Flowers are Blooming in Antarctica
Flowers are Blooming in Antarctica
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By Justin Prasetyo
February 14, 2024
Recent findings have shown that two types of flowering plants have been thriving despite the seemingly harsh environment; the density of these plants has grown more in this decade than in previous decades combined. This recent outstanding performance is currently thought to be attributed to the increase in temperature in the environment. Though, there may be other factors such as a decrease in the seal population.
Before this surprising event, researchers observed that there was a slow but predictable growth of these plants on Signy Island, a microcosm for observing the impact of rising temperatures on the Antarctic ecosystem. The sudden shift, however, began around 2009, which was the start of a tenfold increase in the growth of the Antarctic Hair Grass and a quintupled growth rate of the Antarctic Pearlwort.
The clustered, grass-like plant, called the “Antarctic Hair Grass”, and the unique brightly coloured flowers, known as the “Antarctic Pearlwort”, are loyal members of the Antarctic ecosystem. They have been adapting against the extreme factors in the environment for generations. Although these plants are native to the environment, the overgrowing of these plants may disrupt the ecosystem’s food chain and other factors. It could severely damage them if the ecosystem isn’t being properly taken care of.
Although climate change has always been a looming problem in today’s world, most of us never really see its effects in action. Well, the growing of these plants, however, has given us a very obvious hint as to where we are right now and where we are going in the future. Although this may be interpreted as a unique and beautiful sign of life, if we continue down this road, we might be heading towards a generation filled with damaged ecosystems and inhabitable environments.
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