Study reveals most biologically rich island in Southern Ocean

7:42 AM Thu 2 Jun 2011 GMT

'Weed in foreground is Himantothallus grandifolius. Background is Macrocystis pyrifera - Location Husvik' British Antarctic Survey &copy

The first comprehensive study of sea creatures around the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia reveals a region that is richer in biodiversity than even many tropical sites, such as the Galapagos Islands. The study provides an important benchmark to monitor how these species will respond to future environmental change. Reporting this week in the online journal PLoSONE, the team from British Antarctic Survey (BAS), funded by the British Government's Darwin Initiative and the South Georgia Heritage Trust, describe how they examined over 130 years of polar records. About 1500 species were recorded showing South Georgia and its surrounding islands to ...

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by Oliver Hogg and Dave Barnes