How Penguin Poop Plays a Role in Climate Protection

The link between clouds and penguin poop is not an obvious one but it has important implications for climate change. New research has revealed the cloud-forming properties of penguin guano (poop) on the Antarctic Peninsula. We will examine the science behind this link and its significance for the fight against climate change.

How Do Clouds Form?

Clouds are made up of tiny water droplets, minute ice crystals, or both, suspended in the air. For a cloud to form, invisible water vapor must condense into droplets. However, water vapor molecules are too small to combine and form droplets on their own. They need a surface to condense onto, which is provided by larger particles called cloud condensation nuclei (CCN).

There are lots of different types of CCNs. They can be solid or liquid, and there are lots of them in the atmosphere. Some examples are smoke (from fires or volcanoes), spray molecules from the ocean, and specks of soil that have been blown by winds into the atmosphere. Living organisms also produce vapors that act as CCNs. In pristine marine and polar environments, however, these sources of CCNs are largely absent. Previously, scientists believed that dimethyl sulfide (DMS) produced by marine phytoplankton fulfilled this role. Now, researchers have discovered that penguins also contribute to cloud formation through their poop.

Adélie Penguin Poop and Ammonia

Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) are medium-sized penguins that can weigh up to 13 pounds and stand between 2 and 2.5 feet tall. They live on the Antarctic continent and breed around the coast and small islands. These penguins feed on fish, amphipods (a type of shrimp), and krill. Their meals can weigh up to 1.5 pounds. During the breeding season, they gather in colonies that can contain thousands of birds. This results in a lot of poop, which releases significant amounts of ammonia into the air.

Measuring Ammonia in the Antarctic

The levels of ammonia in the Antarctic atmosphere have not been extensively measured before. In this new study, researchers based at Marambio Station in Antarctica measured ambient ammonia concentrations as well as other gases and particles. They found ammonia ‘hotspots’ with concentrations similar to those found in agricultural areas during summer. These hotspots corresponded with the locations of penguin breeding colonies. Levels remained high even after the penguins had left. Therefore, the penguin guano continued to release ammonia for some time after it had been deposited. The ammonia combined with sulfuric acid in the atmosphere to create new aerosol particles, around which water vapor could condense and form clouds. For the first time, a link between penguin poop and cloud formation had been established.

Why Does This Matter?

Antarctic ecosystems are being challenged by global warming. Sea ice is declining, and ice shelves are shrinking. Climate models project significant declines in Antarctic sea ice. Low-lying clouds reflect sunlight and offer a degree of protection to these special areas, so cloud formation is important. There are only five species of penguins breeding on the Antarctic continent. The Adelie penguins, emperor penguins, gentoo penguins, chinstrap penguins, and macaroni penguins. Some of these populations are healthy, but others, including the emperor penguins, are declining.

We already knew that penguins are an important part of Antarctic food chains. By showing that penguins also play a crucial role in protecting the Antarctic from global warming, this research highlights the urgency of efforts to conserve them. By establishing that they also play a crucial role in helping to protect the area from global warming, this research adds to the urgency of efforts to protect them.