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Evidence suggests potential transformation of the Pacific Arctic ecosystem is underway

Author

Listed:
  • Henry P. Huntington

    (Huntington Consulting)

  • Seth L. Danielson

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Francis K. Wiese

    (Stantec)

  • Matthew Baker

    (North Pacific Research Board)

  • Peter Boveng

    (NOAA)

  • John J. Citta

    (Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

  • Alex De Robertis

    (NOAA)

  • Danielle M. S. Dickson

    (North Pacific Research Board)

  • Ed Farley

    (NOAA)

  • J. Craighead George

    (North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management)

  • Katrin Iken

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • David G. Kimmel

    (NOAA)

  • Kathy Kuletz

    (US Fish and Wildlife Service)

  • Carol Ladd

    (NOAA)

  • Robert Levine

    (University of Washington)

  • Lori Quakenbush

    (Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

  • Phyllis Stabeno

    (NOAA)

  • Kathleen M. Stafford

    (University of Washington)

  • Dean Stockwell

    (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

  • Chris Wilson

    (NOAA)

Abstract

The highly productive northern Bering and Chukchi marine shelf ecosystem has long been dominated by strong seasonality in sea-ice and water temperatures. Extremely warm conditions from 2017 into 2019—including loss of ice cover across portions of the region in all three winters—were a marked change even from other recent warm years. Biological indicators suggest that this change of state could alter ecosystem structure and function. Here, we report observations of key physical drivers, biological responses and consequences for humans, including subsistence hunting, commercial fishing and industrial shipping. We consider whether observed state changes are indicative of future norms, whether an ecosystem transformation is already underway and, if so, whether shifts are synchronously functional and system wide or reveal a slower cascade of changes from the physical environment through the food web to human society. Understanding of this observed process of ecosystem reorganization may shed light on transformations occurring elsewhere.

Suggested Citation

  • Henry P. Huntington & Seth L. Danielson & Francis K. Wiese & Matthew Baker & Peter Boveng & John J. Citta & Alex De Robertis & Danielle M. S. Dickson & Ed Farley & J. Craighead George & Katrin Iken & , 2020. "Evidence suggests potential transformation of the Pacific Arctic ecosystem is underway," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 10(4), pages 342-348, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:10:y:2020:i:4:d:10.1038_s41558-020-0695-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-020-0695-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Tero Mustonen & Brie Van Dam, 2021. "Climate Change and Unalakleet: A Deep Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-26, September.

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