An international group of scientists from Italy, France, India and other countries has revealed what happens to ecosystems in ice-free lands. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Nature.
Sea and mountain glaciers have only a few types of organisms that can survive in such an environment, including ice worms, snow fleas, and snow algae. When the ice melts, these creatures disappear.
In the new study, the team analyzed data from the past 10 years to track changes in 46 retreating glaciers around the world, from the Himalayas to the Andes to Svalbard to New Zealand and even tropical ice in Mexico.
The team examined soil samples from more than 1,200 sites in the lab and conducted DNA sampling to assess local diversity.
The results showed roughly the same pattern of ecosystem formation, with bacteria, protozoa and algae being the first to arrive at the thawed soil.
After the microbial colonization of the area, larger and more resistant species came to the area: lichens, mosses and grasses. Thanks to their presence, the thin soils are gradually enriched with nutritious organic matter, thanks to which more complex plants can take root there.
Eventually, herbivores and predators emerged in the resulting ecosystem, the researchers noted.
Earlier scientists I learnedIt is stated that the melting of glaciers around the world increases the length of the day.