Both Polar Regions Support Life: Arctic vs. Antarctic Biodiversity

The premise is incorrect: both the Arctic and Antarctica support life, though their ecosystems differ fundamentally.

Arctic: Life on Land and Sea

• Terrestrial: Polar bears, Arctic foxes, caribou/reindeer, muskoxen, lemmings, migratory birds
• Marine: Walruses, seals, whales, fish, rich plankton base
• Vegetation: Tundra (mosses, lichens, dwarf shrubs, grasses)
• Human presence: 4 million+ residents (indigenous and settled)

Antarctica: Life Almost Exclusively Coastal/Marine

• Terrestrial: No native land mammals. Only microscopic invertebrates (nematodes, tardigrades, springtails), mosses, lichens, two flowering plants (Antarctic pearlwort, Antarctic hair grass)
• Marine: Extraordinarily rich — penguins, seals, whales, krill, fish, seabirds
• Human presence: 1,000–5,000 researchers (seasonal), no permanent residents

Why the Difference?

Common Thread

Both rely on marine productivity driven by nutrient upwelling and seasonal light. Climate change threatens both—Arctic warming 3× global average; Antarctic ice shelf collapse accelerating.