Antarctica Foodchain
When one thinks of the Antarctic, one rarely equates it with teeming life forms, mainly because the temperatures are so frigid and the continent is covered with so much ice. In fact, 90% of the planet's ice is found in Antarctica. Of course, we know about Penguins and seals and whales, but one of the most interesting facts about the frigid waters is that the cold is actually very conducive to animal life because it permits a higher rate in dissolving oxygen into the water. This renders it very amenable to marine life.
Antarctica's Food Chain
In fact, the waters surrounding the Antarctic continent are four times more productive than any other body of water on the Earth, providing a vast selection of microscopic algae, the basis of the simple but very rich food-chain in force at the Antarctic. These algae are then consumed by zooplankton, which is composed mainly by krill, a very small crustacean resembling shrimp; krill is the main component of the diet of blue whales, humpback whales, fin whales and Southern Right whales.
Squid and octopus form another important part of the Antarctic ecosystem and compose part of the food supply for others of the larger animals found in the zone, including sperm whales, seals, penguins, sea birds and fish. Approximately fifty-five million tons of squid are eaten annually by whales alone in the Southern waters; this amount is around 75% of the quantity that is captured in fisheries around the world.
- Food Global Supply
- Associated Food Dealers
- Download Food Liquor
- New York State Food Stamps Program
- Protein And What Food It Is In
