Researches are appointed that some ecological changes are already occurring on Antarctic waters. In many places it is observed a decrease in krill population and increase in salps population (7). Salps is a gelatinous zooplankton witch is favored with increase of water temperature, unlike krill (8). This change can be explained by changes in sea temperature, but either changes in phytoplankton community. Diatoms population, the mainly krill diet, is decreasing, while cryptophytes and picoplanckton is increasing, influenced by ice melting, favoring salp’s grazer structure (13)
Other problems, as already cited, has compromising krill recruitment and development. This declined in krill population has already affecting large predators, with decrease of many species like Antarctic fur seal (15), changes in diet of common minke whale (Fig 4)(21), changes in size and distribution of many penguins species (18)(19), all with strong correlation with krill populations decline.
Other problems, as already cited, has compromising krill recruitment and development. This declined in krill population has already affecting large predators, with decrease of many species like Antarctic fur seal (15), changes in diet of common minke whale (Fig 4)(21), changes in size and distribution of many penguins species (18)(19), all with strong correlation with krill populations decline.
Fig 4 - Common Minke Whale: problems with krill stock (http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/163121/)
Despite many researches still necessary, it’s is clear that climate change is affecting negatively krill population, and this can have a terrible effect in hole Antarctic ecosystem, especially on large predators. It’s time to rethink our position. This is a big problem, but only one among many others that climate change is bringing us. We really need to change our actions and make it stop fasted we can (Fig 5). Maybe is already late to try put back as things was before humans start to degrade, but we must to try minimize our ecological footprint. In other words, how much costs your way of life?
Fig 5 - Rethinking our actions: How much costs your way of life? (http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/gw-causes/)