Causes and consequences of changing ocean properties on polar ecosystems: the SROCC assessment.
Causes and consequences of changing ocean properties on polar ecosystems: the SROCC assessment.
Abstract:
The consequences of climate change on Arctic and Antarctic systems are discussed in the Polar chapter of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. This talk will present the key findings from the Polar Regions chapter with respect to marine ecosystems. This paper complements presentations on physical (sea ice and ocean) change and human responses to polar change. It will synthesize the consequences of changing ocean conditions for phytoplankton and zooplankton, benthic ecosystems, fish and krill, marine mammals and birds, and pelagic food webs in the Arctic and Southern Oceans. Linkages between sea ice and ocean habitat change on the physiology, behavior, life history and phenology of selected Arctic and Southern Ocean species will be presented. It will assess the evidence for current and future range shifts of selected species in response to climate change.