| Ecosystem |
Beaufort Sea |
| Type |
Sea/Bay/Gulf |
| Salinity |
saltwater |
| Other Names |
|
| Location |
|
LME SAU No 55. Arctic Ocean, north of Alaska and Canada. LME2002, Modified LME 2006, SAU 2008. |
77° N 68° N - 158° W 126° W |
|
| Location Map |
Beaufort_Sea.png |
| Size Ref |
|
River Length |
|
Area |
1092196 km2 |
Drainage Area |
|
|
| Depth |
|
Average Depth |
|
Max Depth |
|
Ref |
|
|
| Temperature |
|
| Description |
The Beaufort Sea is a high latitude ecosystem situated off the coast of northern Alaska, in the United States, and of the Northwest Territories, in Canada. It is covered with ice for most of the year. The Beaufort Gyral Stream forms a clockwise drift pattern. The LME is driven by changes in the Arctic climate and is based on distinctive ecological criteria such as bathymetry, hydrography, productivity, and trophodynamics (http://na.nefsc.noaa.gov/lme/text/lme55.htm). Formerly in part of Arctic Archipelago (LME 2008). |
| Comments on faunal list |
Area from SAU (November 2015). |
| URL 1 |
http://www.seaaroundus.org/lme/55.aspx |
| URL 2 |
|
| Ecosystem Checklist Link |
|
| Total |
|
Species |
Families |
Species |
Families |
Reference |
|
1054 |
344 |
|
|
|
|
