Antarctica’s Only Flowering Plants Take Opposite Paths Under Experimental Warming
A 7-year field experiment showed Antarctica’s native grass and pearlwort reworking their internal plumbing in contrasting ways as temperatures shifted.
For over a decade, Patricia Sáez and her team have studied the only flowering plants native to Antarctica on King George Island. Antarctic hair grass and Antarctic pearlwort have both expanded their ranges as the peninsula has warmed, but their responses to climate change have been opposite. In a recent study, hair grass showed reduced water movement and photosynthesis in response to experimental warming, while pearlwort exhibited increased water flow and photosynthesis.
Both plants are sensitive to the frequent freeze-thaw cycles around 0°C, which can cause stress. The study, published in Physiologia Plantarum, highlights the importance of understanding how these unique plants will respond to future warming, which is projected to bring more frequent freeze-thaw cycles. The researchers dug up the plants and brought them to a nearby lab for measurements, allowing them to complete their work within 24 hours.
The contrasting responses of the two plants suggest that they may eventually lead to shifts in dominance.
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