Antarctica 1: Introduction to a continent

Antarctica  Area = USA + Mexico  Highest continent  Driest Continent  Windiest continent  Coldest Continent  Last inhabited continent  Dark 50% of the year

Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen January 28, 1820 Nathaniel B. Palmer November 17, 1820 Edward Bransfield January 30, 1820

James Clark Ross  Antarctic Expedition HMS Erebus HMS Terror  Sailed as far south as Ross Island, Ross Ice Shelf in the Ross Sea…

First Antarctic winter Cape Adare 1899 Carstens Borchgrevink

The Heroic Era( )

Pre-1957  Richard E. Byrd Admiral, US Navy Private and US-funded expeditions Meteorological research First flight to South Pole Commanded post-war Operation High Jump and Operation Deep Freeze

International Geophysical Year 1957/58  Largely Meteorology and Atmospheric physics  Saw the US, NZ, UK, Australia etc etc. establish permanent bases, including at the South Pole

International Polar Year 2007/08

History of Antarctica

Antarctic glaciation  First full-scale ice sheet ~ 34 Ma  Reached maximum ~15 Ma  Some fluctuations since then e.g. at LGM Ross Ice shelf covered approx. 3x current area  Extinctions Almost all terrestrial flora and fauna

The Antarctic Treaty  in effect June  Governs activities in Antarctica  Subsidiary treaties govern flora & Fauna, Seals, Marine Living resources the Environment

The Antarctic Treaty  Article 1 – Peaceful purposes only Military personnel and equipment allowed, but only for peaceful purposes  Article 2 - freedom of scientific investigation and cooperation  Article 3 - free exchange of information and personnel  Article 4 - does not recognize, dispute, or establish territorial claims, prevents new claims.  Article 5 - No nuclear explosions or radioactive waste;  Article 6 - all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees  Article 9 - frequent consultative meetings take place

Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic treaty  In force 1998  Article 7:  “Any activity relating to mineral resources, other than scientific research, shall be prohibited.”

Antarctic Biology  A long history the first marine samples collected by Cook (18 th C) the first terrestrial samples collected in late 19 th C  Biology was a major goal of many of the heroic era expeditions

Habitats in Antarctica  Terrestrial Nunataks Coastal areas Oases and Dry Valleys

Habitats in Antarctica  Marine ‘Normal’ range of marine  Benthic  Pelagic  (Some) intertidal Special habitats  Beneath ice shelves and sea ice  Associated with platelet ice  Freshwater Streams Lakes Ponds

Major issues in Antarctic Biology  Survival of environmental extremes  Responses to climate change  Origin of the flora and fauna  Sustainable use of marine resources