Biomes: Antarctica | AQA A-Level Environmental Science Revision | Primrose Kitten

Biome

A large, distinct ecological area with specific climate and vegetation, influencing the distribution of biodiversity in a region

Antarctica

Polar land mass at the South Pole, surrounded by ocean

Ecosystem

All of the biotic and abiotic factors in an environment and the interactions between them

How much of Antarctica is ice and snow?

Covers almost 99% of Antarctica's surface

What is the albedo of Antarctica like?

High, due to the ice and snow

Precipitation in Antarctica

Very little, resulting in limited terrestrial life

Sunlight in Antarctica

24 hours in summer, 24 hours of darkness in winter

Upwellings

Bring up cold, nutrient-dense water from the deep ocean

Where do the nutrients come from in the Antarctic food chain?

Nutrient rich upwellings

Is ice on land fresh or salt water?

Fresh!

Temperature buffer

High albedo surfaces reflect UV away from Earth

Permafrost

Huge carbon store, potential release of greenhouse gases

Which valuable resource can be found beneath Antarctica?

Crude oil

Do people live on Antarctica?

No, just temporarily for scientific research

Why can ice cover be measured by GRACE which measures gravitational pull?

The mass of the ice has a gravitational pull. Higher mass= higher gravitational pull

Bycatch

Accidental catch caught alongside the expected catch when fishing

Can we harvest crude oil from Antarctica?

Currently banned, but pressure to exploit may increase

Give examples of effects that global climate change is having to Antarctica's landscape.

Causing ice sheet breakup, sea level rise, glacial movement, reduced snow cover etc

Antarctic Treaty

Agreement to protect Antarctica, covers fishing, mineral extraction, waste, and tourism