by Jess Jones

The constant warming of ocean temperatures is effecting

Marine Life – Sea Ice is melting away!

            For years now, the CCAMLR has been working to conserve marine life in the Antarctic which has been steadily decreasing over the past 200 years due to the increase of ocean temperature. Research shows that temperatures have been steadily increasing, around 2degrees in the past 7 years (this may not seem like a lot but it is!) Will this continual warming of the world end in devastation to many marine mammals? The effect of melting sea-ice and duration of how long it will last is completely misunderstood. We hope to find in studies that are continually occurring under the Marine Mammal Protection Act ways to prevent the total extinction of marine animals.

            In 2000 the Commission sponsored a workshop on Impacts of Changes in Sea Ice and marine life. Sea Ice, which is home to many marine animals, is melting away earlier then normal because of this temperature increase leaving many mammals without their normal home. As the sea-ice edge moves northward, the distribution of crustaceans, adapted for life at the sea-ice edge, and fish, will change because of the lack of sea ice in their normal area of their habitat. This loss of sea ice is likely to seriously impact other predators, for example, seals, sea birds and polar bears which are dependent on sea ice for feeding and breeding. Sea Ice has been melting drastically, studies show that the thickness of ice has decreased by 40% in the last thirty years, and many models show that by 2080 sea ice will be non-existent in the summer months. If this is the case then their will be numerous amounts of marine life without homes. This graph shows the continual

            Many marine mammal species require specific temperature ranges in which they must live. The warming of the ocean will cause changes in species ranges. Those animals that cannot relocate due to some barrier will be forced to adapt to the increasingly warming sea waters or else risk going extinct. Walruses for one need thick sea ice because of their body weight. As the warming of the climate continues in the Artic, it reduces the thickness of the sea ice, leading the walrus to face the trouble of relocating or becoming extinct. However, many species ranges are being pushed further and further north as water temperatures increase and will soon have no where else to go.

            Unfortunately, many animals are going to be, if not already affected by the melting of sea ice. Polar bears, penguins, seals, whales, walruses, fish, sea birds and so many more are going to be affected by this in different ways.  Research shows that global warming has led to a rapid decrease in the extent of

sea ice habitat on which polar bears rely. This

phenomenon, coupled with other threats, has raised

serious concerns about the fate of polar bears,

dependent as they are on sea ice habitat and healthy

populations of ice seals for prey. Along with polar bears,

the affect of sea ice melting will also limit prey for the

whales that feed off of seals, the seals that feed off of

penguins. This event, sea-ice melting is going to have an effect on the entire food chain in Antarctica, as the ice melts away, the habitats disappear and the food chain dies.

            Sea-Ice melting will eventually lead to devastation in the marine animals lives. Ice will continue to melt as the temperatures rise and studies are will continue to grow hopefully finding a solution for the animals before its to late.