Penguins could be playing a crucial role in stabilizing the climate in Antarctica when they go No.
The ammonia in penguin guano — or poop — could help to reduce the impacts of climate change by contributing to increased cloud formation, a paper published in Communications Earth & Environment on Thursday found.
A fog that remained three hours after the wind charged was likely a result of the increased concentration of aerosol particles, the researchers said.
The poop is likely helping to reduce the impacts of climate change on the continent, further highlighting the necessity of protecting native ecosystems and biodiversity, which are critical to mitigating climate change.
As the local climate in Antarctica changes and evolves, it will have an influence on climate systems in the rest of the world, Boyer said.
When they say no, penguins may be helping to stabilize Antarctica’s climate. Second, new research indicates.
A study published Thursday in Communications Earth and Environment found that the ammonia in penguin guano, or poop, may contribute to increased cloud formation, which could lessen the effects of climate change.
The study claims that penguins, a crucial species in Antarctica, are “major emitters” of ammonia. Matthew Boyer, the lead author of the study and a researcher at the University of Helsinki’s Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research, told ABC News that when ammonia combines with sulfur-containing gases released by ocean phytoplankton, it increases the production of aerosols, which provide a surface for water vapor to condense on and cause clouds to form.
According to Boyer, “they have a synergistic role for the formation of particles in the atmosphere,”.
According to the study, the clouds can then protect the atmosphere by lowering surface temperatures, which stops the melting of sea ice.
According to Boyer, there is a noticeable ammonia odor when near penguin colonies.
The scientists measured the amount of ammonia in the air close to a colony of 60,000 Adelie penguins at Marambio Base in Antarctica over the course of two months, from January to March 2023. The study found that the ammonia concentration rose to over 1,000 times the baseline value when the wind came from the colony’s direction.
According to the researchers, ammonia concentrations stayed over 100 times the baseline even after the penguins left the area because the ammonia from their excrement continued to be released.
As per the paper, the researchers verified that the concentration of aerosol particles was impacted by the rise in ammonia concentration by taking multiple additional atmospheric measurements in a single day.
They discovered that the quantity and size of aerosol particles significantly increased when the wind blew from the penguin colony. According to the researchers, a fog that persisted for three hours after the wind charge was probably caused by the higher concentration of aerosol particles.
The excrement is probably lessening the effects of climate change on the continent, which emphasizes how important it is to preserve biodiversity and natural ecosystems in order to mitigate climate change.
“What we have shown is that there is a strong link between atmospheric processes that can affect the local climate and ecosystem processes, such as penguins and ocean phytoplankton activity,” Boyer said.
According to Boyer, the local climate in Antarctica will impact climate systems around the globe as it develops and changes.
According to scientists, Antarctica’s ice, ocean, and ecosystems are crucial in controlling global temperatures. However, scientists are keeping a careful eye on the continent’s ice melting quickly as a result of climate change because it helps to drive significant ocean currents, slow global warming, and act as a carbon sink.
The risk of ice shelf retreat is especially high in the western part of the continent. The Thwaites glacier, known as the “Doomsday Glacier,” is located in the area and, should it melt, could raise sea levels by ten feet. Thwaites is one of the glaciers in the area that is changing the fastest.
genuinely being aware of the local events in Antarctica dot. allows us to forecast future changes that may occur in other parts of the world as well,” Boyer said.