The Prince Edward Islands, in particular, she said, were extremely important for SA, as it is one of few nations with territory in the Southern Ocean.“These two islands, Marion and Prince Edward, are some of the best conserved sub-Antarctic islands in the world, with Prince Edward Island still very close to its original, natural, pristine state,” she said.
Rudolph said the interaction between ocean, atmosphere and land remained complex, saying this is why it was important to study the entire picture to fully understand how this was happening, especially since the climate was changing at a drastic rate.“The landscape responds to changes in temperature and precipitation.
“Under colder, wetter conditions – when the island’s surface is subject to a freeze-thaw process – a range of peri-glacial landforms will develop. “These land forms will still be evident in the landscape years later under a different climate, for example, warmer or drier conditions. We can study these land forms in real time and establish whether they are actively forming or are relict features that formed under different climatic environments,” Rudolph said.