The confirmation that our planet is undergoing a process of global warming —in which greenhouse gas emissions due to human activity are an important causal factor— has focused growing attention on the impacts of this change on society and the natural environment. And while the scale and repercussions of the problem have yet to be sufficiently investigated, it is acknowledged that polar ecosystems may be among the most vulnerable. International Polar Year, with an intense programme of activities running from March 2007 to March 2009, offers a timely opportunity to address this and other gaps in our knowledge.

This book draws its contents from the second in a series of debates organised jointly by the Spanish Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) and the BBVA Foundation. In its pages, leading international experts review and synthesise the current state of scientific knowledge to gauge how climate change may impact on our polar ecosystems.

Access Chapter – Offprints in PDF format

• Contents
• Introduction: Carlos M. Duarte
• Chapter 1: Susana Agustí
• Chapter 2: Victor Smetacek
• Chapter 3: Jaume Forcada
• Chapter 4: Paul Wassmann
• Chapter 5: Paul E. Renaud, Michael L. Carroll and William G. Ambrose Jr.
• About the authors