Consider the following statements about Antarctica. 1. The Antarctic ...
- The Antarctic continental region extends over 14 million square kilometres and comprises 26 per cent of the world’s wilderness area, representing 90 per cent of all terrestrial ice and 70 per cent of planetary fresh water.
- The Antarctic also extends to a further 36 million square kilometres of ocean. It has a limited terrestrial life and a highly productive marine ecosystem, comprising a few plants (e.g. microscopic algae, fungi and lichen), marine mammals, fish and hordes of birds to harsh conditions, as well as the krill, which is central to marine food chain and upon which other animals are dependent.
- The Antarctic plays an important role in maintaining climatic equilibrium, and deep ice cores provide an important source of information about greenhouse gas concentrations and atmospheric temperatures of hundreds and thousands of years ago.
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Consider the following statements about Antarctica. 1. The Antarctic ...
Statement 1: The Antarctic continental region represents 90 per cent of the world’s wilderness area.
Statement 2: It has a limited terrestrial life and a highly productive marine ecosystem.
Statement 3: The Antarctic plays an important role in maintaining climatic equilibrium, and deep ice cores provide an important source of information about greenhouse gas concentrations.
Explanation:
Statement 1: The Antarctic continental region represents 90 per cent of the world’s wilderness area.
This statement is correct. Antarctica is a vast and largely uninhabited continent, characterized by its pristine and untouched wilderness. It is one of the least populated regions in the world, with no permanent human residents. The continent is protected by the Antarctic Treaty System, which designates it as a natural reserve, dedicated to peace and science.
Statement 2: It has a limited terrestrial life and a highly productive marine ecosystem.
This statement is correct. Antarctica is a harsh environment with extremely low temperatures and limited resources, making it difficult for terrestrial life to thrive. However, beneath the icy surface, the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica is rich in nutrients and supports a highly productive marine ecosystem. The ocean is teeming with diverse marine life, including various species of whales, seals, penguins, and fish.
Statement 3: The Antarctic plays an important role in maintaining climatic equilibrium, and deep ice cores provide an important source of information about greenhouse gas concentrations.
This statement is incorrect. While the Antarctic does play a role in the Earth's climate system, it is not solely responsible for maintaining climatic equilibrium. The continent's extreme cold temperatures and vast ice sheets do contribute to global climate patterns, but they are just one component among many factors that influence the Earth's climate.
Deep ice cores extracted from Antarctica do provide valuable information about past climate conditions and greenhouse gas concentrations. By analyzing the layers of ice, scientists can reconstruct climate records dating back hundreds of thousands of years. These ice cores help us understand how the Earth's climate has changed over time and provide insight into the impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the climate system.
Conclusion:
Based on the explanations provided above, the correct statements are:
- Statement 2: It has a limited terrestrial life and a highly productive marine ecosystem.
- Statement 3: The Antarctic plays an important role in maintaining climatic equilibrium, and deep ice cores provide an important source of information about greenhouse gas concentrations.
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