Despite the harsh climatic conditions in the Arctic, many living organisms cannot survive there. However, there are numerous organisms that thrive in these cold regions, adapting only to the extreme weather conditions. This means they possess unique traits, which require preservation. 

However, as global warming intensifies, the threat to various forms of life in the Arctic Ocean has escalated. A research group from the University of Exeter, in collaboration with Laval and Concordia Universities, investigated the extent to which global warming and the rising temperatures resulting from the retreat of the ice cover affect microbial communities in the Arctic Ocean.

They concluded that there are potential risks and published their findings in the journal "Scientific Reports" on November 21, 2024. 

Examination

Temperatures in the Arctic region are rising twice as fast as in other areas on the planet's surface, which means an increase in ice melting rates. Therefore, it was crucial to investigate and comprehend the impact of these conditions on the microbes.

Indeed, the scientists obtained samples from four environments in the Beaufort Sea off the coast of Canada, which are river estuaries, coastlines, the open ocean, and beneath the sea ice. They obtained samples and extracted ribonucleic acid (RNA) from them to identify the microbes in those samples. 

What did they find? 

The microbial communities under the ice are rare and specific, forming complex communities that are the foundation of the marine food web. However, as the ice melts rapidly, chaos reigns over the under-ice microbial community, leading to the spread of non-distinctive species under the ideal Arctic conditions, rather than specialized or distinctive microbes.

This is simply because the conditions of the area have changed, allowing new communities of microbes to spread. 

The study's authors believe that indigenous microbes can adapt to the changes in the Arctic. However, the biggest challenge lies in the rapid pace of these climatic changes, which significantly reduces the microbes' chances of adaptation.

Some of the most important life on Earth are microbes. Despite being invisible to the human eye, microbes play a crucial role in maintaining the food web and sustaining life on Earth.