octopus DNA Reveals Troubling Truth About Antarctic Ice Sheetโ Stability
Australian scientists have unlocked a critical piece of the puzzle surroundingโข the stabilityโฃ of the West Antarctic ice sheet,using the geneticโ makeup of โฃa unique octopus species. A team lead โby molecular biologist Jan Strunell from James Cook University (JCU) analyzed the genetic profile of Octopus โturquet,found on the opposite side of the West โAntarcticโ ice layer,revealing a connection to populations existing 120,000 years ago. This connection proves the ocean was connected during that period, indicating a significant melt eventโ occurred then.
The findings, published in โคthe journalโค Science, suggest the โคWestโข Antarctic ice sheet is โคfar more vulnerable to collapse than previously understood.โค “This is โimportant, because it understands how much ice in Antarctica during this last interglacial period, when the condition is very similar to today, it is very important to โฃunderstand โฃwhat will happen in โthe future,” explained Professor โขStrunell.
The West Antarctic iceโ sheet is a major contributor to global โsea level rise, and it’s total collapse could raise sea levels by โthree to five meters. Worryingly, โขthe research indicates this collapse could occur even with successful โคclimate changeโ mitigation efforts and โonly a slight increase in global temperatures.
This research builds onโ previous work by professor Strunell’s team, published in Nature Science last august, which โalreadyโ identified the โขice sheet as being at high risk of collapse โwithout immediate and drastic reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions. โข
“This should be โคvery worried about all of us. We really need to reduce carbon emissions, because this is the only thing that will stop the collapse of the ice layer, and an โincrease in sea โขlevel as highโ as three meters will โhave a very large impact on many cities in Australia,” Professor Strunell warned.
The team was able to compile “DNA time capsules” using modern genomic techniques and samples collected from around Antarctica over theโ past 40 โขyears.โข Professor Strunell emphasized the collaborative nature of the โresearch, stating,โ “Science is โขreally about standing on the shoulders of the giants. It takes a multidisciplinary team to achieve this,which we โare veryโข proud of,and truly โremarkable can work with geologists and oceanographers,museum scientists,genomic experts,and bioinformatics experts.” He added, โ”Hopefully our study really shows the power to โคunite peopleโข from various fields, international collaboration that unites a strong data collection that can answer critically important questions for physics.”
Kim McKay, Directorโ of the Australian Museum, highlighted the significance of the findings, noting that the research – a 2023 eureka Prize winner – โคunderscores the urgent need toโฃ supportโข and invest in Australian scientificโค achievements. “Australianโ research needs to be supported and โfunded so โฃthat scientists โขcan continue to develop practical solutions forโ global challenges,” she said. McKay also pointed to the increasing recognition of the vital role โmarine ecosystems โฃplay in climate resilience and biodiversity conservation, โฃemphasizing the importance of research focused on these systems.
(rns/rns)
