A Warming World

Sea Ice Concentration in 1885, 1985, and 2085 from NOAA GFDL CM2.1 Model Simulation

In the future there will very likely be less sea ice in the Arctic and warmer water temperatures. This is already affecting Arctic ecosystems in a number of ways and is expected to continue. However, no one is certain what the consequences of climate change will be.

  • Larger carnivores will likely lose habitat
  • Phytoplankton will have more light and warmer waters, thus will likely grow more. But different species might do better than others, and alter the food web from the base up.
  • Increased CO2 in the atmosphere is likely to make the oceans more acidic. This may acutely impact animals with shells of easily dissolved calcium carbonate, including mollusks, corals, and many phytoplankton.