Warming temperatures and loss of sea ice is responsible for Arctic "greening," and scientists aren't sure what the long term effects will be.
A study analyzed the change in plant and animal life in Arctic regions, a University of Alaska Fairbanks press release reported.
"Our thought was to see if sea ice decline contributed to greening of the tundra along the coastal areas," Uma Bhatt, an associate professor with UAF's Geophysical Institute, said. "It's a relatively new idea."
Bhatt and Skip Walker, a professor at UAF's Institute of Arctic Biology, both contributed to the report.
The research team went over data spanning 10 years. They found the rapidly changing environment is affecting the food chain. Sea-ice algae is disappearing with the ice itself, making way for larger, healthier algae to grow in its place. Experts are still unsure of the scope of this change.
The shrinking sea ice has restricted old migration paths of certain animals, and made way for new creatures to get through.
"Some animals and plants will become more isolated. In the case of the farthest north and coldest parts of the Arctic, entire biomes may be lost without the cooling effects of disappearing summer sea ice," the press release stated.
As the air warms the soil heats up as well. This phenomenon has allowed new plant life and greenery to pop up in once-barren areas.
The "greening" of the Arctic is so dramatic that it is visible from space. In a strange contradiction, some areas of Russia and Alaska are actually experiencing a cooling effect, and loss of vegetation.
"We don't know why," Bhatt said.
Bhatt believes the study calls to attention the complexity of the climate situation in the Arctic, and scientists should work together to solve the puzzle.
"It's not a simple story here," Bhatt said. "I'm an atmospheric scientist and Skip is a plant biologist. We have had many conversations to understand each other so we might better understand what's happening in the Arctic."
