The Antarctic Paleoenvironment: A Perspective on Global Change: Part One

Part of the What Everyone Needs to Know® series, David Day's book on Antarctica examines the most forbidding and formidably inaccessible continent on Earth. Antarctica was first discovered by European explorers in 1820, and for over a century following this, countries competed for the frozen land's vast marine resources--namely, the skins and oil of seals and whales. Soon the entire territory played host to competing claims by rival nations. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 was meant to end this contention, but countries have found other means of extending control over the land, with scientific bases establishing at least symbolic claims. Exploration and drilling by the United States, Great Britain, Russia, Japan, and others has led to discoveries about the world's climate in centuries past--and in the process intimations of its alarming future. Delving into the history of the continent, Antarctic wildlife, arguments over governance, underwater mountain rangers, and the continent's use in predicting coming global change, Day's work sheds new light on a territory that, despite being the coldest, driest, and windiest continent in the world, will continue to be the object of intense speculation and competition.

Download Full-text

Global change tipping points: above- and below-ground biotic interactions in a low diversity ecosystem

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.2006.1950 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 362 (1488) ◽

pp. 2291-2306 ◽

Cited By ~ 69

Author(s):

Diana H Wall

Keyword(s):

Global Change ◽

Biotic Interactions ◽

Ecosystem Processes ◽

Global Changes ◽

Tipping Points ◽

Low Diversity ◽

Dry Valley ◽

Below Ground ◽

The Antarctic ◽

High Diversity

Low diversity ecosystems are expected to be more vulnerable to global changes although they have received less attention than high diversity ecosystems. Addressing the present state of the Antarctic Dry Valley region by focusing on the potential global changes that may alter the coupling of above- and below-ground species and ecosystem processes is a realistic and critical need that has value beyond the Antarctic community. Presented here are suggested implications of global change on the Dry Valley terrestrial systems and how these effects might be manifested in the future.

Download Full-text

Antarctic data management

Antarctic Science ◽

10.1017/s0954102093000318 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 237-237

Author(s):

Drew Clarke

Keyword(s):

Global Change ◽

Environmental Monitoring ◽

Data Management ◽

Political Context ◽

The Political ◽

Economic Context ◽

Antarctic Treaty ◽

Scientific Context ◽

Economic Perspectives ◽

The Antarctic

Antarctic science is inter-disciplinary in character, multi-national in execution, and globally relevant. Data management in this environment must be examined from political, scientific and economic perspectives. The Antarctic Treaty calls on parties to exchange and make freely available scientific observations and results from Antarctica, so establishing the political context for addressing data management. The scientific context arises from the increasingly large and complex issues being addressed, including environmental monitoring and global change programmes, while the economic context considers data and information as the primary assets derived from Antarctic expenditure.

Download Full-text