Students play a game that demonstrates the importance of primary production by Arctic Ocean ice algae and the use of isotopes to trace sources of nutrients in food webs. They also discuss the implications of shrinking Arctic sea ice as a result of climate change.
The extent and thickness of Arctic sea ice has diminished significantly during the first decade of the 21rst century, reaching a record low summer extent in 2007. Changes in sea ice have major impacts on Arctic marine ecosystems and on the fish and wildlife species upon which many Alaskan coastal communities and Native cultures depend.
COSEE Alaska Office: 1007 West Third Avenue, Suite 100 • Anchorage, AK 99501 • tel (907) 274-9612 • fax (907) 277-5242
email • Nora.Deans@nprb.org, Program Director or msigman@alaska.edu, Program Manager
