The Fauna And

Flora Of Polar Regions: Antarctic

The polar regions are deserts of ice and snow, swept by powerful winds. They are among the most inhospitable places on Earth. At the northern end of our planet lies the Arctic, made up of about 30 percent land and 70 percent ocean. In summer, the ground is covered in the tundra vegetation that is typical of the Arctic. Around the Earth’s South Pole lies ANTARTICA, a mountainous continent covered in a thick sheet of ice and surrounded by the Southern Ocean. With an average temperature of less than –57°C at its center, this very dry and windy continent is the coldest place in the world. The freezing waters of the polar oceans are covered in a layer of floating ice, called pack ice. Whether they live in the oceans or on land, the animals of the Polar Regions have adapted perfectly to the extreme conditions in their environment.

The fauna of the Antarctic

region

Antarctica is a continent almost completely covered in ice that is more than 3 km deep in some areas. This vast white desert swept by powerful winds holds the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded: –89°C! The inhospitable lands of the Antarctic belong to no country and are entirely dedicated to scientific research and tourism. The numerous birds and marine mammals of this region depend on the resources of the Southern Ocean in order to survive, especially on the abundance of small crustaceans called krill.

Krill

is a species of krill found in the Antarctic waters of the Southern Ocean. It is a small, swimming crustacean that lives in large schools, called swarms, sometimes reaching densities of 10,000–30,000 individual animals per cubic meter.

It grows to a length of 6 centimeters (2.4 in), weighs up to 2 grams (0.071 oz.), and can live for up to six years.

SPRINGTAILS

(Gomphiocephalus hodgsoni) is commonly found in the Dry Valleys, one of the few ice-free areas of Antarctica.

Typically under a millimeter long, the tiny, six-legged arthropods are similar to insects, but more primitive, and likely resemble the ancient ancestors of modern-day insects. They live under rocks near coastal areas, and survive on a diet of fungus and bacteria. Hogg has found them as far south as 86 degrees latitude.

EMPEROR PENGUIN

The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is one of the rare animals that live exclusively in Antarctica. When it is time to reproduce, these birds that measure 1.2 m in height gather together on the ice in a tight group. Flocking together this way, they are able to withstand the freezing temperatures. Like other species of penguins, emperor penguins are unable to fly. Their wings, transformed into powerful fins, allow them to dive more than 400 m deep to feed on krill, squid and fish.

HUMPBACK WHALE

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a cetacean that can measure 15 m long and weigh more than 25 metric tons. This baleen whale travels thousands of kilometers each year, migrating from cold oceans, where it feeds on krill and small fish, to warm oceans, where it reproduces. To establish their dominance and attract females, the males sing songs that last several days and whose sound travels underwater for tens of kilometers.

LEOPARD SEAL

The leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) gets its name from the small spots covering its back. Hidden under an ice floe, this 3 m-long mammal waits for a penguin or a young seal to dive into the water in order to take it by surprise. Besides other seals and penguins, the sea leopard eats fish, krill and other marine invertebrates. It is one of the largest predators of the Antarctic region.

ICEFISH

There are 15 species of icefish, all of them living in the Southern Ocean. To survive in the freezing water, these fish produce natural antifreeze. Their transparent blood does not contain hemoglobin, but special molecules that attach themselves to ice crystals as they form. This prevents the fishes’ bodies from freezing, even under the ice.

ORCA

The orca (Orcinus orca), which can grow to 9 m in length and weigh more than 5 metric tons, is the largest and fastest of the dolphins. It can swim almost 50 km/h and, despite its large size, is able to leap clear out of the water. Although it is found in all of the world’s oceans, this mammal prefers cold waters. Orcas gather together to hunt seals, penguins and sometimes even whales and sharks!

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The Flora of the

AntarcticRegion

The majority of the Antarctic continent is covered by permanent ice and snow leaving less than 1% available for colonization by plants. Most of this ice and snow-free land is found along the Antarctic Peninsula, its associated islands and in coastal regions around the edge of the rest of the Antarctic continent. Even in the most inhospitable ice-free habitats, such as inland mountains and nunataks, life can still be found.

There are no trees or shrubs, and only two species of flowering plants are found:Antarctic hair grass(Deschampsia

antarctica) Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus

quitensis).These occur on the South

Orkney Islands, the South Shetland Islands and along the western Antarctic Peninsula.

Antarctic hair

grass  

ANTARCTICPEARLWORT

There are around 100 species of mosses, 25 species of liverworts, 300 to 400 species of lichens and 20-odd species of macro-fungi. The greatest diversity of species is found along the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula where the climate is generally warmer and wetter than elsewhere in the Antarctic continent.

MOSSES

Mosses have the least number of species in Antarctica, but reproduce rapidly because of its life cycle. You can only find mosses in certain places such as 100mm deep in the ground and where there is shelter and heaps of water. They like to gather in groups, which make them possible to collect and retain more water. Mosses have a lot of things in common as they have the ability to photosynthesis, but photosynthesis can freeze in a few hours.

LICHENS

Lichens can be found growing in most areas of the Antarctic capable of supporting plant life. Lichens have a number of adaptations that enable them to survive in Antarctica. They are able to exhibit net photosynthesis while frozen at temperatures as low as -20°C. They can absorb water from a saturated atmosphere when covered by snow. They can survive long unfavorable periods of drought in a dry and inactive state. In continental Antarctica, many lichens are able to absorb water vapor from snow and ice.

TUSSOCK GRASS

The sub Antarctic islands have a milder and wetter climate more favorable for plant growth, meaning these islands possess a more diverse flora including a greater number of flowering plant species and some ferns.Dominant amongst sub Antarctic vegetation is tussock grass, a tall (up to 2 metres), and robust plant forming a dense fringe near the coast. Tussock grass (Parodiochloa flabellata) stools eroded by elephant seal activity.

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LISTENING

Submitted by:Clemeno, Krizza M.

Lubuguin, JacellRegodon, Ma. Ellyza

Sotomayor, Lanie Ross C.Umali, Diana Rose C.

BEED II-A General Education

Submitted to:Sir. Grecalda