28,000km^2 has been lost
What does the loss of ice sheets mean for glaciers?
It speeds up the melting if glaciers as the ground ice sheet starts to retreat
How much has the melting of the Antarctic peninsula has contributed to sea level rise?
Has added 0.16mm per year
How much of the Ronne-Filcher ice sheet has melted?
25,000km^2
What has happened to the penguin populations?
Some species have declined by 50% in some places due to the lack of permanent ice sheets, however some like the Adelie penguins have thrived
How much have krill number dropped since the 1970’s?
They have dropped by 80% due to reductions in sea ice meaning less algae
How much has the sea rose since the 1990’s?
By around 3mm
How much would sea levels rise if all the ice on Antarctica melted?
It would rise by 78m completely covering low lying countries
How is the thermohaline circulation system affected if more sea ice melts?
Melting sea ice adds freshwater into the oceans, reducing the salinity and decreasing marine biodiversity
How would the reduction of krill affect the rest of the ecosystem?
It would drastically reduce the marine diversity as krill is the main food source for many species
What sort of feedback is melting sea ice and why?
The feedback is positive as the melting ice sheets increase global sea temperatures due to more water, warmer water means more melting of ice sheets
What is Antarctica?
A global common
How has Antarctica tried to be preserved?
Through the creation of the Antarctic treaty and the Paris agreement
How has the Paris agreement helped Antarctica?
It pledges that the 175 countries signed up to it are trying to keep global temperatures below a 2°c rise pre-industrialisation, hence reducing climate change
How long has the Antarctic treaty been in place?
Nearby 50 years
What legislation is under the Antarctic treaty?
- The Antarctic treaty
- The Madrid protocol
- The conservation of Antarctic seals
- The conservation of Antarctic marine living resources
- The international whaling moratorium
Why was the international whaling moratorium introduced?
This is due to overfishing of whales such as in the 1970’s blue were decreased to only 6000
How is fishing and whaling an economic pressure on Antarctica?
This is due to whaling being banned in the southern ocean resulting in the overfishing of krill which is a huge food source for the marine life of Antarctica
How is mineral exploitation an economic pressure on Antarctica?
There are large deposits of oil and coal found in Antarctica that due to the treaty cannot be exploited. However due to increasing prices they are being eyed up…
How is tourism and scientific research an economic pressure on Antarctica?
Tourism has increased significantly since 2008 and this has altered the isolated wildlife and environment
What is the thermohaline circulation system?
The transfer of southern surface polar water into the deep oceans near the north
What is ablation?
This is the opposite of accumulation , referring to all processes that remove snow, ice or water
What is a Nunatak?
An exposed ridge, mountain or peak not covered by ice or snow within an icefield or glacier
What is the Antarctic convergence zone?
A natural boundary separating the hydrological regions, areas of distinct climate and areas of distinct wild life
Where is the Antarctic convergence zone?
Located around 60° south
