Scientists say melting glaciers are now threatening Antarctic ocean life
Scientists say melting glaciers are now threatening Antarctic ocean life
Much of the scientific work on the fascinating and unique organisms occupying the seas around Antarctica has focused on concerns that rising temperatures will upend these communities. But that’s not the only aspect of climate change we should be worrying about, scientists say. New research suggests that melting glaciers, which produce runoff water that carries extra sediment down into the ocean in the form of silt or clay particles, could be causing big changes in some Antarctic communities.
So-called “benthic” zones, or the areas at the bottom of the ocean, are some of the most diverse and productive ecosystems in Antarctica, said Craig Smith, a professor of oceanography at the University of Hawaii. These areas tend to be dominated by suspension feeders like sea squirts, which are animals that eat tiny materials suspended in the water (such as plankton).
But if too much sediment gets into the water, these creatures have a hard time filtering out their food and can start to die off. And it appears that this is what’s happening in at least one community off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula.
(Scientists confirm their fears about West Antarctica — that it’s inherently unstable)
A new study, published on Friday in the journal Science Advances, took a look at an ocean bottom ecosystem in the South Shetland Islands, which are located just north of the Antarctic Peninsula. The peninsula is known for experiencing some of the most rapid regional warming in the world, and its high glacier melt rate is a major subject of a concern for scientists.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/11/13/scientists-say-melting-glaciers-are-now-messing-up-antarctic-ocean-life/
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