The Polar regions: Witnesses to the future
For a long time, the polar regions have been a prime destination for adventurous expeditions. But whereas polar explorers went to discover weird and unknown landscapes, nowadays the north and south poles are the most coveted places to conduct biological, glaciological and climate research into the effects of ‘global change’. This term embraces rises in temperature, greenhouse effect, UV radiation and other consequences of industrial society observed during the last decade.
The importance of polar regions in this field is that they react much sooner to climatic change. “The polar regions are much more liable to warming than other areas. Already we are noticing strong changes”, says Claude De Broyer.
Impacts on Antarctic flora
"Vegetation provides a good example here. When I first visited King George Island (off the Antarctic Peninsula) in 1986, there was not much vegetation on the island. On the rocks grew only a bit of lichen and two species of flowering plants: a grass and a succulent, both very rare. Today, a mere twenty years later, lichens and flowering plants are even forming green carpets. This phenomenon has never been seen before."
This is only one perceptible example, but there are many other evidences of climate changes. As important as the problem of global warming, is that of the hole in the ozone layer, resulting in an increase of UV-B radiation. UV-B rays are very harmful short wavelength ultraviolet rays and effect the diversity and composition of the phytoplankton: algae and other microscopic plants, providing the basic nourishment for all aquatic life.
Claude De Broyer: "Not all phytoplankton species are equally sensitive to UV-B radiation. In some species, cells contain protective substances. However, other species are that sensitive they cannot survive an increase in UV-B radiation. This changes the composition of the phytoplankton. The decline of the phytoplankton, being the basis of the food pyramid, may jeopardize the entire food chain.”
Indeed, Antarctic biologists have noticed that not only the phytoplankton’s composition is changing, but, moreover, found its yearly production greatly reduced. Similar effects have not been recorded in other parts of the world. This makes polar research worthwhile, since the effects of climate changes are already being observed here.
