The Arctic Ocean (AO) is, despite its isolated localization in the extreme north, where human activity is restricted, exposed to anthropogenic pollution that has, or threatens to have, impact on the ecology. In this review, we discuss the characteristics of the AO that favors transport of ...
particularly through ocean warming, sea-ice shrinkage and enhanced pollution. To test impacts on arctic marine ecological functioning, we used a 12-year integrative study of little auks (Alle alle), the most abundant seabird in the Atlantic Arctic. We monitored the foraging ecology, reproduction, ...
an ice-free Arctic Ocean would improve access to high northern latitudes for recreational and industrial activities; this would likely place additional stress on tundra plants and animals as well as compromise theresilienceof the tundraecosystemitself. In alpine tundras too, climate warming could encou...
Plastic pollution is now pervasive in the Arctic, even in areas with no apparent human activity, such as the deep seafloor. In this Review, we describe the sources and impacts of Arctic plastic pollution, including plastic debris and microplastics, which have infiltrated terrestrial and aquatic sys...
There are two main reasons. The Arctic is an ocean surrounded by land, and human activities on the surrounding land have a direct impact on it. Also, when sea ice, snow, glaciers and permafrost melt, darker land or ocean surfaces can absorb more energy from the sun, causing a...
The Arctic Ocean receives massive inputs of fresh water from continental runoff as well as relatively low-salinity Pacific waters delivered through the Bering Strait (Fig.1). Net precipitation on the ocean surface and inputs from the Norwegian Coastal Current and Fram Strait deep water also contri...
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a serious environmental issue of growing global concern due to the increasing plastic production and usage. Under climate warming, the cryosphere, defined as the part of Earth’s layer characterized by the low temperatures and the presence of frozen water, ...
The warming of water could also pose a threat to human communities living near the coastal region — as the ice melts and ocean waves grow larger, the coast could see dangerous erosion. Can the loss of sea ice be prevented? Scientists do say there is hope for preserving the Arctic for as...
As the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s annual Arctic Report Card concludes, “cascading disruptions, extreme events, and increasing variability throughout the Arctic impact the safety and well-being of communities within and far away from the Arctic” [2] (p. 2). As climate ...
Certain ship types may have more stringent design requirements depending on the type and quantity of cargo. Operational requirements primarily focus on controlling pollution from intentional, operational discharges or routine operations such as ship-to-ship transfer of crude oil. From an operational risk...