In the Svalbard islands, more precisely in the northern area of Nordaustlandet, there is a considered fjord the coldest and most pristine of all. Unlike the fjords on Svalbard’s west coast, Rijpfjorden has never been affected by the effects of global warming – at least until now.
A new study led by researcher Èric Jordà-Molina suggests dire climate impacts are now being felt even in the northernmost areas of Svalbard.
The results indicate that the marine heat waves not only do they cause a change in the color of the ocean, but they are also partially responsible for periodic mortality events in marine fauna. These heat waves – defined as extreme temperatures that persist for at least 5 days in a row – could have some devastating effects on the ecosystem.
After witnessing these events in the Barents Sea, only some regions of the fjord have managed to recover, while others have seen the increase of previously uncommon organisms. “Inland Rijpfjorden has become a haven for native arctic species, but we don’t know how long this will continue.” explained Henning Reiss, a professor at Nord University.
Projections show that marine heatwaves will become more frequent in the coming decades, which could damage the resilience of marine populations. As stated by Prof. Reiss, “the increase in the frequency and duration of heat waves will change these communities, so that species adapted to a more temperate climate such as western Norway, they will dominate the Arctic ecosystem future.“
Whether it’s in Antarctica, where sea ice continues to shrink, or in remote areas north of Norway, it is clear that extreme weather events are having major implications across the world and especially on ecosystems.