Algal bloom in a melt pond on Canada Basin pack ice

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Authors: Lin, Ling, He, Jianfeng, Zhang, Fang, Cao, Shunan, Zhang, Can
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2015
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Canada; canada basin; Polar Record
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247415000510; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247415000510

ABSTRACT Melt ponds are common on the surface of ice floes in the Arctic Ocean during spring and summer. Few studies on melt pond algae communities have been accomplished. These studies have shown that these melt ponds were ultra-oligotrophic, and contribute little to overall productivity. However, during the 6th Chinese Arctic Cruise in the Arctic Ocean in summer 2014, a closed coloured melt pond with a chlorophyll a concentration of 15.32 μg/L was observed on Arctic pack ice in the Canada Basin. The bloom was caused by the chlorophyte Carteria lunzensis at an abundance of 15.49×10 6 cells/L and biomass of 5.07 mg C/L. Primary production within surface melt ponds may need more attention along with Arctic warming.