Responses of Antarctic Tundra Ecosystem to Climate Change and Human Activity

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Over the last couple of years the Antarctic Peninsula region has been one of the fastest warming regions on the Earth. Rapidly proceeding deglaciation uncovers new areas for colonisation and formation of Antarctic tundra communities. The most evident dynamics, i.e. changes in both biodiversity and structure of tundra communities, are observed in the forefi elds of retreating glaciers. This paper presents examples of changes in biodiversity and in the direction and rate of succession changes taking place due to climate warming compounded by synanthropization in the maritime Antarctic.

Fluctuation of Glacial Retreat Rates in the Eastern Part of Warszawa Icefield, King George Island, Antarctica, 1979–2018

“…The diverse avian and mammalian species and vegetation are the reason why the protected area of ASPA-128 was created. It has been shown that newly ice-free areas are dynamically colonised by plant communities [16] and nesting bird populations. Algae, lichens, mosses, fungi, and plants have colonized these recently formed ice-free areas on the glacier forefields and nunataks [17,18].…”

Contemporary Changes in Vegetation of Polar Regions

“…Long term studies on dynamics of tundra ecosystem due to climatic changes carried out in the maritime Antarctic (Chwedorzewska 2010), especially in the Antarctic Peninsula region, indicate rapid transformations of the Antarctic tundra communities (Olech 2010). Among others the shrinkage of the glaciers extents or disappearance of communities preferring moist substratum, especially bryophytes, were observed.…”

“…The decrease in the substrate humidity causes overgrowing of mossy communities by the grass Deschampsia antarctica. In this Antarctic region the modifi cations of tundra communities towards grassifi cation are noticed (Olech 2010).…”

“…However, most investigations concern only selected taxonomic groups which contribute to tundra creating (Lewis Smith 1993, Wynn-Williams 1996, while a comprehensive phytosociological analyses, needed to show the essence of the issue, are still Long term studies on colonization and succession in the glacier forefi elds are carried out on King George Island in the Admiralty Bay region (Olech 2010).…”

“…However, changes in polar vegetation occur surprisingly quickly. In some areas only 20-30 years is enough to notice signifi cant changes (Moreau et al 2009, Olech 2010, Ziaja et al 2011.…”