Arctic Report Essay

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Recommended: Impact of global warming on arctic region

Sophie Allen
Professor McIlrath
OCE 2001
20 May 2014
Arctic Report
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2013 brought an increased arrival of fish and bottom dwelling species to the Arctic waters (“Marine Fishes of the Arctic” sec. 2). While this information was only released in the recent months, scientists concerned with the outlook of the Artic have been pondering the future of this environment for decades. In predicting the future arrival of new species of fish and other wildlife, scientists could have hypothesized that: If the global climate continues to increase, then the Artic environment will become home to new species of fish and other bottom-dwelling creatures, as the warmer waters will encourage their migration. Through measurements of the global climate, as well as observations and samplings of the water, scientists were able to compare the change in climate to the addition of new species in Artic waters. Findings conclude that within benthic communities, deviations in climate have caused species to shift, as well as influencing the configuration of their communities (“Artic Benthic Communities” sec. 1). With regards to fish, it was found that species are expanding their ranges as the Arctic waters increase in temperature, resulting in the observation of said species in the Arctic and sub-Arctic waters (“Marine Fishes of the Arctic” sec. 1).
Along with their findings about fish and benthic species that inhabit the Arctic waters, the NOAA’s Arctic Report released data related to the atmosphere, sea ice, sea level, and marine ecosystems. The atmosphere data collected concluded that while the average temperatures were still warmer than usual, they were down from the extreme temperatures reco...

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"Arctic Sea Ice Biota." Arctic Report Card. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .
"Atmosphere Summary." Arctic Report Card. National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .
"Is Sea Level Rising?." National Ocean Service. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .
"Marine Fishes of the Arctic." Arctic Report Card. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .
"Sea Ice." Arctic Report Card. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, n.d. Web. 20 May 2014. .

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