A team of scientists discovered that the guano of Antarctica’s penguins is a key ingredient in boosting cloud formation, with ammonia emissions supplying crucial chemical ingredients to form the seeds of clouds.
The Boost to Cloud Formation from Penguin Poop
Ammonia wafting up from penguin guano in Antarctica is a key ingredient for cooling cloud formation. Gases emitted from the birds’ guano are supplying crucial chemical ingredients to form the seeds of clouds — tiny particles that clouds coalesce around.
The penguin is a flightless bird that belongs to the family Spheniscidae.
There are 18 recognized species of penguins, ranging in size from the Little Blue Penguin to the Emperor Penguin.
Penguins are found in the Southern Hemisphere, with the majority living in Antarctica and sub-Antarctic islands.
They have distinctive black and white feathers, which serve as camouflage in the sea and on land.
Penguins are highly social animals, often living in large colonies and engaging in complex communication behaviors.
How Penguins Contribute to Cloud Formation
Previous studies have found that gaseous ammonia in the atmosphere can combine with sulfuric acid emitted by marine phytoplankton to form cloud condensation nuclei, the seeds of clouds. These clouds may help cool the planet by reflecting more sunlight back into space. Researchers are keen to understand what drives climate and cloudiness over the Southern Ocean and Antarctica, which can have a powerful impact on the global climate.
Measuring Penguin Guano’s Impact
Researchers measured concentrations of ammonia, dimethylamine, and other gases over the Antarctic Peninsula from January 10 to March 20, 2023. They observed concentrations of ammonia up to 13.5 parts per billion, 1,000 times higher than in areas without penguins. By taking measurements over a single day, they found that winds blowing from the direction of the penguin colony brought a sharp spike in aerosol particle concentrations and a bit of fog.
A penguin colony is a large group of penguins that live and breed together.
These colonies can range in size from a few dozen to hundreds of thousands of birds.
Penguins are highly social animals and often form long-term monogamous relationships, with some species staying with their mates for up to 20 years.
In the wild, penguin colonies play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems, serving as both predators and prey for other marine life.
Lasting Impact of Penguin Guano
The penguins’ contributions to the atmospheric chemical soup boosted particle formation rates by up to 10,000 times in the region. The impact lingered even after the birds had left the region, heading out on their annual migration. A month after the penguins departed, ammonia emissions were still 100 times higher than baseline measurements.
The guano had ‘fertilized‘ the soil so much that it continued to boost particle formation rates for an extended period. This highlights the significant role that penguin poop plays in climate-relevant aerosol particles in Antarctica.
Penguin poop, also known as guano, is a crucial component of the ecosystem in Antarctica.
It provides nutrients for phytoplankton, which are the base of the food chain.
A single penguin can produce up to 1.4 kilograms of guano per year.
This nutrient-rich waste helps fertilize the surrounding waters, supporting the growth of alga and other marine life.
In fact, some species of fish rely on penguin poop as a primary source of nutrition.
- sciencenews.org | Penguin poop gives Antarctic cloud formation a boost
