A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ For Penguins

A new study (Gao et al., 2022) suggests Antarctica’s sea levels (Ross Sea) were more than 16 meters higher than today ~5,000 years ago and still 5.5 meters higher ~3,000 years ago. Penguins thrived with the warmer climate and diminished sea ice.

Image Source: Gao et al., 2022
“Since 1.5 kyr BP, with further contraction of the nesting areas the overall colony extent of Inexpressible Island decreased until 300 yr BP, when the ACT zones were rapidly occupied. After 300 yr BP the colony extent rapidly increased towards the present level (Fig. 5b). The overall colony extent exhibited a three-step increase, at 4.0-3.5 kyr BP, 3.0-2.0 kyr BP and ~1.5 kyr BP, respectively. After 1.5 kyr BP the colony extent slightly decreased but the low temporal resolution limits the inference about the modern age. One of the limitations of the RSL-derived approach is the assumption that penguins always occupied all the newly exposed areas in no more than 500 yr as the sea level dropped and the occupation persisted for thousands of years toward present. Secondly, the RSL fall in the last 3000 yr is as small as 5.5 m (Baroni and Hall, 2004). The slowdown of RSL fall prevents accurate age estimation.”
From ~7 to ~5 kyr BP, RSL [relative sea level] was above 16 m a. p.s.l. [above present sea level]”
Huang et al. (2009) also summarized that climate optimum conditions were commonly recorded between ~4.5 and 2.5 kyr BP from circum-Antarctica (Hodgson et al., 2004; Ingolfsson, 2004; Kirkup et al., 2002). For the Ross Sea region, studies have revealed that the mid-Holocene was a period of relatively warm and suitable climate, with elevated lake levels (Lyons et al., 1998) and well developed microbial mats in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (Wagner et al., 2006), increased marine organic carbon deposition (Licht et al., 1998), and depleted d18O in carbonate shells from inshore regions (Emslie et al., 2003).”
Between ~4 and 3 kyr BP when coastal sea-ice was at a minimum, the Ross Sea experienced the “penguin optimum” (Baroni and Orombelli, 1994); between ~3 and 1.5 kyr BP when coastal sea-ice expanded, the Ross Sea penguin population declined sharply, and the Scott Coast was widely abandoned.”

13 responses to “A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ For Penguins”

  1. A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ For Penguins – Climate- Science.press

    […] A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ Fo… […]

  2. RoHa

    Save the penguins! Warm up Antarctica!

  3. Richard Greene

    Sea level nay have been one to three meters higher 5,000 years ago when the Holocene Climate Optimum ended and the average temperature was believed to be slightly higher than today. The estimated thermal expansion from a degree or two C. warmer ocean could not have caused the sea level anywhere to be 16 meters higher than today.

    This study is completely different
    than other sea level reconstructions
    of the past 20,000 years.

    It is baloney.

    [ad hominem insults removed]

  4. oebele bruinsma

    Those were the days: “Between ~4 and 3 kyr BP when coastal sea-ice was at a minimum, the Ross Sea experienced the “penguin optimum” (Baroni and Orombelli, 1994)

  5. drumphish

    Maybe a comet of water impacted the earth and a sea level rise occurred.

    Hey, don’t forget about Lake Missoula!

    “About 12,000 years ago, the valleys of western Montana lay beneath a lake nearly 2,000 feet deep. Glacial Lake Missoula formed as the Cordilleran Ice Sheet dammed the Clark Fork River just as it entered Idaho. The rising water behind the glacial dam weakened it until water burst through in a catastrophic flood that raced across Idaho, Oregon, and Washington toward the Pacific Ocean. Thundering waves and chunks of ice tore away soils and mountainsides, deposited giant ripple marks, created the scablands of eastern Washington and carved the Columbia River Gorge. Over the course of centuries, Glacial Lake Missoula filled and emptied in repeated cycles, leaving its story embedded in the land.”

    https://www.glaciallakemissoula.org/

    Had to have an impact, maybe more than one Lake Missoula will cumulatively cause a rise in sea levels. Some serious climate change going on in Montana. Water, like rust, never rests.

    The lilacs have finally budded out, a good 15 days behind May 10, 1987 when lilacs were at peak bloom.

    Cooler springtime temps this year compared to 1987.

  6. Arctic Report Card – Newsfeed Hasslefree Allsort

    […] A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ For Pengui… […]

  7. A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ For Penguins – Infinite Unknown

    […] – A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ For Pengui… […]

  8. Weekly Climate and Energy Roundup #406 – Watts Up With That?

    […] A Warmer Climate, Less Sea Ice, Sea Levels 5-16 Meters Higher Than Today An ‘Optimum’ Fo… […]

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. More information at our Data Privacy Policy

Close