diversity of life on, in and under the sea ice Dr Hauke Flores, marine biologist at the Alfred Wegener Institute. Biodiversity Arctic Ocean Life in the Polar Sea The sea-ice regions of the Arctic and Antarctic [...] these rapid changes is climate change, which is causing a rapid decline in sea-ice cover, particularly in the Arctic. Because sea ice itself performs a central function in polar ecosystems, significant impacts [...] Unfortunately, changes in the polar regions are proceeding faster than our understanding of sea-ice ecosystems. Sea ice plays a critical role in the life cycle of polar key species in both hemispheres. The