Research/Project ResultsPolar Ice Cap Biome:Antarctic Peninsula,Antarctica |
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Abiotic Site DescriptionType of Ecosystem: polar ice cap shoreline Latitude: 65 degrees south Longitude: 53 degrees west Soil Moisture: dry Soil Organic Content: low Sunlight: bright (no trees so no shade) or cloudy Wind: strong winds Summer daytime temperature: + 5 C Summer nighttime temperature: -30 C
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| The
Antartctic polar ice cap is a truely unique biome. The climate is
very harsh, both on the land and in the water. The soil is
dry and rocky, with little vegetation. With a short growing
season, cold temperatures, few plants exist. Thus, there is little
decomposition and little organic matter in the soil which might help
plant growth! This is the antithesis of the Temperate Deciduous
Biome forests that have a lot of plant growth, lots of decomposition,
and thus very rich soils that encourage further plant growth.
The sun is very intense when there is no cloud cover because there is nothing to create shade. Ozone depletion has been a problem in the Antarctic, and there is some thought that penguins and aquatic organisms near the surface of the water (ie. coral near Australia) may be affected by the increased level of UV light. The cold temperatures, combined with the high winds, leads to a significant windchill. Even in peak summer the temperatures reached only + 5C. In the winter it is so cold that it is almost impossible to travel here. In 1999 a female doctor at a research base took care of her on starting cancer problems because planes could not fly in during the winter season! |
This picture shows the very barren, dry, inorganic soil that exists in the Antarctic. The green and brown vegetation is aquatic weeds that are exposed at low tide.
Icebergs form by calving (falling) off of the Ross Ice Shelf. When they first land in the water they form large flat tabular icebergs. In these icebergs on can see the layers of snow and ice that make them up. As they get older their base melts and sometimes they will even flip upside down! Winds, rain and waves continue to sculpt the large tableaus of ice into the strange forms you see in these pictures. Icebergs turn colour as oxygen diffuses out of them and as they age.
Click on the image of the iceberg to move to the next page, or press play to hear sounds of the surf on the Antarctic Peninsula shore.
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