Climate change is turning Antarctica green, say researchers

Climate change is turning Antarctica green, say researchers

That's a picture of Antarctica.

This is some startling evidence of man made climate change right here.

Antarctica may conjure up an image of a pristine white landscape, but researchers say climate change is turning the continent green.

Scientists studying banks of moss in Antarctica have found that the quantity of moss, and the rate of plant growth, has shot up in the past 50 years, suggesting the continent may have a verdant future.

“Antarctica is not going to become entirely green, but it will become more green than it currently is,” said Matt Amesbury, co-author of the research from the University of Exeter.

“This is linking into other processes that are happening on the Antarctic Peninsula at the moment, particularly things like glacier retreat which are freeing up new areas of ice-free land – and the mosses particularly are very effective colonisers of those new areas,” he added.

In the second half of the 20th century, the Antarctic Peninsula experienced rapid temperature increases, warming by about half a degree per decade.

They even go into how it is happening.

Writing in the journal Current Biology, scientists from three British universities and the British Antarctic Survey describe how they gathered data from five vertical columns of sediments, or cores, drilled from three islands just off the Antarctic Peninsula – the northernmost part of Antarctica that reaches out towards south America.

The team then analysed the cores, examining the top 20cm of each to allow the scientists to look back over 150 years and explore changes over time across a number of factors. These included the amount of moss, its rate of growth, the size of populations of microbes and a ratio of different forms, or isotopes, of carbon in the plants that indicates how favourable conditions were for photosynthesis at a particular point in time.

The cores reveal that the warming climate of Antarctica in the past 50 years has spurred on biological activity: the rate of moss growth is now four to five times higher than it was pre-1950.

Again. This is Antarctica.

Now you can dispute the severity of these findings since we all know that life always finds a way if it gets a chance. It was inevitable that as ice receded from the continent that life would spring up on it, but this is some of the clearest evidence of man made climate change yet. This all can be traced back to the 1950's. Not thousands of years ago. Not millions of years ago.

It should be noted that the current CO2 level in the atmosphere hasn't been seen on this planet since the Pliocene era some 3 million years ago, before humans existed. People need to wake up. We are DEFINITELY breaking the planet's natural cycles and the results are starting to show.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Admiral Bird reported green land in Antarctica around a century ago.

I'm not denying climate change, just saying...

a reply to: Krazysh0t

It should be noted that the current CO2 level in the atmosphere hasn't been seen on this planet since the Pliocene era some 3 million years ago, before humans existed. People need to wake up. We are DEFINITELY breaking the planet's natural cycles and the results are starting to show.

Definitely huh? So who caused the rise in CO2 levels in the Pliocene era? Who caused the natural cycles you speak of in the first place?

a reply to: Krazysh0t

So what will YOU do about it??

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I just reread your OP. This is not evidence of manmade climate change. It could quite possibly be climate change but to jump the gun and call it manmade is conjecture.

a reply to: HeliocentricFantasy

Follow this slowly. Climate change isn't a zero sum game. Natural AND man-made forces work together or opposed to each other to affect the overall climate. So JUST because humans weren't involved in the past doesn't mean they can't effect the climate now.

a reply to: Wide-Eyes

The cores reveal that the warming climate of Antarctica in the past 50 years has spurred on biological activity: the rate of moss growth is now four to five times higher than it was pre-1950.

a reply to: stosh64
Right now I'm trying to convince the doubters.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

I'm sure that the data is accurate. However, the conclusion that it is manmade is still conjecture.

This is good!

We'll finally find all those secret Nazi / alien bases and crashed ships down there!

Oh, and the secret pyramids too!

a reply to: Krazysh0t

The cores reveal that the warming climate of Antarctica in the past 50 years has spurred on biological activity: the rate of moss growth is now four to five times higher than it was pre-1950.

Is this based on pre 1950's studies on Antarctic moss growth rate?

Did this warm up start in the 50's? Because of human caused release of CO2? In the 50's?

a reply to: HeliocentricFantasy

It is possible but doubtful.

Cuz you so smart? Please list your credentials for us so we know your background in climate science, anyone can cut and paste a reply to: Krazysh0t

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: HeliocentricFantasy

Follow this slowly. Climate change isn't a zero sum game. Natural AND man-made forces work together or opposed to each other to affect the overall climate. So JUST because humans weren't involved in the past doesn't mean they can't effect the climate now.

But I did not make an assumption of such nature. You did. Only opposite.

It should be noted that the current CO2 level in the atmosphere hasn't been seen on this planet since the Pliocene era some 3 million years ago, before humans existed. People need to wake up. We are DEFINITELY breaking the planet's natural cycles and the results are starting to show.

originally posted by: HeliocentricFantasy
a reply to: Krazysh0t

It should be noted that the current CO2 level in the atmosphere hasn't been seen on this planet since the Pliocene era some 3 million years ago, before humans existed. People need to wake up. We are DEFINITELY breaking the planet's natural cycles and the results are starting to show.

Definitely huh? So who caused the rise in CO2 levels in the Pliocene era? Who caused the natural cycles you speak of in the first place?

Seriously dude. There's these mountains that spit fire and smoke into the sky. They called volcanos. Can you say volcano. I know, big word.

Nope...sorry it was aliens and their polluting fling discs. That's more logical.

originally posted by: Wide-Eyes
a reply to: Krazysh0t

I'm sure that the data is accurate. However, the conclusion that it is manmade is still conjecture.

According to who? Scientists around the world agree that man made climate change is real. This is just another symptom of it.

originally posted by: HeliocentricFantasy
a reply to: Krazysh0t

The cores reveal that the warming climate of Antarctica in the past 50 years has spurred on biological activity: the rate of moss growth is now four to five times higher than it was pre-1950.

Is this based on pre 1950's studies on Antarctic moss growth rate?

Did this warm up start in the 50's? Because of human caused release of CO2? In the 50's?

Oh my bad you were being sarcastic. That's funny

a reply to: Krazysh0t

And how is this any evidence of man made global warming,the climate has changed for uncountless years,more evidence of natural change then some cash minded liberals looking to get rich

a reply to: HeliocentricFantasy

I made no assumptions. I am reporting on a condition in Antarctica as a symptom of a larger problem that is agreed upon by the larger body of scientists worldwide.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

You looked at data then assumed a connection between that data and human actions, while at the same time you showed that conditions change regardless of humans.