Threats to Antarctica (AQA A Level Geography)

Fishing & Whaling in Antarctica

• Unsustainable fishing is a major threat, with species such as the Patagonian Toothfish at risk of becoming endangered

• Overfishing of krill could undermine the entire marine ecosystem because they are a primary food source for many species such as whales, seals and penguins

  • If krill populations decline, it could lead to population declines and potential extinctions of other species that depend on krill as a food source

• Illegal and unregulated fishing is difficult to monitor and has increased over the last 10 years

• Fishing also threatens species such as albatross and petrels which get caught in fishing lines and drown

• Historically, commercial whaling was a significant threat with many whale species hunted to near extinction

• Whaling has declined since commercial whaling was banned, though some countries, such as Norway and Japan continue to hunt whales 

• It takes a very long time for whale populations to recover because whales are very slow to reproduce

  • Most whale species only give birth to one calf at a time, and the gestation period lasts between 9 and 18 months

Exploitation of Mineral Resources in Antarctica

• Antarctica has various mineral resources such as coal, iron ore, copper, gold and platinum

• There are also large reserves of oil under the Southern Ocean

• The resources would be difficult to extract due to the harsh environment and lack of accessibility

• Mineral extraction is currently banned, but there are fears that pressure may increase due to the rising demand for resources and melting ice which makes them more accessible

• Mining in the Antarctic would have a significant impact on the environment and would threaten the delicate balance of the ecosystems in the region

  • Habitat destruction and wildlife disturbance would result from the building of roads and other infrastructure 

  • Pollution and toxic waste are often byproducts in mining operations which would contaminate land and water

  • Oil spills would have a devastating and long-term impact, perhaps remaining in the environment for decades due to the low temperatures

Scientific Research in Antarctica

• Scientific research is essential to understand the unique ecosystems and climate of Antarctica

• Scientists and their support staff live temporarily in 82 research stations, with the population reaching a peak of 5000 during the summer months and dropping to 1000 in the winter months

• Research activities such as drilling can disturb wildlife and disrupt breeding or feeding patterns

• Research stations need fuel and supplies which can lead to pollution from the ships and vehicles which deliver them. 

• There are problems with waste disposal

  • Solid waste is transported away from Antarctica and disposed of

  • Sewage waste is another issue, in some areas seal and penguin populations are exposed to high levels of bacteria 

    • This led to the building of a waste treatment plant at Australia’s Davis station

  • Waste treatment still varies widely between research stations

• Scientists may accidentally introduce invasive species which could endanger the fragile ecosystem

Climate Change & Antarctica

• Antarctica is experiencing a much faster rate of warming than the rest of the world with temperatures rising by 2-3 times the global average

• As glaciers and ice sheets melt, the albedo effect causes warming to accelerate

  • The dark-coloured ocean or land surface absorbs more of the sun’s energy, rather than reflecting it back into space

  • This causes more warming, contributing to a positive feedback loop

• Warming causes glaciers and ice sheets to melt – bringing significant changes to the environment and contributing to global sea level rise

• Antarctica is losing ice mass at an average rate of 150 million tonnes per year

• Melting ice could disrupt ocean currents, impacting global weather patterns and marine life

• Warming causes shifts in the timing of seasonal events such as the breeding and migration of penguins and other seabirds, as well as increasing the likelihood of invasive species

• Loss of sea ice affects the feeding habits and survival of seals, whales and penguins

  • Adélie penguins have already experienced a significant population decline

  • They need stable sea ice to build their nests and raise their young - as ice is lost, it has a significant effect on their breeding

  • Adélie penguins are an essential part of the food web so their decline affects the rest of the ecosystem 

    • They are a food source for other species such as killer whales and leopard seals - the decline could lead to increased competition for food among these species

    • They feed on krill and small fish - the decline in penguins could lead to an increase in krill and small fish which could upset the balance of the ecosystem

• Climate change causes ocean acidification which could cause a severe decline in phytoplankton and krill, potentially undermining the entire marine ecosystem

Tourism in Antarctica

• The number of tourists has been steadily increasing from fewer than 2000 visitors a year in the 1980s, to almost 75,000 in 2019/20

• There are several reasons for this growth:

  • Improved transport has made it easier and more affordable to travel

  • Growing demand for adventure travel and unique experiences attracts people seeking to explore remote and pristine environments

  • Rising incomes mean that more people can afford to travel to Antarctica

• 18,000 of these tourists visited by cruise liner and did not step foot in Antarctica

• More shipping and air travel can increase pollution and there are fears that more tourists mean increased disruption to feeding and breeding patterns