Discovered over 200 age ago , Antarctica is often presented as a landmass where human presence has scarce left a print . However , researchers have now produce an blanket record of human activity on the southernmost continent and found that human activity is expanding in many area that are important for biodiversity .
As account inNature , the team hoard an incredible amount of data point spanning the intact immortalize history of the continent . They showed that while 99.6 percent of the continent is still barbaric , the pristine area free from human interference are only 32 pct .
“ We mapped 2.7 million human action records from 1819 to 2018 across the Antarctic continent to tax the extent of wilderness area remaining and its lap with the continent ’s biodiversity , ” co - author Dr Bernard Coetzee , from the Global Change Institute at the University of the Witwatersrand , said in astatement .
“ In a part often thought of as outside , we showed that in fact , human activity has been extensive , particularly in glass - complimentary and coastal area where most of its biodiversity is found . This means that ' wild ' expanse do not catch many of the continent ’s important biodiversity sites , but that an opportunity exists to conserve the last of the wild . ”
When we think of Antarctica , our mind give way immediately to penguins , and yet only 16 pct of their home ground and those of many other doll are internationally protect , with many tourer and research station overlapping with important region for biodiversity . Some of the risks to the continent are unmistakable , such as growing infrastructure and vegetation trampling . Others are less obvious , such as pollution , microbial taint , and dispersal of native and alien coinage .
“ While the office does not look promising ab initio , the outcomes show that much opportunity exists to take fleet action at law to declare Modern protected expanse for the conservation of both wild and biodiversity , ” explain lead author Rachel Leihy , a alum researcher in the Monash School of Biological Sciences .
The study only considers the verbatim actions of humanity on the continent , not the collateral human shock from pollution , the jam in the ozone level , and the unfolding clime crisis . The study also indicate it is not too late and that members of the Antarctic Treaty have the ability and means to safeguard the frozen continent . These member can help by elevate the expansion of evidence - based protected areas and re - thinking how to best poise the benefits of science and tourism on the continent with the imperative of protect Antarctica before it is too belated .
