How many ecosystems are in Antarctica?
The Antarctic realm is one of eight terrestrial biogeographic realms. The ecosystem includes Antarctica and several island groups in the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans.
…
Ecoregions.
| Antarctic tundra v t e | |
|---|---|
| Central South Antarctic Peninsula tundra | Antarctic Peninsula |
| Dronning Maud Land tundra | Queen Maud Land |
What is in the ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms, as well as weather and landscape, work together to form a bubble of life. Ecosystems contain biotic or living, parts, as well as abiotic factors, or nonliving parts. … Abiotic factors include rocks, temperature, and humidity.
Where is the Antarctic ecosystem found?
The Antarctic region comprises the continent and surrounding sea south of the Antarctic Convergence, where cold Antarctic upper water sinks and mixes with warmer sub-Antarctic water. The continent, nearly centered on the South Geographic Pole, is isolated by the Southern Ocean from other land masses.
Why is the Antarctic an extreme environment?
Antarctica can be called a desert because of its low levels of precipitation, which is mainly snow. … Antarctica has the coldest land temperature recorded on the Earth, -89.2°C. The average annual temperature is around -50°C. It is a challenging environment and no one lives there permanently.
What is Antarctica biodiversity?
The Antarctic continent is isolated from the rest of the world by the Southern Ocean and successful natural colonization events are rare. As a result, terrestrial biodiversity is low and comprised of simple plants (e.g. mosses, lichens, liverworts) and animals (e.g. flies, mites and springtails).
What makes the Antarctic seas some of the most productive marine ecosystems?
Antarctic seas are extremely productive because phytoplankton grows abundantly during the extended daylight of summer and feeds huge populations of krill. Krill, shrimplike crustaceans, are a key animal in this ecosystem, as food for top predators: whales, penguins, and seals.