Melting sea ice could lead to a decrease in the number of
Polar bears
arctic cod
arctic birds
phytoplankton
Melting sea ice could lead to a decrease in the number of polar bears, arctic cod, arctic birds, and phytoplankton.
Polar bears heavily rely on sea ice as a platform for hunting their main prey, seals. With melting sea ice, polar bears are facing longer periods without access to their primary food source, leading to decreased body condition and lower rates of survival and reproduction. As a result, the population of polar bears is declining in some areas.
Arctic cod, a keystone species in the Arctic marine food web, also depend on sea ice for their survival. They use the ice as a shelter from predators and as a place to feed on smaller organisms that live within the ice. If the ice melts at an accelerated rate, it will disrupt the habitat and feeding patterns of arctic cod, potentially leading to a decline in their population.
Arctic birds, including species like the ivory gull and the Arctic tern, rely on sea ice for nesting, resting, and foraging. Sea ice provides nesting sites and acts as a resting platform during their long migrations. If the sea ice disappears, the availability of suitable nesting habitats and resting areas for these birds will be greatly reduced, negatively impacting their populations.
Phytoplankton, microscopic photosynthetic organisms found in the ocean, also play a crucial role in the marine food chain. They serve as the primary producers, converting sunlight and nutrients into energy, which supports the entire ecosystem. Melting sea ice can lead to changes in the timing and distribution of phytoplankton blooms, affecting the availability of food for zooplankton, fish, and other marine organisms higher up in the food web. This disruption can have cascading effects throughout the Arctic marine ecosystem.