Science & Tech · Science & Environment · 1 day ago
Penguin droppings help fuel algae blooms that darken Antarctic snow
Penguins carry nutrients from the ocean onto land in their droppings.
Those nutrients help green algae grow on coastal snow.
The algae-darkened snow absorbs more sunlight than clean white snow, which could speed up local melting.
The researchers say this effect should be considered when predicting how ice-free areas in Antarctica may expand.
A study found that nutrients in penguin droppings help fuel green snow algae blooms along the Antarctic coast.
The algae darken snow and absorb more sunlight, potentially contributing to local snowmelt and expanding ice-free areas.
Red algae-covered snow absorbs about 20% more sunlight than clean white snow, while green snow absorbs roughly 40% more.
Researchers found that snow dominated by green algae contained substantially more phosphate than snow dominated by red algae.
Other seabirds, including skuas, also deposit nutrients that can support algae growth.
- Who
- Researchers led by senior author Alia Khan and lead author Elise Ryan studied snow algae and nutrients from penguin droppings.
- What
- The study found that nutrients from penguin droppings help sustain green snow algae blooms, which absorb more sunlight.
- When
- The article was published on 2026-10-10. The study date is not stated.
- Where
- Along the West Antarctic Peninsula, across five degrees of latitude.
- Why
- Penguin droppings contain phosphate and other nutrients that support algae growth.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The penguin guano acts as a fertilizer… that fuels these dense green snow algae blooms.
This finding links the marine food web to snow ecology.
Without accounting for these biological darkening effects, we are likely underestimating how rapidly coastal snowpacks are melting and how fast ice-free terrain will expand across Antarctica.
Snow algae can grow rapidly when nutrients are plentiful.
Researchers collected red and green snow samples along the West Antarctic Peninsula, including near areas with and without penguin colonies.
Elise Ryan and colleagues examined the samples under microscopes and analyzed their pigments and nutrient concentrations.
- Study area
- West Antarctic Peninsula, across five degrees of latitude
- Green algae snow
- Absorbs roughly 40% more sunlight than clean, white snow
- Red algae snow
- Absorbs about 20% more sunlight than clean, white snow
- Nutrient linked to green algae
- Phosphate, abundant in penguin droppings
- Other nutrient contributors
- Seabirds including skuas
Sources
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