Flowers Blooming in Antarctica Are a Sign of Climate Change: What to Know

The Gist:

• In September 2023, an image on X (formerly known as Twitter) went viral, claiming pink flowers were blooming in Antarctica. The photo was mislabeled (it was Greenland, not Antarctica).
• Flowers are blooming in Antarctica at an alarming rate, stunning scientists, who credit the rapid growth to rising global temperatures.
• Invasive species could become a problem in Antarctica, permanently altering the ecosystem.

Some of the most alarming climate change coverage stems from changes in Antarctica. While the East Antarctic Plateau remains the coldest place on Earth, per USA Today, headlines about melting icebergs, dying polar bears, and a rapidly warming planet showcase how deeply climate change has affected even the most seemingly impenetrable places on our planet.

When a post to X (formerly known as Twitter) went viral claiming flowers were blooming on Antarctica's icy tundra, some people marveled at the photo — and others immediately became concerned. Here's what to know.

After a photograph purporting to be flowers blooming in Antarctica went viral on X in September 2023, Snopes quickly fact-checked and determined that the photo was of Greenland, not Antarctica. Regardless, the viral photo started a conversation with a sad result: yes, more flowers than ever before were blooming in Antarctica, but no, that's not a good thing.

According to Earth.org, two flowering plants exist in Antarctica: Antarctic Pearlwort and Antarctic Hair Grass. Growth of these plants has skyrocketed in recent years thanks to climate change. While some may take plants thriving in a harsh environment as a sign of resilience, it's important to recognize that these greens thrive because of warming temperatures.

Signy Island has been a center of Antarctic research by scientists for decades. According to Earth.org, scientists noticed that on Signy Island, between 2009 and 2019, Antarctic Hair Grass grew ten times as fast, and Antarctic Pearlwort grew five times faster than in previous decades.

The growth of these plants also threatens other native plants, such as mosses and lichens, as they outcompete them for resources.

Climate change could also lead to invasive species in Antarctica pushing out native plants. Although Antarctica is pretty inhospitable, the amount of human activity in the area could lead to potential non-native species transporting to the icy realm, with seeds hitching a ride on researcher or tourist clothes.

According to Weather & Radar, invasive species taking over could lead to a "larger-scale domino effect, disrupting the balance of the local environment and ecosystem."

Conservation biologist Jennifer Lee explained that the more ice-free land in Antarctica, the more room plants will have to spread out, potentially leading to "irreversible biodiversity loss," per Science Alert.

"We know that there will be thousands of square kilometers of new-ice free area and the warmer temperatures and extra available water will create new habitats ripe for colonization, which will benefit some species and not others," Lee added.

Although flowers blooming may seem like a positive side effect, we need to continue to be vigilant about the ways climate change impacts the world and continue to pressure world leaders to reduce emissions.