Plants

Considering the harsh climatic conditions and the poor soils, it makes sense that Antarctica has so few species of plants and animals: 360 species of algae, 400 species of lichens, 75 species of mosses and no ferns. Two species of flowering plants occur in the warmer maritime region of the Antarctic Peninsula: the Antarctic hair-grass (Deschampsia antarctica) and the Antarctic pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis). All Antarctic plants grow slowly, and only a few species grow taller than 3cm (1.25 inches).

Birds

The most obvious and commonly seen animals of Antarctica are the birds. The species diversity is very low. Although many more occur, only 43 species of birds breed south of the Antarctic Convergence, nearly all of them seabirds. Many ornithologists believe that Wilson's Storm-petrel, which breeds by the millions in Antarctica, may be the most numerous bird in the world.

Penguins epitomize Antarctica. Surprisingly, of the 17 species found in the southern hemisphere, most of them live north of the Antarctica Convergence, the biological boundary that separates the Antarctic from the rest of the world. Of all the penguins, only the Emperor and Adelie are restricted to Antarctic habitats. Gentoo, Chinstrap, King, Macaroni, Rockhopper, and Magellanic Penguins are some of the additional species that may be encountered in Antarctica or the subantarctic islands.

Land Mammals

In Antarctica, terrestrial animals must endure tremendous variations in temperature, whereas the aquatic animals live in a more uniform environment. To survive freezing an insect must prevent ice from forming inside its cells, and at the same time induce ice formation slowly within the rest of its body, including the contents of its gut, the blood and spaces between the cells.

The only terrestrial herbivores to be found are tiny insects and mites that feed mainly on algae, fungi, and rotting plant material. The only terrestrial carnivores are tiny mites which feed on the herbivourous mites and insects. Besides mites, the invertebrate fauna includes two midges, springtails, rotifers, tardigrades and nematodes. Parasitic species, ticks, and mites and internal parasites occur on birds and seals.

Marine Mammals

Animal life abounds in the seas surrounding the Antarctic continent. The reasons for the abundance of life in Antarctic waters are threefold: first, the sea water is cold, second the storm-tossed seas with their up-wellings and strong currents keep essential nutrients in suspension where they can be easily utilized by the immense growths of phytoplankton; and third, the long hours of daylight during the summer months promote almost continuous photosynthesis. The latter process encourages algal blooms that form the underlying basis of the Antarctic food chain.

The marine mammals of Antarctica are able to maintain an optimal internal temperature regardless of the cold. Living at the optimum temperature means that their life processes, such as nerve tissue transmission, muscle contraction, digestion, etc., operate at efficient rates but at a high metabolic cost.

Seals belong to the group of marine mammals called Pinnipeds. Pinnipeds are well adapted to life in the sea. They have an enormous amount of blood in relation to their body size (about twice the amount found in a comparably sized human) The southern elephant seal has a large circumpolar range which includes most of the subantarctic islands as well as a few continental coasts. It is the largest species of seal in the world, surpassing the walrus in size. The Weddel seal is the most southerly seal and indeed the most southerly of all mammals breeding as far south as 78S. Crabeater seals are the most abundant seal in the world. Despite its name, the seal lives almost entirely on krill. Antarctica's leopard seal is a predator, the only Antarctic seal to regularly consume warm-blooded prey.

Antarctic baleen whales have a distinct annual cycle of breeding in the warm waters at low altitudes in winter, and feeding in the cold Antarctic waters in the austral summer. The southern right whale was greatly over-exploited by whalers, almost disappearing by the end of the 19th century. Now totally protected, it is making a gradual recovery. The humpback whale is the easiest great whale to identify. Humpbacks often leap completely out of the water to land on their backs with a tremendous splash. Besides breaching, the humpback whale waves and slaps its enormous flippers on the surface of the water to make a loud sound rather like a gun shot. This species is amazingly acrobatic and energetic and never fails to create excitement among visitors lucky enough to encounter one.

From Antarctica: The Reader presented to all travelers on Antarctic expeditions.

View Kirri Barton Video