Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica
Abstract Sea ice covers approximately 5% of the ocean surface and is one of the most extensive ecosystems on the planet. The microbial communities that live in sea ice represent an important food source for numerous organisms at a time of year when phytoplankton in the water column are scarce. Here...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:80cd38c3c65f4f88b703bbe34c5c0c1e 2023-05-15T13:23:44+02:00 Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica Kevin R. Arrigo Zachary W. Brown Matthew M. Mills 2014-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 https://doaj.org/article/80cd38c3c65f4f88b703bbe34c5c0c1e EN eng BioOne http://elementascience.org/article/info:doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 https://doaj.org/toc/2325-1026 2325-1026 doi:10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 https://doaj.org/article/80cd38c3c65f4f88b703bbe34c5c0c1e Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene (2014) Antarctic sea ice microalgae Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2014 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 2022-12-31T12:14:37Z Abstract Sea ice covers approximately 5% of the ocean surface and is one of the most extensive ecosystems on the planet. The microbial communities that live in sea ice represent an important food source for numerous organisms at a time of year when phytoplankton in the water column are scarce. Here we describe the distributions and physiology of sea ice microalgae in the poorly studied Amundsen Sea sector of the Southern Ocean. Microalgal biomass was relatively high in sea ice in the Amundsen Sea, due primarily to well developed surface communities that would have been replenished with nutrients during seawater flooding of the surface as a result of heavy snow accumulation. Elevated biomass was also occasionally observed in slush, interior, and bottom ice microhabitats throughout the region. Sea ice microalgal photophysiology appeared to be controlled by the availability of both light and nutrients. Surface communities used an active xanthophyll cycle and effective pigment sunscreens to protect themselves from harmful ultraviolet and visible radiation. Acclimation to low light microhabitats in sea ice was facilitated by enhanced pigment content per cell, greater photosynthetic accessory pigments, and increased photosynthetic efficiency. Photoacclimation was especially effective in the bottom ice community, where ready access to nutrients would have allowed ice microalgae to synthesize a more efficient photosynthetic apparatus. Surprisingly, the pigment-detected prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica was an important component of surface communities (slush and surface ponds) where its acclimation to high light may precondition it to seed phytoplankton blooms after the sea ice melts in spring. Article in Journal/Newspaper Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Sea ice Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Southern Ocean Amundsen Sea Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene 2 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Antarctic sea ice microalgae Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Antarctic sea ice microalgae Environmental sciences GE1-350 Kevin R. Arrigo Zachary W. Brown Matthew M. Mills Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica |
topic_facet |
Antarctic sea ice microalgae Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Abstract Sea ice covers approximately 5% of the ocean surface and is one of the most extensive ecosystems on the planet. The microbial communities that live in sea ice represent an important food source for numerous organisms at a time of year when phytoplankton in the water column are scarce. Here we describe the distributions and physiology of sea ice microalgae in the poorly studied Amundsen Sea sector of the Southern Ocean. Microalgal biomass was relatively high in sea ice in the Amundsen Sea, due primarily to well developed surface communities that would have been replenished with nutrients during seawater flooding of the surface as a result of heavy snow accumulation. Elevated biomass was also occasionally observed in slush, interior, and bottom ice microhabitats throughout the region. Sea ice microalgal photophysiology appeared to be controlled by the availability of both light and nutrients. Surface communities used an active xanthophyll cycle and effective pigment sunscreens to protect themselves from harmful ultraviolet and visible radiation. Acclimation to low light microhabitats in sea ice was facilitated by enhanced pigment content per cell, greater photosynthetic accessory pigments, and increased photosynthetic efficiency. Photoacclimation was especially effective in the bottom ice community, where ready access to nutrients would have allowed ice microalgae to synthesize a more efficient photosynthetic apparatus. Surprisingly, the pigment-detected prymnesiophyte Phaeocystis antarctica was an important component of surface communities (slush and surface ponds) where its acclimation to high light may precondition it to seed phytoplankton blooms after the sea ice melts in spring. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kevin R. Arrigo Zachary W. Brown Matthew M. Mills |
author_facet |
Kevin R. Arrigo Zachary W. Brown Matthew M. Mills |
author_sort |
Kevin R. Arrigo |
title |
Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica |
title_short |
Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica |
title_full |
Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica |
title_sort |
sea ice algal biomass and physiology in the amundsen sea, antarctica |
publisher |
BioOne |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 https://doaj.org/article/80cd38c3c65f4f88b703bbe34c5c0c1e |
geographic |
Antarctic Southern Ocean Amundsen Sea |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Southern Ocean Amundsen Sea |
genre |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Sea ice Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Sea ice Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene (2014) |
op_relation |
http://elementascience.org/article/info:doi/10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 https://doaj.org/toc/2325-1026 2325-1026 doi:10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 https://doaj.org/article/80cd38c3c65f4f88b703bbe34c5c0c1e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.12952/journal.elementa.000028 |
container_title |
Elementa: Science of the Anthropocene |
container_volume |
2 |
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1766374576415047680 |