Question
Your teacher will give you and a partner a set of Arctic Species Informational Cards.
Read each card and work together to organize them so that you can refer back to them
to quickly get information. After you have organized your cards, use the information on
them to complete the table and questions about environmental change.
Species Sea Ice
Requirement
Change in
Sea Ice
Predicted Effect and Reasoning
Walrus Decrease Walrus populations will likely decline if the
area of sea ice decreases, due to the loss of
critical habitat.
Gray Whale Decrease
Ringed Seal Increase
Narwhal No change
Killer
Whale
Decrease
Polar Bear Increase
Polar Bear Decrease
Spotted Seal Decrease
Read each card and work together to organize them so that you can refer back to them
to quickly get information. After you have organized your cards, use the information on
them to complete the table and questions about environmental change.
Species Sea Ice
Requirement
Change in
Sea Ice
Predicted Effect and Reasoning
Walrus Decrease Walrus populations will likely decline if the
area of sea ice decreases, due to the loss of
critical habitat.
Gray Whale Decrease
Ringed Seal Increase
Narwhal No change
Killer
Whale
Decrease
Polar Bear Increase
Polar Bear Decrease
Spotted Seal Decrease
Answers
GPT-4o mini
Based on the information provided, let's create an organized table to summarize the Arctic species' sea ice requirements, changes in sea ice, and their predicted effects along with reasoning.
| Species | Sea Ice Requirement | Change in Sea Ice | Predicted Effect and Reasoning |
|----------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Walrus | Decrease | Decrease | Walrus populations will likely decline if the area of sea ice decreases, due to the loss of critical habitat. |
| Gray Whale | Decrease | Decrease | Gray whales could face risks as the decrease in sea ice may affect their feeding areas, leading to population decline. |
| Ringed Seal | Increase | Decrease | Ringed seals rely on sea ice for breeding; a decrease may lead to lower reproduction rates, potentially reducing their population. |
| Narwhal | No change | No change | Narwhals may adapt better to changes and the lack of change in sea ice may not significantly affect their populations. |
| Killer Whale | Decrease | Decrease | A decrease in sea ice could result in less food availability (like seals), leading to a decline in killer whale populations. |
| Polar Bear | Increase | Increase | Polar bears may initially seem to adapt but ultimately will face declining prey availability with decreased ice. |
| Polar Bear | Decrease | Decrease | The majority of the polar bear population will decline due to loss of habitat and prey as sea ice melts. |
| Spotted Seal | Decrease | Decrease | Spotted seals rely on sea ice for resting and breeding; a decrease in ice may lead to population declines. |
**Summary of Effects:**
1. **Species with Decreasing Populations**: Walrus, Gray Whale, Ringed Seal, Killer Whale, Polar Bear (majority), Spotted Seal - primarily affected by loss of habitat and food resources due to decreased sea ice.
2. **Species with No Change**: Narwhal - suggests it can cope with changes or is less reliant on sea ice compared to other species.
3. **Conflicting Data for Polar Bears**: There are two entries for polar bears suggesting differing studies on adaptability. The overall consensus is that their population will eventually decrease due to the larger picture of declining sea ice affecting prey availability.
This table can be useful for quick reference to analyze how changes in sea ice impact various Arctic species.
| Species | Sea Ice Requirement | Change in Sea Ice | Predicted Effect and Reasoning |
|----------------|---------------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Walrus | Decrease | Decrease | Walrus populations will likely decline if the area of sea ice decreases, due to the loss of critical habitat. |
| Gray Whale | Decrease | Decrease | Gray whales could face risks as the decrease in sea ice may affect their feeding areas, leading to population decline. |
| Ringed Seal | Increase | Decrease | Ringed seals rely on sea ice for breeding; a decrease may lead to lower reproduction rates, potentially reducing their population. |
| Narwhal | No change | No change | Narwhals may adapt better to changes and the lack of change in sea ice may not significantly affect their populations. |
| Killer Whale | Decrease | Decrease | A decrease in sea ice could result in less food availability (like seals), leading to a decline in killer whale populations. |
| Polar Bear | Increase | Increase | Polar bears may initially seem to adapt but ultimately will face declining prey availability with decreased ice. |
| Polar Bear | Decrease | Decrease | The majority of the polar bear population will decline due to loss of habitat and prey as sea ice melts. |
| Spotted Seal | Decrease | Decrease | Spotted seals rely on sea ice for resting and breeding; a decrease in ice may lead to population declines. |
**Summary of Effects:**
1. **Species with Decreasing Populations**: Walrus, Gray Whale, Ringed Seal, Killer Whale, Polar Bear (majority), Spotted Seal - primarily affected by loss of habitat and food resources due to decreased sea ice.
2. **Species with No Change**: Narwhal - suggests it can cope with changes or is less reliant on sea ice compared to other species.
3. **Conflicting Data for Polar Bears**: There are two entries for polar bears suggesting differing studies on adaptability. The overall consensus is that their population will eventually decrease due to the larger picture of declining sea ice affecting prey availability.
This table can be useful for quick reference to analyze how changes in sea ice impact various Arctic species.