Emil Racovita despre viata animalelor si plantelor din Antarctica
Emil Racovita about the life of plants and animals from Antarctica

Summary/Abstract: The Belgian expedition in Antarctica (1897–1899) was organized by commander Adrien De Gerlache. Between other specialists, Gerlache included in „Belgica’s” staff the young Romanian naturalist Emil G. Racoviţă. The expedition was with many mishaps (included two died people and 13 month of vessel shutting off in the antarctic ice floe). In those conditions, Emil Racoviţă worked hardly, collected valuable biological materials (400 botanical specimens and 1200 zoological items), and observed the beings in the area. He described wonderful antarctic landscapes and studied plants and animals. In those extreme temperatures, Racoviţă discovered an impressive biodiversity, starting with marine phytoplankton and zooplankton up to the impressive whales. He observed that each species has its own behavior (movement, swimming, breath, diving), and in case of whales, they can be recognized from a distance. The scientists who studied samples collected by Racoviţă highlighted the systematical and zoogeographical value of these materials, comparing with arctic or subarctic species.

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