Ecology of newly formed sea ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica I. chlorophyll a and nutrients

• Main Authors: Zipan, Wang, Dieckmann, G., Gardinger, R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Polar Research Institute of China - PRIC 1997
• Subjects: Weddell Sea; Austral; Weddell; Advances in Polar Science; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar Science; Sea ice
• Online Access: http://library.arcticportal.org/2122/; http://library.arcticportal.org/2122/1/A701.002.pdf

Textural composition, chlorophyll a and nutrients (phosphate, nitrate and silicate) of newly formed sea ice from the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, were analyzed during austral autumn in 1992. Frazil ice, congelation ice and mixed frazil/congelation ice were the main textural types. Mean concentrations of chlorophyll a and nutrients in sea ice were varied considerably with ice texture. High chlorophyll a occurred mostly in ice floes consisting predominantly or mainly of frazil ice. Nutrients showed an inverse relationship being significantly lower in frazil ice than in congelation ice. Similar observations were made for one year old sea ice.