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Climate change in the Arctic
Importence
The arctic reduces the world temperature by the albedo effect
There are few forests in the arctic area ,forests absorb the suns energy
The arctic is a very bio-diverse area
Permafrost
As the permafrost melts the CO2 that was stored in the permafrost is released increasing global warming
The melting permafrost is causing the ground to become unstable causing buildings to collapse and cause damage to other property
Physical
Erosion
Rising sea levels are also leaving some areas more vulnerable
The melting ice has left areas of costline exposed this is increasing the rate of erosion
As the permafrost melts the water can now soak into the soil meaning some lakes are draining away
It is though that the area of Sea Ice around the Arctic has shrunk due to the effect of global warming. This is important for a habitat for animals like polar bears and for the albedo effecct
Sea ice: Sea ice extent in late summer decreased 15 to 20% over the past 30 years
Temperature: Mean annual surface air temperature over the past 50 years has increased 3.6 to 5.4°F in Alaska and Siberia and decreased by 1.8°F over southern Greenland.
Ozone: Arctic climate shifts are expected to delay recovery of the northern stratospheric ozone layer.
Albedo
White areas such as ice reflect the suns heat much better than dark surfaces
As the ice melts the ground beneath does not reflect the suns heat as well as ice and can absorb it, raising temperatures
This can cause more ice to melt
Effects
Human
The melting ice has exposed potential oil reserves creating a source of income
The ice melting means that the available season for husky sledgeing is smaller
Tourism, The melting ice has meant that the habour can now recieve boats through Winter, An increase in tourism has reduced unemployment in the artic
The warmer water has meant cod and prawns can now be caught creating a new source of inbcome.
Fisheries: Warming in the Bering Sea after 1977 has increased the herring, Pacific cod, skates, and flatfish species, and Pacific salmon commercial catches have been high since 1980.
Navigation: The Northern Sea Route navigation season is likely to increase from the current 20 to 30 days per year to almost 100 days per year by 2080.
Ecological
Ducks are now not always migrating south for the winter or stay in Alaska much long into the Summer
Polar bears are becoming rare as their hunting ground of sea ice is shrinking
Vegetation: White spruce, the most valuable timber species of the North American boreal forest, experienced sharp declines as summer temperatures frequently exceeded the tree's critical threshold temperature.
Marine Animals: Almost no seal pups, dependent on sea ice, survived in Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence during the ice-free years of 1967, 1981, 2000, 2001, and 2002.
Polar bears rely on seals as a source of food
