Scientists are sounding the alarm after a new study: parts of Antarctica normally known as snow-covered deserts are becoming greener.
A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience shows a dramatic increase in vegetation on the Antarctic Peninsula. The region is warming faster than the global average.
Researchers from the Universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire and the British Antarctic Survey analyzed satellite images and data on vegetation development on the Antarctic Peninsula. The results are shocking: over the past four decades, plant cover – especially moss – in this inhospitable environment has increased more than tenfold.
“Development knows no boundaries”
In 1986, plants covered less than a square kilometer of the peninsula. But by 2021, this area had grown to almost 13 square kilometers.
The speed of this development is particularly worrying: between 2016 and 2021, green cover increased by more than 30 percent, indicating an increasing intensity of climate change. “Our results confirm that this development knows no boundaries,” says Thomas Roland, an environmental scientist at the University of Exeter.
Moreover, the scale could be even larger. The satellite images only capture larger patches of moss and miss grasses.
Sunlight reflects into space
Another problem is the loss of the so-called albedo effects. Antarctica’s white ice and snow cover reflects much of the sunlight back into space. As vegetation expands – which is darker and absorbs more solar radiation – this effect could be reduced, further accelerating warming of the region.
Antarctica could change dramatically in the coming decades – with unknown consequences for global climate and biodiversity.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
