The white continent is looking distinctly green around the gills. Or at least around the edges, according to a new study published in Nature Geoscience.
It’s easy to think of Antarctica as a polar desert, devoid of plant life and uninteresting to the botanist. That’s true for its vast plateau of ice (snow algae aside), but at its margins Antarctica is host to a few extreme photosynthesizers. Mosses and lichens are best represented, being able to withstand the challenges of desiccation, cold and the long polar night. Around 130 different species of mosses and liverworts grow across the Antarctic Peninsula, oftentimes in thick beds on areas free of ice and snow. Lichens, technically an association between fungi and photosynthetic algae or bacteria, are downright prolific. About 250 species have been recorded to date. Three flowering plants (angiosperms) also survive on the Antarctic Peninsula – the diminutive Antarctic pearlwort and the tough Antarctic hairgrass, plus Annual Bluegrass, an invasive grass more familiar from golf courses in the northern hemisphere.
Researchers from BAS, the University of Hertfordshire, and Exeter University have processed historical and current satellite images of the Antarctic Peninsula using analysis of the light spectra of the imaged areas. This allows a measure of how much of the surface area is likely to be covered by vegetation. They have demonstrated a significant increase in plant cover, from less than 1 km2 in 1986, to almost 12 km2 in 2021.
The importance of these findings for those visiting Antarctica is clear – the environment is becoming more hospitable to plant life, so it is crucial that we minimize our possibility of introducing new species to the continent. Where conditions may previously have reduced success of invasive species, they are more likely to gain a foothold as soil formation accelerates and the summer season lengthens and becomes milder. So, an excellent reminder to be vigilant about inspecting all gear for seeds and organic matter.
Check out the open access paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-024-01564-5 and, if you are heading south this summer, a reminder of biosecurity guidelines for tourist visits to Antarctica here: https://iaato.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/IAATO-Dont-Pack-a-Pest-A3-Poster.EN_190210.pdf