Case study- Antarctica Flashcards
Location
Southern hemisphere
Surrounded by the South Ocean
Geographical facts
Ice covers 97% of it
hIGHT ABOVE SEA LEVEL IS 2,300
What is the Antarctic convergence>
Meeting of warm surface water from North with cold Antarctic water
Brings krill
Varies seasonally
What is the Circumpolar current?
Flows around A
Blocks warmer water from travelling south
The food web
Algae - krill
they keep A food web
If ice continues to melt sea level will rise and krill will lose their food. Ipact of marine life will be terrible
Biodiversity
Krill are plankton. They feed on phytoplankton. They are easy to catch and are direct food supply for many e.g. fish whales squid penguin
What are the threats to Antarctica?
Fishing
Whaling
Tourism
Pressure on mineral resources
Scientific research
Climate change
Sealing
Started in Sourh Georgia and moved
300,000 seals were killed in 3 years
This shows bad Antarctic exploitation
(Tragedy of commons)
Whaling
Whaling in south ocean began in 1900s
In 1910 it provided 50% of worlds catch
That bad that it led to creation of IWC.
At first IWC didn’t work but eventually it did
Growth of IWC
1986 IWC dropped all commercial whaling
Limited to scientific whaling of one or two countries some populations are being to recover
Krill
Krill numbers have dropped because of climate change. There is less sea ice so this may be the cause v
Fishing
Lots of illegal fishing
1999 CCAMLR adopted a catch scheme to prevent illegal caught fish entering markets
Climate change
It’s effecting different parts of A in different ways.
Some has ice retreat
Krill population may disappear. The whole food chain will collapse
Mineral resources
Never been commercial mining in A
It is banned because of the A treaty
Future need for resources may change this
There is an agreement until 2048 to stop commercial mining. It’s the Environmental protection. When this ends the world might needs its resources
Tourism
A treaty agreed to introduce limits on tourism. Only ships with less than 500 people. Only 100 allowed on shore at any time. Not waste left. Wildlife can’t be disturbed
Specially protected areas are off limits
As a global common
Several countries have claimed parts of A but this was never made legal e.g Russia and USA never claimed but still have research there.
Antarctica treaty system
Free access and research rights to all
Not nuclear waste
Any UN member can sign up
52 members
Meetings
IWC
International Whaling commission
Slide 8 lesson 2.1.5b
Tone done
