Bering Sea 58055 225348028 2008-07-13T05:47:47Z 96.232.134.60 /* References */ [[Image:BeringSea.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Satellite photo of the Bering Sea]] {{coor title dm|58|0|N|178|0|W}} The '''Bering''' (or '''Imarpik'''{{Fact|date=April 2008}}) '''Sea''' is a body of water in the [[Pacific Ocean]] that comprises a deep water basin (the [[Aleutian Basin]]) which rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the [[continental shelves]]. The Bering Sea is separated from the [[Gulf of Alaska]] by the [[Alaska Peninsula]] and [[Aleutian Islands]]. Covering over two million [[square kilometer]]s (''775,000&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi''), it is bordered on the east and northeast by [[Alaska]], on the west by [[Russia]]'s [[Siberia]] and [[Kamchatka Peninsula]], on the south by the [[Alaska Peninsula]] and the [[Aleutian Islands]] and on the far north by the [[Bering Strait]] which separates the Bering Sea from the [[Arctic Ocean]]'s [[Chukchi Sea]]. [[Bristol Bay]] is the portion of the Bering Sea which separates the [[Alaska Peninsula]] from mainland [[Alaska]]. The Bering Sea is named for the first European discoverer to sail its waters, the [[Denmark|Danish]] navigator [[Vitus Bering]]. The Bering Sea ecosystem includes resources within the jurisdiction of the United States and Russia, as well as [[international waters]] in the ‘Donut Hole’. The interaction between currents, sea ice, and weather make for a vigorous and productive ecosystem. == History == [[Image:Choris, Saint Paul.jpg|thumb|300px|The russian "Rurik" sets anchor near [[Saint Paul Island, Alaska|Saint Paul Island]] in the Bering sea in order to load food and equipment for the expedition to the Chukchi sea in the north. Drawing by [[Louis Choris]] in 1817.]] Most scientists believe that during the most recent [[ice age]], [[sea level]] was low enough to allow [[human]]s and other animals to migrate on foot from [[Asia]] to [[North America]] across what is now the [[Bering Strait]]. This is commonly referred to as the "[[Bering land bridge]]" and is believed by some—though not all—scholars to be the first point of entry of humans into [[the Americas]]. There is a small portion of the [[Kula Plate]] in the Bering Sea. The Kula Plate is an ancient [[tectonic plate]] that used to [[subduct]] under Alaska during the [[Triassic]] period. <br clear="both" /> ==Geography== [[Image:Bering Sea Location.gif|thumb|300px|Bering Sea and the North Pacific Ocean]] Islands of the Bering Sea include: *[[Pribilof Islands]] *[[Komandorski Islands]], including [[Bering Island]] *[[St. Lawrence Island]] *[[Diomede Islands]] *[[King Island, Alaska|King Island]] *[[St. Matthew Island]] *[[Karaginsky Island]] Regions of the Bering Sea include *[[Bering Strait]] *[[Bristol Bay]] The Bering Sea contains 16 [[submarine canyon]]s including the largest submarine canyon in the world, [[Zhemchug canyon]]. ==Ecosystem== [[Image:LA2-Bering-Sea-UTM-zones.png|thumb|300px|Map showing latitude and longitude zones of the [[Universal Transverse Mercator]] coordinate system, from 56U to 10W. The Kamchatka Peninsula and national borders between [[Alaska]], [[Canada]], and the continental [[United States]] are also shown.]] The [[Bering Sea Shelf]] [[shelf break|break]] is the dominant driver of [[primary productivity]] in the Bering Sea.<ref name="Springer">Springer, A.M., C.P. McRoy, and M.V. Flint. 1996. The Bering Sea green belt: shelf-edge processes and ecosystem production. Fisheries Oceanography 5, 205-223.</ref> This zone, where the shallower [[continental shelf]] drops off into the [[Aleutian Basin]] is also known as the “[[Greenbelt (Bering Sea)|Greenbelt]]”. Nutrient upwelling from the cold waters of the Aleutian basin flowing up the slope and mixing with shallower waters of the shelf provide for constant production of phytoplankton. The second driver of productivity in the Bering Sea is seasonal [[sea ice]] that, in part, triggers the spring phytoplankton bloom. Seasonal melting of sea ice causes an influx of lower salinity water into the middle and other shelf areas, causing stratification and hydrographic effects which influence productivity.<ref name="Schumacher">Schumacher, J.D., T. J. Kinder, D. J. Pashinski, and R. L. Charnell. 1979. A structural front over the continental shelf of the eastern Bering Sea. Journal Physical Oceanography 9: 79-87. </ref> In addition to the hydrographic and productivity influence of melting sea ice, the ice itself also provides an attachment substrate for the growth of algae as well as interstitial ice algae. The productivity associated with sea ice is under threat as [[global warming]] causes a reduction of sea ice in the Bering Sea. Some evidence suggests that great changes to the Bering Sea ecosystem have already occurred. Warm water conditions in the summer of 1997 resulted in a massive bloom of low energy [[coccolithophorid]] phytoplankton (Stockwell et al. 2001). A long record of [[Isotopic signature|carbon isotopes]], which is reflective of primary production trends of the Bering Sea, exists from historical samples of bowhead whale [[baleen]].<ref name="Schell">Schell, D. M. 2000. Declining carrying capacity in the Bering Sea: isotopic evidence from whale baleen. Limnol. Oceanogr. 45(2): 459-462. </ref> Trends in carbon isotope ratios in whale baleen samples suggest that a 30-40% decline in average seasonal primary productivity has occurred over the last 50 years.<ref name="Schell"/> The implication is that the [[carrying capacity]] of the Bering Sea is much lower now than it has been in the past. == Biodiversity == [[Image:Noaa-walrus17.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens'), hauled out on Bering Sea ice, Alaska, June 1978. (Source: NOAA)]] [[Image:Snailfish.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Snailfish]], a non-commercial fish, caught in the eastern Bering Sea.]] The Bering Sea is home to some of the world's most interesting wildlife. This sea supports many endangered whale species including [[bowhead whale]], [[blue whale]], [[fin whale]], [[sei whale]], [[humpback whale]], [[sperm whale]], and the rarest whale in the world, the Northern [[right whale]]. Other marine mammals include [[walrus]], [[Steller's sea lion]], [[Northern Fur Seal]], [[Beluga whales]], [[Orca]]s (or Killer Whale), and [[polar bear]]s. The Bering Sea is very important to the seabirds of the world. Over 30 species of seabirds and approximately 20 million individuals breed in the Bering Sea region. Seabird species include [[tufted puffin]]s, the endangered [[Short-tailed Albatross]], [[Spectacled Eider]], and [[Red-legged Kittiwake]]s. Many of these species are unique to the area, which provides highly productive foraging habitat, particularly along the shelf edge and in other nutrient-rich upwelling regions, such as the Pribilof, [[Zhemchug canyon|Zhemchug]], and Pervenets canyons. Two Bering Sea species, the [[Steller's sea cow]] (''Hydrodamalis gigas'') and [[spectacled cormorant]] (''Phalacrocorax perspicillatus''), are extinct because of overexploitation by man. In addition, a small subspecies of Canada goose, the Bering Canada goose (''Branta canadensis asiatica'') is extinct due to overhunting and introduction of rats to their breeding islands. The Bering Sea supports many species of fish. Some species of fish support large and valuable commercial fisheries. Commercial fish species include 6 species of Pacific [[salmon]], [[walleye pollock]], [[Paralithodes camtschaticus|red king crab]], [[Pacific cod]], [[Pacific halibut]], [[yellowfin sole]], [[Pacific ocean perch]] and [[sablefish]]. Fish biodiversity is high, and at least 419 species of fish have been reported from the Bering Sea. == Bering Sea fisheries == [[Image:Kingcrabpile.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Red king crab]]s.]] The Bering Sea is a world renowned treasure for its enormously productive and profitable fisheries, such as [[Alaskan king crab fishing|King Crab]],<ref>[http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/kodiak/photo/crabgprkc14a.htm Red King Crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus] Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Retrieved [[2007-04-07]].</ref> opilio and tanner crabs, Bristol Bay salmon, pollock and other groundfish. These fisheries rely on the productivity of the Bering Sea via a complicated and little understood food web. The continued existence of these fisheries requires an intact, healthy, and productive ecosystem. Commercial fishing is big business in the Bering Sea. Some of the largest seafood companies in the world rely on the Bering Sea to produce fish and shellfish. On the U.S. side, commercial fisheries in the Bering Sea catch approximately $1 billion worth of seafood annually, while Russian Bering Sea fisheries are worth approximately $600 million annually. Hit TV Show [[Deadliest Catch]] shows the lives of crab Fishermen on the Bering Sea. == Links to Bering Sea data == The [http://www.beringclimate.noaa.gov/ Bering Sea] supports some of the world's richest fisheries, and landings from Alaskan waters represents half the U.S. catch of fish and shellfish. Because of the [http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/detect changes going on in the Arctic], future evolution of the Bering Sea climate/ecosystem is more uncertain. This is a symmetric problem: climate change impacts ecosystems, and ecosystems serve as indicators for climate change. Track the [http://www.beringclimate.noaa.gov/bering_status_overview.html current State of the Bering Sea] with near-realtime ecological and climatic indicators.<ref>[http://www.beringclimate.noaa.gov/quick_data_summary.html Bering climate] NOAA. Retrieved [[2007-04-07]].</ref> ==See also== {{wiktionary}} *[[Bering Sea Arbitration]] *[[Bristol Bay]] *[[Alaska Peninsula]] *[[Timeline of environmental events]] *[[Deadliest Catch]] ==References== <!-- ---------------------------------------------------------- See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Footnotes for a discussion of different citation methods and how to generate footnotes using the <ref>, </ref> and <reference /> tags ----------------------------------------------------------- --> <div class="references-small"> <references /> </div> ==External links== * [http://www.beringclimate.noaa.gov/ Bering Sea Climate and Ecosystem] Comprehensive web resource on the physical and biological factors affecting life in the Bering Sea, with maps, photos, essays on key Bering Sea issues, organizations, ecosystem information, and viewable data with narratives on trends and ecosystem relevance - from NOAA. * [http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/np/ North Pacific Ocean theme page] *[http://library.state.ak.us/asp/edocs/2007/04/ocn132695933.pdf Bering Sea-Aleutian Islands area state-waters groundfish fisheries and groundfish harvest from parallel seasons in 2005 / by Barbi Failor-Rounds and Krista Milani.] Hosted by [http://library.state.ak.us/asp Alaska State Publications Program]. [[Category:Marine ecoregions]] [[Category:Chukchi Sea]] [[Category:Marginal seas of the Pacific Ocean]] [[Category:Seas of Russia]] [[Category:Landforms of Alaska]] {{Bering Sea Islands}} [[bn:বেরিং সাগর]] [[bs:Beringovo more]] [[bg:Берингово море]] [[ca:Mar de Bering]] [[ceb:Dagat Bering]] [[cs:Beringovo moře]] [[da:Beringshavet]] [[de:Beringmeer]] [[et:Beringi meri]] [[es:Mar de Bering]] [[eo:Beringa Maro]] [[eu:Bering itsasoa]] [[fa:دریای برینگ]] [[fr:Mer de Béring]] [[fy:Beringsee]] [[gl:Mar de Bering]] [[ko:베링 해]] [[hr:Beringovo more]] [[it:Mar di Bering]] [[he:ים ברינג]] [[ku:Deryaya Bering]] [[lv:Beringa jūra]] [[lt:Beringo jūra]] [[hu:Bering-tenger]] [[mn:Берингийн тэнгис]] [[ms:Laut Bering]] [[nl:Beringzee]] [[ja:ベーリング海]] [[no:Beringhavet]] [[nn:Beringhavet]] [[pl:Morze Beringa]] [[pt:Mar de Bering]] [[ro:Marea Bering]] [[ru:Берингово море]] [[sk:Beringovo more]] [[sr:Берингово море]] [[sh:Beringovo more]] [[fi:Beringinmeri]] [[sv:Berings hav]] [[tl:Dagat Bering]] [[vi:Biển Bering]] [[tr:Bering Denizi]] [[uk:Берингове море]] [[vec:Mar de Bering]] [[zh:白令海]]