LIFE
Greenery is typically seen as a sign of environmental well-being, but in Antarctica, it’s telling a different story. Rapid plant growth across parts of the frozen continent due to extreme heat events is raising alarm about its fragile ecosystem. A recent study published in ‘Nature Geoscience’ shows a tenfold increase in plant life on the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) over the last four decades. Researchers from the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire, along with the British Antarctic Survey, found that in 1986, vegetation covered less than 0.4 square miles of the peninsula. By 2021, that figure had grown to almost 5 square miles. “We are witnessing the start of a dramatic transformation,” said Olly Bartlett, co-author of the study, “Sustained Greening of the Antarctic Peninsula Observed from Satellites.” The research utilized satellite imagery from NASA and Google Earth Engine data. The study revealed that extreme heat events in the region are behind the spike in plant growth. Thomas Roland, an environmental scientist at the University of Exeter and a lead author of the study, stated in an interview with CNN, “Our findings demonstrate that human-induced climate change has reached even the farthest places.” Though the Antarctic landscape is still dominated by snow, ice, and rock, small green areas have been rapidly expanding since the mid-1980s. This increase in plant life is also linked to shrinking sea ice. Melting ice and warmer temperatures are creating favorable conditions for plant growth. The study emphasized the rising importance of biosecurity, as warming temperatures may allow non-native species to establish themselves in cold, high-latitude ecosystems. One notable area, Robert Island, known for its significant greening, saw an 18.7% rise in vegetated land between 2013 and 2016. This surge in vegetation, particularly from 2016 to 2021, aligns with a steep reduction in sea ice. Native vascular plants are spreading, and scientists are particularly concerned about the rapid growth of mosses on the peninsula. These mosses are covering rocky landscapes and creating soil turf that could serve as a habitat for other plants. Roland warned that this development could harm native biodiversity and endemic species. “Even in the Antarctic Peninsula—one of the most remote, isolated, and extreme wilderness regions on Earth—the landscape is changing, and we can see these changes from space,” he added. In recent months, the region has experienced temperatures averaging 10 degrees Celsius above normal, with spikes up to 28 degrees higher, according to an August report by the ‘Indian Express’. These abnormal temperatures are largely attributed to a weakening polar vortex—a system of cold air and low pressure that typically surrounds the poles in the stratosphere. A 2023 study in ‘Nature Climate Change’ noted that Antarctica is warming at a rate of 0.22 to 0.32 degrees Celsius per decade, which is nearly double the global average. This warming, particularly during the Antarctic winter, could contribute to further melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Along with the Greenland Ice Sheet, it represents a major threat to global sea levels. Notably, Antarctica has already lost 280% more ice mass in the 2000s and 2010s compared to the 1980s and 1990s, according to a 2019 study published in ‘PNAS’. None
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