Antartica: a global common - climate and evironment Flashcards
it is the southern most…
contintnet
how much area does it cover?
14 million km2
majority is covered in…
ice
it is the largest..
ice sheet in the world
how much of the earth’ surface freshwater does it house?
90%
what kind of environments..
most extreme
temperature
coldest place on earth, -40oC
how dry is it
priests places on earth
where receives the most precipitation?
the coast
how much precipitation on the coast?
400 mm - 600 mm+ a year
how is precipitation inland?
barely any, under 50 mm a year
uk average annual rainfall compared to Antartica
5x larger than antatricas, but antartrica is 58x bigger than UK
it is so dry it is considered a….
desert
The McMurdo Dry Valleys thought not see rain in…
nearly 2 million years
what are the winds known as?
Katabatics winds
what are the katabatics winds
strongest in the steepest areas of anatartica
what a the gales like around 40 days in the year
60-70 mph
what is the ecosystem like bc of the cold harsh conditions?
not very biodiverse
what are the only plants that grow?
mosses and lichen
what ocean is diverse in marine life
southern ocean
