The growth of long-lived Antarctic mosses has slowed drastically since the 1980s due to climate variability and the ozone hole, say scientists.
Scientists used radiocarbon dating to estimate the age of Antarctic mosses and to find out how quickly they grow. The samples were analysed using a particle accelerator at ANSTO.
They found that some of the mosses are more than 100 years old and are very slow growing, increasing in length at a maximum 3.5 mm a year.
“Remarkably, these plants were already growing during the times of Antarctic exploration,” says Professor Sharon Robinson, from the University of Wollongong. “These mosses are effectively the old growth forests of Antarctica – in miniature.”
While trees add growth rings to their trunk for every year that they live, older Antarctic mosses have longer stems. By dating different points along the moss stem, the scientists found that moss growth has slowed drastically since the 1980s to as low as 0.5 mm per year.
The researchers suggest that growth of the mosses has been stunted by increased wind speeds around Antarctica linked to the ozone hole, causing the moss beds to dry out.
Scientists will continue to study the mosses to monitor changes in environmental conditions in Antarctica.
Published: 18/04/2012