Antarctica flowers | Science Press Agency

Only two species of flowering plants are said to be “native” to this continent. One is the Antarctic cane (Dechampsia Antarctica) which holds the record for plant growth in the extreme south – a sample was observed in 1981 at 68 ° S latitude. The other is the Antarctic Pearl (Colobanthus quitensis), which can be seen from afar in these areas with its small yellow flowers. Both grow on the Antarctic Peninsula (and on adjacent islands), this rocky tongue that is not completely covered by ice and extends northward.

Or, elles ont non seulement vu leur croissance s’accélérer entre 2009 et 2018 —autrement dit, elles poussent plus vite— mais en plus, les secteurs où elles poussent sont désormais plant plus « densément » cent peuplés de paredés higher.

researchers who published The fruit of their observations on February 14 in the magazine current biologysee Measurable impact of global warming. This is a very important observation, they note, as the effect of warming on Antarctic sea ice is difficult to accurately measure, as part of the melt occurs below the surface.

Their observations focused on Signi Islandlocated at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, Because this island It has been the subject of continuous scientific observation since the 1960s.

Thus, during the decade 2009-2018, Antarctic hairline growth was as significant as it was during the 50 years of observations (1960-2018). The growth of pearls would have been five times greater in that decade alone.

It is not impossible that this rise in temperature Promote too The arrival of other plants, whose pollen would have been carried by tourists. Not so long ago, it was estimated that the risk of an invasive species taking over such an inhospitable continent was virtually nil, but the fact that change can now be observed with the naked eye in just 10 years re-shuffles the cards.

Photo: Berlewort in Antarctica, view of South Georgia Island/Liam Quinn/Flickr