Editing Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (section)

== Climate change ==
Scientists are noticing that sea levels are rising at increasing rates. Sea levels are rising because polar ice caps are melting at a rapid pace. This process starts in the Arctic region, specifically in Alaska. Researchers at [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] explained that increasing temperatures, melting glaciers, thawing permafrost, and [[sea level rise|rising sea levels]] are all indications of warming throughout the Arctic.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/arctic-meteorology/climate_change.html|title=Climate Change in the Arctic {{!}} National Snow and Ice Data Center|website=nsidc.org|access-date=2018-04-25|archive-date=13 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413211531/https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/arctic-meteorology/climate_change.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Sea ice|Sea Ice]] has thinned and decreased. Thinning has occurred due to the sun melting the ice at a higher pace. This backs up the concept of how the Arctic region is the first to be affected by climate change. Shorefast ice tends to form later in fall. In September 2007, the concentration of sea ice in the [[Arctic Ocean]] was significantly less than ever previously recorded. Although the total area of ice built up in recent years, the amount of ice continued to decline because of this thinning.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web|url=https://nsidc.org/cryosphere/quickfacts/seaice.html|title=Quick Facts on Arctic Sea Ice {{!}} National Snow and Ice Data Center|website=nsidc.org|access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref> [[Climate change]] is happening faster and more severe in the Arctic compared to the rest of the world. According to [[NASA]], the Arctic is the first place that will be affected by global climate change.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/|title=Global Climate Change: Effects|last=Jackson|first=Randal|work=Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet|access-date=2018-04-25|archive-date=15 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200515132048/https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/|url-status=live}}</ref> This is because shiny ice and snow reflect a high proportion of the sun's energy into [[space]]. The Arctic gradually loses snow and ice, bare rock and water absorb more and more of the sun's energy, making the Arctic even warmer. This phenomenon is called the [[Albedo|albedo effect]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.npolar.no/en/facts/albedo-effect.html|title=Albedo effect|website=Norwegian Polar Institute|access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref>

=== Porcupine caribou herd ===
This area for possible future oil drilling on the coastal plains of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, encompasses much of the [[Porcupine caribou]] calving grounds. Migratory caribou herds are named after their birthing grounds, in this case the [[Porcupine River]], which runs through a large part of the range of the Porcupine herd.<ref name=Alaska /><ref name=Kolpashikov /> In 2001, some biologists feared development in the Refuge would "push caribou into the foothills, where calves would be more prone to predation."<ref name=natgeo /> Though numbers fluctuate, there were approximately 169,000 animals in the herd in 2010.<ref name=Alaska>{{citation|institution=Alaska Department of Fish and Game|first=Cora|last=Campbell|location=Juneau, Alaska|number=99811|date=2 March 2011|series=Press release|title=Porcupine Caribou Herd shows growth|url=http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pressreleases.pr03022011|access-date=15 January 2014|archive-date=16 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116112048/http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=pressreleases.pr03022011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Kolpashikov>{{citation|last1=Kolpashikov|first1=L.|first2=V.|last2=Makhailov|first3=D. |last3=Russell|title=The role of harvest, predators and socio-political environment in the dynamics of the Taimyr wild reindeer herd with some lessons for North America|journal=Ecology and Society}}</ref> Their annual land migration of {{convert|1500|miles|km}}, between their winter range in the boreal forests of Alaska and northwest Canada over the mountains to the coastal plain and their calving grounds on the [[Beaufort Sea]] coastal plain,<ref name=natgeo1>{{citation|last=Mitchell|first=John|url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/data/2001/08/01/html/ft_20010801.3.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080105054927/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/data/2001/08/01/html/ft_20010801.3.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 January 2008|title=Oil Field or Sanctuary?|publisher=National Geographic|date=1 August 2001|access-date=15 January 2014}}</ref> is the longest of any land mammal on earth.

In 2001, proponents of the development of the oil fields at [[Prudhoe Bay]] and Kuparuk, which would be approximately {{convert|60|mi|km}} west of the Refuge, argued that [[Central Arctic caribou herd]], had increased its numbers "in spite of several hundred miles of gravel roads and more than a thousand miles of elevated pipe." However, the Central Arctic herd is much smaller than the Porcupine herd, and has an area that is much larger.<ref name=natgeo /> By 2008 the Central Arctic caribou herd had approximately 67,000 animals.<ref name=Kolpashikov />

=== Polar bears ===
[[File:Polar Bears - Marko Dimitrijevic.jpg|thumb|Two Polar Bears]]
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is directly connected to Polar Bears. These bears are known for traveling in the region to den and give birth. Nearly 50 of these species migrate along the coast to the refuge in September. These bears extend more than {{convert|800|mi}} along the coast of [[Northern Alaska]] and [[Canada]]. Due to changes in climate, Polar bears are recorded to now spend more time on land waiting on new sea ice to form, as they depend on sea ice for much of their hunting. This limits their ability to hunt seals to build up fat for hibernation. Much controversial, the polar bears are widely affected by the climate change happening in this region. Pregnant females are forced to move onshore at unusual times to dig their dens. Usually, the bears are known to dig their dens in November, then give birth to one to two tiny cubs in December or January. The mothers then nurse and care for the young until March or early April, when they loom from the dens. After several days adapting to the outside environment, the families leave the dens. They move back to the sea ice to hunt [[ringed seal]]s and other prey. The cubs always stay with their mothers for about the next two and a half years.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/|title=U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service|last=Service|first=U.S. Fish and Wildlife|website=www.fws.gov|access-date=2018-04-25|archive-date=16 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016224008/http://www.fws.gov/|url-status=live}}</ref> Polar Bears follow the trace of current carrying sea ice which leads them to travel south. This often leads them to relying on trash abundances for [[nutrition]]. This food source impacts the health of polar bears negatively. They also begin targeting unusual animals as prey.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/arctic-wildlife-refuge-tax-bill-oil-drilling-environment/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223094823/https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/12/arctic-wildlife-refuge-tax-bill-oil-drilling-environment/|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 December 2017|title=Arctic Refuge Has Lots of Wildlife—Oil, Maybe Not So Much|date=2017-12-19|access-date=2018-04-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/arctic/wildlife/polar_bear/threats/|title=Threats to Polar Bears|access-date=2018-04-25|archive-date=24 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160824190105/http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/arctic/wildlife/polar_bear/threats/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is the only refuge that regularly dens polar bears in that local region, and contains the most consistent number of polar bears in the area.{{citation_needed|date=June 2018}}

=== Marine ecosystem ===
The [[Arctic Basin|Arctic basin]] is the shallowest ocean basin on Earth. It is the least salty, because of low [[evaporation]] and large current of freshwater from rivers and glaciers. [[River mouth]]s and calving [[glacier]]s, are continually moving [[ocean current]]s contribute to a unique marine ecosystem in the Arctic. The cold, circulating water is rich in minerals, as well as the microscopic organisms (such as [[phytoplankton]] and [[algae]]) that need them to grow. Marine animals thrive in the Arctic. There are 12 species of [[marine mammal]]s of the Arctic found in the refuge. They consist of four species of [[whale]]s, polar bears, the [[walrus]] and six species of ice-associated seals, sperm whales, [[blue whale]]s, [[fin whale]]s, [[humpback whale]]s, [[Orca|killer whales]], [[Harbour porpoise|Harbor Porpoise]]. The Arctic marine [[food web]] consists of Primary consumers, Secondary consumers, Tertiary consumers, and [[scavenger]]s. [[Marine mammal]]s in the Arctic are experiencing severe impacts, including effects on migration, from disturbances such as noises from industrial activity, offshore seismic oil exploration, and well drilling.