Melting Arctic Ice Threatens Polar Cod, Keystone of the Arctic Web
A Nature Communications study using computer simulations projects that by 2060 polar cod could struggle to find adequate food in a warming Arctic, as earlier spring sunlight boosts prey while higher temperatures raise energy needs, risking poorer winter fattening and threatening a keystone species vital for predators across the Arctic; capelin may not fully compensate, and fish are already shifting north, underscoring broader ecosystem risks.