Causes of interannual variability in the sea ice cover of the Eastern Bering Sea

Various aspects of seasonal and interannual variability of the sea ice cover are estimated on the basis of all available the Bering Sea ice data from 1960 to 2017. The possibility of long-term and superlong-term modeling of the ice cover is investigated. Results of tests are given, and a conclusion about prospects of the proposed model and an opportunity of its practical application is done.

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Climate warming and the loss of sea ice: the impact of sea-ice variability on the southeastern Bering Sea pelagic ecosystem

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsaa206 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

George L Hunt ◽

Ellen M Yasumiishi ◽

Lisa B Eisner ◽

Phyllis J Stabeno ◽

Mary Beth Decker

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Climate Warming ◽

Bering Sea ◽

Ice Cover ◽

Walleye Pollock ◽

Pelagic Ecosystem ◽

Eastern Bering Sea ◽

Calanus Glacialis ◽

Class Strength ◽

The Impact

Abstract We investigated relationships among three metrics of sea-ice cover in eight regions of the eastern Bering Sea and the abundance of Calanus copepods, jellyfish medusae, and year-class strength of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). In summer, Calanus spp. were more abundant over the middle shelf when sea ice lingered late into spring, and, to a lesser extent, when February sea-ice cover was heavy. Between 1982 and 1999, there were no significant (p ≤ 0.05) relationships between the amount or timing of sea-ice cover and pollock recruitment. However, between 2000 and 2015, pollock year-class strength was positively correlated with sea ice in the outer and middle shelves, with 17 of 24 regressions significant. Pollock year-class strength was best predicted by days with sea-ice cover after February. Pollock recruitment was positively influenced by copepod numbers, particularly in the middle shelf, with r2 values from 0.36 to 0.47. We hypothesize that the Calanus spp. present in the southeastern Bering Sea are primarily Calanus glacialis that have been advected south in association with sea ice. None of our sea-ice metrics explained the variance in jellyfish biomass. Jellyfish biomass in our study area in the pollock age-0 year was not correlated with pollock recruitment 3 years later.

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The effect of decreasing seasonal sea-ice cover on the winter Bering Sea pollock fishery

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fss097 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 69 (7) ◽

pp. 1148-1159 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Lisa Pfeiffer ◽

Alan C. Haynie

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Bering Sea ◽

Climate Models ◽

Global Climate ◽

Ice Cover ◽

Global Climate Models ◽

Retrospective Data ◽

Sea Ice Extent ◽

Fishing Season ◽

Eastern Bering Sea

Abstract Pfeiffer, L., and Haynie, A. C. 2012. The effect of decreasing seasonal sea-ice cover on the winter Bering Sea pollock fishery. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: . The winter fishing season for eastern Bering Sea pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) is during the period of maximum seasonal sea-ice extent, but harvesters avoid fishing in ice-covered waters. Global climate models predict a 40% reduction in winter ice cover by 2050, with potential implications for the costs incurred by vessels travelling to and around their fishing grounds and the value of their catch. Additionally, it may open entirely new areas to fishing. Using retrospective data from 1999 to 2009, a period of extensive annual climate variation, the variation in important characteristics of the fishery is analysed. When ice is present, it restricts a portion of the fishing grounds, but in general, ice-restricted areas have lower expected profits at the time of restriction than the areas left open. Some areas show a change in effort in warm years relative to cold, but the global redistribution of effort attributable to ice cover is small. This is largely because the winter fishery is driven by the pursuit of roe-bearing fish whose spawning location is stable in the southern part of the fishing grounds.

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RECONSTRUCTING CHANGES IN SEA ICE COVER DURING MARINE ISOTOPE STAGE 11 FROM BERING SEA SEDIMENT CORES

10.1130/abs/2018nc-313273 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Natalie Thompson ◽

◽

Beth E. Caissie

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Bering Sea ◽

Sediment Cores ◽

Ice Cover ◽

Marine Isotope Stage

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Contrasting trends in sea ice and primary production in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fss113 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 69 (7) ◽

pp. 1180-1193 ◽

Cited By ~ 62

Author(s):

Zachary W. Brown ◽

Kevin R. Arrigo

Keyword(s):

Sea Ice ◽

Primary Production ◽

Arctic Ocean ◽

Bering Sea ◽

Net Primary Productivity ◽

Remote Sensing Data ◽

Ice Cover ◽

The Arctic ◽

Light Limitation ◽

The Bering Sea

Abstract Brown, Z. W., and Arrigo, K. R. 2012. Contrasting trends in sea ice and primary production in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: . Satellite remote sensing data were used to examine recent trends in sea-ice cover and net primary productivity (NPP) in the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. In nearly all regions, diminished sea-ice cover significantly enhanced annual NPP, indicating that light-limitation predominates across the seasonally ice-covered waters of the northern hemisphere. However, long-term trends have not been uniform spatially. The seasonal ice pack of the Bering Sea has remained consistent over time, partially because of winter winds that have continued to carry frigid Arctic air southwards over the past six decades. Hence, apart from the “Arctic-like” Chirikov Basin (where sea-ice loss has driven a 30% increase in NPP), no secular trends are evident in Bering Sea NPP, which averaged 288 ± 26 Tg C year−1 over the satellite ocean colour record (1998–2009). Conversely, sea-ice cover in the Arctic Ocean has plummeted, extending the open-water growing season by 45 d in just 12 years, and promoting a 20% increase in NPP (range 441–585 Tg C year−1). Future sea-ice loss will likely stimulate additional NPP over the productive Bering Sea shelves, potentially reducing nutrient flux to the downstream western Arctic Ocean.

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