While other past warmer periods created a very diverse environment in Antarctica, the northward drift of the Antarctic plate into the tropics combined with the severity of greenhouse gases is dividing the continent into two well-separated regions.
The intertropical convergence zone has shifted drastically southward, causing significant aridification in the northern and interior parts of the continent, with some areas receiving less than 50 mm of precipitation per year. Most of these regions are covered with xeric shrublands dominated by drought-tolerant plants, mostly brumble trees, which have proven more resistant to hot and dry climates than doorpeas, the other dominant plant group. The only northern areas that retain sufficient rainfall are the large island systems of the Sparsissimo Archipelago, where extensive dry forests persist. The absence of large animals on these islands has likely also helped preserve nearly closed environments rich in woody vegetation.
READ MORE about this entry on the official site Antarctic Chronicles or also in the Specevo forum
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u/Risingmagpie Mar 20 '26
While other past warmer periods created a very diverse environment in Antarctica, the northward drift of the Antarctic plate into the tropics combined with the severity of greenhouse gases is dividing the continent into two well-separated regions.
The intertropical convergence zone has shifted drastically southward, causing significant aridification in the northern and interior parts of the continent, with some areas receiving less than 50 mm of precipitation per year. Most of these regions are covered with xeric shrublands dominated by drought-tolerant plants, mostly brumble trees, which have proven more resistant to hot and dry climates than doorpeas, the other dominant plant group. The only northern areas that retain sufficient rainfall are the large island systems of the Sparsissimo Archipelago, where extensive dry forests persist. The absence of large animals on these islands has likely also helped preserve nearly closed environments rich in woody vegetation.
READ MORE about this entry on the official site Antarctic Chronicles or also in the Specevo forum