Antarctica plays an important role in regulating the world's climate through its ocean currents, which circulate heat globally and transport carbon dioxide, affecting factors like temperature, wind and rainfall patterns. Antarctica is also a crucial site for scientific research on climate change and monitoring the impacts of global pollution. Tourism in Antarctica is growing but needs to be well-managed to prevent damage to the environment and wildlife from waste, disturbed habitats, and the removal of historic items.

1. Assessment Antarctica
BY TE ROPERE TIPENE

2. Collecting and Processing
Information

3. Why is Antarctica a significant environment?
Question 1
Antarctica’s environment plays a big role with the climate in our world. Because of its location
in the Southern Ocean, it is interconnected with the three main oceans of the world (Atlantic,
Pacific and Indian). All these oceans currents combine and create a great circulation around
the world. This circulation system transports great amounts of heat all around the world, and
also carries significant amounts of carbon dioxide. These are main factors towards humidity,
atmospheric pressure, wind patterns and air temperature. All of these main climate areas are
mainly affected by Antarctica (through the circulation system).
Antarctica is important for science because of its profound effect on the Earth's climate and
ocean systems. The Antarctic has a crucial role to play in our understanding of global climate
change. Year round, scientists at Antarctic research bases study the impacts of the pollution
caused by humans worldwide on the environment. They do this In Antarctica because the air
is not affected by polluting sources so they can see the differences in air cleanliness.
References: http://www.environment.gov.au/science/soe/2011-report/7-antarctic/1-introduction/1-1-global-importance.
Antarctica is significant due to its help
towards our climate. Its ocean currents
help to circulate heat which helps
worldwide
Antarctica is a crucial environment that
helps with the study of climate change
and the impacts of pollution.
Antarctica has the cleanest air due to
no pollution

4. Why is Antarctica a significant environment?
Question 1
References: http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/environment/water.htm.
This picture is showing that our worlds water
only contains a tiny amount of freshwater. Of
this freshwater, 68.9% is trapped in glaciers
located in Antarctica and the Arctic.
This means that if the glaciers are melting, a
large percentage of freshwater is melting away
with it.

5. What impact do people have on this environment?
Question 2
This cartoon is showing that Antarctica is
melting away very quickly due to global
warming. It is also showing that some people
(more likely politics) aren’t really worried about
Global warming, or don’t think that it is making
a big effect yet. Global warming can only be
stopped or reduced if we stop with the use of
carbon dioxide and stop pollution levels from
increasing.
References: http://www.intoon.com/cartoons.cfm/action/browse/startdate/03-01-2002/id/14380.

6. What impact do people have on this environment?
Question 2
It is important to appreciate that human activities can impact on Antarctica as the result of both local and
global actions. Fishing, for example, is a local activity whereas damage to the ozone layer is due to the
release of synthetic ozone-depleting substances in other parts of the world. Waste from Antarctic
research activities has been a major local source of pollution in the past. The Environmental Protocol
provides for the discharge into the sea of sewage and food waste, but all other waste has to be removed
from Antarctica, usually by ship. Raw sewage contains potentially dangerous bacteria and viruses,
detergents, solvents and metals, and nitrates and phosphates which have implications on the health of
the ecosystem into which they are discharged. Significant sewage discharges can also carpet the sea floor
smothering substrate-dwelling organisms as is seen in the vicinity of the McMurdo Station sewerage
outlet.
Although remoteness and lack of development make Antarctica a difficult and expensive place to visit,
there is no shortage of people wanting to make the trip - tourist numbers now exceed the number of
scientists and support staff who work there, and are increasing steadily. However, the length of time
spent ashore is much less than by programme personnel. Although visits are usually short, they are
concentrated into a small number of landing sites, creating potential for cumulative impacts in the long
term. Some consider tourists an environmental pressure Antarctica could do without. Others note that
the tourists are generally well informed and concerned about the Antarctic environment and usually
become very good advocates for the protection of Antarctica when they return home. Poorly managed
visitors of any kind (whether paying tourists or national programme personnel) can cause damage to slow
growing moss beds, disturb wildlife and take historic items or geological souvenirs. Rubbish and wastes
from ships have also been a problem, as have unplanned visits to scientific bases.
References: http://www.environment.gov.au/science/soe/2011-report/7-antarctic/1-introduction/1-1-global-importance. Affects of Tourism Booklet.
There are many impacts on Antarctica.
Waste is a major one and has had a
large affect on Antarctic environment
in the past. Sewerage can have
dangerous bacteria and chemicals that
can affect local ecosystems heavily
Tourism in Antarctica is growing
rapidly. Tourists who visit Antarctica
usually see what's happening and
become good advocates when
returning to their homeland. Some
tourist trips are poorly managed and
result in damaged wildlife and stolen
souvenirs. Rubbish and waste from
them have been a problem to.

7. Is the global community doing enough to make sure
that this area is sustainable?
Question 3
This picture is showing that
over the years the sea ice
surrounding Antarctica has
decreased dramatically. Almost
all of the surrounding sea ice
has melted due to increase in
local temperature. This means
that our global community
hasn’t been doing enough
about global warming, which is
having a huge effect on the sea
ice and glaciers in Antarctica.
References: https://talkingabouttheweather.wordpress.com/2013/04/01/unprecedented-melt-not-exactly-unprecedented-scientific-folly-you-bet/.

8. Is the global community doing enough to make sure
that this area is sustainable?
Question 3
Today the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, which includes Greenpeace and partner groups, is launching a new publication,
'Antarctic Ocean Legacy: A Vision for Circumpolar Protection' which makes the case for the creation of a network of
19 large no-take marine reserves and marine protected areas covering over 40% of the Southern Ocean and the
precious habitats and marine life within it. There is no time to waste. We need to act now before it is too late. At
the next CCAMLR meeting in October 2012, CCAMLR members will have the unique opportunity to create this
largest network of marine reserves. A good outcome - with our pressure - will demonstrate to governments and
politicians that we need a global network of marine reserves in the rest of the high seas, which are still largely
unprotected.
Today, climate change is the biggest threat facing the Arctic and its wildlife. Polar bears, for example, depend on
summer sea ice to hunt seals. As the Earth heats up and the ice disappears, scientists estimate that two-thirds of
polar bears could be wiped out by 2050. We’re researching how climate change is affecting Arctic ecosystems, and
how we can help them adapt and survive. Our research into the effects of warming in the Arctic is also helping to
influence international action on climate change. We’re also supporting research on climate change and work with
communities living in the Arctic, to help people get to grips with reality of climate change and its local and global
effects. At the same time, we’re working with governments and companies to reduce their impact on the Arctic.
We need to give Arctic animals both the time and space to adapt.
References: http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/news/Blogs/makingwaves/protecting-antarctica-the-heart-of-the-ocean/blog/40529/. http://wwf.panda.org/homepage.cfm?199975/Saving-
the-Arctic.
The Antarctic Ocean Alliance includes
major environmental groups from
around the world. They are aiming to
create marine reserves around
Antarctic waters to protect the wildlife.
This will help demonstrate to
governments that we need marine
reserves.
Climate change is a big factor towards
Antarctica. Groups such as WWF are
researching the climate change and
how it affects ecosystems around
Antarctica. They are also supporting
research so they can try help and save
Antarctica from the horror it will be
facing.

9. Summary of Findings

10. Review: Is the global community doing enough to
make sure that this area is sustainable?
From my findings I can say that the global community isn’t doing ‘enough’ for Antarctica and keeping it sustainable. I’m not saying that the world isn’t
doing anything about the Antarctic area, its just we aren’t doing enough to save and help sustain it. Already, worldwide environmental groups such as
Greenpeace and WWF are urging people to cut their CO2 output, which will decrease the amount of carbon dioxide affecting the ozone layer. However,
highly populated countries such as China and United States emit immense amounts of greenhouse gases per year, making battling against CO2 output a
even tougher challenge. These high pollution countries obviously don’t fully realise the importance of Antarctica, because if they realised how important
this environment is they would know that reducing their CO2 emission would be a good idea.
However, some things we are doing that is trying to help save Antarctica is studying it. Yes studying doesn’t sound like much but it might just help us learn
what we need to do to stop ‘hurting’ Antarctica. By studying Antarctica and what its climate is, we can compare its climate change to our climate change
and then we can make firm decisions about what we really need to do to save Antarctica. Over the years we have found out that the temperature
surrounding Antarctica is rapidly rising by a few degrees every year. This is quite bad for the world, because if the glaciers and ice caps surrounding
Antarctica start melting, all the freshwater stored inside those glaciers and ice caps will flow into the salt water ocean, hence making a waste of
freshwater that could be used for other purposes. Also our study is helping the wildlife there, because we are finding out how animals are dying and going
extinct and how we can save them.
Overall, our global community needs to start doing more for Antarctica or else the continent will melt away and all of the world will pay the price for what
we’ve done to it.

11. Evaluation of collecting and
annotating information

12. Research Aspect
A) Which two sources of information were most helpful?
http://www.environment.gov.au/science/soe/2011-report/7-antarctic/1-introduction/1-1-global-importance
http://www.intoon.com/cartoons.cfm/action/browse/startdate/03-01-2002/id/14380
They were the most helpful sites because the information that they had (except for the picture) was clear and basically on target with what I was trying
to find. The cartoon was also a good cartoon with information that was key to the question. It was also easy to understand making it good to annotate
B) Which type of sources did you not use?
Two sources that I didn’t use was yahoo/google answers and Wikipedia. The reason I didn’t use any of these sites was because they didn’t or wouldn’t
have the right information that I would need. Yahoo and Google answers could have information that is either false or not on track
C) Were there some sources that showed bias?
Some of the sources that I found had more stronger opinions that Antarctica helps us with our climate readings so we can predict the climate change
over a certain period of time. A lot of my sources showed that Antarctica is under attack by our climate and the temperature is rapidly changing due to
global warming. They are all saying that we can help Antarctica by doing small things in our homes.

13. Annotating the resources shown
A) Did you find the process of annotation easy or difficult?
I found that the process of annotation was quite easy because if you know how to annotate properly then annotating is very easy.
Personally I find annotating itself very easy, cause all you need to do is find the main points of your information and then summarise
and give your points about the information.
B) Did the example of annotated work help with the annotation process?
The example of annotated work helped a bit. It just gave me a ‘refresh’ on how to annotate pieces of information. If I didn’t know how
to annotate correctly then I would’ve found the example piece of annotated work a lot more helpful.

14. Improvements
A) Would you change your approach to researching and collecting info?
I think that I would definitely change my approach to researching and collecting
information. The reason for this is because if I search for a bit longer or more thoroughly
then I could find more helpful and stronger information. However, my current way of
finding research is alright and I think that I found sufficient information for the
annotations.