Researchers have claimed that melting glaciers are causing the rapid spread of invasive species on South Georgia Island.

In the remote reaches of the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, melting glaciers are ushering in a new era of ecological transformation, according to groundbreaking research shedding light on the alarming colonization of these newly exposed terrains by invasive species.

Published in the open-access journal Neobiota and supported by funding from Darwin Plus, the study claims there is a 'swift colonisation' of barren landscapes by invasive species which is driven by the accelerated retreat of glaciers in the face of a warming climate.

Led by a team of researchers from institutions including Durham University, the South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute, and the British Antarctic Survey, the study looks into the dynamics of biodiversity in the forelands of six glaciers through field surveys and data collection techniques to document the burgeoning presence of both native and exotic species.

It found rapid ecological succession in the wake of glacier retreat, with pioneer plants swiftly establishing footholds on newly exposed terrain, paving the way for the ingress of a diverse array of flora and fauna, including invasive species inadvertently introduced by human activities.

Researchers said that of particular concern was the theory that exotic species, including two temperate plant species from the Northern Hemisphere, are seizing upon the newly created habitat and outpacing native species.