Loss of a rare lake reveals how warming has hit the Canadian Arctic’s ‘planetary fridge’
When an ice shelf blocks a polar fjord, it sparks the creation of an ecosystem like no other: the epishelf lake. Meltwater pools up behind the ice shelf, floating above the denser seawater, with both freshwater and marine species found in distinct layers within the same water column. But Canada’s last known epishelf lake, at […]
The disappearance of Canada's only known epishelf lake, located at Milne Fjord on Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, highlights the profound impact of global warming on the Canadian Arctic. This unique ecosystem, formed when meltwater pools behind an ice shelf and creates a distinct layer of freshwater and marine species, has vanished as a result of the Milne Ice Shelf calving in 2020.
The lake's disappearance signals a broader shift in the region, known as the Last Ice Area, where scientists believed sea ice would persist longer amidst climate change.
Ellesmere Island, situated within this critical region, now faces accelerated warming, with consequences that extend far beyond its borders. As Derek Mueller, a professor at Carleton University, emphasized, "What happens in the Arctic doesn't stay in the Arctic." Historically, the Milne Ice Shelf had dammed the fjords of Ellesmere Island, supporting the formation of up to 17 epishelf lakes during the 20th century.
However, the alarming rate of warming driven by fossil fuel combustion has led to a series of ice shelf collapses, allowing these lakes to drain into the sea. As one of these ice shelves, measuring an impressive 65 meters deep, broke apart, the epishelf lake at Milne Fjord has been lost for good. This marked the end of an era for this fragile ecosystem, underscoring the urgent need to address the impacts of global warming on the Arctic and the wider world.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
