Peru, Chile Coastlines Greening; Research Says It's Bad News

The University of Cambridge's Cavendish Laboratory found that Pacific coastal areas of Peru and northern Chile are experiencing what is called greening. However, scientists are warning that while it sounds good, they do not consider this development good news.

The university's official website described the greening effect as "large-scale changes in the vegetation in the South American Andes which may have dramatic impact on the environment and ecosystems of the region."

In its analysis, the Cavendish Laboratory used satellite data from the last 20 years to conduct its analysis and found that certain areas experienced positive vegetation growth or greening, while other parts displayed negative trends, also known as browning. These changes are brought about by various influences such as urban development and farming.

The biggest area of greening can be found around a large section of the western slope of the Andes mountains, and this greening area spans around 200 km, from Northern Peru to Northern Chile.

The university's research team consisted of mathematicians, geographers, biologists, and earth scientists took several trips to the area.

"We started with a very local area to study the impact of mining on local vegetation," said geographer Eustace Barnes, who is part of the lab's Environmental Physics Group. "To our surprise, the data was suggesting that the area was greening instead of browning. So, we zoomed out and realized other areas were also greening on large scale. When we went to check on the ground, we observed a similar trend."

What Greening Means for Peru and Chile

The lab's scientists have pointed out that the greening effect could impact Peru and Chile negatively. Barnes noted that the area provides water for two-thirds of the country. This is significant for Peru as this is where the majority of the country's food comes from. With the greening effect, it could undeniably affect ecosystems and the environment.

"This rapid change in vegetation, and to water level and ecosystems, will inevitably have an impact on water and agricultural planning management," explained the geologist.

His fellow researchers agree as the greening strip in the Andes does not align with the established climate zones, according to earth.com.

"This is a warning sign, like the canary in the mine. There is nothing we can do to stop changes at such a large scale. But knowing about it will help to plan better for the future," said Hugo Lepage, a mathematician with the Cavendish Laboratory and the study's lead author.

Scientists Took 3 Years To Confirm Greening Around Pacific Coast of Peru and Chile

Lepage admitted that when they first saw the changes, they did not expect it and had to confirm that the greening was happening at a massive scale. To do this, they had to sort the methodology and the statistical model, and it took them three years to do it, according to PHYS.org.

"We really needed to bulletproof it to make sure that something was really happening on a massive scale, and it was not just a fluke," he explained, with Barnes adding that they started "with a very local area to study the impact of mining on local vegetation."

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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