Wildlife Already Impacted by More Extremes

Brown pelicans rescued in January 2010 (photo courtesy of Tri-State Bird Rescue)

Monarch butterfly in Grapevine, Texas. Image: Flickr (TexasEagle)

Then, there are the monarch butterflies migrating from Canada to Mexico during the fall of 2011. The butterflies typically stop in western Texas along the way to rest and refuel. However, the staggering drought of 2011 left the area with little water or vegetation. This left the butterflies literally high and dry. The area occupied by overwintering monarchs in Mexico this past December was the 4th lowest on record.

The same drought spawned the largest wildfires recorded in the history of Arizona and New Mexico, affecting more than 694,000 acres. These fires devastated some rare and endangered species, such as the Mexican Spotted Owl. The entire nesting and roosting habitat for these owls in Bandelier National Park was wiped out in the fires. 

Cutthroat Trout. Image: Flickr(CircumerroStock)

And, of course, there’s the heat wave during the summer of 2007 that caused the largest fish kill in the history of Yellowstone National Park. Trout could not survive the high water temperatures brought on by the heat wave. Park rangers for the first time had to close some 232 miles of rivers throughout the park to fishing. 

Connecting the Climate Consequences

These stories illustrate how connecting the extreme weather dots is complicated for wildlife. For example, species that migrate long distances are at the mercy of weather events happening far away. Thus, the impacts of an extreme weather event on wildlife might not be immediately apparent. Furthermore, a change in one aspect of the habitat can have unexpected implications, especially as different species gain a competitive edge to the detriment of other species.

Extreme conditions are likely to have some of the biggest impacts on wildlife in the coming decades simply because droughts, frosts, and winter thaws are the sorts of events that directly kill organisms or change their competitive balance. At the same time, changes in disturbance regimes—often driven by floods, wildfires, and hurricanes—can strongly influence ecosystem functioning. Many ecosystems have adapted to historical patterns of disturbances. Changing the climate conditions that drive the disturbances will have ripple effects on ecosystems that we can’t even anticipate yet.

Another thing these anecdotes have in common is they are all about animals attempting to do what they normally would under conditions that are far from normal. Whereas human populations can anticipate events and take steps to shield themselves from the impacts, wildlife often does not have access to the same resources. This makes our efforts to safeguard wildlife that much more challenging and crucial.

Share Your Own Animal Anecdote

Do you have a story about how wildlife has been affected by a weather or climate extreme?  We want to hear about it!  Here are examples of photos and easy steps to include a photo you take in the 350.org Connect the Dots campaign.

Many days it’s rather depressing to be a climate scientist.  It can be hard to keep a positive outlook when we seem to be on a trajectory toward more and more severe impacts. But, every so often, I get to witness firsthand real stories of hope and inspiration. These moments are what keep me going and make me confident that we are going to have a brighter future.

Last week, I had one of those moments. I attended a conference on climate change education organized by NASA, NOAA, and NSF. Being at a meeting with so much positive energy and creativity devoted to helping kids and adults understand what’s happening to the climate was invigorating in itself.  The real highlight of the three days for me, however, was getting to hear from Cliff Etheredge.

A Real Climate Hero

Cliff Etheredge a farmer from Roscoe, Texas, who convinced nearly all of his neighbors to install a wind farm on their land.  His story is featured in a new PBS program based on Earth: The Operator’s Manual, a book by climate scientist Richard Alley (another climate hero!).

Conventional wisdom suggests that Roscoe would not be on the cutting edge of climate solutions, but Cliff helped his neighbors understand that leasing their land for wind energy development made good business sense. Check out this video clip about his story and all the positive impacts his efforts have had for his community.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Climate Solutions Help Communities Become Climate Resilient

Roscoe is in west Texas, an area hard hit by last year’s record-breaking drought.  I asked Cliff how Roscoe had been affected by the drought.  He replied that the local baler usually processes 100,000 bales of cotton each year, but last year they only had 6,000 bales.  Ranchers had been forced to sell off 90% of their mother herds at a huge financial loss.

In fact, Cliff said that the only positive, regular source of income was from the wind turbines.  Each turbine can be counted on to bring in $10,000-$15,000 a year.

What is remarkable to me about this anecdote is that investing in an energy source that helps us to cut carbon emissions, an essential step to tackling climate change, also was instrumental in helping this community weather the worst drought that most of its residents had ever witnessed. Indeed, as Congress today heard testimony about how weather and climate extremes increase the vulnerability of our energy systems, they would do well to also consider how moving to new energy sources can reduce those vulnerabilities and provide some level of financial cushion to communities like Roscoe, TX.

Reasons for Hope

With teams of passionate, creative climate change educators out there, reaching more and more people, and with everyday heroes like Cliff Etheredge out there implementing real-world climate solutions, we can all feel hopeful. We just need some common sense, ingenuity, and persistence to solve these problems. Otherwise, in Cliff’s words, we run the risk of “messing in our own nests!”

Photo credit: Flickr (koocbor)

I’m pleased that the ENR committee is highlighting these important issues. All policymakers need to understand that climate impacts – such as sea level rise and extreme weather – are harming us in ways that may not appear readily connected. In fact, a 2011 NWF report More Extreme Weather and the US Energy Infrastructure focused on exactly these sorts of connections between climate change and the vulnerability of our energy systems.

Coastal Energy Infrastructure at Risk

Rising sea level certainly does threaten our near-shore oil and gas pipelines and refineries, as well as power plants, which are often located near the coast to make use of the ample water available needed for standard electricity generation. And, climate change is the main driver for sea level rise, especially for the 21^st century.

Over the last century, climate change has contributed to about 8 inches of sea level rise globally. Some areas, like the Gulf Coast, have experienced even more sea level rise due to local land subsidence.  The best scientific projections for the coming century: 1-2 feet of global mean sea level rise by 2050, and 2-6 feet by 2100.  About 3 feet of sea level rise would inundate more than 9000 km² of coastal areas in the lower 48 states, according to a new study lead by Climate Central.

And, it’s not just sea level rise. Coastal energy infrastructure is also vulnerable to hurricanes. NWF’s 2011 report highlights how vulnerable oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf region is to hurricanes:

About 30 percent of the U.S. oil supply and 20 percent of the natural gas supply is produced in the Gulf of Mexico region, an area highly vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes. As climate change makes it likely that these storms will become more intense and bring more severe flooding, the billions of dollars worth of infrastructure invested in this region are at risk. This includes some 4,000 offshore oil and gas platforms, 31,000 miles of pipeline, and more than 25 onshore refineries. To make matters worse, much of this infrastructure is aging, making it even more susceptible to failures.

Weather-Related Power Outages

Power outages are becoming a more frequent nuisance for many of us, and an increasing number are due to weather. Just check out this chart that NWF created based on the reports submitted by electricity companies for major outages. Changes in extreme weather, power transmission infrastructure and maintenance practices, and demographic trends may all be contributing to more frequent power outages.

Furthermore, electricity generation is likely to be affected by water shortages, especially as climate change brings more extreme heat and drought. About 89 percent of electricity in the United States is generated in thermoelectric power plants that require water for cooling. Water demand from the energy sector is projected to increase by 32 percent by 2030, while droughts are expected to become more frequent and severe. This impending crisis is not widely recognized as a future cause of electricity outages.

Building a Better Energy System

The climate-related threats to our nation’s energy systems compound the vulnerability associated with the aging and crumbling energy infrastructure, which is already causing environmental damage. It is high time that we make investments in a new energy infrastructure that is more resilient in the face of more extreme weather and climate. We recommend that the nation undertake a detailed national climate vulnerability assessment for the energy industry and develop climate adaptation plans to address vulnerabilities.

Furthermore, we must begin designing, strategically locating, and making investments in energy systems—such as appropriately sited offshore wind and distributed photovoltaic solar—that are more resilient to severe weather and climate disruptions, while at the same time help us take meaningful steps away from our dependence on coal, oil, and gas. EPA’s carbon standards for new power plants are an important step toward helping us build a more resilient power infrastructure and one that is not adding to the problem is critical.

Lake Michigan, March 2012. Source: Flickr (farlane)

Skiing on Lake Michigan

When I was 10, we rented a house along the shores of Lake Michigan for a winter weekend. Growing up in Chicago, I had spent many hours playing on the beach in the summertime. But, this was my first visit to the lake during winter. And it was magical, like something out of an actual winter wonderland. We spent hours cross-country skiing through forests frosted with icicles.

Most amazing of all was the lake. In contrast to the summer waves lapping the shore, there was ice extending probably hundreds of yards out into the lake. The ice was more than thick enough for us to ski right out on the lake! I still remember how thrilling this felt!

After a winter like 2011-2012, these sorts of memories feel distant, almost archaic. With this year’s warm winter weather, the lakes have had very little ice. Satellite images indicate that only 5 percent of the lakes froze over, much less than the around 50 percent ice cover that was typical when I was a child.

Great Lakes Are Losing Ice

It’s not just this year. The annual mean lake ice area observed on Lake Michigan has declined by 77 percent from 1973 to 2010, according to a recent paper published by Jia Wang and other researchers at NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory and the University of Michigan. In fact, all of the lakes have seen a long term decline in ice cover, with an average loss of 71 percent.

The authors point to increasing winter air temperatures as an explanation. Over the same time period, winter temperatures increased by 2.7 – 4.0 degrees Fahrenheit on average in the Great Lakes region. Water temperatures are increasing even more. With less ice cover to reflect the Sun’s rays back to space, the lakes can absorb more heat each year.

Of course, the decline in ice cover isn’t a steady downward march. The year-to-year variability caused by natural cycles is still an important factor in how much ice will form in any particular year. This new paper also sheds light on the roles of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation and the Arctic Oscillation in controlling the short-term variability.

More than Ice at Stake

The loss of winter-time ice in the Great Lakes has ripple effects for wildlife and outdoor activities alike.  NWF staffer Melinda Koslow summarizes some potential impacts of lost ice: dangerous algal blooms, the loss of protection for fish eggs and near-shore wetland habitats, and increased evaporation leading to lower lake water levels. Meanwhile ice fishing activities have been curtailed across the Midwest and in other northern states this year.

Take Action

The last few months serve as a window into what winter will usually look like in a warmer world. Let’s also use this winter as a wake-up call to start taking actions to preserve the outdoor winter traditions that we each treasure.

Email officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to let them know you support limits on carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants.

Image: Flickr (mellyjean)

But, recent reports have me worried that the future of chocolate is fraught with uncertainty. This month’s Scientific American features an article by two scientists at Mars, Inc, who are raising alarms about cocoa agriculture around the world.  Pests, fungal infections, limited genetic diversity, and (you guessed it!) climate change top their lists of concerns.

Cocoa and Climate

It turns out that the cocoa tree is rather fussy about its growing conditions. The large cocoa plantations around the world are located in places where mean temperatures range between 72 and 77 degrees F, typically within a narrow band around the equator out to about 18 degrees north and south latitude.

A study of cocoa growing regions in the Ivory Coast and Ghana found that if temperature increase by just 3.6 degrees F, areas where cocoa is currently grown will become significantly less suitable. The most suitable areas move from a range of 100 to 250 meters above sea level to a range of 450 to 500 meters about sea level by 2050.

In addition to shifting average temperature and precipitation conditions, climate change is affecting weather and climate extremes. A trend toward more droughts and floods will affect the water supply in cocoa growing regions. And, heavier monsoon rains in Indonesia have already been blamed for knocking cocoa flowers off the trees before pods can be formed.

What’s more, changes in weather and climate extremes could make the cocoa plant even more susceptible to pests and fungal infections. These sorts of infections are nothing to sneeze at! In 1988, cocoa production in Bahia, Brazil dropped by 80 percent when the fungal disease witches’ broom swept through the area. And, today, frosty pod rot is infecting cocoa trees in Latin America.

Safeguarding Chocolate and Wildlife

Before you start stockpiling chocolate in advance of this Cocoapocalypse (yes, I went there!), there are actions that can safeguard chocolate.  First and foremost, we need to curb the carbon pollution that is causing climate change. Limiting the magnitude of climate change will have benefits for both cocoa farming and wildlife.

Another option that has good co-benefits for wildlife was the subject of a recent scientific study of small farmers in Indonesia. They found that wildlife-friendly farming approaches that maintain high levels of biodiversity can be implemented and still retain high yield of cocoa crops.

Let’s make sure that we have chocolate (and my other favorite foods!) around for many Valentine’s Days to come!

Take Action

From polar bears to pika, cocoa trees are just one of a long list species threatened by climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency is moving to limit carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants and it needs to know that you stand behind this critical effort. Tell the EPA that Americans support limits on carbon pollution to protect the future of polar bears.

Cherry blossoms in the Washington, DC area captured on February 4, 2012 (Kelly Senser)

Across the continental United States, people are noticing that it’s been unseasonably warm this winter. My colleague Tony Iallonardo asked National Wildlife Federation staff last week if anyone had noticed anything unusual.  Responses came pouring in!

• Michigan: Jeff Alexander in Grand Haven, MI reports that for the first time in 20 years there are no ice floes on the east coast of Lake Michigan. Normally the ice is 10 feet tall and ¼ mile out into the lake! And, Brenda Archambo shared that numerous outdoor winter festivals have been cancelled because of poor ice and snow conditions.
• Western Massachusetts: Jenny Kordick reached out to Mark Jester, President of the Berkshire County League of Sportsmen in Pittsfield MA. He reports that sportsmen are having more problems with ticks—on themselves and their dogs—even in winter. This year, several ice fishing derbies in Western MA have been postponed or outright cancelled, owing to the lack of ice. And, more geese and other waterfowl are spending the winter on lakes and ponds further north, becoming such a nuisance that golf courses and lake and pond associations are now applying for permits to destroy these new residents.
• New York City: Eliav Bitan in New York City reports that trees are sending out green leaves already in Central Park. Emily Maxwell mentioned that the annual Winter Jam was canceled this year because it was too warm to make snow.
• Washington, DC: Here in the DC area, several NWF staff reported that some of the famous Cherry Trees are already starting to bud out, confounding forecasts for the peak bloom, which usually would be at the end of March or early April. Meanwhile, Miles Grant says he’ll remember this winter most for the “seemingly endless bug season.” He said the little critters were crawling through is window or patio door well into December, and now are already returning!
• Atlanta, GA: Glenn Dowling reports that his first daffodil of the year bloomed on the first day of the year. That’s a whole lot sooner than their early March bloom in 2006 and even their early February bloom last year. And, Jaclyn McDougal bemoaned that the mosquitoes are out in “full force”.
• Boulder, CO: Brian Pritchett said he was “eaten alive” by mosquitoes last weekend, while David Ellenberger grumbled about how miserable the ski season in Colorado has been so far this year. Let’s hope that the snow they received last week helps salvage the rest of the season!
• San Francisco Bay area: Kassie Rohrbach shares that everyone out there is talking about the drought and how the snowpack in the Sierras is at 19% of normal for this time of year. What’s worse, the lack of rain has meant more smog and much reduced visibility, even on sunny days.

Another Oddball Winter for the Record Books

According to NOAA, weather stations across the country broke or tied 3,110 daily high temperature records in January, compared to a measly 164 daily low temperature records.  This lopsided ratio is something that climate scientists have been tracking as a clear sign of global warming. In the first half of the 20^th century, record highs and lows were set in about equal numbers. But, in the 2000’s, record highs outpaced record lows by a factor of 2 to 1. Climate projections for mid-century indicate that the ratio could increase to 20-to-1 if carbon pollution continues to increase.

But, global warming is having a seemingly peculiar—and sometimes confusing!—effect on winter weather. Across the Midwest and Eastern US, this year has brought unseasonably warm weather, while the last two winters are remembered for their extreme snowfall events. Some of the variation reflects normal year-to-year variability, largely due to large-scale climate oscillations like El Nino/La Nina and the Arctic Oscillation. But these weather conditions also are affected by the shifting climate baseline.  Although it may seem somewhat counterintuitive at first glance, global warming is contributing to heavier snowfall events.  As the atmosphere warms, it can hold more moisture, leading to heavier precipitation events.  If it’s cold enough, that precipitation will be snow, and lots of it!  Of course, if we don’t get a handle on carbon pollution, we’ll have fewer and fewer days that are cold enough to snow and more winters like the current one.

For more background on whacky winter weather, check out the NWF report Odd-Ball Winter Weather: Global Warming’s Wake-Up Call for the Northern United States.

What Have You Noticed?

Have you seen something that was out of ordinary?  We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

The U.S. Department of Agriculture yesterday released a new map of plant hardiness zones, which confirms what many gardeners had already figured out. Plant hardiness zones, based on minimum winter temperatures, are marching northward. This means that plants that wouldn’t have survived through the winter just 20 years ago are now making it just fine.

Comparing the new 2012 map to the last map USDA published in 1990 shows some significant shifts, especially across the Great Plains.  Though the USDA cautions that not all the changes to the map can be attributed to climate change, it is clear that the major shifts are related to warmer temperatures. For example, Iowa and Nebraska used to straddle Zones 4 and 5, but now fall almost entirely within the warmer Zone 5.

Global Warming is Affecting Our Gardens

Although it may be obvious to many of us, it does bear stating that these zones are moving because of global warming. Most areas in the continental United States have warmed by 1-2 degrees F during the last 50 years.  This warming has brought shorter and less severe winters. Indeed, we’ve been setting many fewer record lows each winter.

While some gardeners may welcome the opportunity to experiment with new plants, these shifting zones only tell part of the story of how climate change is affecting our gardens. Winter temperatures are not the only thing that affects how plants grow. For example, climate change is bringing more weather and climate extremes that can be quite challenging for plants. Summertime heat and humidity have been increasing. Droughts are becoming more severe.  Heavy precipitation events are becoming even heavier, increasing the likelihood of devastating floods. The bottom line is that while you may be able to grow some new plants given the warmer winter temperatures, some old favorites may have a harder time as summer temperatures increase and precipitation patterns change.

Shifting plant hardiness zones also opens the door for harmful invasive species, pests, and diseases. Unfortunately, research is showing that climate change favors the spread of these less desirable species. Gardeners in the Midwest and Northeast will not be happy to hear that the northernmost range of kudzu—the “plant that ate the South”—has already moved northward, with sightings from Southeastern Nebraska to Western Pennsylvania. This latitudinal shift has been attributed to increases in winter temperatures.

Pests that used to be kept in check by hard winter freezes are also expanding their range northward.  For example, the range of the red imported fire ant in the United States has historically been limited by cold temperatures and winterkill. Now scientists project that the fire ant range could expand northward by about 80 miles and expand in total area by 21 percent as climate change makes new areas suitable for their survival.

Gardeners Can Help Tackle Global Warming

As guardians and stewards of our environment, gardeners can take many simple and thoughtful steps to work with nature to solve the challenges posed by global warming. NWF’s The Gardener’s Guide to Global Warming: Challenges and Solutions provides many excellent recommendations, including:

• Reduce the use of gasoline-powered yard tools that put carbon pollution, the root cause of global warming, into the atmosphere.
• Remove invasive plants from the garden and choose an array of native alternatives.
• Reduce water consumption, which will improve the resiliency of your garden during droughts and heat waves,  reduce energy consumed to transport water; and reduce runoff of fertilizer into waterways.
• Plant lots of native trees and native grasses to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and serve as long-term carbon storage.

Tuckerman Ravine Trail 1962, The Forest Historical Society

Cameron Wake, a climate scientist at the University of New Hampshire drafted the letter and recruited colleagues from the Granite state to sign it after seeing a similar effort by scientists in Iowa. The signers are professionals who have devoted their careers to studying climate change, its impacts on our natural resources and communities, and real-world options for responding. People like:

• Erich Osterberg, a Dartmouth professor studying how glaciers and Greenland responded to past climate changes so we can better predict how they might behave in the future.
• Jeannie Sowers, a political science professor at University of New Hampshire, who does research on the political implications of climate change and other environmental stress, especially in the Middle East.
• Ellen Douglas, a hydrologist and engineer who works on adapting water resources to climate change.  
• Serita Frey, an ecologist researching how climate change and other environmental stressors affect the health of soils

That these experts span a range of academic and practical fields speaks to the fact that the impacts of climate change are more and more pervasive. It is crucial that we bring this diversity of expertise to bear on understanding the scope of the problem and devising effective responses.

I applaud these scientists for having the courage to step into the fray. And, I hope that our political candidates might have the same courage to address climate change with the urgency needed to safeguard the environment, economy, and outdoor traditions of New Hampshire and beyond.

Credit: Max Greenberg (NWF)

Yes, like others working on climate change, I’m used to the occasional family member, neighbor, friend, or other acquaintance questioning climate science.  Wary of derailing an otherwise cheerful occasion, my initial inclination is to diffuse these exchanges and steer the conversation back to safer territory.

However, this year, I’m going to try to embrace these encounters as teachable moments. I’m inspired by Richard Somerville and Susan Joy Hassol’s Physics Today article entitled “Communicating the science of climate change,” in which they state:

“It is urgent that climate scientists improve the ways they convey their findings to a poorly informed and often indifferent public.”

and

“We must find ways to help the public realize that not acting is also making a choice, one that commits future generations to serious impacts.”

As someone who is all-too-aware of the urgency of the problem, it is no longer acceptable to smile benignly or change the subject as others spread misinformation. Avoiding these confrontations is akin to making a choice not to act.

Tips for Talking Climate Science

How best to respond to patent misunderstandings in a way that won’t disrupt the festive mood? Russell McLendon offers some good advice about how to keep your cool. Here are a few more pointers that I plan to keep in mind:

1. Get local and connect the dots:

People love to talk about their own experiences with the natural world – from the latest extreme weather event to changes in their favorite outdoor activity to unusual happenings in their garden – and it usually is pretty straightforward to connect recent oddities to the changing climate. These sorts of connections help make climate change real, rather than some abstract problem affecting people far away and long into the future.

2. Make it clear what the scientists are and aren’t debating now:

While it helps to be ready to quickly address some common arguments that climate deniers perpetuate (check out NWF’s global warming summaries and Skeptical Science’s responses to typical denier claims), try not to get stuck on these points. Scientists are no longer debating whether climate change is happening or whether humans are responsible.  The questions now are: How bad will it be? and What can we do about it? And, it’s not just scientists who have moved beyond the is-it-happening questions. Our military, medical, and religious leaders, along with many others, are likewise grappling with how to respond to a problem they view as very real and serious.

3. Point people to solutions:

Talking about climate change can quickly turn you into a real Debbie Downer, the last thing anyone needs at the family feast. The solution: talk about climate change solutions. I think that this part of the conversation should try to accomplish two things: (1) help people identify modest actions that they could take now to address the problem, thus avoiding the perception that climate change is an intractable problem; and (2) paint a positive vision of the future, in which we have proactively tackled climate change and are enjoying many of the co-benefits of transitioning to new, cleaner technologies. After all, who can really argue against an electric grid that’s more reliable or never having to fill your car up with gas again?

4. Remind people about the good things they are already doing:

Appealing to people’s better nature can be a powerful motivator. Solving climate change will require us to be frugal, resourceful, innovative, leaders, and on the cutting-edge. These traits are quintessentially American, crossing political and ideological lines. Helping people to recognize the good actions they are already doing – from recycling to carpooling to hand-me-downs – will help them identify themselves as good stewards of the Earth, and could lead them to make more climate-conscious choices in the future.

Some Food for Thought…

So, as I head to holiday parties over the next couple weeks, I’ll be ready for the inevitable encounter with someone who questions climate science. When these teachable moments arrive, I’ll be realistic about what will result. Chances are slim that I’ll be able to change anyone’s mind in a short conversation. But, hopefully, I’ll give them some good food for thought. And, even if I can’t persuade the person who raised the issue, others might join the conversation and gain something from it.

As for my husband’s colleague, I was gearing up to respond when the company’s CEO grabbed the microphone to make some remarks. For better or for worse, the juicy confrontation was averted. By the time the next year’s holiday party rolled around, he had left the company, and our paths haven’t crossed since. Next time, I’ll be sure not to miss such an opportunity.

Related Links

• What is Global Warming?
• How could global warming impact wildlife?
• How is Global Warming Related to Extreme Weather?
• 7 Alarming Trends in the Arctic Ecosystem for 2011

Photo credit: Peter Hemming

The 2011 update to the Arctic Report Card makes the bold statement that the Arctic Ocean climate may have already achieved a “new state.” The dramatic decline of Arctic sea ice thickness and summer extent has resulted in an upper ocean that is warmer and less saline. At the same time, the Arctic Ocean appears to have settled into a new circulation regime over the past 14 years.

And, if all these impacts of warming weren’t enough, ocean acidification (caused by the uptake of excess atmospheric CO₂ by the oceans) is starting to take its toll in the Arctic Ocean. Changes in pH are especially acute in the Bering Sea, which just happens to provide 47% of the catch caught in US commercial fisheries.

The impacts of this new climate state: “profound, continuing changes in the Arctic marine ecosystem.” When a scientific assessment uses words like “profound,” it is definitely worth paying attention. Such assessments tend to be scientifically cautious, wary about overstating the science or causing unjustified alarm.

The trends in the Arctic marine ecosystem are indeed astounding:

• Seven of the world’s 19 polar bear populations are declining. At least 2 of these declining trends have been tied directly to sea ice loss.
• Walruses are “hauling out” by the thousand along the north coast of Alaska in July and August. This unprecedented behavior has happened 4 of the last 5 summers, and is thought to be related to sea-ice losses in the Chukchi Sea.
• Baleen and bowhead whales are finding increased access to now open Arctic waters.
• Phytoplankton (microscopic plant-like organisms) productivity has increased by about 20% over just a 12-year span, mainly because there is so much more open water.
• Phytoplankton blooms in the spring are happening up to 50 days earlier than they did in the late 1990s.
• Phytoplankton communities are shifting to smaller species.
• Species that live on or near the floor of the Arctic Sea are being replaced by species typically found in more temperate oceans.

As we close out another record-setting year for the Arctic, this report provides even more evidence that polar bears and other Arctic wildlife truly are contending with climate change right now. The question is whether we can take the steps necessary to curb carbon pollution and reduce the severity of impacts to come.

Help Give Arctic Wildlife a Fighting Chance

Donate today to help National Wildlife Federation protect polar bears and other treasured wildlife threatened by climate change.