Climate change impacts on sea-ice ecosystems and associated ecosystem services

Type Article
Date 2021-10
Language English
Author(s) Steiner Nadja S.1, 2, 3, Bowman Jeff4, Campbell Karley5, 6, Chierici Melissa7, Eronen-Rasimus Eeva8, 9, Falardeau Marianne10, 11, 12, 13, Flores Hauke14, Fransson Agneta15, Herr Helena14, 16, Insley Stephen J17, 18, Kauko Hanna M.15, Lannuzel Delphine19, Loseto Lisa20, 21, Lynnes Amanda22, Majewski Andy20, Meiners Klaus M.23, 24, Miller Lisa A.1, Michel LoicORCID25, Moreau Sebastien15, Nacke Melissa26, Nomura Daiki27, Tedesco Letizia9, Van Franeker Jan Andries28, Van Leeuwe Maria A29, Wongpan Pat24
Affiliation(s) 1 : Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, BC, Canada
2 : Canadian Center for Climate Modelling and Analysis, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canada, Victoria, BC, Canada
3 : School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
4 : Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
5 : UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
6 : Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
7 : Institute of Marine Research, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
8 : Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
9 : Finnish Environment Institute, Marine Research Centre, Helsinki, Finland
10 : Institute of Integrative Biology and Systems, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
11 : Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
12 : Department of Biology, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
13 : Research Center of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
14 : Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany
15 : Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, Tromsø, Norway
16 : Center of Natural History (CeNak), Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
17 : Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, Canada
18 : Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
19 : Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
20 : Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
21 : Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
22 : International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO), South Kingstown, RI, USA
23 : Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tasmania, Australia
24 : Australian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
25 : Ifremer, Centre de Bretagne, REM/EEP, Laboratoire Environnement Profond, Plouzané, France
26 : Association of Arctic Expedition Cruise Operators, Tromsø, Norway
27 : Hokkaido University, Hakodate and Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan
28 : WUR, Wageningen Marine Research, Den Helder, the Netherlands
29 : Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
Source Elementa-science Of The Anthropocene (2325-1026) (University of California Press), 2021-10 , Vol. 9 , N. 1 , P. 00007 (55p.)
DOI 10.1525/elementa.2021.00007
WOS© Times Cited 27
Keyword(s) Sea-ice ecosystems, Ecosystem services, EBSA, Polar regions, Climate change, Marine Protected Area (MPA)
Abstract

A rigorous synthesis of the sea-ice ecosystem and linked ecosystem services highlights that the sea-ice ecosystem supports all 4 ecosystem service categories, that sea-ice ecosystems meet the criteria for ecologically or biologically significant marine areas, that global emissions driving climate change are directly linked to the demise of sea-ice ecosystems and its ecosystem services, and that the sea-ice ecosystem deserves specific attention in the evaluation of marine protected area planning. The synthesis outlines (1) supporting services, provided in form of habitat, including feeding grounds and nurseries for microbes, meiofauna, fish, birds and mammals (particularly the key species Arctic cod, Boreogadus saida, and Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, which are tightly linked to the sea-ice ecosystem and transfer carbon from sea-ice primary producers to higher trophic level fish, mammal species and humans); (2) provisioning services through harvesting and medicinal and genetic resources; (3) cultural services through Indigenous and local knowledge systems, cultural identity and spirituality, and via cultural activities, tourism and research; (4) (climate) regulating services through light regulation, the production of biogenic aerosols, halogen oxidation and the release or uptake of greenhouse gases, for example, carbon dioxide. The ongoing changes in the polar regions have strong impacts on sea-ice ecosystems and associated ecosystem services. While the response of sea-ice–associated primary production to environmental change is regionally variable, the effect on ice-associated mammals and birds is predominantly negative, subsequently impacting human harvesting and cultural services in both polar regions. Conservation can help protect some species and functions. However, the key mitigation measure that can slow the transition to a strictly seasonal ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, reduce the overall loss of sea-ice habitats from the ocean, and thus preserve the unique ecosystem services provided by sea ice and their contributions to human well-being is a reduction in carbon emissions.

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Steiner Nadja S., Bowman Jeff, Campbell Karley, Chierici Melissa, Eronen-Rasimus Eeva, Falardeau Marianne, Flores Hauke, Fransson Agneta, Herr Helena, Insley Stephen J, Kauko Hanna M., Lannuzel Delphine, Loseto Lisa, Lynnes Amanda, Majewski Andy, Meiners Klaus M., Miller Lisa A., Michel Loic, Moreau Sebastien, Nacke Melissa, Nomura Daiki, Tedesco Letizia, Van Franeker Jan Andries, Van Leeuwe Maria A, Wongpan Pat (2021). Climate change impacts on sea-ice ecosystems and associated ecosystem services. Elementa-science Of The Anthropocene, 9(1), 00007 (55p.). Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.2021.00007 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00732/84412/