Negative and Positive Affects of the Melting of Arctic Ice on a Variety of Species

           As the arctic ice melts many different species are being affected and changing the way that they live. Temperatures are increasing from global warming and it is causing the ice to melt³. Majority of species are being affected negatively, however some are benefiting from the decrease in ice. 

            Polar bears, for example, have been struggling to find food and are losing the majority of their habitat. This is causing them to venture further for food as well as go into more populated areas. The polar bears are going into people’s homes and offices¹. People are afraid of being attacked and are afraid to leave their homes. In some areas extra fences or military are used to patrol and keep people safe. Some people want the bears to be killed, however in some countries such as Russia the polar bear is listed as an endangered animal, so shooting them is prohibited. 

Image 1: Polar Bear Struggling to Find Food. Source: National Geographic⁶

           Another species suffering from the decrease in ice is the ringed seal. The seals make small ice caves to raise their young and are having a difficult time creating them. They used older, sturdier ice to build these caves and approximately 95% of the sturdier ice is gone². Since they are losing the ability to make these caves they are getting preyed upon more frequently. The pups are mostly at risk, especially those who are unweaned. The University of Alberta in Canada and the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands created a mathematical model that predicts that by 2100 the ringed seal population could decrease by 50-99%². They also determined that the decreasing snow and ice will lead to fewer juvenile seals than adults in the future. 

Image 2: Ringed Seal Pup in Alaska. Source: Forbes² 

            One species that is benefiting from the arctic ice melting is the beaver. The beaver is moving into areas that are melting and expanding their range. This is benefiting them by increasing their population and the food they have access to. However, this is creating a negative impact on the habitat in the north. They are creating dams which are creating new water channels. The channels they are creating are making permafrost, permanently frozen ground, melt at a fast rate³. Permafrost holds the soil together, so these channels are washing away soil along with other things such as carbon. The carbon released is accelerating the warming and harming the environment. 

We need to find a way to help species losing their habitats. The loss of their habitats is what is causing the negative interactions with humans. We must slow down the melting of the ice. One way to do this is to cut back on mining, oil and gas exploration, ports or other industrial incursions. The United Nations Environment Program estimated that 15 percent of the region's lands were affected in 2001 by these activities⁴. There are also possible ways to increase the ice such as using wind-powered pumps in the winter ⁵. The pumps are designed to bring the water to the surface where it would freeze and allow thicker ice to be formed. The beavers also need to be dealt with. They are benefiting from the expanding habitat, however are causing more damage to the environment. The arctic ice melting is an issue for many different species and if it is not dealt with soon it can cause a loss of the habitat and multiple species. How do we decide what species are more important in assisting? Should species like the beaver be removed in order to save the ice from melting and harming other species? 

Sources:

1: Mack, E. (2019, February 9). Threatened Polar Bears Are Terrorizing An Arctic Town.  Forbes. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ericmack/2019/02/09/threatened-polar-bears-are-terrorizing-a-small-arctic-town/#231688406710

2: McMillan, F. (2019, January 30). Climate Change Is Melting Arctic Sea Ice - And That's Endangering Ringed Seal Populations. Forbes. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/fionamcmillan/2019/01/30/the-decline-of-arctic-snow-could-decimate-ringed-seals/#46893f5f650b

3: Pierre-Louis, K. (2017, December 20). Beavers Emerge as Agents of Arctic Destruction. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/20/climate/arctic-beavers-alaska.html

4: Myers, S.L., Revkin, A.C., Romero, S., Krauss, C. (2005, October 20). Old Ways of Life Are Fading as the Arctic Thaws. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/20/science/earth/old-ways-of-life-are-fading-as-the-arctic-thaws.html

5: Rosen, J. (2017, February 8).  Arctic 2.0: What happens after all the ice goes? Nature. Retrieved from: https://www.nature.com/news/arctic-2-0-what-happens-after-all-the-ice-goes-1.21431

6. Leahy, S. (2018, February 1). POV FOOTAGE SHOWS POLAR BEARS STRUGGLING TO FIND FOOD. National Geographic. Retrieved from: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/02/polar-bears-starve-melting-sea-ice-global-warming-study-beaufort-sea-environment/