UK scientists have enlisted the help of seals to help them measure the effects of climate change.
The seals from the West Coast of Antarctica have been equipped with sensors that measure water temperature and salinity in the Amundsen Sea. These measurements were tracked by the seals as they moved around their natural habitat and dived to the seabed to hunt for food. This data can be used by scientists to help them more accurately predict the rise in sea levels.
Study leader, Helen Mallett, commented: ''We were able to collect much more information from the seals than all the previous ship-based surveys in the area combined and it was clear that, at least during the seasons we observed, there were substantial differences in temperature between the seasons. Although more will need to be done to measure these differences over a number of years, it’s clear that enlisting seals to collect this kind of ocean data will offer useful insights for climate change modellers who are attempting to predict how fast sea levels will rise.''
Data collected found that the deep-water current in that area is larger, warmer and saltier during the winter months than in the summer months, this indicates that there is likely to be more melting of the ice sheets during the winter. This warm current of water is believed to be accelerating the melting rate of the West Antartic ice sheet - scientists predict that if this is lost entirely it could raise sea levels by 3.2 metres.
The team are hoping to return back to the Amundsen Sea next year and again enlist the help of more seals to enable them to monitor this remote region.
