Plant life on Antarctica is growing rapidly due to climate change. A team including scientists from the University of Exeter in the UK has found a sharp increase in biological activity on the continent in the last 50 years. They tested five cores from three sites and found major biological changes had occurred right across the Antarctic Peninsula.

Researchers said their data indicate that plants and soils will change substantially even with only modest further warming. Recent climate change on the Antarctic Peninsula is well documented, with warming and other changes such as increased precipitation and wind strength.