The Bering Sea ecosystem is experiencing significant changes due to the loss of sea ice caused by warming waters and south winds. Fisheries biologist Janet Duffy-Anderson and her team are studying the impact of these changes on the food chain, fish distribution, and marine mammals and seabirds that rely on plankton and algae for sustenance. The lack of winter sea ice is unprecedented, and the timing of the algal bloom is changing, leading to mismatches in prey and predator. The loss of sea ice is also affecting the availability of nutritious plankton, which is causing declines in the abundance of zooplankton and krill, the primary food source for most whales, seabirds, and young fish. The changes in the ecosystem are causing die-offs of murres and puffins, and scientists are concerned about the long-term impact on the Bering Sea ecosystem.