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Loss of Smaller Bodies of Water
The Ward Hunt Ice Shelf used to be the largest single block of ice in the Arctic, but it cracked and splintered at the beginning of this decade. The enclosed freshwater lake was lost as it drained into the ocean, no longer protected by the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf.
Changes to Animal and Marine Life
The loss of the polar caps affects the feeding habits and migration patterns of animals. Indigenous people and animals, including whales, polar bears, penguins, seals and walruses, will find it increasingly difficult to hunt for food. Some animals, though, will benefit from the increased water volume and higher temperatures, such as pollock, salmon and other fish whereas others, like clams and crabs, are unlikely to survive. Warmer waters also bring new predators. Coral reefs are most vulnerable, impacting shoreline erosion as well as the production of antibiotics and other disease-fighting drugs. Sustained coral bleaching may lead to the death of corals.
Acceleration of Global Warming
In one big cycle, as the Arctic ice decreases, the volume of open water--and therefore the absorption of solar energy by that water--increases. Ocean temperatures rise as a result, causing a further decrease in ice. Lessening snow and ice in the Arctic leads to higher global temperatures, which leads to faster ice loss. The warming is furthered by an increase in greenhouse gases from warmer ocean waters, soil and vegetation.
Rising Sea Levels
The Arctic polar cap is like a floating sheet of ice. Thus, melting Arctic ice will not affect sea level, just as a melting ice cube doesn't change the water level in a glass. However, the large masses of ice in Greenland and Antarctica rest on land. The melting of these ice masses, as well as glaciers, does contribute to rising sea levels.
Rising sea levels threaten low-lying areas from the Maldives to Shanghai to the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts with erosion. Heavily populated areas could be forced inward because of coastal flooding. Higher sea levels also contribute to lower and contaminated bodies of freshwater.
Changes to Weather Patterns
Loss of Arctic ice causes warmer winters in areas that normally experience freezing temperatures. Warmer summers could result in drier lands, robbing soil of moisture. Higher temperatures may lead to more frequent, more extreme weather such as hurricanes, severe rainstorms and blizzards.
Reduced Crop Production
Warmer weather resulting from the melting ice can lead to reduced food production. Both winter and summer crops will be affected by changes to weather patterns.
Impact on Human Life
People with waterfront property may lose their homes or businesses in heavily populated areas. Infrastructure, such as buildings, roads and airports, could be impacted. At the same time, although some cities might suffer reduced land mass as melting ice leads to flooding, the increased water expands fishing, shipping and offshore drilling opportunities.