Antarctic seas are full of life and now we are able to identify them

Aug 6, 2018

An Adelie penguin stands atop a block of melting ice near the French station at Dumont dUrville in East Antarctica January 23, 2010. Russia and the Ukraine on November 1, 2013 again scuttled plans to create the world's largest ocean sanctuary in Antarctica, pristine waters rich in energy and species such as whales, penguins and vast stocks of fish, an environmentalist group said. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources wound up a week-long meeting in Hobart, Australia, considering proposals for two "marine protected areas" aimed at conserving the ocean wilderness from fishing, drilling for oil and other industrial interests. Picture taken January 23, 2010. To match story ANTARCTIC-ENVIRONMENT/ REUTERS/Pauline Askin (ANTARCTICA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT POLITICS ANIMALS)

Life is surprisingly diverse. Image: REUTERS/Pauline Askin

Jan Jansen

Quantitative Marine Ecologist, University of Tasmania

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Image: Australian Antarctic Division

Most Antarctic fish have evolved ‘anti-freeze blood’ allowing them to survive in water temperature below zero degrees C. Image: Australian Antarctic Division

A selection of the diverse and colourful species found on the Antarctic seafloor. Image: Huw Griffiths/British Antarctic Survey

Image: Jansen et al. (2018), Nature Ecology & Evolution 2, 71-80.

Colourful and diverse communities are also found living in shallow waters. Image: Australian Antarctic Division

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