New research suggests that penguins may help stabilize Antarctica’s climate through their guano, which contains ammonia that promotes cloud formation. The study found that ammonia emissions from a colony of 60,000 Adelie penguins significantly increased local aerosol concentrations, leading to cloud formation that insulates the atmosphere and reduces surface temperatures, thereby preventing sea ice melt. This highlights the interconnectedness of ecosystem processes and their impact on local and global climate systems.
