Benthic-pelagic decoupling and walrus responses to a warming Arctic

Abstract

A walrus diet typically consists of invertebrates that live on the seafloor, consumed in large quantities with the help of special morphological traits. In addition to the threats posed by diminishing sea ice in their Arctic habitat, global climate change is causing a major shift in the Pacific Arctic ecosystem and food web, reducing the food supply for the large mammals. A combination of distributional and dietary changes among Pacific walrus populations has helped them to survive so far, but the future of the species is uncertain as their ecosystem and environment continue to warm and change.