Antarctic environment

The physical environment: The atmosphere—climate and weather patterns

The physical environment includes both the nonliving factors that characterise an ecosystem (e.g. weather patterns, ice coverage, the atmosphere) and the processes that drive them (e.g. weathering of rocks, anthropogenic emissions that deplete ozone in the atmosphere).
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

The physical environment: The cryosphere

The physical environment includes both the nonliving factors that characterise an ecosystem (e.g. weather patterns, ice coverage, the atmosphere) and the processes that drive them (e.g. weathering of rocks, anthropogenic emissions that deplete ozone in the atmosphere).
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

The physical environment: The Southern Ocean

The Southern Ocean is changing in ways that are likely to affect regional and global climate, and marine productivity (Rhein et al. 2013).
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

The living environment: Marine and terrestrial

Given its extreme conditions, the Antarctic has a surprising diversity of ecosystems. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest and highest continent. Only about 0.18 per cent of the continent is ice-free.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

The living environment: Vertebrate populations

Given its extreme conditions, the Antarctic has a surprising diversity of ecosystems. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest and highest continent. Only about 0.18 per cent of the continent is ice-free.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

Australian Antarctic Program’s station environment: Operation indicators

Although human activity across Antarctica has increased during recent decades, it remains much lower than for all other continents. Human activity in Antarctica is highly seasonal, with the peak presence and activity occurring during the summer months.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

Australian Antarctic Program’s station environment: Contaminated sites and pollution

Although human activity across Antarctica has increased during recent decades, it remains much lower than for all other continents. Human activity in Antarctica is highly seasonal, with the peak presence and activity occurring during the summer months.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Antarctic environment

Heritage values

Antarctica’s unique environment is internationally recognised, and a wide range of its heritage values are protected under the Madrid Protocol.
2016
Relates to
Antarctic environment
State and trends
Antarctica
Klekociuk A, Wienecke B (2016). Antarctic environment: Topics. In: Australia state of the environment 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/antarctic-environment/topics?framework=111, DOI 10.4226/94/58b65b2b307c0