A recent $40 million all season study, conducted by ten teams from 27 countries was presented at the Polar Year Conference in Montreal in late April 2012. Teams studied open water along breaks in multi-year ice shelves, or what are called flaw leads to determine what effect global warming is having on the Arctic Ocean.
"The Arctic Ocean is definitely changing on a whole lot of different fronts," professor David Barber of the University of Manitoba said.
Scientist discovered that an increase in open water is dramatically affecting the carbon cycle and creating underwater 'storms' that impact the flow of flora and fauna into the Arctic Ocean. The study is the first of its kind and comes at a time when Canadian Government funding for Arctic research is being slashed.
With more open waters making the Arctic Ocean more accessible each year concerns are being raised about economic buffer zones, security risks, and resources newly accessible, especially fishing.
A group of more than 2,000 scientists from around the world are urging the leaders of all five Arctic nations to impose a moratorium on industrial fishing. With so little still known about the Arctic Ocean, Arctic leaders are being asked to develop an accord to ensure sustainability of Arctic fishing grounds.
View April 27, 2012 Canada.com article
View April 25, 2012 Montreal Gazette article
View April 24, 2012 Montreal Gazette article
View April 23, 2012 Montreal Gazette article
Source:
Montreal Gazzette
|