Arctic Sea Ice
Media Coverage of Reduction of Sea Ice in the Arctic The arctic region of the northern hemisphere is a sparsely populated part of the world. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife that has adapted to the harsh environment, which is covered by snow and ice for the majority of the year. Throughout the year a sheet of ice several feet thick, which the wildife depend upon for food, shelter, and survival, covers the ocean. Map of Arctic Ocean, depicting sea ice coverageThis ice sheet has shown a serious reduction in thickness that many scientists have attributed to our warming climate. The sea ice is not very thick, with many places at a couple of inches, while in some places it can grow to nearly ten feet. Recent research has suggested that the ice sheet has experienced a forty percent reduction in the past thirty years.(N) That forty percent decrease amounts to a loss of four inches a year.(N) Conducting research and data acquisition is difficult because the thickness of the ice can only be measured by submarine sonar equipment. The US navy nuclear submarines provide much of the data that is analyzed in sea ice research. This reduction leads many scientists and environmentalist to question what will beco
Many academics embrace the theory that the warming is part of a natural cycle, which has been accelerated by introductions of greenhouse gases by humans. The polar sea ice plays an important role in the earth's natural processes. The sea ice has been moving northward over deeper water, so concern is growing over the ability of nursing mothers to feed their young. There are no better icons to grab the public's attention than polar bears. Sea ice and ice sheets are composed of fresh water, and the introduction of fresh water into a saline environment may affect the wildlife and natural cycles of the ecosystem. The high latitudes of the northern hemisphere where the sea ice is located are not suitable for human habitation, but many species live on or near the sea ice. The issue of global warming has been investigated in all parts of the world, but due to its geographic location the arctic sea ice is one of the first places in the world to show signs of a warming climate. Walruses diet consists mainly of mollusks and other bottom dwelling species. These tribes hunt the mammals that live on the ice sheets, and media coverage focused on impacts relating to their hunting season and livelihood. In the past two years there has been a substantial increase in the number of stories relating to the arctic ice sheets. (N) A recent expedition along the sea ice revealed a decrease in the juvenile population indicating, that the overall population may be in decline as a result of the retreating ice. The media has included the plight of the bears in nearly all the articles I discovered relating to the reduction of the ice sheets. This can be attributed to recent scientific discoveries and the advent of new technologies that have enabled researchers to make better assessments of changes in the ice sheets. me of the species that depend on the seasonal variations in the sea ice for survival.
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Acceptance Essays
