As if the melting of Arctic sea ice wasn't alarming enough already, a new research study led by the University of Exeter has revealed yet another troubling consequence.
What's happening?
The study found that microscopic life living under Arctic sea ice is in danger. As the ice melts and disappears, so do the microscopic organisms.
Unlike other microorganisms that live at the mouths of rivers, along the coast, or even in the open ocean, scientists discovered that the tiny creatures living under Arctic sea ice are far more rare, specialist species. This is because few microorganisms have adapted to survive in such unique and harsh living conditions as under Arctic ice.
As Arctic ice melts, the microscopic organisms are exposed to conditions they haven't evolved to endure, such as ultraviolet light.
"Species can adapt, but change in the Arctic is happening on a timescale that makes this difficult or impossible," said Vicky Jackson, one of the study's lead scientists.
When this happens, the unique Arctic ice microorganisms are unable to compete with more generalist species of microorganisms, causing them to die off.
Why are under-sea microorganisms important?
While the loss of a few microorganisms seems inconsequential in the grand scheme of things, it actually has more macro implications than one might expect.
The tiny organisms, which form complex communities, play a key role as the basis of all marine food webs. Whether directly or indirectly, they feed all other ocean life and their loss could have dire consequences.
The loss of under-ice microorganisms from the food web would stress marine ecosystems. When one link suffers, so does the next link that relies on microorganisms for food. If these organisms have few or no alternative food sources, their population may decline or disappear altogether, weakening the ecosystem's health and stability.
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Definitely 👍 "It is hard to predict what impacts this could have on wider marine food webs," said Jackson.
Reduced or altogether wiped-out populations of certain marine species would certainly have a negative effect on humans, too, who rely heavily on the ocean's bounties as a source of food. The ocean provides about 17% of the world's per capita consumption of animal protein, and seafood also supplies humans with essential high-quality nutrients.
What's being done to save Arctic sea ice?
While there isn't much to be done to immediately rescue threatened under-ice microorganisms, taking everyday actions to reduce one's carbon impact is a surefire way to prevent excess planet-warming, ice-melting gases from entering Earth's atmosphere.
One way the average person can reduce their carbon output is by assessing their transportation habits. For example, instead of driving themselves, individuals can try walking, biking, or taking public transportation to reduce the amount of pollution caused by their private vehicles. In fact, individuals who replace any drive two miles or less with walking or biking can save more than 600 pounds of carbon from entering Earth's atmosphere every year.
If changing one's mode of transportation isn't feasible, there are plenty of other ways people can reduce their carbon output. Growing one's own food, composting, removing grass lawns, switching to energy-efficient devices, installing rooftop solar, and buying an electric vehicle are all excellent options, too.
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