Antarctic flora, fauna at risk

ICE-FREE areas in Antarctica could expand by about 25 per cent by the end of the century and result in the spread of invasive species and the extinction of native species, new research has found.

Research published in the journal Nature today shows a warming climate would cause ice-free areas, which now cover less than 1 per cent of the continent, to expand and join together.

An international team, led by Australian Antarctic Program PhD student Jasmine Lee and Australian Antarctic Division senior research scientist Aleks Terauds, has published the first paper to examine the LORETTALO LOHBERGERLO impact of climate change on Antarctic ice-free areas.

“Until now, Antarctic climate change research has focused mainly on ice sheets and the potential impact on global sea level rise, while the effect of climate change on ice melt and native Antarctic biodiversity has been largely overlooked,” Ms Lee said.

Ice-free areas are home to almost all Antarctic plants and animals, including penguins, small invertebrates, fungi, li- chen and moss, many of which occur nowhere else in the world.

Dr Terauds said the research would help inform conservation planning in terrestrial Antarctica.

“Most people think of Antarctica as a big mass of ice and snow ... there are permanent ice-free areas that are dotted across the continent,” he said.

“Nobody has looked at this particular impact of ice melting in Antarctica.”

Dr Terauds said although expansion of ice-free areas might provide new places for native species to inhabit, it could also result in the spread of invasive species and, in the long term, the extinction of less competitive native species.

“We predict that melt across the Antarctic continent will lead to the emergence of up to 17,267 sq km, close to 25 per cent, of new ice-free areas by the end of this century,” he said. “The Antarctic Peninsula shows the greatest change, but there are also impacts along the East Antarctic coastline.”

Dr Terauds said the paper was the result of about two years’ work.

“Understanding the effect of expanding ice-free areas is essential if we are to fully understand the implications of climate change in Antarctica,” he said.