Module1DeepSouthPartTwoTeachingResourcesSection1BackgroundReadingsforModule1DeepSouth1.Introduction:Speculationovertheexistenceofa“southernland”wasnotconfirmeduntiltheearly1820swhenBritishandAmericancommercialoperatorsandBritishandRussiannationalexpeditionsbeganexploringtheAntarcticPeninsularegionandotherareassouthoftheAntarcticCircle.Notuntil1840wasitestablishedthatAntarcticawasindeedacontinentandnotjustagroupofislands.Severalexploration“firsts”wereachievedintheearly20thcentury.FollowingWorldWarII,therewasanupsurgeinscientificresearchonthecontinent.Anumberofcountrieshavesetupyear-roundresearchstationsonAntarctica.Sevenhavemadeterritorialclaims,butnotallcountriesrecognizetheseclaims.Inordertoformalegalframeworkfortheactivitiesofnationsonthecontinent,anAntarcticTreatywasnegotiatedthatneitherdeniesnorgivesrecognitiontoexistingterritorialclaims;signedin1959,itenteredintoforcein1961.2.Area:total:14millionsqkmland:14millionsqkm(280,000sqkmice-free,13.72millionsqkmice-covered)(est.)note:fifth-largestcontinent,followingAsia,Africa,NorthAmerica,andSouthAmerica,butlargerthanAustraliaandthesubcontinentofEurope3.Climate:severelowtemperaturesvarywithlatitude,elevation,anddistancefromtheocean;EastAntarcticaiscolderthanWestAntarcticabecauseofitshigherelevation;AntarcticPeninsulahasthemostmoderateclimate;highertemperaturesoccurinJanuaryalongthecoastandaverageslightlybelowfreezing.4.Naturalresources:ironore,chromium,copper,gold,nickel,platinumandotherminerals,andcoalandhydrocarbonshavebeenfoundinsmalluncommercialquantities;nonepresentlyexploited;krill,finfish,andcrabhavebeentakenbycommercialfisheries5.Population:noindigenousinhabitants,buttherearebothpermanentandsummer-onlystaffedresearchstationsnote:26nations,allsignatorytotheAntarcticTreaty,operatethroughtheirNationalAntarcticProgramanumberofseasonal-only(summer)andyear-roundresearchstationsonthecontinentanditsnearbyislandssouthof60degreessouthlatitude(theregioncoveredbytheAntarcticTreaty);thesestations’populationofpersonsdoingandsupportingscienceorengagedinthemanagementandprotectionoftheAntarcticregionvariesfromapproximately4,000insummerto1,000inwinter;inaddition,approximately1,000personnel,includingship’screwandscientistsdoingonboardresearch,arepresentinthewatersofthetreatyregion;peaksummer(December-February)population-3,822total;Argentina417,Australia213,Brazil40,Bulgaria15,Chile224,用心爱心专心China70,Ecuador22,Finland20,France123,Germany78,India65,Italy112,Japan150,SouthKorea60,NZ85,Norway44,Peru28,Poland40,Russia429,SouthAfrica80,Spain28,Sweden20,Ukraine24,UK205,US1,170,Uruguay60(2005-2006);winter(June-August)stationpopulation-1,028total;Argentina176,Australia62,Brazil12,Chile88,China29,France37,Germany9,India25,Italy2,Japan40,SouthKorea15,NZ10,Norway7,Poland12,Russia148,SouthAfrica10,Ukraine12,UK37,US288,Uruguay9(2005);researchstationsoperatedwithintheAntarcticTreatyarea(southof60degreessouthlatitude)bymembersoftheCouncilofManagersofNationalAntarcticPrograms(COMNAP):year-roundstations-37total;Argentina6,Australia3,Brazil1,Chile3,China2,France1,Germany1,India1,Japan1,SouthKorea1,NZ1,Norway1,Poland1,Russia5,SouthAfrica1,Ukraine1,UK2,US3,Uruguay1,ItalyandFrancejointly1(2005);seasonal-only(summer)stations-15total;Australia1,Bulgaria1,Chile1,Ecuador1,Finland1,Germany1,Italy1,Japan1,Norway1,Peru1,Russia1,Spain2,Sweden1,UK1(200...
