ABSTRACT
The Arctic has always been considered as a unique area of our planet and has thus attracted the interest of scientists and adventurers, both of whom have attempted to reach this region in past centuries. Despite its undeniable uniqueness, the Arctic environment is more difficult to preserve than other areas of our planet. The presence of ice makes this region particularly fragile and it is thus exposed to environmental degradation. As an example, one may mention the devastating effects that climate change can cause with respect to ice-covered regions due to ice melting. As a consequence, the level and temperature of the ice-covered seas increase and trigger an immediate impact on flora and fauna that cannot survive in warm ecosystems (Kao et al. 2012).
