All penguin species spend most of the year in the sea and only come ashore during the breeding season. On that occasion, the brood-areas near the food-areas are preferred. For species like Adélies, this means close to large krill areas, which are also used by humans....
The seabed in the Southern Ocean is a rich habitat with numerous animals that dwell there, many living as filter feeders. But this type of diet leads to a build-up of microplastics in animals. These parts now have been found also in the soft sediment. Photograph:...
Over millions of years, the seabed of the Southern Ocean has changed with the shifts of the continental plates and with it the currents, which in turn influenced the climate. Photo: Julia Hager The glacial history of the Antarctic is currently one of the most...
The western side of the Antarctic Peninsula is one of the regions of the world most affected by climate change. Warmer water is causing glaciers to melt more here than in other places on Earth. Sea ice formation has also changed as a result in recent decades, more sea...
Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) The Antarctic krill Euphausia superba plays a key role in the Antarctic ecosystem, as most of the animal species of the Southern Polar Sea feed on it. Therefore, an understanding of its distribution and its complex life cycle is...