Utoo Radio with Other News Sources - February19, 2025 - A recent study from the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) has found that pressure ridges, an essential feature of the Arctic ecosystem, are becoming increasingly rare due to the melting of older floes.

The ridges, formed when ice floes press against one another under pressure, are relied on by Arctic wildlife and the wider ecosystem.

The study found that the number of pressure ridges has dropped by over 12% per decade in areas like north of Greenland and Fram Strait, and 14.9 per cent in the Lincoln Sea.

The decline is closely linked to the larger trend of melting sea ice in the Arctic, with older, thicker ice being replaced by younger, thinner ice.

The researchers plan to develop models to better understand the knock-on effects of these changes on the wider Arctic ecosystem.

They are optimistic that ongoing data collection and future studies will provide more answers and will help devise effective strategies for the preservation and sustainable use of the Arctic.