Parts of Antarctica, known for their icy landscapes, are rapidly turning green due to extreme temperatures. heat wavesaccording to recent research. This change has raised concerns about the future of the continent, according to CNN.
Scientists from the University of Exeter, the University of Hertfordshire and the British Antarctic Survey used satellite images and data to study growing vegetation on the Antarctic Peninsula, which has been warming much faster than the global average, the publication adds.
The research found that plant life, especially mosses, has increased tenfold in the last 40 years. In 1986, vegetation covered less than 0.4 square miles of the Peninsula. But by 2021, it had grown to almost 5 square miles.
The greening of Antarctica has accelerated, especially between 2016 and 2021, as the pace of warming in the region accelerated.
Although most of Antarctica Still covered in snow, ice and rocks, the appearance of green areas represents a significant change. Thomas Roland, one of the Exeter researchers, explained that climate change is reaching even the most remote areas of the Earth.
“Our findings confirm that the influence of anthropogenic factors climate change “It has no limit to its scope. Even in the Antarctic Peninsula, this most extreme, remote and isolated ‘wild’ region, the landscape is changing and these effects are visible from space,” Thomas Roland told the publication.
Why is it alarming?
Increasing green areas could lead to more soil formation, making the region suitable for invasive species, which can harm local wildlife. Greening could also reduce Antarctica’s ability to reflect sunlight, as darker plants absorb more heat.
Scientists believe this process will accelerate as the climate continues to warm, leading to more dramatic changes to the region’s landscape. Future studies aim to examine how plants colonize newly exposed lands as glaciers melt and retreat further.
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