The first phase of the SOAR project culminated in a special issue of Progress in Oceanography, volume 136, published in August 2015.

Here we list highlights of the papers presented in the Phase I special issue—these highlights are also available on the Progress in Oceanography webpage.

Moore & Stabeno

• Over the decade 2004-2013 dramatic environmental changes in the Pacific Arctic suggest a 'new normal' climate is emerging.
• Variable advection and hydrographic processes are key influences on benthic hotspots for seabird and marine mammal predators.
• Six bowhead whale core-use areas are identified, and body condition suggests bowheads are faring well despite sea ice loss.
• The Arctic Marine Pulses (AMP) conceptual model aims to animate advection models and link to pelagic-benthic coupling models.

Wood et al.

• Loss of multiyear sea ice resulted in an open-water dominated environment in summer.
• Fluctuations in large-scale atmospheric circulation also affected the ecosystem.
• Wider extremes of variability a hallmark of the 'new normal' in the Pacific Arctic.

Frey et al.

• Satellite data reveal divergent patterns in sea ice cover across the Pacific Arctic.
• We observe multi-year variability in sea ice cover in the Bering Sea.
• We observe significant losses in summer sea ice in the Canada Basin and Beaufort Sea.
• Sea ice variability is driven by both thermal and wind-driven processes.
• Observations of sea ice provide critical insights for marine ecosystem productivity.

Wang & Overland

• Sea ice decline faster in fall than in spring for the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.
• Future open-water duration may extend 1 more month by 2050.
• Alaskan Arctic will remain sea ice covered from Jan. to May even after 2050.

Arrigo & van Dijken

• Declines in sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean can fundamentally alter marine ecosystems.
• Annual NPP in the Arctic Ocean rose 30% between 1998 and 2012.
• Increased NPP was associated with reduced sea ice extent and longer growing season.
• Increased nutrient fluxes may also play an important role.

Mathis et al.

• The intensity, extent and duration of ocean acidification in the coastal areas around Alaska will increase.
• Important commercial and subsistence fisheries in Alaska are co-located where enhanced ocean acidification will occur.
• Coastal human communities in southeast and southwest Alaska are highly reliant on fishery harvests.
• Coastal human communities in southeast and southwest Alaska face the highest risk from ocean.

Grebmeier et al.

• Benthic biomass "hotspot" areas persist over multiple decades in the Pacific Arctic Region.
• A northward increase in benthic biomass has been observed for three of four benthic hotspots over time.
• Variable advection and hydrographic processes are key influences on benthic hotspots.
• Hotspot regions have concentrated prey for marine mammal and seabird benthivores.

Logerwell et al.

• Chinook Salmon may be moving into the Arctic.
• Nearshore is important habitat for forage fish (e.g., Pacific Herring and Capelin).
• Nearshore is a nursery area for other species (e.g., Arctic Cod and Saffron Cod).
• Commercially important gadids are present but not likely spawning in the Arctic.
• Conceptual models of Arctic and Saffron Cod life history distribution are provided.

Crawford et al.

• Ringed seals ≥1 year of age are eating more (%FO) Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida).
• Ringed seals are growing faster, have thicker blubber, and females mature earlier.
• Ringed seal growth and the proportion of pups harvested decreased with heavier ice.
• Bearded seals ≥1 year of age are eating fewer (%FO) invertebrates (10 of 24 taxa).
• Bearded seals have thicker blubber and females mature earlier now.

Divoky et al.

• Black guillemot nestling diet affected by decadal loss of Arctic summer sea ice.
• Arctic cod availability decreased with loss of sea ice and increased SST.
• Guillemot nestling survival and condition decreased with loss of Arctic cod.
• Adult guillemot overwinter survival showed no similar decadal temporal trend.
• A decrease in arctic cod availability due to decreased ice extent and increasing SST has implications for the entire Arctic.

Lovvorn et al.

• Four eider species that nest in the Arctic migrate through the Chukchi Sea.
• The eiders' access to benthic prey is restricted to open water within sea ice.
• Profitable prey densities occurred only in certain locations within the corridor.
• Seasonal and interannual access to profitable feeding areas varies from 0 to 100%.
• Eiders rely on having a range of profitable feeding areas along their migration route.

Kuletz et al.

• Getis-Ord Gi* hotspot analysis was used to identify 40-km × 40-km cells with high relative abundance for seabirds and marine mammals.
• Hotspots for seabirds, walrus, and gray whales occurred primarily in the Chukchi Sea.
• Hotspots for bowhead whales and other pinnipeds (i.e., seals) occurred near Barrow Canyon and along the Beaufort Sea shelf and slope.
• Hotspots for belugas occurred in both the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.
• Seabirds and marine mammals shared 3 hotspots in summer and 1 in fall; the mouth of Barrow Canyon was shared both seasons.

Citta et al.

• We define core-use areas for Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort population bowhead whales.
• We summarize diving behavior, sea ice, and oceanographic data for each area.
• Core-use areas are co-located with oceanographic fronts and stratified layers.
• Seasonal movements relate to the timing of the ascent and descent of zooplankton.
• Whales feed seasonally in all three seas (Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort).

Clark et al.

• Acoustic data: 6 groups, 20 recorders, 14 months, 2300 km, Bering to Beaufort seas.
• Bowhead acoustics: dynamics of regional-seasonal occurrence-distribution.
• Noise analysis: regional-seasonal mammal, ice, wind, human acoustic contributions.
• Value: Initial large-scale synthesis of arctic marine acoustic environment.

MacIntyre et al.

• Contemporary baseline of year-round distributions of vocalizing bearded seals.
• Geographic variability in bearded seal call activity exists in Alaskan waters.
• Bearded seal call activity was significantly correlated with sea ice conditions.
• Reductions and variability in sea ice may negatively impact the behavioral ecology of bearded seals.

George et al.

• Bowhead body condition is positively correlated with sea ice loss and wind-driven upwelling.
• Average bowhead body condition increased over the period 1989 to 2011.
• Bowhead population size is increasing rapidly and may be linked to increased ocean productivity.
• No obvious negative effects from sea ice reduction on BCB bowheads detected to date.
• Currently it's a "good time to be a bowhead" but their future is quite uncertain.

Harwood et al.

• We summarize divergent trends in condition and/or production in five Beaufort Sea marine vertebrates.
• Subadult bowhead whales and Arctic char have shown trends of increasing body condition.
• Ringed seal, beluga, black guillemot chicks have shown a trend of declining condition, growth and/or production.
• Continued research and monitoring are warranted at temporal and spatial scales relevant to the indicator species.
• Important to use multi-species and multi-disciplinary approaches to identify and monitor ecosystem changes and causes.