For example, the large reduction in summer sea ice threatens the future of several ice-dependent species but will also increase marine access to resources and population centers. Climate change, pollution, and growing resource use are factors that put an increasing pressure on fragile Arctic populations and ecosystems. 2.1 Evidence of the recent warming of the Arctic is provided by: records of increasing temperatures; melting glaciers, sea ice, and permafrost; and rising sea levels. Alarm bells about climate change impacts in the Arctic sounded throughout the year. How has the climate changed in the Arctic so far, and what future changes are expected? or, by Alfred Wegener Institute. Still on the fence about how much the planet is warming and how much of it is caused by humans? The Arctic includes Greenland, Iceland, and the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Russia, and the United States. More... 5.3 Rising temperatures could have both positive and negative impacts on the aquaculture of salmon and trout, which is a major industry in the Arctic. Shrinking Ice Sheets. Some towns and industrial facilities are already suffering severe damage as a result of erosion, and are now facing the prospect of relocation. In the early hours of a November dawn, Dr. Leslie Field found herself motoring a snowmobile some 300 miles above the Arctic Circle, hauling straight toward the sunrise in below-zero … Gliders, drifters and drones to help international researchers solve key climate question. A new study was recently published in the journal Science that chronicles three decades of arctic animal movements. The Arctic (around the north pole, doesn’t have penguins, but has polar bears) is very different from the Antarctic (around the south pole, has penguins, but not polar bears). They would be affected by increases in water temperature, thawing of permanently frozen ground, and ice cover breaking up earlier in spring. in the extreme northwest of Alaska. There are an estimated 2 million Arctic ringed seals worldwide, according to NOAA, but no accurate estimate exists. Some are several thousand years old and were formed since the end of the last glacial period. There have been over 200 studies addressing the impacts on 86 species of animals that call the Arctic … A further decline in the area of Arctic sea-ice will extend the navigation period and allow better accessibility by ship around the Arctic Basin and probably open new shipping routes. The carbon contained within the plants is then released as carbon dioxide or methane, which exacerbates the greenhouse effect—a vicious circle. Climate change made the Arctic greener. "The scale shocked us," says AWI geographer Ingmar Nitze. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1449240174198-2'); }); The permafrost regions near the city of Kotzebue, Alaska, are dotted with hundreds of thaw lakes. 5.1 Many Arctic animals, such as polar bears, seals, walruses, and seabirds, rely on the sea’s biological productivity and on the presence of sea ice, both of which are highly dependent on climatic conditions. The area of Arctic land covered by snow is expected to decrease by 10 to 20%. Significant changes are occurring on Earth, including increasing air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising sea levels. It is also clear when the lakes begin to drain. This summary is free and ad-free, as is all of our content. We do not guarantee individual replies due to extremely high volume of correspondence. The Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) focuses on four sub-regions and considers a series of key impacts: Sub-region I: From East-Greenland to Northwest Russia, Sub-region III: From Chukotka to the Western Canadian Arctic, Sub-region IV: Central and East Canadian Arctic and West-Greenland. Changes in the Arctic climate will also affect the rest of the world through increased global warming and rising sea levels. In summer, the permafrost soils thaw extensively and they don't completely refreeze in winter, which means that the lakes' shores become unstable and collapse, causing water to drain from the lakes. But that's not the point, adds the researcher. How is the climate changing in the Arctic? Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Of heat waves in West, Great lakes in all ecosystems and causes, Endocrine disrupting properties of pesticides increasing! 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