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Penguin guano may help reduce effects of climate change in Antarctica

Matthew Boyer and colleagues measured atmospheric ammonia and aerosol particle concentrations near a 60,000-strong Adélie penguin colony on the Antarctic Peninsula in early 2023.
They conducted the study to assess how gases from penguin guano influence cloud formation over the region, as ammonia can seed cloud particles when combined with sulfuric acid.
When winds blew from the penguin colony, ammonia concentrations spiked to 13.5 parts per billion—about a thousand times above background—causing aerosol particle levels to surge and fog formation to occur.
Boyer highlighted that even after the penguins had departed from the colony, the ammonia released from their droppings persisted for about a month, with concentrations remaining roughly 100 times above normal levels.
The findings suggest penguin guano may boost cloudiness and help cool Antarctica, but declining penguin populations could reduce this effect, possibly intensifying regional warming in the future.

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