The extreme conditions have led to remarkable biochemical adaptations, the study of which is leading to the discovery of useful chemicals and genes. Many antarctic organisms are living at the limit of survival and represent potent indicators of global environmental change. The conservation of antarctic biota is a vital part of Australia's stewardship of the region. Threats must be identified and reduced or eliminated, and improving our understanding of the wealth of genetic and molecular diversity will help ensure their preservation for the future. Antarctica and its surrounding sea floor have been shaped into their present form by glacial and tectonic processes.
Glacial events have an important effect on the dynamics of global change.
Understanding these processes and their interconnectedness provides valuable clues to Antarctica's geological, geomorphological and climate past, from which predictions for the future can be made. Antarctica's ice sheet and its surrounding sea ice are integral to the global climate system. They influence surface energy and moisture fluxes, clouds, precipitation, and atmospheric and oceanic circulation. The ice sheet holds an archive of environmental data, including temperature, that allows present day conditions to be compared with those of the past. It also holds proxy data on climatic forcing factors such as variations in Earth's orbit, solar variability, greenhouse gas levels and volcanic activity.