A PowerPoint on the diverse ecosystems of the Arctic and the Antarctic. Climate, Physical features, Flora and Fauna, Human Threats!

1. The Polar Regions
The Arctic
and
The Antarctic
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3. The Polar Regions:
Arctic and Antarctic
• The Arctic and the Antarctic are the two polar regions of the
world.
• The Antarctic is a continent surrounded by ocean whilst the
Arctic is an ocean surrounded by main islands part of
continents like Greenland, Ellesmere Islands.
• The maximum sea extent of the Antarctic is 8 million square
kilometres whereas the maximum sea extent of the Arctic is
7 million square kilometres.
• The area of the Antarctic is 6 million square miles where the
area of the Arctic is 5.4 square miles.
• The total coastline covered in the Antarctic is 18,000 miles
where the total coastline covered in the Arctic is 25,000
miles.
• The sun never sets for a six-month period at the Arctic pole.
• For a six-month period at the Antarctic Pole, the sun never
rises for six months and never sets for six months.
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4. Sea Ice Extent Data
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5. Ice Concentration %
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6. The Arctic and The Antarctic Region Map
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8. Contrast between
the ecosystems of
The Arctic and The
Antarctic
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9. PHYSICAL FEATURES
The Antarctic
• It is a continent covered by an
immense ice cap and
surrounded by the Antarctic
Ocean.
• Mountains up to 3,794 metres
high.
• Ice is 4.5km thick in places.
The Arctic
• It is not a continent. It is an
ocean surrounded by larger
islands like Greenland and
Ellesmere Island.
• Ice reaches the height of 2-3
metres.
• The sea packs the ice.
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10. CLIMATE
The Antarctic
• Very cold due to lack of direct sunlight.
• Temperatures average –28 degrees Celcius in summer
and –60 degrees Celcius in winter.
• In summer, the sun doesn't set and in winter, the sun
doesn't rise.
• Dry seasons
The Arctic
• Cold due to lack of direct sunlight-but not as cold as
Antarctica.
• Temperatures average 0 degrees Celcius in summer and –40
degrees in winter.
• In summer, the sun doesn't set and in winter, the sun doesn't
rise.
• Dry seasons.
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11. FLORA
The Antarctic
• Almost no vegetation-
mostly lichens.
• No tundra or tree lines The Arctic
• Low shrubs, sedges and
grasses, mosses and
liverworts.
• The Tundra is well
developed and marked by
a tree shrub line.
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12. FAUNA
The Antarctic
• No terrestrial mammals.
• Marine mammals include
porpoises, whales, seals and
penguins. The Arctic
• Terrestrial mammals include
Polar Bears, Arctic Fox, Caribou
(Reindeers), Wolves, Hare, Musk
Ox and Lemmings.
• Marine mammals include seals,
whales, porpoises
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13. HUMAN ACTIVITIES
The Antarctic • Scientific bases
• Tourist visitors
The Arctic
• Human population north of 60^N greater
than 4 million people.
• Many indigenous people-Inuit, Sami and
Yupik.
• Mining activities
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14. The Antarctic
• Potential Resources:
 - Mineral and Energy Resources, Antarctica is
the largest known coalfield.
 - Fresh Water Extraction (70% fresh water is in
Antarctica).
 - Resource from marine life eg: farming of fish and
krill.
 - Scientific Resources-study on Weather patterns,
ecosystem adaptations, past climate and geological
changes.
• Tourism offers potential because of the attraction of
the unique wilderness.
• Increased fishing pressure and illegal fishing is
a trouble, along with Climate Change which may
alternatively lead to melting Ice caps.
• Marine Pollution has also been detected,
microplastics in the sea, increasing quantities of
plastic ashore off the coast.
The Arctic
• Whaling has been one of the largest
industries of the Arctic.
• Whale species of Fin, Minke and the Blue
Whale were hunted down nearing to
extinction. Whale became a delicate issue
due to excessive hunting. It has been
stopped now.
• Gas and Oil reserves are the largest
reserves in the Arctic. Drilling has been
disturbing for the people and wildlife,
especially Caribou deer.
• Tourism is becoming very popular but
there has also been a lot of littering on
the land, and boat travel has had oil spills.
Human Activities
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15. THE FUTURE THREATS
The Antarctic
• Threats from Climate Change.
• Extraction of oil, gas and metals.
The Arctic
• Threats from Climate Change.
• Extraction of oil and gas and other
resources.
• Claims of sovereignty
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