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Research has found that the rapid loss of sea ice across the globe is endangering the tiny algae that feed polar ecosystems, PlusNews reported.
What’s happening?
Sea ice is shrinking fast and disrupting the entire polar food chain — starting from the very bottom. As microscopic algae lose their nutritional value and habitat, species higher up the chain are at great risk.
When sea ice melts, more light passes through ice sheets, affecting the nutritional value and life cycle of microalgae beneath them.
“One-tenth of the global oceans are frozen, including the Arctic, the Antarctic, and the Southern Ocean, which are undergoing rapid change,” said polar marine ecologist Rebecca Duncan.
Duncan’s research showed that these changes degrade the composition of sea-ice microalgae. As sea ice thickness and coverage decline, sunlight and warm waters affect how they produce fats and essential proteins — nutrients that sustain krill and zooplankton that feed the rest of the fish populations.
Why is this concerning?
A weakening polar food chain doesn’t just stay in the poles, and it affects global food systems. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, polar fisheries help feed people around the world, but habitat changes due to sea-ice melt can reduce seafood supply, affecting both coastal communities and global markets.
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Beyond food systems, changing polar conditions also affect weather patterns across the globe. Glacier melt worsens coastal flooding, intensifies storm surges, and aggravates saltwater intrusion into farmland and drinking water supplies.
A study published in the Nature journal showed that glacier melt contributed 18 millimeters to global sea-level rise from 2000 to 2023. Michael Zemp, the lead researcher, estimated that every millimeter of this rise exposes an additional 300,000 people to annual flooding — a warning emphasized in a press release published by the World Meteorological Organization.
This issue concerns not only polar ecosystems but the whole world at large.
What’s being done about it?
Scientists like Duncan continue to conduct field research to better understand how fast-changing ice conditions are altering ecosystems.
Government agencies, including NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the World Glacier Monitoring Service, are also monitoring glacier mass and issuing warnings on melt trends that could threaten communities worldwide.
Even cost-free steps like talking about climate issues with friends or exploring critical environmental topics can build awareness and encourage others to make planet-friendly choices in their day-to-day lives.
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