More than half of Antarctic plants and animals could disappear due to climate change – Watts Up With That?
By Paul Homewood
One learn in the journal PLOS Biology found that 65% of Antarctic plant and animal species, including penguins, could disappear by the end of this century if the world doesn’t do something to reduce fossil fuel emissions. fossil material.
The study also shows that current conservation efforts in Antarctica are not working in this rapidly changing continent.
The researchers concluded that implementing an extra layer of cost-effective strategy, which they lay out in the study, could save up to 84% of the vulnerable biodiversity in Antarctica.
“Antarctica doesn’t really contribute to climate change; There aren’t many people living there, so the biggest threat to the continent comes from outside the continent,” said Jasmine Lee, lead author of the study. told CNN.
“We really need global action on climate change, as well as some more local and regional conservation efforts, to give Antarctic species their best chance for survival into the future. .”
Thursday’s study found that disappearing sea ice would threaten emperor penguins and Adelie that depend on ice from April to December.
“These iconic species, such as the emperor penguin and the Adélie penguin, are in danger and it is sad to think that Antarctica is one of the last great wildernesses on the planet and the effects it has. Human movements are being seen and felt there,” Lee said.
“It’s extremely sad to think that we could push those species to extinction.”
Lee says more action is needed to save one of Earth’s vast, pristine biomes.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Lee said.
“We are at this major turning point not only for Antarctica but globally when it comes to climate. We have a chance to stop it, and if we don’t do something now, the effects will be far worse than they could have been.”
There’s just one small problem – the Antarctic regions have barely gotten warmer since 1980:
https://images.remss.com/msu/msu_time_series.html
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