Case Study: Antarctica Flashcards
(41 cards)
1
Q
Where is Antarctica located?
A
- Most Southern continent
- Contains the geographic South Pole
2
Q
Why is Antarctica considered part of the global commons?
A
- No single nation owns it – managed internationally
- Includes the continent and surrounding Southern Ocean (up to the Antarctic Convergence)
3
Q
Describe Antarctica’s size and land cover.
A
- 14 million km² (5th largest continent)
- 98% covered in ice, avg. 2km thick
4
Q
What is an ice shelf?
A
- Floating extensions of land ice
- Formed by glaciers flowing into the sea
5
Q
What makes Antarctica’s climate extreme?
A
- Coldest (-94.7°C), driest, and windiest continent
- Average temp: -49°C
6
Q
Why is Antarctica considered a desert?
A
- Very low precipitation (under 166mm/year inland)
- Coastal areas get slightly more (up to 200mm)
7
Q
Why is terrestrial life in Antarctica limited?
A
- Extreme cold, dryness, little sunlight
- Only mosses, lichens, 2 flowering plants grow on ice-free land
8
Q
What wildlife thrives in the surrounding seas?
A
- Penguins (e.g. emperor, Adélie), petrels, seals
- Feed at sea, breed on land/ice
9
Q
Why is Antarctica’s environment fragile?
A
- Slow recovery – footprints in moss last decades
- Small changes in one species affect the whole food web
10
Q
What is the Antarctic Convergence?
A
- Natural boundary where cold Antarctic waters meet warmer northern waters
- Around 48 km wide, shifts seasonally
11
Q
Why is the Antarctic Convergence important?
A
- Supports large numbers of krill
- Key to rich marine ecosystems
12
Q
How is climate change affecting the Antarctic Peninsula (AP)?
A
- Temp rise of 3°C in 50 years
- Ice shelves melting (e.g. Ross Ice Shelf)
13
Q
What’s happening to krill populations?
A
- Declined 80% since 1970s
- Dependent on sea ice for habitat
14
Q
Is all of Antarctica losing ice?
A
- West Antarctic Ice Sheet = losing ice
- East Antarctica = thickening due to more snowfall
15
Q
What is ocean acidification and how does it impact Antarctica?
A
- CO₂ reacts with seawater → carbonic acid
- Reduces calcium carbonate for shells
16
Q
How has overfishing affected Antarctica?
A
- Rock cod & krill overexploited
- Patagonian toothfish endangered
17
Q
What are the impacts of illegal fishing?
A
- Difficult to monitor
- By-catch kills seabirds like albatrosses
18
Q
What is the current status of whaling?
A
- Commercial whaling banned in 1982 by IWC
- Whale sanctuary established in 1994
19
Q
Are there valuable minerals in Antarctica?
A
- Yes – oil, coal, gold, silver, etc.
- But hard to access, not economically viable”
20
Q
Is mining allowed in Antarctica?
A
- No – banned by Protocol on Environmental Protection (1991)
- Ban can be reviewed in 2048
21
Q
What are the attractions of Antarctic tourism?
A
- Unique wildlife & landscapes
- Adventure activities: kayaking, skiing, camping
22
Q
How is tourism regulated?
A
- IAATO: promotes environmentally friendly practices
- ATS rules: 1 ship landing at a time, limited group size/time, waste must be taken away, distance kept from wildlife”
23
Q
What are the concerns about tourism?
A
- Ecosystem damage (e.g. moss footprints)
- Disturbance of wildlife during breeding
24
Q
Why is scientific research important in Antarctica?
A
- Studies climate, weather, geology, oceanography
- Ice cores reveal past climates
25
What are the environmental challenges of research?
- Requires roads, fuel depots, bases
- Past waste disposal was poor
26
What is the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) and its role?
- Signed 1959 by 12 countries, now 56 signatories
- Avoids conflict, promotes peace & science
27
How effective is the Antarctic Treaty System?
- No major conflicts since signing
- Successful peaceful cooperation & scientific freedom
28
What is the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) role?
- Regulates whaling, set 1982 moratorium banning commercial whaling
- Established 1994 Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary"
29
How effective is the IWC?
- Whale populations recovering
- Criticism over enforcement & authority
30
What is the role of UNEP and CCAMLR?
- UNEP governs environment globally
- CCAMLR (27 countries + 10 partners) protects Antarctic marine life & stops illegal fishing
31
How effective are UNEP and CCAMLR?
- Reporting every 3 years is slow/outdated
- Countries sometimes protect self-interests
32
What do NGOs like ASOC do?
- Formed to oppose mineral exploitation
- Monitor environmental changes, campaign for marine reserves
33
Effectiveness of NGOs (ASOC, Greenpeace, WWF, Friends of the Earth)?
- Little direct power compared to global institutions
- Successful in awareness & advocacy
34
What is IAATO and its role?
- Founded 1991 to regulate tourism
- Ensures environmental & safety guidelines (e.g. 5m from wildlife, max 100 people/boat)
35
How effective is IAATO?
- Successfully regulates tourism impacts
- Some guidelines (like wildlife distance) hard to monitor
36
How does Antarctic governance affect global climate action?
- Ice monitoring informs climate change efforts worldwide
- Encourages renewable energy, conservation
37
What economic impacts does Antarctic governance have?
- Secures resources for future generations
- Limits short-term growth (e.g. fishing/whaling quotas)
38
How does global governance support scientific research?
- Shared research stations and data
- Facilitates international collaboration
39
How does governance affect tourism?,
- Allows safe, controlled tourist access
- Protects fragile ecosystems
40
What percentage of all ice on Earth is found in Antarctica?
90%
41
What percentage of the Earths freshwater is stored in Antarctica?
70%
