Sea ice as a habitat and ecological interface
Abstract The profound effects of sea ice on the climatic and oceanographic environments in which polar organisms live have been outlined in Chapter 1. It is more variable and heterogeneous in structure than land ice and since it is in contact with liquid water and consequently does not reach such lo...
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| Format: | Book Part |
| Language: | unknown |
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Oxford University PressOxford
1998
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198549543.003.0007 https://academic.oup.com/book/chapter-pdf/52366940/isbn-9780198549543-book-part-7.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract The profound effects of sea ice on the climatic and oceanographic environments in which polar organisms live have been outlined in Chapter 1. It is more variable and heterogeneous in structure than land ice and since it is in contact with liquid water and consequently does not reach such low temperatures as does land ice, it provides a variety of niches for active life. Sea ice has a unique ecological role. It interposes a solid interface between two fluid phases—biologically productive seawater and air, unproductive but allowing exceptional mobility to animals able to take advantage of it. It modifies environmental conditions in the sea below and also provides a platform on which air-breathing birds and mammals can live, breed, and base foraging forays into the water. Although its annual cycle of advance and retreat is a recurrent pattern, the distribution and local structure is irregular. Its variations from year to year affect all levels in the marine ecosystem. |
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