Parts of Antarctica are turning green at an unprecedented rate, leaving scientists stunned by the rapid effects of climate change in the region. According to a UK research team, the vegetation-covered area of the Antarctic Peninsula has expanded tenfold in just four decades. This vast 800-mile (1,300 km) stretch of the northernmost part of the continent is now increasingly vulnerable to invasive species as a result of these environmental changes. Using satellite data, researchers from the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire, along with the British Antarctic Survey, examined how much “greening” has occurred in response to rising temperatures. A satellite image of Robert Island, in the Antarctic Peninsula, showing areas of vegetated land in bright green (WorldView-2/DigitalGlobe) Although the peninsula remains predominantly covered by snow, ice, and rock, the small percentage of its landscape that supports plant life has grown significantly. In one section of the peninsula, vegetation spread from less than one square kilometer (0.6 square miles) in 1986 to nearly 12 square kilometers (7.5 square miles) by 2021. The rate of change has accelerated by more than 30% between 2016 and 2021, underscoring the profound influence of human-induced climate change. Researchers emphasized that its effects are reaching even the most remote corners of the planet. Dr. Thomas Roland of the University of Exeter expressed his shock at the findings, stating, “The scale of the greening trend we discovered truly surprised us. Even in this extreme and isolated wilderness, the transformation is visible from space.” Dr. Olly Bartlett from the University of Hertfordshire added that while the presence of vegetation wasn’t unexpected, the speed at which it is expanding has taken scientists by surprise. Mosses, lichens, liverworts, and fungi, some of which have been present for over 5,000 years, now thrive on previously barren rock surfaces. These findings raise serious concerns about the environmental future of both the Antarctic Peninsula and the continent as a whole. Dr. Roland called for urgent, cooperative global action, stressing that “it is time to stop playing politics with the planet’s future.” The researchers’ alarming discoveries point to the far-reaching and relentless impact of climate change, and its capacity to transform even the most untouched and extreme environments on Earth. The post Antarctica Turning Green Faster Than Expected, Scientists ‘Shocked’ appeared first on Anomalien.com.