Loss of diversity near melting coastal glaciers

Sedimentation impacting an entire ecosystem on seafloor

Date:

November 13, 2015

Source:

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research

Summary:

Melting glaciers are causing a loss of species diversity among benthos in the coastal waters off the Antarctic Peninsula, impacting an entire seafloor ecosystem. This has been verified in the course of repeated research dives, the results of which were recently published by experts from Argentina, Germany and Great Britain.

Particularly tall-growing ascidians like some previously dominant sea squirt species cannot adapt to the changed conditions and die out, while their shorter relatives can readily accommodate the cloudy water and sediment cover

Credit: Alfred Wegener Institute / Christian Lagger (CONICET)

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