EMMA MCGAFFNEY

Permanent Ice

Abiotic Characteristics

Very strong windsLittle soil and fresh waterMainly iceLatitude at 66.5 north and south of the

equatorHigh and low elevations some areas being

flat where others are rather mountainous. Above 4,200m

Biotic Characteristics

Lichens (fungi and algae)Many species of moss in the Arctic, but few in

Antarctica.Arctic has 100+ flowering plants, but the

Antarctic has only 2.

Biotic Characteristics

Arctic: Antarctic:

Polar Bears Penguins

Walruses Marine Mammals

Seals

Arctic Foxes

Marine Mammals

Insects

These animals all have adapted to the very cold climate. For example penguins, polar bears, seals, and walruses all have fat layers and thick coats, or in the penguins case tightly packed feathers to retain heat. The has adapted very well they also have no external ears and they lie closely in herds of 1,000+ to reduce heat loss and retain heat.

Climate

Annual precipitation of no more than 50cm.Average Arctic temperatures range form 3°C

to 14°C in the summer and around -30°C in the winter.Average Antarctic temperatures range from

9°C (coast) to -30°C (inland) and can drop as low as -89°C in the winter.

The sun shines for almost 24hrs in the summer, but hardly ever in the winter.

Climatograph

Location

Polar land masses and polar ice caps Including Arctic, Antarctica, and Greenland

Bioaccumulation

The factor that most affects living organisms is human pollution.

The air pollution is causing Global Warming which is melting the ice caps where these species live.

The water pollution is making the marine life sick and causing problems for the animals that depend these fish for food.

Invasive Species

An invasive specie is the king crab. They are coming from deep in the sea to the Antarctic a place where they had not been for possibly a million years. Scientists are concerned because they are eating clams, snails, and brittle stars. The loss of these mollusks can jeopardize the sea squirts which feed on these organisms. The sea squirt is important because scientist McClintock believes that it they produce something that will cure skin cancer.

Food Webs

Here is one food web that can be found in Permanent Ice.

Biotic Relationships

Mutualism is a relationship between two species where they both benefit. An example of mutualism that can be found in Permanent Ice is lichen. The fungi(fungal hyphae) surrounds the algae(algal cells) which protects it and provides the algae with water and salt. In return the algae provides the fungi with sugar and oxygen.

Succession

An example of succession are the glacial shifts that occur on a large area of land. When large areas of ice shift new land in exposed. This makes way for plants such as lichens and moss to grow, then for other plants that are native to the area.

Predator vs. Prey

The polar bear is for the most part the apex predator in the Permanent Ice.Ex. Polar bear and seals

Seals and krill

Bibliography

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20130906002225AA70anYhttp://polaricebiome.pbworks.com/w/page/17492418/FrontPagehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_climatehttp://prezi.com/yu-zvbyeogn1/polar-ice/http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110419191022.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070516101548.htmhttp://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081208214346AAS9b2Uhttp://ca.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110707165710AAn0qAnBC Science 10 By McGraw-Hill Ryerson