climate change in polar environments
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The increase in the temperature of the arctic is so rapid, that within the next 30 years it could be free of multi-year ice in the summer. The Arctic Peninsular has lost as much as 13,500km² of ice since 1974. This is have drastic effects on the animals that live there. For example it is estimated that the level of krill has decreased as much as 80% since the 1970’s, primarily due to a loss of ice. However, many large companies have been looking forward to this with increased opportunities for maritime transportation, tourism, and oil and gas exploration. However, many of these activities will have further negative effects on the plants and animals , and "ice-free" seasonal conditions will still present hazards to navigation: unpredictable ice conditions, moving ice floes, unsettled weather, and wave patterns.
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