The Negative Impact of Human Activities on Polar Ecosystem

Yuxing Wang

Hangzhou Foreign Language School, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Keywords: Distraction, Animal Habitats, Global Warming.

Abstract: In recent years, the rapid development of science and technology has led to the emergence of many

environmental challenges, which have aroused wide attention of the international community. The

uninterrupted advancement of human society has exerted innumerable impacts on the natural world, with the

most striking example being the striking alterations in Arctic Sea ice. The Arctic Sea ice coverage is projected

to plummet to an unprecedented low in 2023, heralding a distressing new era. Recent studies indicate that the

Arctic might experience an almost complete absence of floating ice in the summer by the 2030s,

approximately a decade earlier than previously anticipated. Catastrophic consequences have been attributed

to anthropogenic global warming, with researchers estimating that as much as 90 percent of the glacier's

melting can be attributed to human activities. Even with the implementation of stringent emission reduction

measures, the current situation appears to be irreversible. Furthermore, global warming has profoundly

influenced the polar ecological environment. This paper, through comprehensive data and research reports,

ascertains that a multitude of human activities have significantly impaired the living environment and

behavioral patterns of polar organisms in various aspects. It is hoped that this article will enlighten the public

about the deleterious effects of human activities on the environment.

1 INTRODUCTION

As science and technology continue to evolve, the

degradation of natural resources and the environment

is escalating, particularly in polar regions. This has

caused irreparable harm, leading to the extinction of

many species and permanent damage to their habitats.

The Arctic ecosystem, spanning approximately 14

million square kilometers, is composed of three

subregional systems: the high-latitude polar desert in

eastern Canada, primarily composed of bare soil and

rock with scattered plant communities; a layer of

permafrost, consisting of continuous, open plains

with vegetation at low altitudes; and forest

permafrost, a transitional zone from northern forest to

southern forest, featuring continuous forest cover and

scattered open lands akin to tundra (Antarctica et al.,

2012). In recent weeks, temperatures have soared to

over 30 degrees Celsius above the Arctic Circle in

northern Sweden, and in northern Siberia,

temperatures reached 32 degrees Celsius earlier this

month (Antarctica et al., 2012). Typically, the

average temperature in the region during this time of

year is only 10 degrees Celsius. Data from the US

National Snow and Ice Data Center reveal that

abnormally high temperatures have accelerated the

melting of Arctic Sea ice this summer, resulting in an

unprecedented loss of sea ice along the coasts of

northern Europe and northwestern Russia. The

disappearance of sea ice not only imperils the survival

of species like polar bears but could also exacerbate

abnormal weather patterns in the Northern

Hemisphere (Retejum, 2021). Currently, the warming

rate in the Northern Hemisphere is faster than the

global average, leading to drier and more flammable

forests. A recent study discovered that forests in the

Northern Hemisphere are burning at a rate not

witnessed in at least 10,000 years, with over 50 forest

fires occurring in Sweden alone.

2 THE IMPACT OF HUMAN

ACTIVITIES ON POLAR

ECOSYSTEM

2.1 The Destruction of Animals

The melting of Arctic Sea ice has a profound impact

on the distribution and population structure of ice

dependent species, including polar bears. Using

remote sensing sea ice concentration data and satellite

168

Wang, Y.

The Negative Impact of Human Activities on Polar Ecosystem.

DOI: 10.5220/0013852900004914

Paper published under CC license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Renewable Energy and Ecosystem (ICREE 2024), pages 168-171

ISBN: 978-989-758-776-4

telemetry data from Baffin Bay, Canada, author

studied adult female polar bears in the 1990s (n = 43)

and early 2000s (n = 38) to try to determine whether

changes in sea ice habitat affected migration and

habitat selection of these organisms (Summerson and

Bishop, 2012). Polar bears, living in the Arctic,

heavily rely on sea ice for survival, using it for

hunting and breeding. Sea ice provides them with

abundant food and essential resting areas. Seals,

found on sea ice, are their main source of food.

However, climate change is causing rising

temperatures and melting glaciers, shrinking sea ice.

This threatens polar bears, as the loss of sea ice means

their hunting grounds are disappearing, forcing them

to face harsher feeding conditions. Without sea ice,

they must swim longer distances to find food,

expending much energy and often unsuccessfully

(Chwedorzewska and Korczak, 2010). The lack of

stable ice and hunting resources is also affecting their

ability to reproduce. Research shows many polar

bears are struggling to reproduce successfully,

leading to a decline in their population. The loss of

polar bear habitat not only endangers the species but

also harms the entire ecosystem. Their disappearance

will likely cause unpredictable changes in other

species in the ecological chain. To address this issue,

it's crucial to prioritize environmental protection and

global warming mitigation. The international

community must work harder to create stricter

environmental protection plans and reduce

greenhouse gas emissions (Laidre et al., 2018).

Enhanced protection measures for polar bears are

necessary to ensure their survival and promote

sustainable habitats.

The colossal Pacific walrus, characterized by its

immense size, resides within the continental shelves

of the Bering and Chukchi Seas, with its annual range

encompassing these aquatic regions. Between 2006

and 2009, discrete selection models were employed

to investigate the availability of benthic caloric

biomass and sea ice concentration within the ice-

covered St. Lawrence Island, a renowned walrus

wintering site in the northern Bering Sea, with the

objective of deciphering the location behavior of

radio-tagged adult walrus. The study revealed that the

research area contains a considerable portion of the

total caloric biomass of dominant large animals, with

over 60% constituted by bivalve Nuculidae,

Tellinidae and Nuculanidae (Jay et al., 2014). The

model estimates clearly show that there is a strong

correlation between walrus location and the

distribution of iodiform bivalves' caloric biomass.

Walruses were observed to be attracted to areas with

reduced ice concentrations, a trend consistent with the

high ice concentrations available to them. Notably,

akin to other studies, areas with high average

predictions of walrus siting exhibited a strong

correlation with areas possessing high organic carbon

inputs. This suggests a potential correlation between

walruses' preferred habitat and the accessibility of

food resources. Considering the expected decrease in

sea ice in the frozen area of Saint Lawrence Island

and the possibility of a simultaneous decrease in

bivalves in the area, it is reasonable that the wintering

grounds of walruses in the northern Bering Sea may

move northward. The Falkland Islands serve as a

crucial breeding ground for three penguin species,

including the Papua Penguin, the Southern

Rockhopper penguin, and the Magellanic penguin.

The aggregate population of penguins in this region

underwent a distressing 84% decline between the

1980s and 1990s. However, this decline was not

observed in coastal South America, prompting an

investigation into the potential causes of the Falkland

Islands' precipitous population decline (Bingham,

2002). The primary suspect is the extensive

commercial fishing in polar area in order to decrease

drastic in the availability of fish and squid, the

penguins' primary sources of sustenance. Populations

of rockhoppers and Gentoo penguins have stabilized

since 1995, albeit at much lower levels than prior to

the initiation of fishing commercially. This has been

accompanied by an increase in chick-rearing success

and chick’s rate of survival. In contrast, the number

of Magellan penguins in the Falkland Islands

continues to decline. Dietary analysis shows that

Magellan penguins rely more on commercially

caught squid and fish. To make matters worse, oil

drilling began around the Falkland Islands in 1998,

despite warnings of inadequate environmental

protection. Within a month, the first of three leaks

occurred, resulting in the death of hundreds of

penguins and pollution. Five months later, the rig

stopped operations and left the Falkland Islands.

Fortunately, there was no further oil spill.

Unfortunately, in the near future, even though oil

exploration is planned to be completed, strengthening

environmental protection is still not a priority.

The endangered beluga whale population in the

St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) in Quebec, Canada, is

threatened by historical large-scale hun ting,

anthropogenic pollution, and human activities in the

region. The main factor cause of death in its

population is infectious diseases. The protozoan

parasite Toxoplasma gondii has been discovered in

The Negative Impact of Human Activities on Polar Ecosystem

169

various marine mammal species, including beluga

whales. In this study, the te 55 different samples

(heart and brain) from 34 stranded SLE belugas,

employing PCR methods. Subsequently, author

conducted DNA sequencing and restriction fragment

length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis to determine

the prevalence and genotype of Toxoplasma gondii in

these whales. Of the 34 beluga whales tested, the

result state that 44% are found to be infected with

Toxoplasma gondii undergoes polymerase chain

reaction. It is worth noting that compared to females,

male mice have a higher infection rate, and the

infection rates of newborn and juvenile mice are

higher than those of adult mice (Iqbal et al., 2018 &

Braun et al., 2012). Molecular analysis shows that the

stranded SLE beluga whale infected with

Toxoplasma gondii belongs to genotype II and is

commonly present in humans. Although the findings

illustrate a significant prevalence of stranded beluga

whales infected with toxoplasmosis PCR-positive,

low percentage of deaths can be concluded by

toxoplasmosis, according to published autopsy.

Toxoplasma gondii is capable of causing various

diseases, including the results of neurological

disorders, and further research is necessary to

investigate the parasite’s effect on the recovery of

population.

Located approximately 400 kilometers north of

the Arctic Circle, Norilsk is a part of Russia's

northernmost region, known as Xinjiang, which is

abundant in copper, nickel, and a variety of other

minerals. It serves as one of the primary hubs for the

country's non-ferrous metals industry (Tin, Liggett

and Maher, 2012). With the growing focus on the

development of energy in the Arctic region, Norilsk

has transformed into a globally renowned

metallurgical nerve center, giving rise to the world's

largest nickel smelting company, Norilsk Nickel. On

May 29, 2020, a storage tank at a thermal power plant

owned by Norilsk Nickel experienced a catastrophic

failure, leading to the leakage of over 20,000 tons of

diesel fuel. The incident transformed the neighboring

Amberya River into a crimson mess, contaminating

an area of approximately 350 square kilometers.

Subsequently, the company attempted to suppress

news of the accident, allowing the leaked diesel to

flow an additional 12 kilometers along the

Amberanya River into Lake Piasino, and eventually

into the Arctic Ocean. According to the Russian

environmental monitoring service, approximately

15,000 tons of diesel oil entered the water body, while

6,000 tons contaminated the soil, resulting in various

organisms being contaminated by heavy metals. The

damage to the Arctic's ecological environment is

immense. Therefore, it is crucial for individuals to

actively endorse sustainable development in the

Arctic. The distinctive of region on natural

environment is essential to the planet's ecology. Any

environmental pollution disaster will inevitably have

unforeseen consequences. The Norilsk spill serves as

a stark reminder to the international community of the

necessity to responsibly develop and utilize the

resources of the Arctic region.

2.2 The Damage Caused by the Oil

Spill

Situated about 400 kilometers north of the Arctic

Circle, Norilsk is a constituent of Russia's farthest

northern region, Xinjiang, which is abundant in

copper, nickel, and various other mineral resources. It

serves as one of Russia's principal bases for the non-

ferrous metal industries (Tin, Liggett and Maher,

2012). With the increasing attention being paid to

energy development in the Arctic region, Norilsk has

metamorphosed into a globally acclaimed

metallurgical nerve center, giving rise to the world's

largest nickel smelting company, Norilsk Nickel. On

May 29, 2020, a storage tank at a thermal power plant

owned by Norilsk Nickel catastrophically failed,

leading to the spillage of over 20,000 tons of diesel

fuel. This incident turned the adjacent Ambernaya

River into a gory red mess, contaminating an area of

approximately 350 square kilometers. Subsequently,

the company's attempts to suppress the news of the

accident caused the leaked diesel oil to flow an

additional 12 kilometers, following the Ambernaya

River into Lake Piasino, and eventually reaching the

Arctic Ocean. According to Russia's environmental

monitoring department, approximately 15,000 tons of

diesel oil entered the water body, and 6,000 tons

tainted the soil, leading to heavy metal pollution

across various organisms. The devastation wreaked

upon the Arctic's ecological environment is

unfathomable. Therefore, it is of paramount

importance for people to actively endorse sustainable

development in the Arctic region, which distinctive

natural habitats is vital to Earth's ecology. Any

environmental pollution disaster will unravel

unanticipated consequences. The Norilsk oil tank leak

serves as a harrowing reminder for the international

community to responsibly develop and utilize the

resources of the Arctic region.

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170

2.3 Ozone Layer Destruction

The recently published study in Nature

Communications, dated June 23rd, suggests that

climate change has induced substantial alterations in

atmospheric conditions within the Arctic,

exacerbating the seasonal depletion of the Arctic

ozone layer. Should greenhouse gas emissions

continue at elevated levels, the situation is anticipated

to worsen further in the coming decades. By the turn

of the century, substantial harm can be expected.

Research finding reveal a significant escalation in the

local maximum of polar stratospheric clouds

(PFPLM) over the past 50 years. Given that the

surface of the polar stratospheric cloud is capable of

adsorbing chlorine-containing materials and

activating the chlorine within them, it plays a vital

part while the production of the ozone hole: the larger

the PFPLM, the more easily the ozone layer is

destroyed. The expansion of the PFPLM's size is

attributed to the increasingly protracted polar vortex

over the Arctic. The researchers discovered that over

the past half-century, the Arctic polar vortex has

expanded by 3.5-4.8 days per decade. The low

temperatures within the polar vortex are crucial for

the formation of polar stratospheric clouds. By

utilizing weather model simulations, the researchers

determined that the escalating duration of the polar

vortex in the Arctic is a consequence of the alterations

in the climate system brought about by the increasing

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The

accumulating greenhouse gases are enhancing

radiative forces, which results in more energy from

solar radiation being retained at the surface (Laidre et

al., 2018). Consequently, the stratosphere above the

Arctic is cooling down. Furthermore, changes in sea

surface temperatures in the North Pacific, under the

influence of changing climate patterns, contribute to

these developments.

3 CONCLUSION

Human activities, such as oil exploration, polar

tourism, and sea traffic, have significantly impacted

the ecological environment of the polar regions.

Indirectly or directly, these activities contribute to a

significant decline in species, modifications in the

global ecological environment, and severe damage to

species diversity. Consequently, it becomes

imperative to formulate targeted strategies to

safeguard the polar environment and preserve the

population of polar organisms. To ensure that polar

organisms will not confront migration challenges, it

is crucial to take immediate action.

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