Volcanoes helped species survive ice ages

[Judi Lynn]

Volcanoes helped species survive ice ages
Source: Australian National University
Posted: 03/16/14

An international team of researchers has found evidence that the steam and heat from volcanoes and heated rocks allowed many species of plants and animals to survive past ice ages, helping scientists understand how species respond to climate change.

The research could solve a long-running mystery about how some species survived and continued to evolve through past ice ages in parts of the planet covered by glaciers.

The team, led by Dr Ceridwen Fraser from the Australian National University and Dr Aleks Terauds from the Australian Antarctic Division, studied tens of thousands of records of Antarctic species, collected over decades by hundreds of researchers, and found there are more species close to volcanoes, and fewer further away.

"Volcanic steam can melt large ice caves under the glaciers, and it can be tens of degrees warmer in there than outside. Caves and warm steam fields would have been great places for species to hang out during ice ages," Dr Fraser said.

More:
http://www.astrobio.net/pressrelease/6063/volcanoes-helped-species-survive-ice-ages

[Warpy]

1. Maybe steam heat is what convinced our ancestors that caves were good to live in

I can't imagine it smelled very nice, then again, nobody would notice who farted.

[muriel_volestrangler]

2. A cave is a roof and walls

That's what makes them excellent homes. They'll stay warmer in winter nights, too.