Research highlights the role of penguin guano in cloud formation in Antarctica, showing that ammonia from their waste interacts with sulfur compounds to create clouds. These findings suggest the potential for local temperature changes, although further observation is necessary to confirm the effects. The study measured high ammonia levels at the Marambio Base linked to a large colony of Adelie penguins, indicating their waste outstrips other sources. The dynamic between wildlife and climate interactions confirms unexpected environmental connections, as observed through fog related to aerosol concentrations from guano.
At the Marambio Base on the Antarctic Peninsula, Boyer and his colleagues measured the concentration of ammonia from a colony of 60,000 Adelie penguins in January 2023.
There are connections between things that happen on our natural planet that we just don't necessarily expect, said Matthew Boyer, lead author of the study and doctoral candidate at the University of Helsinki.
Even when the penguins left the area at the end of February and their guano remained, the concentration was still more than 100 times higher than the normal level.
Scientists found the incredible amounts of ammonia left behind combine with sulfur compounds from the ocean and grow clouds within hours.
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