The researchers noted that they observed significant changes in the Antarctic ecosystem linked to human activity, providing a direct and tangible reference for global climate change studies.

Professor Pang said that their work would serve as an important reference for international polar governance decisions, while also promoting interdisciplinary research across science, engineering, and the humanities.

He added that these findings would be integrated into Wuhan University's curricula and talent cultivation system to give students multiple perspectives on the polar regions, including natural sciences, social sciences, and global governance.

Wuhan University's China Antarctic Center of Surveying and Mapping is among the earliest Chinese academic institutions to participate in polar research. It has dispatched nearly 200 researchers on expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, according to the university.