SCIENTISTS have found new species of animals in areas previously covered by ice shelves.
Larsen A and B, two massive blocks of ice in the Antarctic, disintegrated 12 and five years ago respectively, due to higher temperatures that have been linked to global warming.
The disappearance of the masses of ice made the areas under them accessible for the first time.
And a team of 52 international marine scientists have now completed the first comprehensive 10-week survey of the ice shelf ecosystem.
As well as discovering biological oddities and numerous new species, they found signs of rapid and fundamental change.
New species found in the area included fast-growing, gelatinous sea squirts and slow-growing animals called glass sponges.
Minke whales were found to be colonising the new habitat in "considerable densities", and a very rare beaked whale was found near Elephant Island.
But planktonic algae which previously grew beneath the ice are being lost.
The algae are food for krill, small shrimp-like creatures which form an important link in the food chain sustaining animals such as penguins, whales and seals.
The scientists say the effect of the break-up of the ice on food supplies and larger animals cannot yet be predicted.
But marine ecologist Dr Julian Gutt said: "The collapse of the Larsen shelves may tell us about impacts of climate-induced changes on marine biodiversity and the functioning of the ecosystem."
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