Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Scientists at the University of Plymouth and the British Antarctic Survey have investigated how a phenomenon they refer to as freshening – caused by a combination of melting glaciers, increased rain and extreme weather events – could affect marine species living in Antarctica.
Their new study assessed how the body fluids and internal organs of one species of amphipod responded to a simulated freshening experiment. And in this video John Spicer, our Professor of Marine Zoology, explains how it causes the amphipods to lose their salts, gain water and their gills are damaged.
There’s also more information, including a link to the full study, on our website: plymouth.ac.uk/news/damaging-the-antarctic-damages-us-all-scientists-warn-of-the-potential-impacts-of-coastal-freshening
Scientists at the University of Plymouth and the British Antarctic Survey have investigated how a phenomenon they refer to as freshening – caused by a combination of melting glaciers, increased rain and extreme weather events – could affect marine species living in Antarctica.
Their new study assessed how the body fluids and internal organs of one species of amphipod responded to a simulated freshening experiment. And in this video John Spicer, our Professor of Marine Zoology, explains how it causes the amphipods to lose their salts, gain water and their gills are damaged.
There’s also more information, including a link to the full study, on our website: plymouth.ac.uk/news/damaging-the-antarctic-damages-us-all-scientists-warn-of-the-potential-impacts-of-coastal-freshening
