Vegetation cover across the Antarctic Peninsula has increased more than tenfold over the last four decades, new research shows.
The Antarctic Peninsula, like many polar regions, is warming faster than the global average, with extreme heat events in Antarctica becoming more common.
In a previous study, which examined core samples taken from moss-dominated ecosystems on the Antarctic Peninsula, the team found evidence that rates of plant growth had increased dramatically in recent decades. "The landscape is still almost entirely dominated by snow, ice and rock, with only a tiny fraction colonised by plant life.
"Soil in Antarctica is mostly 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. "The sensitivity of the Antarctic Peninsula's vegetation to climate change is now clear and, under future anthropogenic warming, we could see fundamental changes to the biology and landscape of this iconic and vulnerable region," said Dr Roland.
Nature Soil Types Ecology Research Global Warming Snow And Avalanches Climate Environmental Issues
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