Arctic ecosystems provide a habitat for many animal species, including polar bears, walruses, Arctic foxes, and seals. The Arctic experienced an overall change in ice coverage between 1983 and 2007. The maps below show the sea ice coverage for each year during this time. In the maps, the blue areas represent locations covered by sea ice, the white areas represent liquid ocean water, and the gray areas represent land masses.
Modified from image courtesy of NASA
Based on the maps, which of the following is most likely true about the period of time between 1983 and 2007 in this Arctic region?
A.
The habitat available to fish in the Arctic area decreased significantly during this time.
B.
Most Arctic populations that lived on sea ice experienced an increase in size during this time.
C.
The Arctic region experienced a decrease in the number of types of animals that relied on sea ice.
D.
Most of the ocean habitat in the Arctic became frozen solid during this time.
1 answer
Based on the maps showing the decrease in sea ice coverage in the Arctic region between 1983 and 2007, it is most likely that option C is true: The Arctic region experienced a decrease in the number of types of animals that relied on sea ice. This is because the decreasing ice coverage would impact the habitat and environment of animals that rely on sea ice for survival.