CLIMATE CHANGE

OF ANTARCTICA
OVER 50. YEARS

PRESENTATION BY DIBYANSHU PATASANI

AND
PADMAJYOTI MOHANTA
LOCATION

The Antarctica is located in the

Earth’s southern hemisphere, is
centered asymmetrically around
the South Pole and largely south of
the Antarctic Circle. It covers an
area of 14.2 million km2.Which is
nearly 4 and half times larger than
India.
CLIMATE OF ANTARCTICA 50 YEARS AGO

-The climate of Antarctica is coldest on the earth.

-The continent is also extremely dry.
-The average temperature was -15°c.
-Theaverage elevation of Antarctica was 3,488
meters .
-Antarctica is the driest continent and receives
average snowfall of 20cm.
Antarctica in 1970s-

About 98% of Antarctica was covered by



the Antarctic ice sheet, a sheet of ice

averaging at least 1.0 mile (1.6 km) thick.
The continent had about 90% of the


world’s ice (and thereby about 70% of the

world’s fresh water).
If all of this ice were to melt, sea levels
would rise about 200 ft (60m).
 BEGINNING OF CLIMATE CHANGE
 Researchers reported that from 1958 to
2010, the average temperature at
1,500-metre-high (5,000 ft) rose by 2.4
degrees Celsius.
 In the last 50 years ,The peninsula of
Antarctica warmed almost 5.4 degrees F
(3 degrees C), significantly higher than
the global average of 1.6 degrees F (0.9
degrees C).
 In February 2020, the
continent recorded the highest
temperature of 64.9 degrees F (18.3
degrees C).
ANTARCTICA’S WILDLIFE

 Despite being one of the coldest, most

inhospitable places on Earth, Antarctica
hosts a wealth of biodiversity.
 It is the only continent on Earth which
has no terrestrial mammals.
 The most common birds in Antarctica are
penguins.
 Common animals found here:-
. Leopard seal
. Blue whale
. Albatross
 PRESENT ANTARCTICA

► Antarctica's average elevation is 2,500 m above the sea

level.
► Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth. The average
► temperature in the interior throughout the year is about
► -57°C, with the minimum temperature being -90°C
during the winter season.
► It receives average annual precipitation of
166mm along the coastal regions, and even less when
moving further inland.
INDICATORS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

 Air temperatures over land are increasing.

 Glaciers are melting.

 Sea levels are rising.
 Unequal heating in seas and ocean.
 Sea surface temperature is increasing.
 Snow is decreasing.
 Earth's lower atmosphere temperature is
increasing.
CAUSES

► Pollution: Environmental pollution,

Global warming
► Deforestation
► Industrialisation
► Rapid growth in population
► Increasing in level of carbon dioxide
IMPACTS ON ENVIRONMENT

► The continent-wide average surface temperature trend

of Antarctica is positive and significant at >0.05
°C/decade since 1957.
► The West Antarctic ice sheet has warmed by more than
0.1 °C/decade in the last 50 years, with most of the
warming occurring in winter and spring.
► Melting of continental Antarctic ice could contribute to
global sea-level rise.
 THREATENS TO WILD LIFE

 Antarctic krill numbers are declining.

 Krill are very important to the Antarctic food
web and this decline could threaten whales,
seals and penguins all of which feed on krill.
 The decline of krill has been linked to a
dramatic decline in sea ice.
.
 Sea ice is a vital feeding ground for the huge
number of krill in the Southern Ocean.
 The research shows that krill numbers have
dropped by about 80% since the 1970s.
50 YEARS
AGO

NOW