Scientists Sound Alarm: ‘Aliens in Antarctica’ .

[BridgeTheGap]

“Aliens in Antarctica” is a hard-to-beat, eye-catching headline. And it’s true; they (outsiders!!!) are slowly taking root in a place long considered the most isolated, and pristine, corner of the planet.

But it’s not what you think.

We’re not talking cellophane-skinned, one-eyed creatures from another universe, but rather much more pedestrian invaders, including bluegrass, springtails, and weeds.

By happenstance, I participated in the research that discovered this growing threat to Antarctica. During a 2008 sailing expedition along the Peninsula, my team and I agreed to be sucked by hoses (vacuumed!) on a regular basis. The detritus collected from our clothing, pockets, cuffs, boots, hair and duffle bags was carefully put into sealed bags and sent off to be dissected by scientists at South Africa’s Stellenbosch University and its Center for Invasion Biology.

http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/03/23/aliens-antarctica-cause-scientists-new-panic

[Cirque du So-What]

1. I saw a photo recently

A patch of grass - clearly a non-native species - near Antarctica's coastline. It was bigger than a lawn but didn't qualify as a pasture, but it points out how easily non-native species can gain a foothold in even the most inhospitable and unlikely of places.

[Thor_MN]

2. Humans are aliens on Antarctica

Of course we brought invasive species with us, it's what we have always done. We are definitely shortening timeframes of migration, but eventually some seeds would get there and thrive. Oops, only due to the fact that we are warming the planet up... I guess climate change deniers would say that the bluegrass on Antartica doesn't exist, that it is falsified data by scientists who want more money to conduct studies.

[arachadillo]

3. Joke du jour

listening to lectures covering Antarctic paleoclimatology reminded me of the importance of replying to a thread by starting with a joke.

Here goes?

Why are Rs like Antarctica?

Because they are currently situated under a vortex created by their man made ozone hole, explaining their complete oblivion to the weather facts on the ground in the world around them.

Anyway, interesting to hear about the bluegrass, springtails, and weeds.

Next thing you know, we'll be back to the future, or what the Antarctic paleoclimatologists refer to as the super-sized age of Antarctica global warming (some 50-80 million years ago) when Antarctica experienced its tropical phase, incapable of supporting temperate organisms such as "bluegrass, springtails, and weeds".

Rumor has it that the ancient Antarctic aliens preferred cool brews in their once tropical paradise.