In the gateway to the Arctic, the delicate balance of fat, ice, and polar bears is under threat due to the devastating impacts of climate change. This article delves into the disturbing realities faced by these iconic creatures and the entire Arctic ecosystem, painting a grim picture of the future if urgent action is not taken.
The Vanishing Polar Bears
Without the ice breaking up, the Western Hudson Bay area has gone from a once-thriving population of bears to polar-bears-in-peril.
As biologist Geoff York says, the 600 or so polar bears that roam this part of Hudson Bay today represent a 50% fall in less than half a century.
The culprit? Climate change.
In addition, the melting sea ice comes sooner and later, leaving polar bears with less time to feast on their favourite gourmet food: high-fat seals.
These wasting bears are giving birth to fewer cubs each year and, when they do give birth, they are not surviving long enough or getting big enough during their first year to provide the foundations for a successful life.
If global greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly reduced, these unique marine creatures may be lost entirely by the end of the century, scientists say.
The Ecology Cascading Collapse
The transformation of the Arctic gateway is about much more than the polar bears.
Sea ice has an extensive influence on the entire marine ecosystem, linked to biological processes tied to seasonal patterns of sea ice formation and melt, and its loss sends ripple effects up the food web.
The food chain starts to suffer as the algae and plankton — which make up the base of the Arctic’s food web — begin blooming sooner and in different forms as water temperatures increase with earlier sea ice melt.
The fish, the beluga whales and seals feeding on these nutrient-rich organisms — and posing a meal for the polar bears at the top of this food chain — are also affected.
University of Manitoba sea ice scientist Julienne Stroeve said the system is throttling down and “we’re going to see something this summer.” It’s changing from a high-fat, Arctic system to a low-fat, more moderate system that is less dependent on biodiversity than the ecosystems further south.
This change has dire consequences for the specialist, fat-adapted animals adapted to live in these frigid Arctic climates.
With each component of the ecosystem foundation failing, everything else in this fragile web is at risk and the effects ripple across the entire, unique biodiversity of the region.
Conclusion
Recent photos of melting ice, emaciated bears, and falling numbers in the gateway to the Arctic don’t bode well for what lies ahead. Unfortunately, unless we take immediate and comprehensive action to cut greenhouse gases and work proactively to address climate change impacts, we are not just at-risk of losing the beloved polar bear, but potentially the entire Arctic ecosystem that has sustained life for thousands of years. There is no time for delays; we must act now and act quickly, before this irreplaceable region loses the characteristics that continue to inspire awe throughout the world.
