Abstract:

An awareness of human impacts on the Antarctic terrestrial ecosystem has been increasing in the recent decades due especially to the expansion of scientific expeditions and the tourism industry. In this paper, localized contamination of soil and vegetation, disturbance of wildlife, import of alien organisms as well as introduction of exogenous bacterial diseases as a result of human activities undertaken in Antarctica have been outlined. Besides, potential threats to the Antarctic environment from the contaminants emanating from sources outside Antarctica have also been demonstrated. Finally, efforts and progress within the Antarctic Treaty System towards protection of the Antarctic environment and its terrestrial ecosystem are briefly summarized. [WT5BZ][WT5HZ]