Antartic Bio Geography

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Antarctica and its surrounding, sub-Antarctic, islands are among the world’s most spectacular and least disturbed environments. The sub-Antarctic islands are staggeringly beautiful. Their habitats range from lush tussock grasslands in the lowlands to polar desert and glaciers in the uplands. Some have little vegetation at all. Others, in the more northerly reaches, may have lowland woody habitats.

All of the islands are home to huge populations of seabirds and seals. They include albatrosses, penguins, elephant seals, and several species of fur seals. The islands’ vegetation includes extraordinary flowering plant species such as Ross Lillies and the Kerguelen Cabbage, but is dominated by groups such as the mosses and lichens. Terrestrial life includes just a few endemic birds, such as sheathbills, ducks and parrots, while insect life abounds. Many of these insects are curious, having reduced wings or no wings at all.
Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands are experiencing some of the most rapid climate change on earth. The extent and pace of that change differs among parts of the continent, the Southern Ocean, and the sub-Antarctic islands. Nonetheless, evidence of the impact of that change is already profound. Glaciers are receding, plant life is marching up the elevational gradients on many islands, and new species are turning up in places they have not been seen before.

Many of these species are from elsewhere on the planet. Typically, in the past, such non-indigenous species were introduced either deliberately, such as Reindeer to South Georgia, or accidentally, such as rats and mice to many islands. Now, most introductions are accidental. Despite good biosecurity in many regions, the threats seem to be growing. To a large extent this is due to climates becoming more favourable, and increasing numbers of visitors to the region.

Thus, for the Antarctic region, climate change and biological invasions are the most significant threats to biodiversity and are of major concern to both conservationists and policy makers. A further major concern is exploitation of marine resources, while growing anxiety has been expressed about impacts associated with local human activities.