Archive | 2019
Antarctic Terrestrial Biome—Most Poor, Extreme and Sensitive on the Planet
Abstract
Abstract The Antarctic terrestrial biome includes terrestrial vegetation communities and inland aquatic ecosystems of lakes and streams. Its formation relates to the history of the southern supercontinent Gondwana. Before the split of Gondwana and the separation of continents, the Antarctica played an important role as a bridge facilitating the spread of terrestrial ecosystems from South America to Australia and New Zealand. Upon the formation of the Drake Passage, ca. 30–50 million years ago, Antarctica started to cool down and its terrestrial ecosystems mostly perished. Its modern ecosystems are quite simple and harbor limited biodiversity. The ecosystems feature a significant role of prokaryotes, cryptogams and invertebrates. The species composition and biodiversity of the terrestrial biome depend on the biogeographic region. The Antarctic is divided into the richer maritime Antarctic and the much poorer continental Antarctic. Prokaryotes, algae (biodiversity only now being examined) and lichens (totaling ca. 380 known taxa) are the most diverse groups in the Antarctic. There is a substantial degree of endemism among the Antarctic lichens and invertebrates, which could indicate that they are remnants of a pre-glacial flora and fauna. Alongside lichens, community-forming taxa include multiple bryophytes: 27 species of liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and 111 species of mosses (Bryophyta). The reasons for the extreme poverty of Antarctic vascular plants flora (only two native species) remain unclear. Antarctic terrestrial communities are classified according to the types of vegetation. The environmental role of the Antarctic terrestrial biome lies in the accumulation of organic matter and creation of conditions for terrestrial life in one of the most extreme environments on the planet. Its terrestrial communities are susceptible to climate change and anthropogenic pressure and require constant monitoring and protection in particular by Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) creation.