10. Changes in Antarctic Hydrology
The spread of plant life in Antarctica is subtly reshaping the continent’s hydrology. Mosses and algae influence how water is absorbed, stored, and released from the soil. Research from the British Antarctic Survey suggests this may lead to increased meltwater runoff and changes in local drainage patterns. Such shifts can accelerate ice loss, as more liquid water seeps beneath glaciers, lubricating their movement and further destabilizing the ice sheet.