User:Arcticice20/sandbox

ABSTRACT

The Arctic’s Sea ice is one of the elements of the global climate system that is changing the fastest. All months exhibit statistically significant diminishing trends, with the summer areal extent declining by nearly 30% over the previous few decades. Sea ice is changing more quickly than predicted by forecasts. Summertime without sea ice is probably possible in the next few decades if temperatures continue to rise, while there are many unknowns around the precise date and considerable interannual variability will persist as sea ice melts. There are already effects of changing sea ice on the Arctic's vegetation and biodiversity. While new habitat becomes available for other species, other species will face more difficulties in the future. Arctic residents and workers are also being impacted by the changes. Traditional lifestyles of Native American communities are coming under threat, yet shipping, fishing, and the extraction of natural resources are opening new options. The knowledge of Arctic Sea ice and its function in the climate, environment, and human activity has advanced significantly in the last several years. Furthering our understanding of the system's workings, effects, and potential future evolution, however, still presents formidable obstacles.

INTRODUCTION

A prominent indicator of the region's climate shift towards a warmer one is the diminishing sea ice cover in the Arctic. For the past thirty plus years, there has been a drop in ice extent in all months, especially during the summer, to levels probably not seen in several thousand years. Along with thinned, younger ice types dominating the ice cover, this is also happening. The ice is melting faster due to feedback mechanisms, while some negative feedback could cause the melting to slow down. Living and working in the Arctic, as well as ecosystems, are already being impacted by the thinning sea ice. With the ongoing melting of sea ice, these effects are predicted to intensify and spread.

CAUSES OF ARCTIC SUMMER ICE MELTING

The main causes of the summertime ice melt in the Arctic are a combination of natural and human forces. This is a general summary of the known causes;

• Global Warming: Mainly caused by humans through activities that emit greenhouse gases.
• Methane Release: Permafrost and ice thawing release methane, which accelerates the warming process.
• Albedo Changes: The decrease in sea ice causes darker underlying ocean surface to absorb more sunlight.
• Feedback Loops: Positive feedback loops contribute to a self-reinforcing cycle of warming and ice melt.
  

IMPACTS OF ARCTIC SUMMER ICE ON BIODIVERSITY

The Arctic is inhabited by fish, mammals, birds, plants and some human groups; those who depend for their survival on what this area of the planet can provide them to eat for their economic and social stability, being the reason why when a deterioration in the physical structure of the Arctic will directly generate a positive or negative impact on these species that live there. Human groups such as the Inuit communities in Northern Canada, located on Baffin Island, who have occupied this place since time immemorial, have adapted their lifestyle to the resources that the area offers them, which is why any change will be sensitive to them, one of The patterns of change are global warming as it is causing the melting of ice, which is driving economic, social and cultural problems. One of the pillars of the Inuit economy is fishing. It is also a fundamental part of the tradition of this culture that is being threatened by the melting of sea ice since it is altering the original fishing technique since there is no platform of ice to make the hole to access the water and be able to fish. On the other hand, there is concern regarding safety because the layer of sea ice has thinned, thus causing the ice surface to not be strong enough to support the load human beings are able to affect any daily activity, such as mobility from one place to another. Additionally, the melting of the ice has generated an increase in problems such as permafrost and the change in the landscape, which directly influences issues such as tourism since the area's main attraction is changing to a large extent. However, action plans have been developed to mitigate these changes, which has generated a reduction in the impact and a way of overcoming these cultures.
The overlap between polar bears and humans is growing in both space and time as a result of global warming. It is anticipated that reductions in the availability of prey and sea-ice habitat would occur more frequently in larger areas of the Arctic. Polar bear survival and human safety are thus at risk as a result of polar bears being lured to human food in greater areas of the Arctic and for longer periods of time . This increasing friction will be most noticeable in areas where polar bears wait for sea ice formation and human settlements already overlap. Polar bears are currently spending more time on land waiting for the sea ice to melt in some areas of their range.

CONCLUSION

The summer Arctic Sea ice extent is decreasing by 13% every decade and becomes younger and thinner. In the western Arctic, the depth of snow on sea ice has decreased by more than 33% over the last 30 years. • The effects of the Arctic's fast changing environment on animals are already apparent. As southern Arctic species like orcas are moving further north, fish are expanding their habitats. • Authorities can develop sustainable tourism practices in the Arctic, which can help promote conservation and support local communities while minimizing negative impacts on the environment

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