Essential organisms affected by melting ice: study
(NEWSER) - Melting Arctic ice has spurred tiny organisms in the region to bloom far earlier, a study suggests—a shift which could have disastrous results for the entire Arctic ecosystem. Phytoplankton are at the root of the food web there: zooplankton subsist on them, fish eat the zooplankton, birds eat the fish, and so on. But now, phytoplankton populations are peaking as many as 50 days earlier than they were just 14 years ago, reports the Washington Post . "A 50-day shift is a big shift," says one expert; the study's author calls the trend "obvious and significant." More»
