Flora Journal Entry
Invaders Get Foothold in Antarctica (March 17, 2008)
Seeds of creeping bentgrass, one of the invasive plants finding its way to Antarctica. Steve Hurst @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.
More and more invasive (non-native) plants and animals are showing up in Antarctica. These invaders could dramatically change the face of the continent's landscape in the years ahead if the fast pace of global climate change continues.
One of these species is called creeping bentgrass. The grass is already common on some of the islands ringing Antarctica. Soon, it could form a green carpet across parts of the mainland, says the Australian Antarctic Division.
There are plenty of signs of other invasive species in Antarctica. Visitors to the continent unknowingly carry seeds, spores, and insect eggs on their clothing. Invasive plants are growing at Japanese and Russian research stations. Non-native fungi were found at an Australian station. At least four invasive mite species have been found. Lichens are showing up in places where they were never seen before.
As temperatures climb, the environment becomes more favorable for some larger animals too. Reindeer were spotted on South Georgia Island recently while cats and rats now inhabit Macquarie Island.
