TY - JOUR
T1 - The Antarctic Peninsula under a 1.5°C global warming scenario
AU - Siegert, Martin
AU - Atkinson, Angus
AU - Banwell, Alison
AU - Brandon, Mark
AU - Convey, Peter
AU - Davies, Bethan
AU - Downie, Rod
AU - Edwards, Tamsin
AU - Hubbard, Bryn
AU - Marshall, Gareth
AU - Rogelj, Joeri
AU - Rumble, Jane
AU - Stroeve, Julienne
AU - Vaughan, David
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Warming of the Antarctic Peninsula in the latter half of the twentieth century was greater than any other terrestrial environment in the Southern Hemisphere, and clear cryospheric and biological consequences have been observed. Under a global 1.5°C scenario, warming in the Antarctic Peninsula is likely to increase the number of days above 0°C, with up to 130 of such days each year in the northern Peninsula. Ocean turbulence will increase, making the circumpolar deep water (CDW) both warmer and shallower, delivering heat to the sea surface and to coastal margins. Thinning and recession of marine margins of glaciers and ice caps is expected to accelerate to terrestrial limits, increasing iceberg production, after which glacier retreat may slow on land. Ice shelves will experience continued increase in meltwater production and consequent structural change, but not imminent regional collapses. Marine biota can respond in multiple ways to climatic changes, with effects complicated by past resource extraction activities. Southward distribution shifts have been observed in multiple taxa during the last century and these are likely to continue. Exposed (ice free) terrestrial areas will expand, providing new habitats for native and non-native organisms, but with a potential loss of genetic diversity. While native terrestrial biota are likely to benefit from modest warming, the greatest threat to native biodiversity is from non-native terrestrial species.
AB - Warming of the Antarctic Peninsula in the latter half of the twentieth century was greater than any other terrestrial environment in the Southern Hemisphere, and clear cryospheric and biological consequences have been observed. Under a global 1.5°C scenario, warming in the Antarctic Peninsula is likely to increase the number of days above 0°C, with up to 130 of such days each year in the northern Peninsula. Ocean turbulence will increase, making the circumpolar deep water (CDW) both warmer and shallower, delivering heat to the sea surface and to coastal margins. Thinning and recession of marine margins of glaciers and ice caps is expected to accelerate to terrestrial limits, increasing iceberg production, after which glacier retreat may slow on land. Ice shelves will experience continued increase in meltwater production and consequent structural change, but not imminent regional collapses. Marine biota can respond in multiple ways to climatic changes, with effects complicated by past resource extraction activities. Southward distribution shifts have been observed in multiple taxa during the last century and these are likely to continue. Exposed (ice free) terrestrial areas will expand, providing new habitats for native and non-native organisms, but with a potential loss of genetic diversity. While native terrestrial biota are likely to benefit from modest warming, the greatest threat to native biodiversity is from non-native terrestrial species.
KW - Glaciers and climate
KW - Marine biology
KW - Polar change
KW - Sea ice
KW - Terrestrial biology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068518789&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fenvs.2019.00102
DO - 10.3389/fenvs.2019.00102
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85068518789
VL - 7
JO - Frontiers in Environmental Science
JF - Frontiers in Environmental Science
IS - JUN
M1 - 102
ER -