Ice platforms in the Arctic are a critical resource for the survival of Arctic animals. Seal pups nurse and rest on t ice platforms for the first six weeks of life. Recent data suggests that warming sea water and air temperatures v melt 20 percent or more of the Arctic sea ice over the next 40 years, disrupting the Arctic food web.

Question

Ice platforms in the Arctic are a critical resource for the survival of Arctic animals. Seal pups nurse and rest on t ice platforms for the first six weeks of life. Recent data suggests that warming sea water and air temperatures v melt 20 percent or more of the Arctic sea ice over the next 40 years, disrupting the Arctic food web.

Based on the partial Arctic food web, melting sea ice might lead to a decrease in the number of -
A polar bears
Arctic cod
© Arctic birds
D
phytoplankton

Answer 1

A decrease in the number of Arctic cod and Arctic birds can be expected if sea ice continues to melt. Arctic cod rely on sea ice as a habitat for feeding and reproducing, and a decrease in sea ice would likely result in a decline in their population. Arctic birds, such as guillemots and puffins, depend on sea ice for foraging, resting, and nesting. With diminishing ice platforms, these birds would have less access to their food sources and suitable habitats, leading to a decrease in their numbers.