Greentech

Antarctica

The White Continent

Antarctica, the southernly continent surrounding the South Pole, is the coldest and driest region on earth. These 14,000 km2 of ice-encased, heavily wind swept desert are home to one of the world’s most unspoiled environments. Although the Antarctic region ranks among the most inhospitable places on earth, its extreme living conditions do not seem to be completely unbearable for everyone. Whether they inhabit the oceans or live upon the land, the polar regions’ animal, plant, and microbial species have adapted perfectly to the unique conditions of their environment. Let’s discover.

TEXT MARINE PASQUIER

AN UNEXPLORED REGION

LIFE IN ANTARCTICA

With the advent of satellite photography and aerial shots, everything visible from up above is studied and cataloged by qualified specialists. When it comes to the Antarctic, however, things get much more complicated. This is because the polar region contains a massive subterranean universe which is not very accessible due to the conditions there. As such, it remains something of an unknown for the general public. Few life forms have ever been witnessed in the Antarctic’s total and icy darkness. This information shortfall mainly comes down to the fact that research is both difficult to carry out and scarce. Nevertheless, oceanographers have discovered that a number of species, some probably never been seen before, do call this seemingly stark place home. The enigmatic nature of these yet-to-be-explored icy regions, formed tens of thousands of years ago, is the motivation for expeditions.

3.8 billion years ago, the Antarctic was not covered by ice or snow, but by rock. The Antarctic as we know it today came about during a period of climatic cooling three million years ago, forming the very first mountain ranges. Unlike the Arctic, with its Eskimo and Inuit residents, the Antarctic has no permanent human inhabitants, other than scientists posted to national observation stations. Nonetheless, its plentiful mineral and oil resources make the Antarctic sought after by many countries.

Today, however, the region is one of the most valuable and vulnerable wildernesses on earth. The marine environment offers a rich animal and plant life. Here, we can see penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, whales, albatrosses, and petrels, not forgetting other interesting species such as krill, which hold up the region’s entire ecosystem by acting as food for the majority of its invertebrates. As the Antarctic’s waters are connected to the rest of the world, the region is also home to many seabirds, including the famous emperor penguin. On leaving the icy, rocky beaches to get closer to the South Pole, life becomes rather more muted. While we find no mammals there, we see insects, mosses, all kinds of algae, lichens, and other stunning microscopic plants. Snowfall is frequent, providing soils with nutrients and minerals which are key for the growth of microbial species. Such reserves enable plants to find the necessary water during the summer season. For when the warmer weather arrives, the snow melts to give way to the tundra, a steppe characterized by low vegetation. Although nature is small, there are no less than 2,000 different plant species, including flowers, bacteria, fungi, and trees.

ADAPTING TO THE COLD

Despite the harsh conditions, Arctic species reproduce, propagate, and survive thanks to innovative strategies. Being small is the rule for polar flora. By remaining close to the ground, such plant life makes the most of its heat, while conserving water and reducing the wind load. Dwarfism is commonly found in northern trees such as the polar willow and the dwarf birch, which sometimes only reach no more than 5 cm in height over the course of their lifetime. While certain species opt for cushion-like flowering, others, such as the moss campion, prefer to grow with their flowers stuck together. Those plants that dare to venture out of the ground and let their stems grow often have their leaves and stems covered with a fine down. This helps them to avoid evapotranspiration under the impact of strong drying winds. Animal species, on the other hand, are able to maintain an optimal body temperature despite the cold, equipped as they are with number of tools – feathers, fat, and fur – to protect themselves from the weather. Species such as tardigrades have a unique metabolism which allows them to withstand hibernation for decades at temperatures as low as –40°C. Last but not least, fish have a unique metabolic system, with highly efficient enzymes and osmo-regulatory molecules which prevent the expected development of ice crystals between their tissues. As a result, they are able to survive in extremely cold waters.

A PLACE FOR RESEARCH

In light of the discovery of a form of life permanently present in Antarctica, it has become necessary to study these species’ cellular system in order to put these particular biological mechanisms into practice. GREENTECH’s mission is to improve our fundamental knowledge of polar and high mountain region landscapes to protect them and make scientific advances. The GREENTECH group specializes in plant biotechnology and the microbial world, developing and producing high-tech ingredients for over 25 years. It has done this for different players in sectors as wide-ranging as cosmetics, health, nutraceuticals, agroecology, and environmental waste-water treatment. Thanks to its four dedicated firms, and in particular GREENSEA, with its cultivation expertise of marine plant and microbial species, the company takes samples from land and sea and grows them on a larger scale, transforming them into innovative ingredients. GREENTECH is a pioneer that is interested in all forms of life. It has a single goal: to better understand life forms in order to push biology forward and apply it to tomorrow’s needs – all in a balanced and sustainable world.

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