TIMES RECORD • December 24, 2020
Ice is important for the marine ecosystem in several ways. First, it is an excellent insulator. While you may not be eager to go for a swim in the ocean in the winter, the water is actually warmer than the air temperature. Sea ice is also an important mode of transportation – both for plants and for animals. Animals are able to access places that are otherwise far away by traveling on large chunks of ice, or in some cases, frozen-over bays. Look closely at ice crystals along edges of leaves and hanging from the doorways of buildings and then take a closer look at the salt ice along the shore to appreciate the vast array of crystal structures that are part of our coastal ecology. ~ Susan Olcott