ABSTRACT
The Arctic Ocean, together with its associated marginal seas, is one of the smallest of the world’s ocean areas. The Arctic ecosystems’ limited biodiversity, short food chains and specialized adaptations to the local environment render them particularly susceptible to environmental perturbations. The circulation patterns and distribution of water masses in the Arctic are a fundamental element in the biogeochemistry of the Arctic seas. Continental shelves are the primary locations for annual ice formation and melting, and are the locations of the highest primary productivity in the Arctic. Superimpose the attributes of the Arctic environment upon the cycles of these biological precursors, and what arises is a system of biological production, transformation and losses unique in the global ocean system. Pelagic arctic animals have adapted to strong seasonality by storing large amounts of lipids as energy reserves. The interaction between the Arctic Ocean and the global climate system has long been recognized.
