The class and I returned from Antarctica on December 28th. The two weeks flew by (as expected) but there was still a lot that was learned and experienced during that time. There are a couple examples of which I feel are worth sharing.
While on the ship, there were many experts on the Antarctic region that would host lectures to learn about their area of expertise. One interesting perspective was from a marine biologist that demonstrated how impactful the regional Krill were to the fishing economy to many countries around the world. Given Krill’s foundational level in the local food web, extra precautions are required to maintain the stability of the ecosystem because if they become overfished, then that could cause a domino effect of unwanted consequences on many other species. One entity that helps enforce such limits is CCAMLR. CCAMLR has rigid fishing quotas in place for Krill, but despite these limits, many are suspected of overfishing. The biologist on board opened my eyes to how catastrophic abusing such quotas could be. This is one example of the many reflections I had regarding Antarctica.
On a lighter note, another assumption I had that was shown to be inaccurate about the ecosystem has to do with one of the funnier creatures to exist, Gentoo penguins. Despite evolving for millions of years in the brutal snow blasted environment of Antarctica, these little creatures still seem to be getting the hang of it. While they may be excellent in the water, these penguins lack a significant degree of finesse when it comes to stretching their land legs. They had a knack for tripping over themselves every couple minute of walking but had the can-do attitude to get up and soldier on. However, this perseverance may not be enough when encountered with the great threat of a hole in the snow. Let me explain. While on land, our expedition team made it quite clear to us that if we were to accidentally make a hole in the snow with our boot that was 12+ inches deep near the penguin highways, that we should fill it in or otherwise level it out. Why? Because the penguins significantly if they happen to fall into one. Not to poke fun at the blight of these poor creatures but I thought there was something funny about the irony of uneven snow causing such a threat to creatures who live in it full time.
Overall, whether serious or more lighthearted, there were several unique surprises about Antarctica. Often it can be referred to as just a big sheet of ice, but there is definitely more to it than meets the eye.
