Antarctic ecosystems

Terrestrial environments of Antarctica include some of the most extreme on Earth, challenging the very existence of life itself. This article outlines briefly the geological and biological history of the continent, leading on to the conditions currently experienced, before describing its terrestrial...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Convey, Peter
Format: Book Part
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/512275/
https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/512275/1/Convey%202017%20Reference%20Module%20Antarctic%20Ecosystems.pdf
Description
Summary:Terrestrial environments of Antarctica include some of the most extreme on Earth, challenging the very existence of life itself. This article outlines briefly the geological and biological history of the continent, leading on to the conditions currently experienced, before describing its terrestrial biogeography and biota. Major determinants of terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem function are discussed and consideration given to natural and human-induced processes of ecosystem development and change.