Climate change: Antarctic life on the edge

Mario Lebrato · Issue 35, Mar/Apr 2007 · pp. 46–48

Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 and now far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years. The global increases in carbon dioxide concentration are due primarily to fossil fuel use and land-use change, while those of methane and nitrous oxide are primarily due to agriculture. Carbon dioxide is the most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas. The global atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has increased from a pre-industrial value of about 280 ppm to 379 ppm in 2005. Warming of the climate system on Earth seems unequivocal, as it is only now that we are starting to recognize the situation, when we are in the position to do something about it. Could it be too late? Evidence from observations of increases in global average air and…