Pollution in the Arctic Ocean: An overview of multiple pressures and implications for ecosystem services

• Published in: Ambio Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 471 - 483
• Main Authors: Townhill, Bryony L., Reppas-Chrysovitsinos, Efstathios, Sühring, Roxana, Halsall, Crispin J., Mengo, Elena, Sanders, Tina, Dähnke, Kirsten, Crabeck, Odile, Kaiser, Jan, Birchenough, Silvana N. R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.02.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Anthropogenic Effects; Anthropogenic factors; Arctic Ocean; Arctic region; Arctic Regions; Arctic research; Atmospheric Sciences; Biological activity; Changing Arctic Ocean; Chemicals; Climate change; Contaminants; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Ecopath; Ecosystem; Ecosystem services; Ecosystems; Environment; Environmental Engineering/Biotechnology; Environmental impact; Environmental Management; Environmental protection; Fishing; Human influences; Humans; Hunting; International policy; Management; Marine ecosystems; Marine environment; Marine pollution; Modelling; Oceans and Seas; Perturbation; Physical Geography; Policy; Pollutants; pollution; social welfare; Arctic Regions; Arctic Ocean; Arctic region; Policy; Ecopath; Modelling; Management; Contaminants; Chemicals
• ISSN: 0044-7447; 1654-7209; 1654-7209
• DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01657-0

The Arctic is undergoing unprecedented change. Observations and models demonstrate significant perturbations to the physical and biological systems. Arctic species and ecosystems, particularly in the marine environment, are subject to a wide range of pressures from human activities, including exposure to a complex mixture of pollutants, climate change and fishing activity. These pressures affect the ecosystem services that the Arctic provides. Current international policies are attempting to support sustainable exploitation of Arctic resources with a view to balancing human wellbeing and environmental protection. However, assessments of the potential combined impacts of human activities are limited by data, particularly related to pollutants, a limited understanding of physical and biological processes, and single policies that are limited to ecosystem-level actions. This manuscript considers how, when combined, a suite of existing tools can be used to assess the impacts of pollutants in combination with other anthropogenic pressures on Arctic ecosystems, and on the services that these ecosystems provide. Recommendations are made for the advancement of targeted Arctic research to inform environmental practices and regulatory decisions.