Arctic Coastlines Hitting Ecological Tipping Point… and the change is happening fast.

Along the rocky coastlines of the Arctic Ocean, a radical change is taking place, perhaps as profound as vanishing sea ice but less evident to the eye. Ecological foundations are shifting, with existing algae replaced by warmth- and light-loving species. It might not seem like much, but algae form the base of ocean food chains, and the change is happening fast.

"The abrupt character of these extensive changes, confirmed by our statistical analyses, provides a convincing case for tipping points being crossed," wrote researchers led by marine biologist Susanne Kortsch of Norway’s University of Tromsø in an email to Wired.

By Brandon Keim

Full Story: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/08/arctic-coast-tipping-point/