December 2010 had the lowest ice extent for the month since the beginning of satellite records. The linear rate of decline for the month is –3.5% per decade. The low ice conditions in December occurred in conjunction with above-average air temperatures in regions where ice would normally expand at this time of year. Air temperatures […]
By David DeFranza, Washington, DCon January 6, 2011 Between 2005 and 2006, author Fen Montaigne traveled to Antarctica with Fraser to observe the life cycle of the penguins. “This colony was once much larger,” Montaigne says, “but in recent years all the Adélie colonies in the northwestern Antarctic Peninsula have been in steep decline as […]
CBC NewsLast Updated: Monday, January 3, 2011 | 6:46 PM CST A lack of sea ice in parts of Canada’s eastern Arctic is contributing to unusually mild temperatures in Nunavut, according to scientists. In recent months, the weather in many parts of Nunavut has been 10 to 12 degrees above the –20 and –30 C […]
Here are 2010’s most-viewed stories on Desdemona. A few have had further developments since they were posted, and I’ve noted this where appropriate. Not surprisingly, the most popular event was the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, with seven entries (that’s why this post is about the top twenty stories, instead of the top ten). Six of […]
Fears for future of gene pool as interbreeding between vulnerable species driven together by global warming gathers pace By Steve Connor, Science EditorThursday, 16 December 2010 The rapid loss of sea ice in the Arctic is encouraging the formation of hybrids between related species which could accelerate the decline of some of the region’s most […]
By Aislinn Maestas12-07-2010 The polar bears of Western Hudson Bay went without eating this year for approximately 3 weeks longer than usual. According to the National Wildlife Federation, the combined early summer break-up of sea ice and delayed winter freeze-up foreshadows what is likely to be a fast-approaching and grim future for these polar bears. […]
Warning: This video includes disturbing footage of a malnourished polar bear mother and her two cubs in western Hudson Bay, Canada. Some may choose not to watch, because it includes graphic scenes of a malnourished cub experiencing seizures. Both cubs died within two days of the November 23, 2010, filming. As difficult as the images […]
A final refuge of Arctic summer sea ice may be the last outpost for polar bears. By Jessica Marshall Thu Dec 16, 2010 04:05 PM ET As sea ice disappears, a refuge of suitable habitat for polar bears and ringed seals — key polar bear prey — may persist in northeastern Canada and northern […]
Between 1979 and 2008, first-year sea ice in the summer has been declining at a rate of 8.7% per decade, whereas the thick multi-year sea ice in the summer is being lost at an average rate of 6.4% per decade and over 20% per decade in some areas of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. This decreasing […]
There have been significant changes in the water mass characteristics of the Beaufort Sea which may impact species distribution and primary production. The freshwater and heat content of the Beaufort gyre has significantly increased relative to the 1970s. The temperature increase has been related to a twofold increase in the temperature of the Atlantic water […]
