The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) are endangered due to accelerated climate warming, which is affecting sea ice thickness which polar bears rely on for finding food and mates (Elvin 2014). An approach to help support polar bear subpopulations is the Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) methodology. This method is used for assessing, monitoring, and managing ecosystems as well as taking into account of human activities; fishing, pollution, ecosystem health, etc (Elvin 2014). There are seventeen arctic LMEs that contain nineteen polar bear subpopulations, of which eight are declining and seven have no data. It is estimated that only one-third of the population will remain by 2050 (Elvin 2014). The LME method is important in order to use science and include
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2014). Hamilton et al. (2014) links Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) to sea ice loss as they rely on sea ice for food, migration, and mating. The impact of climate warming on polar bears was predicted by projections of monthly sea ice concentrations (SIC), ice thickness, and snow depth from 2006 to 2100 (Hamilton et al. 2014). The projections by Hamilton et al. (2014) estimate that in the late 21st century, the south and central regions of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) will be ice-free for five months, and thus will not be able to reach 100% SIC, along with declines in ice thickness and snow depth. Ice-free periods negatively affect adult male polar bears body mass and reproduction in females. Both these events significantly affect the population abundance of polar bears (Hamilton et al. 2014). Hamilton et al. (2014) further predict that 80% of the CAA will be ice-free by 2070. This will force pregnant females to deliver earlier than expected, which leads to negative consequences for their offspring (Hamilton et al. 2014). Hamilton et al. (2014) propose that conservation efforts be used to protect polar bears in regions of the CAA that experience slow changes in SIC and ice-free …show more content…
Kutz et al. (2014) found that soil surface temperatures in the Arctic tundra were warmer than air temperatures, which allowed for infective larvae to develop quickly due to rapid metabolic processes. The warmer temperatures allowed for lower latitude insects and parasites to expand their geographic range into the Arctic tundra (Kutz et al. 2014). Species may be able to avoid parasites by migrating, however migration may make them more vulnerable to the parasites when returning to home grounds due to increased climate warming and deglaciation of coastal zones (Kutz et al. 2014). Kutz et al. (2014) predict that the movement of animals between populations may allow the movement of parasites, which can have consequences that are thus far
2014). Hamilton et al. (2014) links Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) to sea ice loss as they rely on sea ice for food, migration, and mating. The impact of climate warming on polar bears was predicted by projections of monthly sea ice concentrations (SIC), ice thickness, and snow depth from 2006 to 2100 (Hamilton et al. 2014). The projections by Hamilton et al. (2014) estimate that in the late 21st century, the south and central regions of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) will be ice-free for five months, and thus will not be able to reach 100% SIC, along with declines in ice thickness and snow depth. Ice-free periods negatively affect adult male polar bears body mass and reproduction in females. Both these events significantly affect the population abundance of polar bears (Hamilton et al. 2014). Hamilton et al. (2014) further predict that 80% of the CAA will be ice-free by 2070. This will force pregnant females to deliver earlier than expected, which leads to negative consequences for their offspring (Hamilton et al. 2014). Hamilton et al. (2014) propose that conservation efforts be used to protect polar bears in regions of the CAA that experience slow changes in SIC and ice-free …show more content…
Kutz et al. (2014) found that soil surface temperatures in the Arctic tundra were warmer than air temperatures, which allowed for infective larvae to develop quickly due to rapid metabolic processes. The warmer temperatures allowed for lower latitude insects and parasites to expand their geographic range into the Arctic tundra (Kutz et al. 2014). Species may be able to avoid parasites by migrating, however migration may make them more vulnerable to the parasites when returning to home grounds due to increased climate warming and deglaciation of coastal zones (Kutz et al. 2014). Kutz et al. (2014) predict that the movement of animals between populations may allow the movement of parasites, which can have consequences that are thus far