It is at least strange for those who are not aware of the case. So temperatures are increasing worldwide, but the Antarctica ended up 2023 with more ice? Like this?
Penguins and coconut-or rather the guano-may be helping the region and protect it against climate change, shows a study in Communications Earth & Environment.
The study suggests that the ammonia Issued by the penguins-de-nodelia is contributing to the increase in cloud formation and thus to the regulation of the climate of the zone.
The investigators found him near the Marambrand base. The team, led by Matthew Boyer e Mikko Sipiläanalyzed the air currents coming from a large colony of about 60,000 penguins-of-adelia, located approximately 8 kilometers from the base. They found that when the wind blew toward the colony, ammonia levels in the air increased considerably – more than 1,000 times the base value, according to.
This ammonia, released by penguin feces, reacts with gases that contain sulfur to form aerosols. These tiny atmospheric particles act as condensation nuclei for water vapor, facilitating the formation of clouds – which may reflect solar radiation and act as an insulating layer, thus influencing local temperatures and the extension of marine ice.
Even after penguin migration in late February, ammonia levels continued to be more than 100 times higher than normal. Other measurements confirmed a sharp increase in the concentration of aerosol particles when the wind came from the direction of the colony. About three hours after these elevations, the researchers observed the formation of fog – Probably caused by increased aerosol concentration.
And in fact, recent data from satellites from revealing that the Antarctica recorded an increase in ice between 2021 and 2023.
However, scientists at the University of Tongji in Shanghai warn that this increase is a temporary anomaly and not a sign that climate change is reversing.
Ice gain, which had an average of about 108 billion metric tons per year during the three -year period, is attributed to a Precipitation anomalous peak – especially snowfall – in some areas of the continent.
Despite the brief recovery, the general trend since the beginning of satellite monitoring in 2002 remains of accelerated ice loss. Between 2002 and 2020, Antarctica lost hundreds of 7 million tons of ice, with annual losses increasing significantly during the 2010s. This temporary gain does little to compensate for these long term losses.
Four glaciers in eastern Antarctica temporarily reversed their losing trends, recording significant mass gains. However, this inversion coincided with an extreme anomaly of precipitation and seems to have already slowed down, with the Ice levels in 2025 to return to values similar to those recorded in 2020.
Therefore, it is not certain if the penguin guano is saving the continent, but is at least helping the cause.