Arctic Ocean: Climate change is flooding the remote north with light - and new species

Dec 9, 2020

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy, in the midst of their ICESCAPE mission, retrieves supplies for some mid-mission fixes dropped by parachute from a C-130 in the Arctic Ocean in this July 12, 2011 NASA handout photo obtained by Reuters June 11, 2011. Scientists punched through the sea ice to find waters richer in phytoplankton than any other region on earth. Phytoplankton, the base component of the marine food chain, were thought to grow in the Arctic Ocean only after sea ice had retreated for the summer. Scientists now think that the thinning Arctic ice is allowing sunlight to reach the waters under the sea ice, catalyzing the plant blooms where they had never been observed. REUTERS/Kathryn Hansen/NASA (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY) THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - TM3E86B0WCN01

The Arctic Ocean provides a major opportunity for researchers to understand how climate change effects our planet. Image: REUTERS/Kathryn Hansen/NASA

Jørgen Berge

Vice Dean for Research, Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø

Carlos Duarte

Adjunct professor, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

Dorte Krause-Jensen

Professor, Marine Ecology, Aarhus University

Karen Filbee-Dexter

Research Fellow in Marine Ecology, Université Laval

Kimberly Howland

Research Scientist/Adjunct University Professor, Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR)

Philippe Archambault

Professor & Scientific Director of ArcticNet, Université Laval

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A researcher stands on a ship in the arctic, during the polar night with a flashlight.

The polar night can last for weeks and even months in the high Arctic. Image: Michael O. Snyder, Author provided

A research ship is seen in the arctic ocean at night, with bright lights.

Creatures which have adapted to the polar night over millions of years are now suddenly exposed to artificial light. Image: Michael O. Snyder, Author provided

A research ship is seen in the distance of the arctic among snow.

Research in the Arctic could change considerably over the coming years to reduce light pollution. Image: Michael O. Snyder, Author provided

Badderlocks, or winged kelp, off the coast of Nunavut in the Canadian Arctic. Image: Ignacio Garrido/ArcticKelp, Author provided

A diver explores a four-metre-high sugar kelp forest off Southampton Island, Canada. Image: Ignacio Garrido/ArcticKelp, Author provided

a map showing ocean temperatures while mapping sea kelp forests

Known locations of kelp forests and global trends in predicted average summer surface temperature increase over next two decades, according to IPCC models. Image: Filbee-Dexter et al. (2018), Author provided

A forest of sea kelp attracting lots of marine life

Kelp forests offer lots of nooks and crannies and surfaces to settle on, making them rich in wildlife. Image: Ignacio Garrido/ArcticKelp, Author provided

A crab finds refuge on Laminaria solidungula – the only kelp species endemic to the Arctic. Image: Ignacio Garrido/ArcticKelp, Author provided

A shot of the arctic ocean from the shore

Passengers from a cruise ship arrive in Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Image: Kimberly Howland, Author provided

A research ship is shown by a small ice berg

A cargo ship passes through Milne Inlet, Nunavut. Image: Kimberly Howland, Author provided

a group of searchers examine their samples by the ocean's edge

Members of the 2019 field team from Pond Inlet and Salluit filter eDNA from water samples collected from Milne Inlet. Image: Christopher Mckindsey, Author provided

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