Icy Antarctica known for its vast white landscape, is experiencing a surprising transformation due to extreme heat events and climate change. According to a new study, parts of the continent are turning green as plant life, primarily mosses, flourishes. Researchers from the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire found that Antarctica’s green cover has grown nearly 10-fold over the past 40 years.
Using satellite imagery and data, the scientists analyzed vegetation levels and discovered that the continent has been warming at an alarming rate, much faster than the global average. As published in the journal Nature Geoscience, the study revealed that vegetation expanded from just 0.4 square miles in 1986 to nearly 5 square miles by 2021. In just five years, from 2016 to 2021, the growth rate accelerated by over 30%.
Thomas Roland, a study author and environmental scientist from the University of Exeter, highlighted the far-reaching impacts of climate change. “Even on the Antarctic Peninsula, this most extreme and isolated wilderness region, the landscape is changing, and these effects are visible from space,” Roland told.
While Antarctica remains primarily covered in snow and ice, the noticeable increase in green cover has raised concerns among scientists. In August, nearly 1,500 experts gathered in Chile to discuss whether the extreme climate events in the region signal that Antarctica may have reached a tipping point where irreversible sea ice loss from the West Antarctic ice sheet could accelerate.
Extreme heat events have become more frequent in Antarctica, with average summer temperatures climbing as high as 50°F above normal this year. In March 2022, some parts of the continent recorded temperatures up to 70°F above normal, marking the most extreme variation ever observed.
Researchers warn that these findings are a clear sign of how rapidly climate change is altering even the most remote regions on Earth.
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