Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats
This paper examines how anthropogenic threats, such as disturbance, pollution and climate change, are linked to polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population biology in the Svalbard and Barents Sea area, with the aim to increase our understanding of how human activity may impact the population. Overharves...
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Norwegian Polar Institute
2016
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:4483a1aa15994fb2a6950b418174a8f1 2023-05-15T15:38:34+02:00 Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats Magnus Andersen Jon Aars 2016-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v35.26029 https://doaj.org/article/4483a1aa15994fb2a6950b418174a8f1 EN eng Norwegian Polar Institute http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/26029/47768 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 1751-8369 doi:10.3402/polar.v35.26029 https://doaj.org/article/4483a1aa15994fb2a6950b418174a8f1 Polar Research, Vol 35, Iss 0, Pp 1-20 (2016) Top predator environmental threats climate warming contamination disturbance habitat change Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v35.26029 2022-12-31T06:40:33Z This paper examines how anthropogenic threats, such as disturbance, pollution and climate change, are linked to polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population biology in the Svalbard and Barents Sea area, with the aim to increase our understanding of how human activity may impact the population. Overharvesting drastically reduced the population of polar bears in the Barents Sea region from about 1870 to 1970. After harvesting was stopped—in 1956 in Russia and 1973 in Norway—the population grew to an estimated 2650 individuals (95% confidence interval 1900–3600) in 2004, and maternity denning in the Svalbard Archipelago became more widely distributed. During recent decades, the population has faced challenges from a variety of new anthropogenic impacts: a range of pollutants, an increasing level of human presence and activity as well as changes in ice conditions. Contaminants bioaccumulate up through the marine food web, culminating in this top predator that consumes ringed, bearded and harp seals. Females with small cubs use land-fast sea ice for hunting and are therefore vulnerable to disturbance by snowmobile drivers. Sea-ice diminution, associated with climate change, reduces polar bears’ access to denning areas and could negatively affect the survival of cubs. There are clear linkages between population biology and current anthropogenic threats, and we suggest that future research and management should focus on and take into consideration the combined effects of several stressors on polar bears. Article in Journal/Newspaper Barents Sea Polar Research Sea ice Svalbard Ursus maritimus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Svalbard Barents Sea Svalbard Archipelago Norway Polar Research 35 1 26029 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Top predator environmental threats climate warming contamination disturbance habitat change Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
spellingShingle |
Top predator environmental threats climate warming contamination disturbance habitat change Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 Magnus Andersen Jon Aars Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
topic_facet |
Top predator environmental threats climate warming contamination disturbance habitat change Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
description |
This paper examines how anthropogenic threats, such as disturbance, pollution and climate change, are linked to polar bear (Ursus maritimus) population biology in the Svalbard and Barents Sea area, with the aim to increase our understanding of how human activity may impact the population. Overharvesting drastically reduced the population of polar bears in the Barents Sea region from about 1870 to 1970. After harvesting was stopped—in 1956 in Russia and 1973 in Norway—the population grew to an estimated 2650 individuals (95% confidence interval 1900–3600) in 2004, and maternity denning in the Svalbard Archipelago became more widely distributed. During recent decades, the population has faced challenges from a variety of new anthropogenic impacts: a range of pollutants, an increasing level of human presence and activity as well as changes in ice conditions. Contaminants bioaccumulate up through the marine food web, culminating in this top predator that consumes ringed, bearded and harp seals. Females with small cubs use land-fast sea ice for hunting and are therefore vulnerable to disturbance by snowmobile drivers. Sea-ice diminution, associated with climate change, reduces polar bears’ access to denning areas and could negatively affect the survival of cubs. There are clear linkages between population biology and current anthropogenic threats, and we suggest that future research and management should focus on and take into consideration the combined effects of several stressors on polar bears. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Magnus Andersen Jon Aars |
author_facet |
Magnus Andersen Jon Aars |
author_sort |
Magnus Andersen |
title |
Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
title_short |
Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
title_full |
Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
title_fullStr |
Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
title_full_unstemmed |
Barents Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
title_sort |
barents sea polar bears (ursus maritimus): population biology and anthropogenic threats |
publisher |
Norwegian Polar Institute |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v35.26029 https://doaj.org/article/4483a1aa15994fb2a6950b418174a8f1 |
geographic |
Svalbard Barents Sea Svalbard Archipelago Norway |
geographic_facet |
Svalbard Barents Sea Svalbard Archipelago Norway |
genre |
Barents Sea Polar Research Sea ice Svalbard Ursus maritimus |
genre_facet |
Barents Sea Polar Research Sea ice Svalbard Ursus maritimus |
op_source |
Polar Research, Vol 35, Iss 0, Pp 1-20 (2016) |
op_relation |
http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/26029/47768 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 1751-8369 doi:10.3402/polar.v35.26029 https://doaj.org/article/4483a1aa15994fb2a6950b418174a8f1 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3402/polar.v35.26029 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
35 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
26029 |
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1766369633358577664 |