

Oof… I didn’t know what an epishelf lake was, just in case anyone else doesn’t either
Epishelf lakes form when an ice shelf acts as a dam, trapping a layer of freshwater floating above seawater connected to the ocean. The Milne Fiord epishelf lake, located on northern Ellesmere Island in Nunavut, supported freshwater microorganisms near the surface and marine species below.
And the article goes on to say
“Epishelf lakes can signal when an ice shelf is under stress, and that’s what we saw here,” said co-author Dr. Bernard Laval, a professor of civil engineering at UBC who leads its environmental fluid mechanics research group. “The data showed the ice shelf was failing. Once the ice is gone, the ecosystem goes with it. There’s no coming back.”
“Epishelf lakes are remarkable because a freshwater ecosystem sits directly above a marine one, separated only by a thin boundary between fresh water and salt water,” said co-author Dr. Andrew Hamilton, a research scientist at the University of Alberta who completed his Ph.D. research at Milne Fiord. “When the ice shelf broke apart, that unique ecological structure disappeared.”
“These systems took thousands of years to form and were lost in months,” said Bonneau. “On any human timescale, they are not coming back.”
Ugh. So beyond sad. I’d like to say that I hope this will be a wakeup call for folks, but if the multiple scientists’ warnings and all the other signs weren’t… sigh






You’re so right.
I’ve been in the same location pretty much my whole life, I can easily call out weather/species changes just in my local area from when I was a kid til today… I miss all the animals and bugs! Heh.
It truly boggles my mind that some folks are able to turn the destruction of our planet (and our collective future) into a “belief” or an “opinion”…
I mean, I get not trusting the govt obviously, but the scientists who are sharing fact-based information and predictions? Especially when we can see so much with our own eyes, too?! Trying not to be too much of a doomer but…
An obituary is a good idea. Even if it doesn’t sway any opinions, it could help some of us to grieve. I might try my hand at that when I’m in the right headspace. Thanks. ❤️