Broadly speaking, the most serious environmental impacts are certainly being experienced in the Arctic. Decreasing sea ice extent over the last 20 years, most significantly on the Pacific side but also on the Atlantic side, has been affecting all coastal systems. The ice is starting to melt and coastlines which were glaciated for long periods will not experience ice anymore. This is having a huge impact on the Arctic megafauna, such as polar bears, while the Antarctic, with the exception of the peninsular region, is much less affected, at least for the time being.
Turning to marine life, it's important to note that even though greater temperature shifts are being experienced in the Arctic the benthic life there has also previously been more exposed to a range of temperat
ures, making them more resilient to change. Antarctic benthic marine life will likely be more sensitive than their Arctic counterparts to temperature shifts if they start to be experienced more generally around the continent. The Antarctic continent is, however, currently less exposed to temperature increases in general, with the exception of the Peninsula, which extends further North and is the site of recent rapid glacial disintegration.
Turning to marine life, it's important to note that even though greater temperature shifts are being experienced in the Arctic the benthic life there has also previously been more exposed to a range of temperat
ures, making them more resilient to change. Antarctic benthic marine life will likely be more sensitive than their Arctic counterparts to temperature shifts if they start to be experienced more generally around the continent. The Antarctic continent is, however, currently less exposed to temperature increases in general, with the exception of the Peninsula, which extends further North and is the site of recent rapid glacial disintegration.
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