Antarctic Communities Species, Structure and Survival [Paperback]

An up-to-the-minute overview of community studies in an area covering ten per cent of the Earth's surface.The effective management and conservation of biodiversity requires an understanding of natural communities. The study of Antarctic communities provides a valuable step forward in increasing our understanding of these complex systems. This book contains chapters characterising the present approaches to both aquatic and terrestrial communities in the Antarctic, presenting an up to the minute overview of community studies in an area covering ten percent of the Earth's surface.The effective management and conservation of biodiversity requires an understanding of natural communities. The study of Antarctic communities provides a valuable step forward in increasing our understanding of these complex systems. This book contains chapters characterising the present approaches to both aquatic and terrestrial communities in the Antarctic, presenting an up to the minute overview of community studies in an area covering ten percent of the Earth's surface.The study of Antarctic communities can provide a valuable step forward in investigating the control of community development, the utilization of habitats and the interaction among species in both species rich and species poor communities. This book contains chapters characterizing the present approaches to both aquatic and terrestrial communities in the Antarctic. From biodiversity to trophic flows, from ecophysiological strategies to the impacts of environmental change and the effects of human disturbance, this volume provides an up to the minute overview of community studies in an area covering ten percent of the Earth's surface.Part I. Biodiversity; Part II. Community Structure and Function; Part III. Survival Mechanisms; Part IV. Adaptive Mechanisms; Part V. Human Impact and Environmental Change; Introduction; 47. Climatic change and the recent climatic record W. Karl?n; 48. Ecological variability in Antarctic coastal enl³%