Antarctic ecosystem at risk of extinction

The unique ecosystem of Antarctica, endangered

Release Date: 08/08/2011
Source: RT
Country / Region: Antarctica

In the inhospitable land of Antarctica, the man never resided permanently. This is the only continent that has no native population. At first glance these ancient glaciers seem to be totally uncomfortable and difficult to accommodate any lifestyle.Penguin researcher, Steve Emslie said: "We have here only to mammals and seabirds that come ashore to breed. Life in this territory is limited to a sparse vegetation. In addition, there are some tiny invertebrates. That's all. "But in reality, the region represents one of the most interesting ecosystems on the planet. To investigate the best start is the Antarctic Peninsula, which even has a tourist base.Biologist Ian Bullock writes, "We have a lot of sea lions. If you're lucky you might see up to 6 species. There are also three species of penguins chinstrap. "The special character of the area comes from its unique geographical location."You know that thanks to its unique location, Antarctica was long isolated from other continents," says marine biologist Pavarzhni Vasili. "That's why there's only endemic fauna, from the smallest creatures and even the penguins and sea lions. You will not find these species elsewhere. Just here. "Despite its imposing landscape, the region is much more vulnerable than it appears. Some experts warn that the main enemy of this world isolated by the oceans could be global warming."Nowhere else in the world is experiencing more change than the Antarctic Peninsula," Bullock continued. "As in Western Siberia and Alaska, the North Pole, the area shows an extraordinary growth in its average temperatures, especially in the winter. These three areas are heated 5 times faster than anywhere else in the world. "Environmentalists warn that after a while the animals that live in the area could lose their natural habitat. Some of them are penguins Adelaide, the most abundant Antarctic species, whose population has declined so rapidly that within 50 years may no longer exist on the peninsula. And it is urgent to prevent other humans from their natural resources disappear from the face of the earth.