Global Warming-Induced Changes in the Antarctic

Antarctic Environment, Sea Level Rise and the Fate of the Penguins

Apr 15, 2009 Laurence O'Sullivan

While climate change effects on the Arctic have been very obvious, global warming-induced changes in the Antarctic have not. Research and recent environmental changes in Antarctica have shown that the coldest continent on the planet is not immune to the effects of global warming. This changing Antarctic environment could have devastating effects on global sea levels and is already having a damaging effect on the fate of the penguins which inhabit this continent.

Polar Climate Change Causing Antarctic Warming

There is no doubt that polar global warming is now driving important changes in the Antarctic environment.

• The Annual Review 2008, published by the World Wildlife Fund in February 2009 states, “Scientific readings show that the Western Antarctic Peninsula has warmed four times faster than the average rate for the Earth as a whole over the last 50 years and that water temperatures in the Southern Ocean are increasing to depths of over 3,000 metres.”

• In the article “Defining Dangerous Anthropogenic Interference”, published in Volume 106, No.11 of the journal PNAS in March 2009, the author Michael Mann says, “A larger part of Antarctica appears to be warming than was apparent at the time of the AR4 report and, while not necessarily indicative of destabilization of grounded ice, the Wilkins ice shelf now appears ready to collapse in entirety.”

• A report filed by Tom Leonard in the U.K Telegraph on April 5, 2009 titled “Antarctica Ice Bridge Linking Islands Snaps” proves the Michael Mann was correct. It states, “Satellite images have revealed that a 25 mile long strip of ice, which is believed to have pinned the Wilkins Ice Shelf in place since the beginning of recorded history, had broken at its narrowest point."

Global Effects of Changing Antarctic Environment

The major global effect of a changing Antarctic Environment will be a rise in sea levels.

• George Ochoa, author of Climate, published by Rodale in 2005 argues that, “Scientists speculate that if West Antarctica's floating ice shelf breaks off, there would be little to keep the rest of the ice sheet from rushing into the ocean and rapidly raising sea levels by 19 to 20 feet.”

• Climate Change 2007 by Susan Solomon, published by Cambridge University Press in 2007 claims, “The ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica hold enough ice to raise sea level about 64m if fully melted. Even a modest change in ice sheet balance could strongly affect future sea level and freshwater flux to the oceans, with possible climatic implications.”

• The Encyclopedia of Environmental Science, by John Mongillo and published by Boydell & Brewer in 2000 states, “Significant rises in temperature could promote further widespread breakup of the ice sheets, which would have enormous consequences both for the Antarctic environment and global climate. The resultant sea level rise could also severely affect coastal areas around the world.”

The Environmental Fate of the Penguins

Penguins will be the major local casualty of the changing Antarctic environment.

• On Emperor Penguins, in “Icy Insights from Emperor Penguins”, published in Volume 106, No.10 of the journal PNAS, the author, Colleen Cassidy St. Clair argues, “The results indicate precipitous declines in the population by 2100 with a 36% likelihood of extinction.”

• On King Penguins, another article in the same issue, titled “King Penguin Threatened by Southern Ocean Warming”, by Celine Le Bohec states, “The derived population dynamic model suggests a 9% decline in adult survival for a 0.26°C warming. Our findings suggest that king penguin populations are at heavy extinction risk under the current global warming predictions.”

Serious environmental changes in the Antarctic cannot be compared to the environmental changes occurring in the Arctic. While the fate of the penguins may mirror the environmental fate of the polar bear, the global effects of a changing Antarctic environment pose much more serious problems for mankind than the melting of Arctic sea ice.