Antarctic climate cooling and terrestrial ecosystem response

Peter T. Doran (), John C. Priscu, W. Berry Lyons, John E. Walsh, Andrew G. Fountain, Diane M. McKnight, Daryl L. Moorhead, Ross A. Virginia, Diana H. Wall, Gary D. Clow, Christian H. Fritsen, Christopher P. McKay and Andrew N. Parsons
Additional contact information
Peter T. Doran: University of Illinois at Chicago
John C. Priscu: Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University
W. Berry Lyons: Byrd Polar Research Center, Ohio State University
John E. Walsh: University of Illinois
Andrew G. Fountain: Portland State University
Diane M. McKnight: Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
Daryl L. Moorhead: University of Toledo
Ross A. Virginia: Environmental Studies Program, Dartmouth College
Diana H. Wall: Colorado State University
Gary D. Clow: USGS—Climate Program, Denver Federal Center
Christian H. Fritsen: Desert Research Institute
Christopher P. McKay: NASA Ames Research Center
Andrew N. Parsons: Colorado State University

Nature, 2002, vol. 415, issue 6871, 517-520

Abstract: Abstract The average air temperature at the Earth's surface has increased by 0.06 °C per decade during the 20th century1, and by 0.19 °C per decade from 1979 to 19982. Climate models generally predict amplified warming in polar regions3,4, as observed in Antarctica's peninsula region over the second half of the 20th century5,6,7,8,9. Although previous reports suggest slight recent continental warming9,10, our spatial analysis of Antarctic meteorological data demonstrates a net cooling on the Antarctic continent between 1966 and 2000, particularly during summer and autumn. The McMurdo Dry Valleys have cooled by 0.7 °C per decade between 1986 and 2000, with similar pronounced seasonal trends. Summer cooling is particularly important to Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems that are poised at the interface of ice and water. Here we present data from the dry valleys representing evidence of rapid terrestrial ecosystem response to climate cooling in Antarctica, including decreased primary productivity of lakes (6–9% per year) and declining numbers of soil invertebrates (more than 10% per year). Continental Antarctic cooling, especially the seasonality of cooling, poses challenges to models of climate and ecosystem change.

Date: 2002
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DOI: 10.1038/nature710

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