How disappearing sea ice has put Arctic ecosystem under threat

From algae to fish and polar bears, the loss of habitat caused by global warming is affecting the food chain

In a few days the Arctic's beleaguered sea ice cover is likely to set another grim record. Its coverage is on course to be the lowest winter maximum extent ever observed since satellite records began. These show that more than 2 million square kilometres of midwinter sea ice have disappeared from the Arctic in less than 40 years.

The ice's disappearance - triggered by global warming caused by rising carbon emissions from cars and factories - is likely to have profound implications for the planet. A loss of sea ice means a loss of reflectivity of solar rays and further rises in global temperatures, warn researchers.