How do you think the density of ice affects the survival of water dwelling organisms in environments where temperatures fall below the freezing point?

Water at 4 degrees centigrade has the highest density of all other water temperatures. This is why ice (whose temperature is below 0 degrees) floats on very cold water. This phenomenon is significant in the Artic and Antarctic where ice shelves float on cold ocean waters in the poles. Animals that live in these regions (such as seals and polar bears) use these ice shelves as hunting platforms.