Distressing satellite image reveals Antarctica is turning green at a ‘dramatic’ rate

A distressing satellite image has revealed that Antarctica is turning green at a ‘dramatic’ rate.

It’s been warned that the entire future is in question as it’s been discovered that the icy continent is heating up faster than the national average.

This has caused the amount of vegetation to balloon as its ice is melting and the land is ‘greening’ at a quick pace.

Antarctica is turning green at a 'dramatic' rate (PA)

Now researchers from the universities of Exeter and Hertfordshire, as well as the British Antarctic Survey, are using the satellite data in order to find out just how much of the Antarctic Peninsula has turned green.

This shift in the environment there is due to climate change and vegetation is now over 10 times larger than it was 40 years ago.

These images have confirmed fears, showing that there is an increased amount of greenery that is spreading fast.

The Nature Geoscience journal published the findings, offering a worrying warning about what the future of the continent could look like.

Researchers are concerned about the future of the continent (PA)

Speaking to Metro, Dr Thomas Roland from the University of Exeter, said: “The sensitivity of the Antarctic Peninsula’s vegetation to climate change is now clear and, under future anthropogenic warming, we could see fundamental changes to the biology and landscape of this iconic and vulnerable region.

“Our findings raise serious concerns about the environmental future of the Antarctic Peninsula, and of the continent as a whole.

“In order to protect Antarctica, we must understand these changes and identify precisely what is causing them.”

Fearing that new plants could take over the landscape, Dr Roland went on to say: “The plants we find on the Antarctic Peninsula – mostly mosses – grow in perhaps the harshest conditions on Earth.

“The landscape is still almost entirely dominated by snow, ice and rock, with only a tiny fraction colonized by plant life.

Antarctica is heating up due to climate change (PA)

“But that tiny fraction has grown dramatically – showing that even this vast and isolated ‘wilderness’ is being affected by anthropogenic climate change.”

And he isn’t the only one concerned about the future of Antarctica as Dr Olly Bartlett from the University of Hertfordshire said: “As these ecosystems become more established – and the climate continues to warm – it’s likely that the extent of greening will increase.

“Soil in Antarctica is mostly poor or non-existent, but this increase in plant life will add organic matter, and facilitate soil formation – potentially paving the way for other plants to grow.

“This raises the risk of non-native and invasive species arriving, possibly carried by eco-tourists, scientists or other visitors to the continent.”