Macquarie Island sits in one of the most remote parts of the world, halfway between Tasmania and Antarctica. The narrow, windswept island is packed with wildlife. Elephant seals crowd its beaches, king penguins climb its green slopes, and albatrosses glide above the open landscape.
But scientists say the island is changing.
Large areas are becoming wetter and boggier, while native megaherbs such as Pleurophyllum and Stilbocarpa are shrinking back. Researchers have long suspected rising rainfall was behind these changes. Now, a new study published in Weather and Climate Dynamics confirms that rainfall is increasing sharply, and the findings could have implications far beyond this isolated UNESCO World Heritage site.
Why the Southern Ocean Matters
The Southern Ocean is one of the planet's most important climate regulators.
