Green areas in Antarctica are increasing

Photo:Pixabay

Recently scientists from the University of Exeter in Great Britain found that the vegetation cover in Antarctica has increased more than tenfold in the last forty years. Previously it was thought that Antarctica is resistant to climate change but this is not the case as confirmed by numerous studies.

The co-author of the study states that rocks, ice and snow still dominate Antarctica today. Plant life was recorded on an insignificant part of the continent. However it is important to pay attention to the fact that the monitored part of the greening area is expanding rapidly. It is proof that even the remote wilderness here is negatively affected by anthropogenic climate change.

Green areas in Antarctica in 1986 covered 1.77 square kilometers. In 2021 it was already 23 square kilometers. Areas expand during periods of heat waves which are increasingly affecting Antarctica as well. Over the past sixty years the icy land has seen a significant increase in temperature. Warming is most noticeable in the western part of Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Temperatures on the Antarctic Peninsula have risen faster than anywhere else on the planet since 1950. Unusually high temperatures prevail here more and more often. Scientists note that the soil in Antarctica is either poor or non-existent but as green areas increase more organic matter will be created to facilitate soil formation. This will also increase the risk of the arrival of non-native and invasive species.

Research of this kind is extremely important. This is the first study of Antarctica to examine the expansion of green spaces on such a large scale. Satellite images provided them with valuable data.

Source:USAToday/Editorial