Criteria for protected areas and other conservation measures in the Antarctic region

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Environ. Int.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0160-4120(87)90048-1· OSTI ID:6623103

Angel, M V

The Antarctic region is threatened by three major anthropogenic influences: climatic change brought about by increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide, the effects of persistent pollutants carried into the region via atmosphere and ocean, and the increase in Man's activities. These include radioactive wastes, organochlorides, freons, PCBs and heavy metals. Vulnerable ecosystems can be considered as those which are under direct pressure from Man's activities, whereas fragile ecosystems are the more likely to suffer irreversible change when perturbed, but are not necessarily threatened at present. Three of the main habitat types, terrestrial, inland waters, and islands, are likely to be fragile. However, all these can be conserved reasonably adequately with a system of protected and managed areas, so long as the area covered is adequate and representative. The fourth habitat type, the oceanic ecosystem, contains few fragile elements because it is dominated by the highly dynamic physical oceanic processes. Elements of the ecosystem are vulnerable to further exploitation, and although only the whales and some of the fish stocks can be regarded as fragile, there is considerably uncertainty as what synergistic effect exploitation of apparently key elements of the ecosystem, such as the krill, will have on other important components of the communities. The highly dynamic structure of oceanic environments renders the concept of conservation based on limited protected areas developed for terrestrial environments ineffective in the majority of marine environments. Instead the whole marine environment of the Antarctic region must be considered to be a single entity and managed as such.

• Research Organization: Institute of Oceanographic Sciences, Godalming, England
• OSTI ID: 6623103
• Journal Information: Environ. Int.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Int.; (United States) Vol. 13:1; ISSN ENVID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AROMATICS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CLIMATES
CONTAMINATION
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FREONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
LAND POLLUTION
MASS TRANSFER
METALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
POLLUTION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
VARIATIONS
WATER POLLUTION