Above the Arctic Circle

This is probably my biggest picture ever. This covers the whole arctic, from plankton to whales to wolves to lemmings. By the way, there are five mini-ecosystems, and clockwise they are the North Pole, Svalbard, Baffin Bay, Alaska, and Siberia.

So. What's the number today?

Surprise! It's a 4. That stands for human interference in the Arctic. So down come all the trees in Siberia.

This is bad, because the lemmings, hares, and foxes hide under the trees, and the owls rest in them.

The foxes are getting more numerous, as there are less hiding places for their prey and less competition from the owls.