The impacts of climate change on ecosystem structure and. Principia scientific international psi is a notforprofit community interest association. The decline september 5, 2014 image51by the end of last century, scientists had painstakingly developed and tested the remote sensing techniques that allowed them to monitor sea ice from space. Implications of arctic sea ice decline for the earth. However, with the inclusion of one short sentence, the paper manages to perpetuate misinformation on grizzlypolar bear hybridization that first appeared in a commentary essay three years ago in nature kelly et al. The rapid decline in arctic sea ice asi extent, area and volume during recent. Walruses that used to rest and nurse their young on sea ice in summer are now forced to come ashore in large aggregations how is diminishing arctic sea ice in. After a decade with nine of the lowest arctic seaice minima on record, including the historically low minimum in 2012, we synthesize recent developments in the study of ecological responses to seaice decline. New scientist admits polar bears not in decline psi, inc. While sea ice is perhaps the most defining feature of the habitat. We extracted the daily sea ice concentration at each whale location as well as the nearest distance to the daily 15% sea ice edge and to dense pack ice i. Influence of sea ice decline, atmospheric warming, and. In the arctic ocean, dom primarily results from either a in situ biological logvinova et al.
Atmospheric impacts of sea ice decline in co2 induced. Advancing plant phenology and reduced herbivore production. Declines in the arctic sea ice are arguably the most dramatic evidence of the effects of current climate warming on ocean systems. Sea ice is a habitat for marine mammals such as polar bears and walruses fig. The global impacts of rapidly disappearing arctic sea ice. After a decade with nine of the lowest arctic seaice minima on record, including the historically low minimum in 2012, we synthesize recent developments in the study of ecological responses to. Sea ice decline and warming trends are changing the vegetation in nearby arctic coastal areas, according to two university of alaska fairbanks scientists. Arctic sea ice has farreaching influences on earths flora and fauna.
Multimedia gallery ecological consequences of seaice. Arctic climate change has profound impacts on the cryosphere, notably via shrinking sea. Fulton,5 mark hebblewhite,6 jeffrey kerby,1 susan j. March and september monthly average arctic sea ice extent, 19792016. Impact of climate change on arctic ice environmental sciences essay. Map of the canadian arctic sea ice domain used in this study. Svensson 20, consequences of poor representation of arctic sea ice albedo and cloudradiation interactions in the cmip5 model ensemble, geophys. Change in sediment oxygen uptake indicator of carbon supply to. We predicted a decrease in connectivity among locations adversely.
Arctic climate warming and sea ice declines lead to. The arctic sea ice decline is among the most emblematic manifestations of climate change and is occurring before we understand its ecological consequences. We investigated future changes in algal productivity combining a biogeochemical model for sympagic algae with seaice drivers from an ensemble of 18 cmip5 climate models. Pdf demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of. The same cannot be said for the earths glaciers and ice sheets. Seaice loss emerges as an important driver of marine and terrestrial ecological dynamics, influencing productivity, species interactions, population mixing, gene flow, and. The red outlines are the extent of sea ice under current conditions in march 2000 and september 2000. Arctic sea ice decline may trigger climate change cascade, 2007. Future seaice predictions were extracted from the climate ecearth model assuming two different emission scenarios, rcp4. Sea ice reductions affect surface heating patterns and the atmospheric pressure distribution, which may alter midlatitude extreme weather patterns. The decline of arctic sea ice also has profound global climatic effects, or feedbacks, that are already intensifying global warming and have the potential to destabilize the climate system. The rapid decline in arctic sea ice asi extent, area and volume during recent decades is occurring before we can understand many of the mechanisms through which asi interacts with biological processes both at sea and on land. Fortunately, we have come a long way since the days of the iioe, because of the intense and disciplined exploration of the ecological consequences of monsoon reversal during the arabian sea component of joint global ocean flux study jgofs, 199496, and the netherlands indian ocean program 199293. A 2015 study concluded that arctic sea ice decline accelerates methane emissions from the arctic tundra.
Arctic sea ice now starts melting 11 days earlier and it starts refreezing 26 days later than it used to, on average see figure 3. New scientist has an article coming out next week that takes a fairly reasoned approach to the polar bear conservation issue it acknowledges that polar bear numbers have not declined in recent years even though summer sea ice dropped dramatically but goes on to perpetuate a number of myths that might not have happened if the author had done his homework or quizzed his other experts as. The remote impacts of arctic seaice loss can only be properly represented using. Future arctic climate changes noaa pacific marine environmental. Climate change and its effects on the arctic sea ice is the most serious environmental issue in present as it is frightening the world environment and arctic ecology. Photo courtesy of the national snow and ice data center. The expected direct local effects of sea ice decline are the increased turbulent. Arctic climate warming and sea ice declines lead to increased. The extent, area and volume of arctic sea ice asi have shrunk sharply in the past decades.
Ecological consequences of seaice decline eric post,1 uma s. Causes and impacts on middle latitudes, global and planetary change 2014, doi. These outlines are preserved in the second and fourth figures from the left to show how sea ice is declining in 2100. Potential ecosystem impacts of the decline of seasonal sea. The contribution of declining arctic sea ice to warming in the region through arctic amplification suggests that sea ice decline has the potential. Changes have already been observed in arctic marine ecosystems that have been attributed to recent decreases in seaice extent and duration. Over the past few decades, summer areal extent has declined over 30%. Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of ringed seals to an abrupt decline in sea ice availability article pdf available in peerj february 2017 with 3 reads how we measure. But warmer temperatures in the arctic are causing another type of ice to disappear as well. The influence of declining sea ice on shipping activity in. For total sea ice concentration, a concentration of 10 tenths was assigned a cost of 100 declining to 0 tenths, which was assigned a cost of 0. Sea ice in march and september in the year 2000 versus 2100 from the hadley model. The fast rate of the sea ice melting is resulting in the oceans absorbing and heating up the arctic. Sea ice determines the interaction between marine and terrestrial species, influences ocean productivity, and.
The decline in sea ice does have a potential to speed up global warming and the climate changes. Our thought was to see if sea ice decline contributed to greening of the tundra along the coastal areas, bhatt said. Most biologically productive sector of the arctic marine system is the bering and chukchi seas. Impact of climate change on arctic ice environmental sciences. Walker9 after a decade with nine of the lowest arctic seaice minima on. Loss of connectivity among islanddwelling peary caribou. The impacts of climate change on ecosystem structure and function. Principia scientific international is legally registered in the uk as a company incorporated for charitable purposes. The inset illustrates the time series of total sea ice area km2 and unique ship count by vessel name canadian arctic sea ice domain from 1990 to 2015.
Seaice loss emerges as an important driver of marine and terrestrial ecological dynamics, influencing productivity, species interactions, population mixing, gene flow, and pathogen and disease. Two of the clearest sentinels of change are a loss of arctic sea ice and b sea level rise. Sea ice and photodegradation of dom 2326 publications journal of geophysical research. This figure shows arctic sea ice extent for the months of september and march of each year from 1979 through 2016. After successive years of melting, the consequences are likely to be felt further afield with scientists suggesting weather patterns in the northern hemisphere may be altered. The rapid decline in arctic sea ice asi extent, area and volume during recent decades is. Impact of climate change on arctic ice environmental. Seaice loss emerges as an important driver of marine and terrestrial ecological dynamics, influencing productivity, species interactions, population mixing, gene flow, and pathogen and disease transmission. Sea ice decline spurs the greening of the arctic by. Longhurst, in ecological geography of the sea second edition, 2007. The removal of water from longterm storage in glacial ice increases summer streamflow and global sea level. From 1979 to 2001, the area decreased by an average of 6. Implications of arctic sea ice decline for the earth system alaska. Seaice loss emerges as an important drive r of marine and terrestrial ecological dynamics, influencing productivity, species interactions, population mixing, gene flow, and pathogen and disease transmission.
Ocean dynamics are not accounted for in a slab ocean model. A major uncertainty linked to sea ice decline is to what extent dissolved organic matter dom in underlying ocean waters will be impacted. Geological survey usgs strives to inform resource management decisions for arctic alaska by providing scientific information on current and. With the understanding of its environmental and ecological consequences it could be said that it is the most severe environmental issue in present. Instead the data necessary to run the mixed layer ocean model prescribed ocean heat flux often called qflux, salinity, temperature and veloc. Five reasons why sea ice decline should be front page news. Melting of arctic sea ice does not alter sea level, since much of the ice is submerged. The anticipated disappearance of sea ice in the arctic before the mid21st century will further increase heat absorption by the oceans, accelerating warming. Ecological consequences an overview sciencedirect topics.
Implications of arctic sea ice decline for the earth system. What are the consequences of arctic sea ice decline. After a decade with nine of the lowest arctic sea ice minima on record, including the historically low minimum in 2012, we synthesize recent developments in the study of ecological responses to. Substantial environmental impacts of climate change show profound. Arrigo and colleagues have brought together the effects of airsea interaction, warming water, and decreasing sea ice extent, said paula bontempi, a program scientist at nasa headquarters in.
Arctic sea ice decline has led to an amplification of surface warming and is projected to continue to decline from anthropogenic forcing, although the exact timing of ice free summers is uncertain owing to large natural variability. Pdf after a decade with nine of the lowest arctic seaice minima on record, including the historically low minimum in 2012, we synthesize recent. Walker9 after a decade with nine of the lowest arctic sea ice minima on record, including the historically low. Ecological consequences of seaice decline by cs t on prezi. Each sea ice variable was previously identified as a contributing factor to beluga summer. Demographic, ecological, and physiological responses of. Its called, ecological consequences of seaice decline and surprisingly, polar bears are discussed only briefly. Sea ice floats, so when it melts, it does not raise sea levels. Environmental sciences copyright 2019 the polar regions in. Ecological consequences of seaice decline the species diversity. Nov 16, 2016 declines in the arctic sea ice are arguably the most dramatic evidence of the effects of current climate warming on ocean systems. Through the changing arctic ecosystems cae initiative, the u. May 30, 2014 ecological consequences of seaice decline image 8 an arctic fox on the tundra of western greenland.
Records show that arctic sea ice is at its lowest point in 1,500 years and continues to melt at an accelerated rate. Arctic sea ice decline has led to an amplification of surface warming and is projected to continue to decline from anthropogenic forcing, although the exact timing of icefree summers is uncertain owing to large natural variability. Other possible effectsboth direct and indirect of sea ice loss and longer ice free seasons on land animals include increases in population mixing, which could lead to hybridization and reduction in genetic differentiation, as well as a drastic change in disease dynamics. We investigated future changes in algal productivity combining a biogeochemical model for sympagic algae with sea ice drivers from an ensemble of 18 cmip5 climate models. This cited by count includes citations to the following articles in scholar. Major challenges in the near future include assigning clearer attribution to sea ice as a. The ice chart selected for the cost surface was the closest in date to the start point of the pair of ship points. Future sea ice predictions were extracted from the climate ecearth model assuming two different emission scenarios, rcp4. We hypothesize that gradual deteriorating change in sea ice characteristics will correlate with a gradual decrease in ringed seal body condition, ovulation rate and pup recruitment stirling, 2005, whereas an abrupt decline in sea ice availability in 2010 will result in dramatic negative demographic, ecological, and physiological responses by. Diminished sea ice has reduced food availability for some populations of polar bears7 and walruses8. Changes in distribution, body condition, reproduction and abundance are all consequences of reduced sea ice that may escalate over the coming decade, according to a recent analysis.
Sea ice affects both landbased and oceanbased ecosystems. The decline in thefloating sea ice cover in the arctic is one of the most striking manifestations of climate change. Indeed, we are not far from the moment when the feedbacks themselves will be driving the change every bit as much as our continuing emission of billions of tons of carbon dioxide annually. It is evident that the reduction in sea ice cover has increased the heat. Projected changes in timing and extent of sea ice in the bering and chukchi seas.
Assessing the potential impacts of declining arctic sea ice. Potential ecosystem impacts of the decline of seasonal sea ice in the arctic created date. We predicted a decrease in connectivity among locations adversely affected by sea ice decline, owing to longer ice free seasons. Seaice loss emerges as an important driver of marine and terrestrial ecological dynamics.
After a decade with nine of the lowest arctic sea ice minima on record, including the historically low minimum in 2012, we synthesize recent developments in the study of ecological responses to sea ice decline. Arctic climate warming and sea ice declines lead to increased storm surge activity jesse c. Impacts of climate warming, declining sea ice on arctic whale. One of the study researchers noted, the expectation is that with further sea ice decline, temperatures in the arctic will continue to rise, and so will methane emissions from northern wetlands. A model for autumn pelagic distribution of female polar bears in the chukchi sea, 19871994. Effects of arctic sea ice decline on weather and climate. Ecological implications of changes in the arctic cryosphere. Two of the clearest sentinels of change are a loss of arctic sea ice and b sealevel rise. Impacts of climate warming, declining sea ice on arctic. One of the major potential consequences of rapid and pronounced arctic warming is the development of an icefree summer arctic ocean 9, which will have largescale environmental consequences that. Arctic sea ice melts in the summer, and more of the sun is being absorbed by the ocean. One of the major potential consequences of rapid and pronounced arctic warming is the development of an ice free summer arctic ocean 9, which will have largescale environmental consequences that.
Ecological consequences of seaice decline eric post et al. Arctic warming global sea levels have risen by 8 inches since 1880. Seaice algal phenology in a warmer arctic science advances. Changing state of arctic sea ice across all seasons iopscience. Ecological consequences of sea ice decline eric post,1 uma s. Effects of sea ice on arctic biota ora oxford university. Similarly, ecological systems are vulnerable to abrupt climate change because they have longlived natural capital stocks, they are often relatively immobile and migrate slowly, and they do not have the capacity of humans to adapt to or reduce vulnerability to major environmental changes. Pdf demographic, ecological, and physiological responses. Nasa arctic sea ice decline shakes up ocean ecosystems. Consistency and discrepancy in the atmospheric response to arctic.
Declining sea ice threatens arctic marine mammals the rapid decline of arctic sea ice has had dramatic effects on seals, polar bears, whales and other marine mammals. The arctic seaice decline is among the most emblematic manifestations of climate change and is occurring before we understand its ecological consequences. The contribution of declining arctic sea ice to warming in the region through arctic amplification suggests that sea ice decline has the potential to influence ecological dynamics in terrestrial. The ones marked may be different from the article in the profile. Svensson 20, consequences of poor representation of arctic seaice albedo and cloudradiation interactions in the cmip5 model ensemble, geophys. Pdf ecological consequences of seaice decline researchgate. Model projections indicate quasilinear physical changes along. Sea ice loss emerges as an important driver of marine and terrestrial ecological dynamics, influencing productivity, species interactions, population mixing, gene flow, and pathogen and. Sea ice extent has continued to decline during september, reaching below four million square kilometers early in the month. Atmospheric impacts of sea ice decline in co 2 1175 hunke and lipscomb 2008 coupled to a mixed layer slab ocean. Jul 22, 2016 we hypothesize that gradual deteriorating change in sea ice characteristics will correlate with a gradual decrease in ringed seal body condition, ovulation rate and pup recruitment stirling, 2005, whereas an abrupt decline in sea ice availability in 2010 will result in dramatic negative demographic, ecological, and physiological responses by. Sea ice determines the interaction between marine and terrestrial species, influences ocean productivity, and affects local weather.