The Beaufort coastal zone is critical for many birds, fish and marine mammals. Impacts on coastal ecosystems are difficult to predict, as there are a number of factors interacting, such as changes to habitat structure, temperature and timing of the seasons. The productivity of the coastal Arctic waters is also related to the extent of sea ice and its annual cycle of freezing and thawing. This would mean a loss of habitat for some plant and animal species and a gain for others. Most at risk are populations that live at the edge of their range and have very set habitat requirements, or species that do not easily move into new areas.
Some species adapt much more rapidly to new conditions than others.
This means that certain species favoured by a shift in climate might come to dominate ecosystems. These habitat changes are also related to land management practices. For example, both commercial forestry practices and climate change may favour the increase of forest insect pests. One of the main aspects of climate change that is predicted for the Yukon is an increase in snow. Snow affects the movements and feeding of ungulates in the winter.