The Antarctic Peninsula has become greener at a dramatic rate over the last nearly 40 years, British scientists report after analyzing satellite data. In the years 2016-2021 alone, this process accelerated by over 30 percent. Researchers also draw attention to the urgent need to investigate this problem in more depth.
Vegetation cover on the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than tenfold over the last almost four decades. This region, like many others in this part of the world, is warming faster than the global average, and hot days in Antarctica are becoming more frequent.
The study, published on Friday in the journal Nature Geoscience, was conducted by researchers from the University of Exeter, the University of Hertfordshire and the British Antarctic Survey. It used satellite data to assess the degree of greening of the Antarctic Peninsula in response to climate change.
This is how Antarctica turns green. A disturbing trend
Scientists found that the area of vegetation cover on the Peninsula increased from less than one square kilometer in 1986 to almost 12 square kilometers in 2021. It also found that the greening trend has accelerated by more than 30 percent in recent years (2016-2021) compared to the full analysis period (1986-2021). This area increased by over 400,000 square meters annually.
In a previous study that analyzed core samples taken from moss-dominated ecosystems on the Antarctic Peninsula, the team found evidence that plant growth rates have increased dramatically in recent decades. The new study uses satellite images. These confirm that the general trend of greening the Peninsula is not only continuing, but also accelerating.
Spatial and temporal complexity of the “greening” trend of the Antarctic Peninsula over 35 yearsRoland and Bartlett et al.
“This small part has increased dramatically.”
– The plants we find on the Antarctic Peninsula, mainly mosses, grow in probably the most difficult conditions on Earth. The landscape is still almost entirely dominated by snow, ice and rock, with only a small part colonized by plants, said Dr Thomas Roland of the University of Exeter. “But this small part has expanded dramatically, showing that even vast and isolated wilderness is affected by human-caused climate change,” he added.
– As ecosystems develop – and the climate continues to warm – the extent of greening is likely to increase. Soil in Antarctica is largely poor or non-existent, but this increase in plant life will add organic matter and facilitate soil formation, potentially paving the way for other plants to grow, said Dr Olly Bartlett from the University of Hertfordshire.
He added that this increases the risk of the appearance of non-native and invasive species, probably transferred by ecotourists, scientists or other visitors to the continent.
'Our findings raise serious concerns'
Scientists highlight the urgent need for more research to determine the specific climate and environmental mechanisms that drive the greening process.
According to Dr. Roland, the sensitivity of the Antarctic Peninsula's vegetation to climate change is obvious, and in the event of future human-induced warming, we could see fundamental changes in the biology and landscape of “this iconic and sensitive region.”
– Our findings raise serious concerns about the environmental future of the Antarctic Peninsula and the entire continent. To protect Antarctica, we need to understand these changes and determine exactly what is causing them, Roland emphasized.
Scientists are now investigating how recently ice-free landscapes are being colonized by plants and how this process may continue in the future.
Greenhouse effectMateusz Krymski/PAP
University of Exeter, tvnmeteo.pl
Main photo source: Shutterstock/Roland and Bartlett et al.