Long-term studies help scientists understand how species and ecosystems change, adapt, or struggle. With today’s fast-paced global shifts and growing environmental threats, this kind of monitoring is more important than ever. Antarctica is changing fast, and that’s a big deal for the plants and animals specially built to survive its extreme conditions. Keeping a close eye on these changes helps researchers protect what’s most vulnerable.
A new study from University of Wollongong researchers urges a significant boost in long-term monitoring to protect Antarctica’s fragile ecosystems. As climate change reshapes the continent, consistent research helps scientists and policymakers respond with innovative strategies and strong protections.
From mosses to microbes, Antarctica’s lesser-known life forms play vital roles in its ecosystem. Their survival affects not just the icy south, but ecosystems around the world.
The study warns that without large-scale monitoring, we risk losing biodiversity that’s deeply connected to life on other continents. Protecting Antarctica means protecting a piece of Earth’s ecological puzzle.
Scientists reviewed nearly 140 long-term studies on Antarctic life. While over half lasted a decade or more, most focused on penguins and marine mammals. The tiny but mighty organisms, like mosses and lichens, got far less attention.
Most studies have been conducted in the more accessible West Antarctic Peninsula. Remote East Antarctica? Barely explored.
Study lead author Dr Melinda Waterman said, “Antarctica’s biodiversity is still largely a mystery. From emperor penguins to freeze-tolerant plants and tiny animals to microbes that live on air, how are they responding to growing threats?”
“Many of the species thriving beneath the ice shelves and across the harsh tundra are so little studied that we’re only beginning to understand their roles. Long-term monitoring is our window into this hidden world, showing how subtle changes can ripple through entire ecosystems.”
Distinguished Professor Sharon Robinson AM, who has spent more than 30 years studying Antarctic plants, said tiny organisms support the continent’s entire food web. “Every moss patch, microscopic worm, and deep-sea coral is part of a fragile balance. If we lose them, the consequences could be global. Sustained research gives policymakers the evidence needed to act on climate change and help Antarctica’s wildlife endure.”
Journal Reference:
- Shae Jones, Diana King, Vonda Cummings, Sharon Robinson, and Melinda Waterman. Research bias in long-term monitoring of Antarctic nearshore marine and terrestrial biota. Global Change Biology: DOI: 10.1111/gcb.70392