Impact of Sea-Level Change In Hudson Bay on Local Animals

Abstract

The melting of the Laurentian ice cap and subsequent foreshore collapse caused a drop in sea-level in Hudson Bay. This has had a significant impact on the local ecosystem. Strategies are urgently needed to mitigate the effects of sea-level fall and to develop strategies to help native organisms adapt to the changing environment. Potential impacts of sea-level change in Hudson Bay on coastal ecosystems include impacts on native organisms that rely on sea ice for hunting and breeding, thus causing flooding in low-lying areas, which in turn leads to habitat change and fragmentation and rapid environmental change. This range of impacts affects organisms employing K-strategy reproductive strategies as well as changes in local food chains. This paper aims to raise the public's awareness of areas affected by climate change but received little attention, and explores the impacts of sea-level fall on wildlife and possible mitigation measures using Hudson Bay as an example.