97
In a startling revelation, researchers from the University of Leeds have uncovered the dramatic impact of climate change on Greenland's iconic ice sheet. Over the past three decades, approximately 11,000 square miles (28,489 square kilometers), equivalent to the size of Albania, have melted away, leaving behind barren rock, wetlands, and areas covered in shrubs.
Armed with historic satellite records, the research team traced the evolution from the 1980s to the 2010s, discovering that warmer air temperatures are the driving force behind the ice retreat. This, in turn, affects the temperature of the land surface, greenhouse gas emissions, and the overall stability of the landscape.
Jonathan Carrivick, an Earth scientist from the University of Leeds, emphasizes, "Warmer temperatures are linked to the land cover changes that we are seeing on Greenland. By analyzing high-resolution satellite images, we have been able to produce a detailed record of these changes. This increase was most pronounced in the southwest, east, and northeast regions of Greenland."
What was once a vast expanse of ice and snow has now transformed into a landscape of barren rock, wetlands, and burgeoning vegetation. The team uncovered a doubling of vegetation covering 33,774 square miles (87,491 square kilometers), more than doubling over the study period. This increase was most pronounced in the southwest, east, and northeast regions of Greenland.
Ice disappearing, temperatures rising
However, the consequences extend beyond the visual changes. The loss of ice has a cascading effect, triggering further warming. As ice disappears, it exposes bare rock, which absorbs more solar energy, raising the temperature of the land surface.
The melting of ice also leads to more water in lakes, further increasing the temperature of the land surface. The study reveals a near quadrupling of wetlands, particularly in the east and northeast, which have become a source of methane emissions.
The researchers also sounded an alarm about the degradation of permafrost, a permanently frozen layer beneath the Earth's surface. Warmer temperatures are causing this layer to thaw; in some areas, this could impact the infrastructure, buildings, and communities above it.
Dr. Michael Grimes, the report's lead author, warns, "The expansion of vegetation, occurring in tandem with the retreat of glaciers and the ice sheet, is significantly altering the flow of sediments and nutrients into coastal waters. These changes are critical, particularly for the indigenous populations whose traditional subsistence hunting practices rely on the stability of these delicate ecosystems."
The researchers developed a model to predict areas on Greenland likely to experience "marked and accelerated" changes in the future. They emphasize that the ice loss in Greenland contributes significantly to the rise of global sea level, presenting challenges for current and future generations.
Greenland, the world's largest island, has been experiencing warming at double the global mean rate since the 1970s. Average annual air temperatures between 2007 and 2012 were 3 degrees Celsius warmer than the 1979 to 2000 average. The scientists predict that more extreme temperatures are likely in the future, further exacerbating the changes observed.
As Greenland's icy landscapes evolve, the findings underscore the urgent need for global action to address climate change and its profound impact on our planet's delicate ecosystems.
The study, published in Scientific Reports, helps shed light on the significant changes sweeping across Greenland.
