Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet
Darkening of parts of the Greenland ice sheet surface during the summer months leads to reduced albedo and increased melting. Here we show that heavily pigmented, actively photosynthesising microalgae and cyanobacteria are present on the bare ice. We demonstrate the widespread abundance of green alg...
Published in: | The ISME Journal |
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2012
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Online Access: | https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/photophysiology-and-albedochanging-potential-of-the-ice-algal-community-on-the-surface-of-the-greenland-ice-sheet(13275de3-8dc7-40b1-8bd2-3a91be2a5934).html https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/13275de3-8dc7-40b1-8bd2-3a91be2a5934 2023-05-15T16:26:31+02:00 Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet Yallop, Marian Anesio, Alexandre Perkins, Rupert G Cook, J Telling, Jon Fagan, Dan MacFarlane, James Stibal, Marek Barker, Gary Bellas, Christopher Hodson, A Tranter, Martyn Wadham, Jemma Roberts, Nicholas 2012-12 https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/photophysiology-and-albedochanging-potential-of-the-ice-algal-community-on-the-surface-of-the-greenland-ice-sheet(13275de3-8dc7-40b1-8bd2-3a91be2a5934).html https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess Yallop , M , Anesio , A , Perkins , R G , Cook , J , Telling , J , Fagan , D , MacFarlane , J , Stibal , M , Barker , G , Bellas , C , Hodson , A , Tranter , M , Wadham , J & Roberts , N 2012 , ' Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet ' , ISME Journal , vol. 6 , no. 12 , pp. 2313-2313 . https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 article 2012 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 2022-03-02T23:51:00Z Darkening of parts of the Greenland ice sheet surface during the summer months leads to reduced albedo and increased melting. Here we show that heavily pigmented, actively photosynthesising microalgae and cyanobacteria are present on the bare ice. We demonstrate the widespread abundance of green algae in the Zygnematophyceae on the ice sheet surface in Southwest Greenland. Photophysiological measurements (variable chlorophyll fluorescence) indicate that the ice algae likely use screening mechanisms to downregulate photosynthesis when exposed to high intensities of visible and ultraviolet radiation, rather than non-photochemical quenching or cell movement. Using imaging microspectrophotometry, we demonstrate that intact cells and filaments absorb light with characteristic spectral profiles across ultraviolet and visible wavelengths, whereas inorganic dust particles typical for these areas display little absorption. Our results indicate that the phototrophic community growing directly on the bare ice, through their photophysiology, most likely have an important role in changing albedo, and subsequently may impact melt rates on the ice sheet. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland ice algae Ice Sheet Aarhus University: Research Greenland The ISME Journal 6 12 2302 2313 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
description |
Darkening of parts of the Greenland ice sheet surface during the summer months leads to reduced albedo and increased melting. Here we show that heavily pigmented, actively photosynthesising microalgae and cyanobacteria are present on the bare ice. We demonstrate the widespread abundance of green algae in the Zygnematophyceae on the ice sheet surface in Southwest Greenland. Photophysiological measurements (variable chlorophyll fluorescence) indicate that the ice algae likely use screening mechanisms to downregulate photosynthesis when exposed to high intensities of visible and ultraviolet radiation, rather than non-photochemical quenching or cell movement. Using imaging microspectrophotometry, we demonstrate that intact cells and filaments absorb light with characteristic spectral profiles across ultraviolet and visible wavelengths, whereas inorganic dust particles typical for these areas display little absorption. Our results indicate that the phototrophic community growing directly on the bare ice, through their photophysiology, most likely have an important role in changing albedo, and subsequently may impact melt rates on the ice sheet. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Yallop, Marian Anesio, Alexandre Perkins, Rupert G Cook, J Telling, Jon Fagan, Dan MacFarlane, James Stibal, Marek Barker, Gary Bellas, Christopher Hodson, A Tranter, Martyn Wadham, Jemma Roberts, Nicholas |
spellingShingle |
Yallop, Marian Anesio, Alexandre Perkins, Rupert G Cook, J Telling, Jon Fagan, Dan MacFarlane, James Stibal, Marek Barker, Gary Bellas, Christopher Hodson, A Tranter, Martyn Wadham, Jemma Roberts, Nicholas Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet |
author_facet |
Yallop, Marian Anesio, Alexandre Perkins, Rupert G Cook, J Telling, Jon Fagan, Dan MacFarlane, James Stibal, Marek Barker, Gary Bellas, Christopher Hodson, A Tranter, Martyn Wadham, Jemma Roberts, Nicholas |
author_sort |
Yallop, Marian |
title |
Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_short |
Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_full |
Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_fullStr |
Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_sort |
photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the greenland ice sheet |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/photophysiology-and-albedochanging-potential-of-the-ice-algal-community-on-the-surface-of-the-greenland-ice-sheet(13275de3-8dc7-40b1-8bd2-3a91be2a5934).html https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland ice algae Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Greenland ice algae Ice Sheet |
op_source |
Yallop , M , Anesio , A , Perkins , R G , Cook , J , Telling , J , Fagan , D , MacFarlane , J , Stibal , M , Barker , G , Bellas , C , Hodson , A , Tranter , M , Wadham , J & Roberts , N 2012 , ' Photophysiology and albedo-changing potential of the ice algal community on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet ' , ISME Journal , vol. 6 , no. 12 , pp. 2313-2313 . https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2012.107 |
container_title |
The ISME Journal |
container_volume |
6 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
2302 |
op_container_end_page |
2313 |
_version_ |
1766015444448182272 |