Extinction risk at high latitudes

Abstract

Of the abiotic changes associated with the current phase of warming occurring on Earth, the loss of sea ice, snow cover, and glaciers are among the most apparent, rapid, and potentially ecologically devastating. These physical effects make polar regions the most likely places to experience first extinctions due to climate change. Have extinctions already been recorded in high latitude species, or do population trends suggest that extinctions are imminent? This chapter answers these questions.