Higher climate affects more than just Alaska...

Beyond the Arctic Circle, at the Toolik Field Station, scientists measured ice and temped the ground of dried rivers, caused by just a little climate change, which is bad news to southern lands because the ground is only adapted to cold temperatures. Hence the climate change, rivers dry up, not only affecting Alaska, but rivers flowing down South. The Arctic almost acts as North Americas air conditioner, and "changing" the temperature creates rot and reflection. The Tundra earth stays in darkness and frost, and stores carbon. As the ground warms up, the carbon is released into the air. As more of the ice and snow melts, more ground is exposed, hence not being adapted to this climate change, the earth rapidly warms.When these large air systems move across other regions, weather can change and shifting drought and rainfall further away.Bore holes are drilled into the permafrost and they read that the ground is 3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than that of the late 1970's, and the ice is melting at a much faster rate. Average air temperatures are rising more in other zones, as in the tropics or temperate regions. Spring comes early and fall later. In reality, just a little change in temperature is a big drastic change for some plants and animals. The decline in Arctic streams nearly kill of the fish. Climate change and the carbon that is emitted into the air doesn't just affect Alaska, or any of the surrounding regions, it affects all of the regions down South as well, changing weather, average temperatures, and times seasons come and go. The solution is to find a way to slow down this process, by in means of people doing their parts in being conservative of how much carbon they emit into the Earth's atmosphere.

http://www.adn.com/2008/08/10/489180/at-toolik-field-researchers-see.html 

Summer sea ice loss is 50% higher than predicted!

     According to the data from a satellite that was launched to measure the thickness of the polar caps the sea ice in the Arctic is disappearing at a greater rate than that of the one that was previously expected. the rate of loss is about 50 percent higher than most of the scenarios that were outlined by scientists, this suggests that global warming triggered by greenhouse gasses is starting to have a major impact on the region. In some places like Greenland where the ice thickness used to be about five to six meters now in the summer it is down to about one to three meters. If the ice continues to melt like this in the summer time then ocean temperatures could rise, and methane deposits on the ocean floor could melt. when winter starts ice starts to grow back more rapidly than it did in the past so it is almost compensating for the loss in the summer time.
     We need to do something about the global warming effect. If we keep contributing to all of these greenhouse gasses, and making global warming happen, then the ice will continue to melt at a very high rate. This would kill fish, and hurt the ecosystem. There are somethings that hold us back from stopping global warming such as, that people don't believe in it. My opinion is that we need to stop contributing to global warming because I want this planet to still be here for years on end, and for many further generations to come.
   

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/11/arctic-sea-ice-vanishing

Drilling in the Arctic Ocean

Royal Dutch Shell is putting billions of dollars into offshore drilling in the Arctic which is back by an Obama administration. Even though the project is being watched carefully the weather is not being gracious. They also have their own problems that are setting them back. A drilling rig slipped its anchor an almost hit land and Shell hasn't finished their spill-response vessel that they need under the federal regulations before they can even think about drilling. They were forced to cut back on the project. Shell has put $4.5 billion into this project and by the time everything is done the spill-response barge will have to travel for three weeks which may push the start date to drilling into September. One of the permits only lasts until September 24 and on October 31 is when the other ends. They expect to drill this summer though. It will be a major disappointment if they can't drive this year. The Obama administration wants this to go through after the oil spill. They want it to be a sign that they understand we need to drill. Environmentalists' are worried that the Arctic Ocean is to unpredictable for the oil company to take on. Me. Salazar stated Shell was to blame for most of the delays. Still the environmental concerns were very important. The last time someone tried drilling in the Arctic Ocean turned out to be a failure. Other companies are also interested in Arctic drilling. The Chukchi could produce 400,000 barrels of oil daily. The U.S. uses about 19 million barrels every day. Shell is coming up on the end of the Arctic summer and one of the drilling rigs may be heading up there soon.

I believe the Arctic Ocean is very unpredictable. I would not want to drill there. The icy water does what it wants when it wants. I believe they should drill somewhere a little less icy. What if an oil spill happened right there? It's hard enough up there without accidentally having an oil spill. If environmentalists are worried about the oil company's being able to handle it than I think we should listen to them.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444233104577595623259417472.html

Arctic Environment At Risk

The environment in the Arctic is at risk. Rubbish, industrial and military waste reach even the remote areas, those areas uninhabited by humans. Plastic bags, barbed wire, beer bottles, fishing nets, and fuel tanks have washed up on shores where human visitation is rare; corroding aircraft batteries have been discovered in rivers on the Seward Peninsula in Alaska, and half-buried in the tundra canisters of mustard gas have been found. Stretching across tundra and mountain ranges are gas and oil pipelines- some of which are rusting and leaking. All of which remind us of the fragility of the Arctic environment.  Atmospheric and marine pollution, while less obvious are equally threats to the Arctic's environment. The pollution from the atmosphere and marine contaminant food chains at every level, and due to the lower temperatures of the Arctic, these pollutant's break down slower, posing a greater threat to the Arctic than they would in an area farther south.

In 1996 the Arctic Council was established; it was established to address subsistence activities, health , community, tourism, transport, communications, development, sustainable economic development, and environmental protection. The Arctic Council dealt with and provided these aspects for the Arctic states- also known as Iceland, Denmark, Canada Sweden, the Russian Federation, Norway, the United States, and Finland. To ensure permanent participations, indigenous organizations were also constructed.  The vast objectives of the Arctic Council were enacted through the creation of five programs; Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP), Sustainable Development Working Group ((SDWG), and Emergency Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (EPPR). The programs were established to focus on environmental problems, as the Arcitc Council's objectives were to protect the Arctic ecosystems- humans included- to incorporate traditional and cultural needs, values, and practices, as well as ensure the sustainable usage of renewable resources.

Unfortunately, despite the Arctic Council's intentions, there are barriers to the solutions they worked to achieve. One such barrier to the sustainability of the Arctic environment is that Arctic regions are affected by alterations in global economy; the unavoidable ebb and flow poses a distinctive barrier. The Arctic's dependence on economic global processes only adds to it's fragility. Another such barrier stems from developmental projects which are insensitive to the protection requirements and concerns of environmental sustainability.

I think that the contamination of rubbish and military and industrial waste is a problem- and not only in the Arctic. I think that this matter shouldn't be taken lightly; the Arctic and it's environment is important and shouldn't be corrupted by trash, corroding aircraft batteries, or canisters of mustard gas, among many others things. I think that it is a problem that should be actively addressed. I think that the proposed solutions that are being enacted are a good way to go. I think that be creating programs that will focus on these issues is a great way to try and protect the Arctic's environment. Granted there are several barriers to the potential solutions, but it's a start.

Dwindling Arctic Ice

Date: August 21, 2012

Title: Dwindling Arctic Ice

In the arctic there is ice called perennial sea ice which stays frozen throughout the entire year. This ice is beginning to thaw which poses a threat to animals that live on the ice and it shows the increased temperature of the earth. The melting of the ice could be due to global climate change and another contributing factor could be changing atmospheric pressure and wind patterns in the arctic. These could be factors because they control the movements of the ice and the movements warm the ice. These factors are likely to be caused by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The obvious solution to this problem is to reduce our release of greenhouse gases. We need to cut down on our use of certain things that release it into the atmosphere. Though the solution seems simple it is hard because things that release greenhouse gases are things we use everyday. Another stopper to the solution is that the harm has already been done. We cannot reverse the damage we have already done to the atmosphere. I think that we do need to lower our releasing of greenhouse gas because global warming can have serious consequences. We may not be able to reverse the damage that has been done but we can definitely prevent future damage from happening.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/ArcticIce/

Exploring Oceans: Arctic Summary

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umAeFKF2uxA

This video was about an overview of the Arctic Ocean and many different aspects related to the ocean. The video discussed things from the wildlife that occupies the ocean, to the North Pole which lies under the surface of the ocean. The wildlife is extremely diverse in the arctic and range from polar bears to arctic whales to tiny microorganisms that thrive in the ice. The North Pole is located 4,200 feet underwater. It was visited for the first time in August 2007 by six Russian explorers in two deep sea submarines. I always thought that the North Pole was a place that was located above sea level so I was surprised to learn that it was underwater. I also was shocked to find out that there were organisms that could live inside the ice located in the arctic. They also discussed how the polar ice caps are melting and that shipping industries are planning on using the Arctic Ocean as a reliable shipping pathway once the ice has completely melted. The best way to stop the melting of the polar ice caps is to stop emitting as mush carbon dioxide into the air. The problem with that is people emit carbon dioxide into the air everyday burning gas for their cars, so it would be extremely difficult to have everyone use alternative fuel sources. 

The Sea Change Chain Impact

The Arctic environment decline in sea ice is leading to more o-zone depletion and more mercury contamination. NASA has studied the Arctic Ocean and the layer of sea ice that has been thinning. The thin sea ice shows more cracks and is a result of the increased global warming in the past 50 years. 

Sea ice controls the way bromine escapes into the air, and when too much bromine escapes into the air it can turn an un-reactive form of mercury into a reactive form. The danger in all of this is that sea ice is declining and can ultimately have a chain effect that harms animals. If there is too much exposure to mercury, major nerves and brains cells can be harmed in the indigenous animals. When the sea ice melts, as a result of global warming, the sea ice can melt into the oceans and further affect the food web for arctic animals. At home you can slow down global warming by transitioning to CFL light bulbs and recycling house hold plastics, paper, and glass. The Arctic is being affected by the entire world and having an impact on animals. It is vital that humans take action to preserve a healthy atmosphere so the food web is not altered.  

http://www.climatewatch.noaa.gov/article/2012/a-sea-change-in-the-arctic-atmosphere

Arctic Sea Ice Likely To Hit Record Low Next Week

       A scientist from U.S. National Climate Data Center claims that ice the Arctic Ocean is to melt into record small size next week. The ice is predicted to fall below 1.5 million square miles this year,.16 million less than the record low of 2007. The Arctic Ice is very important to the global climate “characterized as the world’s air-conditioner”. Changes in climate can be seen in continental United States, with new records of heat being recorded this summer. The predictions over the record low Arctic ice this year are created from the rapid loss of ice in August; a month were ice melting usually slows down.  The rapid loss of Arctic ice can be blamed on the large amount of greenhouse-gases being released into the atmosphere. The only way to slow down the loss of Arctic ice is to reduce greenhouse-gases. This is done by using fuel-efficient cars and cutting back on uses of electricity in homes. This is a slow process since Americans do not have funds to purchase brand new fuel-efficient cars. With the World’s Climate at stake the ice of the Arctic Ocean must be preserved.

2. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48730048/ns/us_news-environment/#.UDLCS2JIfqk

Rate of Arctic Summer sea loss higher than expected

Sea ice in the Arctic is disappearing at a far greater rate than previously expected, according to data from the first purpose-built satellite launched to study the thickness of the Earth's polar caps. Preliminary results from the European Space Agency's CryoSat-2 probe stated that 900 cubic kilometres of this summers sea ice has disappeared from the Arctic ocean over the past year. This rate of loss is 50% higher than most scenarios polar scientists had predicted. Global warming is so far, the most popular suggested cause. Rising greenhouse gas emissions is starting to have a major impact on this Arctic region. The loss of the Arctic ice coverage could be very severe. Without the caps radiant, white glare, sun can't be reflected back into space. This means the region will heat up even more than it's supposed to. This means ocean temperatures will rise and methane deposits on the ocean floor will more than likely melt. The Arctic is particularly vulnerable when it comes to the impact of global warming. The weather systems of the planet all work together so what happens in one place, affects us all.

Arctic Ice Melting Faster Than Previously Thought

After a study done by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program, scientist now believe that snow and ice in the Arctic are melting much faster than expected. The study shows that for the past six years, temperatures in the Arctic have been the highest recorded since measurements began in 1880. The ice coverage on the Arctic Ocean has been shrinking extremely quickly, so quickly that scientist now predict that there will be no summer ice in forty to fifty years. Sea levels are now expected to rise faster, with the new projection being 35 to 63 inches by 2100. I personaly believe that this study should be taken seriously, due to the havoc no summer ice could cause Arctic animals, like the polar bear which would not be able to find enough food to survive, or seals, which will not have ice to raise pups on. Rising sea levels will also affect coastal towns around the globe. A simple solution is to, raise public concern on global warming, and to increase research on preventive measures.




http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/03/arctic-melting-sea-levels-climate-change_n_856924.html

Green; Legal Fight Over Arctic Drilling

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A06E1DD123CF933A25754C0A9649D8B63&ref=alaska


A vast amount of environmental safety groups are rallying against Shell as they prepare to begin offshore drilling. In fact, they are filing a lawsuit challenging Shell to respond to how they plan on dealing with the situation of a potential oil spill. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement approved Shell with their plans to “cap a runaway well and clean up any spilled oil.” In their defense, they meet regulations on drilling safety according to department officials. However, environmental advocates declare that Shell has no plan of action to care for the endangered wildlife or shorelines! Currently, no technology has been 100% effective at cleaning up oil spills. Shell has filed a lawsuit to pre-empt litigation from environmental activists, this has been ineffective, but both sides plan to attend court in Anchorage. Possible solutions to this issue would be coming up with technology that could assist people in cleaning up oil spills. Another solution would be taking preventative measures on equipment, with extra research on drilling locations, so that there would be less of a chance of oil spill. Barriers to these solutions do exist. Technology is not always made available and deep studies into ocean floors aren’t always predictable.  Personally, I believe both sides of the argument are valid. If we do not care for our environment now, we will pay for it later on. In contrast, oil is almost a necessity now-a-days; we use it for cars, stoves, lawnmowers, and heaters. The simplest solution would be to find an alternative fuel source that won’t bankrupt any other department. Oil is not a renewable resource! 

Mining in the Arctic

       Mining in the Arctic 
          The idea of mining in the Arctic has been thrown out a long time ago because of the large amounts there making it hard to mine. In the Arctic the ice caps are melting; therefore making it much easier to get to the minerals in the soil. Dennis Thomas of Thomas mining associates see the ice melt as a great opportunity for them. He hopes to see half a dozen mines there. Other people are hopping on the bandwagon too.  Other countries such as china are also planning to mine there. There are new mining applications being submitted to many places in the arctic like Greenland an Finland. Laws against mining are being repealed, and licenses to extract radioactive elements like uranium and thorium are being given out. 

           Although mining benefits the mining companies, it threatens the nearby Bristol Bay watershed. The nearby Bristol Bay watershed supports the world's most productive  wild sockeye salmon fishery. Without it there is no say as to what may come of the Alaskan native communities. They live off of salmon! The only mining operation happening right now in Greenland is the Nalunaq gold mine in the South country. This isn't an issue because it has created jobs, but the larger plan for mining is what may cause destruction. The solution to this problem would be for someone to step in and limit the amount of mining there, but it seems as if that won't happen. The people in power there seem to like what will come of the mining, like wealth. If the natives speak up then maybe someone will see an opposition to the mining. I personally think that the world is selfish. They use and use and don't give anything back. They have mined so much everywhere else that they need a new spot to mine. This is the way it always is, and they do not give back. Mining would affect the natives of the arctic and the animals there. I think that people should see the ice caps melting as a negative thing, and NOT a positive one. All they care about is making money. If people a few companies start to mine there, then more will after. Then the issue with the arctic will not be able just saving the animals from the icecaps melting and the changes the heat has on them. It will be about their homes being dug up all around them. 

This is the site where i got the article from.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/04/ice-caps-arctic-white-gold-rush?intcmp=239


by Allyson Beetham

August 19, 2012

People of the Arctic

People have populated the arctic for thousands of years.  They most likely followed their game north from Central Asia and adapted to the environment.  The most widespread people of the region are known as the Inuit. They are found in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Siberia.  Most of the tribes either herd, fish, or hunt for a living but now that the area is being explored for natural resources, they are being trained for more advanced occupations like farming and mining. All of the Arctic people have adapted to survive in the Arctic terrain with such little resources at their disposal which makes their culture unique to the rest of the world's.

http://library.thinkquest.org/27518/people.htm

No Ice in the Arctic?

A problem that the Arctic is facing is that more ice in the region is melting in the summer then forming in the winter, resulting in the reduction of the thickness and amount of the Arctic's ice. The European Space agency has hypothesized that at the end of the decade all the ice in the arctic will melt in the summer months, based on their preliminary data. The ice melt rate is suggesting that global warming is increasing in severity of effects on the Arctic Regions. Because of the main problem of ice loss, many other potential problems are stemming off. By losing the ice, the temperature of the region could rise more, because more sunlight would be absorbed by the "darker" oceans. Methane deposits on the floor of the ocean could also melt and enter the atmosphere as a vapor after evaporating. Glaciers, like the ones around Greenland, would be at a higher risk of melting and raising the sea levels faster than said levels are currently. There is also a worry that the disappearance of the ice will cause many industries, such as fishing and oil drilling, to move into the area.

In my opinion, I think that the ice in the Arctic could eventually melt completely, but it is going to take longer than by the end of this decade, at least several decades. The data that the prediction in the article was based did not include some factors, such as the weather, as well as temperatures, differ every year. While the prediction is not unfounded, I think that it is unrealistic and needs to be altered. I do not understand the severity of some of these other problems since the article did not really elaborate on them, though I think some are worrying that industries will move into the area because they think these industries will hurt the environment or alter it further, which I agree with. Using history as a reference, there is a good possibility that something like an oil spill could occur if oil drilling began there, or a species of animal living in the arctic waters could become endangered because of poaching or overfishing. 

There were not any suggested solutions, or barriers for solutions, included in the article, so there was not anything specific that I could form an opinion on. I do not think that it is possible to stop the ice from melting, though the rate of ice melt could possibly be slowed down a little bit. On how to accomplish this, I have no real idea.

http://www.rtcc.org/nature/arctic-could-be-ice-free-in-summer-by-end-of-the-decade-according-to-european-space-agency/

BBC News - Arctic sea ice 'melting faster'

          Studies are showing that Arctic sea ice is melting at increasing rates. The European satellite, Cryosat, measured that ice thickness dropped from 5-6m to 3m in a decade. Annual ice loss was thought to be close to 900 cubic km a year in a 2004 study. Even though ice loss estimates vary, research shows that the Arctic sea ice continues to decrease at alarming rates. Satellites and scientists have proved that the Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the planet. The sea ice reflects heat back into space. If this did not happen, the heat would get absorbed into the water beneath it. This would heat up the atmosphere and cause climate change for the entire planet. If the sea ice was to disappear completely, sea levels would rise immensely. It is difficult for scientists to determine the true cause of the sea ice continuing to melt, so it is hard to find a solution. Some say that ice loss is manmade, and others argue that it is natural. I think the Arctic ice loss is a serious problem that is going to be difficult to stop. I hope that scientists can figure out a way to reverse the effects soon, or the planet could have even bigger challenges ahead.
               
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-19244895

Rapid Changes for Arctic Flora and Fauna

Over the past decade, research has shown that there has been a rapid decrease in sea ice, tundra, lakes and peatlands.  In 2008 a decree was passed by The United Nations Environment Program which expressed its concern of the dwindling tundra.  Some of the points the report introduced was the fact that the animals and people were being majorly affected by the climate change.  Polar Bears are one of the chief animals that are affected.  The polar bears are equipped to live on the sea ice; but with the climate change, their habitat is thinning and melting away.  With the warming climate, foreign plants are beginning to take root farther north and replacing currently residing plants.  Trees are also being seen further north and the results show that fifty-one percent of the tundra will be taken over by trees.  With the climate warming, the permafrost is retreating.  Coral reefs are a habitat for fish and other sea life and are in danger by human interference such as fisheries, gas and oil explosions.  Overall, with the climate change and human interferences the current animal and plant residents may not survive in the future.

                My opinion on this is that yes the climate may be getting warmer; but that’s just what the weather does, it changes.  What I think the best thing to do would be to make the residents well aware of what is happening to the tundra and cut down on heat release to try to maintain as much a normal climate as possible.  Looking at the aquatic side of climate change, mark off the coral reefs so the fisheries are well aware of where they are so they can prevent damage. As a whole, what is happening is just an act of nature.  They cannot control the weather and temperature but they can make themselves knowledgeable of how to make less of an impact on the land.  

Date: 7/12/2012

Title: Greens sue to block Shell drilling in Arctic Alaska

            National conservation groups are taking Shell to court in one last attempt to stop them from drilling exploratory wells in the Arctic waters. The conservation groups are worried that an oil spill will happen based on past drilling experiences with other companies. They are going to court to make sure they are prepared and know the risks, especially if they are now finished by October before the bad winter storms. The U.S department of Interior has given Shell the ok but others are not ok with the decision. The oil spills would affect many endangered animals in and around the waters where the drilling will occur. The green groups do not trust the oil spill equipment since it is most of the same back from 2000 that is unreliable as it has not been tested in Arctic waters. Even in relatively good conditions less than 10% of the oil was cleaned up from the Exxon Valdez spill. Shell has no way to know if they can prevent a spill, all they can do is hope and tell people it is safe for them to drill. I believe that they should not drill until they can do safety tests on their equipment and wait until all the talk about it calms down. Shell needs to work on their equipment and research more before they go in and drill. They say that they would not be there if they were not absolutely confident that they could execute a responsible exploration program. They expect to start drilling in August with the drilling rig the Noble Discoverer.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/2012/07/12/greens-sue-to-block-shell-drilling-in-arctic-alaska/

Arctic oil rush will ruin ecosystem, warns Lloyd's of London

Lloyd’s of London has become the first major business to speak out about the severe potential risks of environmental damage that can arise from drilling oil in the Arctic. As the temperatures are warming, the ice in the region is melting, drawing much commercial attention from oil companies. These areas that were once covered by ice could possibly hold a quarter of the world’s remaining hydrocarbon reserves.  One hundred billion dollars in investments has been estimated to go into Arctic oil drilling projects over the next decade. Among the companies planning these projects are Cairn Energy and Shell, who hope to establish wells off the Greenland and Canadian coasts.  

The Arctic is made up of several ecosystems which are “highly sensitive to damage,” and any mistake could lead to long-term negative impacts.  Authors write in a new report from Lloyd’s that a potential oil spill is “the greatest risk in terms of environmental damage, potential cost, and insurance.” In addition to the stresses already caused by changes in climate, future economic activity in the Arctic will only further disturb the fragile ecosystems. Aside from the pollutants that would be released into the environment, other negative factors include road and pipeline construction, noise pollution from drilling, seismic survey activity, and the breaking up of sea ice, which could cause the natural migration patterns of whales and caribou to be altered.

Furthermore, an oil spill cleanup would pose a “unique and hard-to-manage risk.” Lloyd’s chief executive, Richard Ward, hopes companies will take a step back and consider the consequences before going through with the drilling. The Lloyd’s report states the “inadequacies” of both the company and government were displayed in the Macondo blowout in 2010, calling for much needed research to “close knowledge gaps, reduce uncertainties, and manage risks.” Lloyd’s also finds it essential that companies participate in exercises based on worst-case scenarios. However, enabling “safe economic activity” comes at a sizeable expense. With the delicacy and unpredictability of the Arctic environment, some even say that no compensation is worth the risks of drilling.

With the changing climate already impacting the Arctic wildlife, why should man purposely disturb it further? I do not think that companies have taken the time to fully consider and prepare for the potential risks of drilling, but have instead kept their focus on what can be gained. Oil spills can have major consequences for the environment, endangering animals’ lives and possibly tipping the balance of the food web. Without thorough preparation for what could go wrong, companies are risking damaging the environment permanently for monetary profit. Although participating in worst-case scenario exercises and conducting more research will reduce the chance for mistakes, the risk of harming the Arctic is always there.

Original Article:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/12/lloyds-london-warns-risks-arctic-oil-drilling

Arctic Warming At High Rate Due To Melting Sea Ice, Global Warming

A study at the University of Melbourne in Australia has shown that the warming across the globe and the melting of the sea ice are contributing to the rise in the Arctic temperatures. 

Researchers say that the melting of the sea ice is a contributing factor to the ground level warming but the warming of the atmosphere increases the atmospheric circulation which raises the temperature.

Ian Simmonds, a Professor from the University of Melbourne’s School of Earth Science, said that the loss of the sea ice is contributing to the warming of the ground while global warming is intensifying the atmospheric circulation and is contributing to the increase in temperature in the Arctic.

                The sea ice acts as a lid on top of the Arctic Ocean. The lead author of the study, Dr. James Screen said that when the ice is heated it reflects most of the incoming light back into space. When the sea ice has melted more heat is absorbed by the water which in turn heats the atmosphere above it.

Original Artical

ScienceDaily: Biodiversity Articles

ScienceDaily: Biodiversity Articles

Hey guys, check this website out, it's pretty cool, you have all these articles about every science field and other subjects related to them.

Thinning Arctic Ice Allows Plankton Bloom

NASA scientists exploring the Chukchi Sea in the Arctic were surprised to discover massive phytoplankton blooms under the sea ice.  In the past, the ice was too thick for sunlight to penetrate and spur phytoplankton growth; however, global warming has drastically thinned the ice in many areas.  The ice where the phytoplankton bloom was discovered is 3-foot-thick first year ice that will melt in the spring.  A decade ago, this ice was 10 feet thick and did not ever melt.  This discovery, besides providing more evidence of global warming, astonished the scientists who had thought that this region did not sustain much life.  The thinner ice that allows 50% of sunlight to pass through and the nutrient-rich waters provide all the necessities for phytoplankton to thrive.  This particular phytoplankton bloom was 70 miles wide and over a hundred feet deep.  These phytoplankton blooms create new questions about the balance of the Arctic food web.  Animals that feed on plankton used to have to wait for spring to come before the plankton blooms reached their peak.  However, now that blooms are occurring under the ice, the scientists worry that it will throw off the migratory patterns of plankton-eating animals such as Arctic terns and California gray whales.  However, many birds are unable to reach their food, fish that eat under-ice plankton.  Sea animals, however, will be able to feast on this plankton with less competition than in the past.  The scientists are unsure how these plankton blooms will alter the Arctic food webs in the future, and look forward to investigating more.

            I can see how the phytoplankton blooms could upset the delicate Arctic food web.  Since there is no way to know just yet what the effect will even be, scientists cannot begin to look for solutions.  This is a scary idea because the Arctic is so rapidly changing that solutions are needed as soon as a problem arises.  By the time the effect of these plankton blooms becomes evident, it may be too late to fix the problem!  There is just no way to know; however, I will say that the animals that are predicted to benefit the most from these phytoplankton blooms (gray whales, walruses, and Eider ducks) are not endangered or even threatened species.  This could create overpopulation of these species in the future, which will obviously create problems.  Then again, with global warming threatening these species, perhaps the added food source will stabilize the population and prevent future endangerment of these species.  Only time will tell the effects of phytoplankton blooms.

Scientific American link:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=thinning-arctic-ice-allows-plankton-bloom

Freeze Out: Can Polar Bears Survive a Melting Arctic?

           The polar bear, perhaps the most iconic native to the arctic, is suffering the consequences of global warming. The polar bear’s diet consists mainly of ringed seals, and in order to hunt them, the bears must swim from the mainland to offshore ice floes where the seals go to rest. As temperatures rise, massive portions of offshore sea ice are melting, forcing the polar bears to swim further in freezing water to find the ice floes.

            This fatal situation first came to the attention of scientists in 2004 when 4 drowned polar bears were discovered in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska’s coast. In response to this, researchers from the United States Geological Survey attached tracking collars to Alaskan polar bears to study the distance they are traveling and the amount of hunting they are doing. One mother bear swam continuously for 687 km with its cub on its back in search of food, only to lose her cub shortly after. Without serious change and much lower green house gas emissions the future of the polar bear looks bleak.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=too-late-for-polar-bears

Red and Blue King Crab Research

The Alaska Sea Grant has announced that it will be giving $1 million to research why many red and blue king crabs in Alaska die during hatchery and other factors that influence the decrease in number of these crabs. Researchers have been working since 2006 on this task and have successfully increased the amount of crabs who reach juvenile stage from zero to 50 percent. Some researchers have proposed a nutrition deficiency for the cause of the numerous hatchery deaths and it is currently being investigated. Many tests, though, must be performed in order to discover the nutritional factors that can affect the health of the red and blue king crabs.

In addition, the Alaska Sea Grant has also given money to researchers who are attempting to test whether strontium, a naturally occurring element, can be used to trace king salmon back to their birthplace streams. Scientists believe that discovering their birthplaces will play a key role in maintaining the health and stability of both the king salmon and the surrounding human population.

I personally believe that these studies, both of them, could be very vital to the environment in Alaska and even the Arctic as a whole. If either of these two species become endangered or even extinct, then that could severely affect the stability of the Arctic and eventually the entire world climate and stability.

More information on the Alaska Sea Grant’s research work with the red and blue king crab:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjSIEhAfzSY&list=UUpvQeim3IsGbhtr1IZJRKWg&index=7&feature=plcp

Link to article:

http://seagrant.uaf.edu/news/2012/03-22-12new-research-projects.php

As Permafrost Thaws, Scientiests Study The Risks

One might think that a few bubbles in the arctic may not be such a big deal, but if you ask any permafrost expert around the world they would tell you there is nothing that could affect you more.  These bubbles being released in hot spots in the arctic are composed of methane from the decomposition of ancient plants once frozen in the permafrost.  While the growth and decline of permafrost areas is not all that uncommon, the rate at which it is occurring in the arctic is what has scientists worried.  Scientists blame this increased decline on humans increased release of greenhouse gasses.  If nothing is done to stop the methane from being released into the atmosphere it could eventually reach up to 30% of the total greenhouse gases being released.  This has been labeled a major issue any yet there are still not as many people working on the issue as there should be.  These bubbles could have a major affect on our everyday lives and we should do anything we can to prevent the methane from being released into the atmosphere even if it means cutting back on your everyday power usage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/17/science/earth/warming-arctic-permafrost-fuels-climate-change-worries.html?pagewanted=all