Antarctic vegetation cover greatly underestimated without ground-truthing of lichens
Abstract
Antarctic
landscapes
are
perceived
as
sparsely
vegetated
but
support
extensive
lichen
communities.
Lichens
pioneers
of
bare
rock,
estimates
their
cover
limited.
Vegetation
mapping
on
an
apparently
Island
reveals
>
40%
where
remote
sensing
indicates
0.23%
cover.
This
mismatch
the
limitations
approaches
for
one
Earth's
key
primary
colonizers
and
dominant
vegetation
components
polar,
alpine
desert
ecosystems.
Published: May 13, 2025
Language: Английский