As mentioned numerous times, climate change affects every corner of the earth. In some places, due to their latitude or conditions, there are areas that are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and others are more resistant.
The Chilean region of Magallanes and Antarctica, in the extreme south of America, offers exceptional conditions to study the effects of climate change. This is something that science must take advantage of to obtain better results and greater knowledge about possible actions and consequences.
The southernmost area of the planet
Located 3.000 kilometers south of Santiago is the city of Punta Arenas. It is the epicenter of the scientific missions that operate in Magellan and Antarctica. It is the southernmost area of the planet and is reaching a good maturity to become a subantarctic and Antarctic scientific pole.
Climate change and marine environment research
Making these regions a scientific and technological pole of world scope responds to the fact that the current phenomenon of climate variability has impacts on the areas of the Center for Dynamic Research on High Latitude Marine Ecosystems (IDEAL).
Conducting scientific studies and analyses in this region allows us to obtain a wealth of valuable information related to all the changes occurring due to climate change. Among the studies being conducted in this region is understanding how climate change affects the marine environment. Rising temperatures and high concentrations of CO2 in the atmosphere have impacts on the oceans. For example, we are witnessing coral bleaching, water acidification, and the destruction of habitats for species that are more vulnerable to environmental changes.
Precisely, the most vulnerable areas are those that must be studied in more detail, as they are the ones that offer the most information about how changes can affect the species that live there. Thanks to a greater response to environmental changes, more experiments and tests can be done to have a better understanding of the consequences, as discussed in Australian green turtles.
Marine ecosystems must be protected
Having positive results from experiments in these areas allows authorities to make decisions that can protect marine ecosystems. If we have a more or less accurate understanding of the consequences a particular effect can have on a species, we can take measures to protect that species, as seen in .
An example of all this is the retreat of glaciers in some fjords in the area. This effect causes freshwater from the thawed area to enter the marine environment and change its chemical and biological properties. Species that require a certain salt concentration to survive will not be able to withstand these changes and will die, which is related to the glacier retreat.
Since it is difficult to go back on climate change issues, What more needs to be done is to find solutions to the problems that arise. Viable solutions that help marine environments adapt to climate change, something that is also addressed in the threatened deserts.
Environmental education as a solution tool
Educating the little ones to take responsibility for the environment is a tool to be able to solve the environmental problems derived from climate change. It should be mentioned that, if we train people capable of researching, analyzing and making pro-environmental decisions, We will promote global awareness for respect for the environment. All this will contribute in a more positive way to alleviate the consequences of climate change, as discussed in .
If we want young people to get involved in science, we need environmental education. The fact that Chile has suitable Antarctic and subantarctic systems in the southern zone for research may lead to the emergence of resources from other countries and international organizations, as occurs with astronomical observation in the north of the country. Currently, the High Latitude Marine Ecosystem Dynamic Research Center (IDEAL) is one of the most active scientific entities in the area, with a team of 25 researchers from different institutions.
