Benthic community response to ice algae and phytoplankton in Ny Ålesund, Svalbard

Author Posting. © Inter-Research, 2006. This article is posted here by permission of Inter-Research for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Ecology Progress Series 310 (2006): 1-14, doi:10.3354/meps310001.We assessed the digestibility and utilization of ice algae and phytoplankton by the shallow, subtidal benthos in Ny Ålesund (Kongsfjord) on Svalbard (79°N, 12°E) using chlorophyll a (chl a), essential fatty acids (EFAs) and stable isotopes as tracers of food consumption and assimilation. Intact benthic communities in sediment cores and individuals of dominant benthic taxa were given ice algae, phytoplankton, 13C-enriched ice algae or a no food addition control for 19 to 32 d. Ice algae and phytoplankton had significantly different isotopic signatures and relative concentrations of fatty acids. In the food addition cores, sediment concentrations of chl a and the EFA C20:5(n-3) were elevated by 80 and 93%, respectively, compared to the control after 12 h, but decreased to background levels by 19 d, suggesting that both ice algae and phytoplankton were rapidly consumed. Whole core respiration rates in the ice algae treatments were 1.4 times greater than in the other treatments within 12 h of food addition. In the ice algae treatment, both suspension and deposit feeding taxa from 3 different phyla (Mollusca, Annelida and Sipuncula) exhibited significant enrichment in δ13C values compared to the control. Deposit feeders (15% uptake), however, exhibited significantly greater uptake of the 13C-enriched ice algae tracer than suspension feeders (3% uptake). Our study demonstrates that ice algae are readily consumed and assimilated by the Arctic benthos, and may be preferentially selected by some benthic species (i.e. deposit feeders) due to their elevated EFA content, thus serving as an important component of the Arctic benthic food web.Funding for this study came from the National Science Foundation (Grant numbers OPP- 0514115 to W.G.A.; OPP-0222410 to L.M.C.; OPP-0222408 to M.-Y.S.; OPP0222500 to G.R.L.), the Norwegian Research Council (Grant number 151815-720 to M.L.C.), the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through Bates College and the Maine Marine Research Fund

Comparative analysis of photosynthetic properties in ice algae and phytoplankton inhabiting Franklin Bay, the Canadian Arctic, with those in mesophilic diatoms during CASES 03-04

Psychrophilic phytoplankton and ice algae were collected in Franklin Bay, the Canadian Arctic, in late May 2004, and the photosynthetic properties were measured at 4°C using a pulse amplitude modulation fluorometer (Phyto-PAM). Rapid light curve measurements allowed for the assessment of the photosynthetic efficiency (α), maximal electron transport rate (rETRmax), and minimum saturating irradiance (Ek) in the samples. The values of α in phytoplankton (0.63-0.68) were much larger than those in ice algae (0.10-0.51), and the values of rETRmax in phytoplankton (4.6-6.7) were relatively larger than those in ice algae (1.8-4.3). However, Ek showed similar values in both samples and were around 10μmol photonsm^・s^. These values were systematically compared with those obtained from mesophilic marine diatoms (a centric diatom, Chaetoceros gracilis, and a pennate diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum) grown under various irradiances in the laboratory. The highly shade-adapted features of ice algae and phytoplankton were disclosed through this comparative analysis. It was also found that the non-photochemical quenching was much higher in psychrophilic samples than in mesophilic diatoms grown under moderate irradiance. Furthermore, in ice algae and phytoplankton, the decrease in rETR at high irradiances was prominent, showing that they were highly susceptible to photoinhibition. Our comparative analysis using psychrophilic phytoplankton, ice algae and two strains of mesophilic diatoms also revealed that the dependency on the xanthophyll cycle for the protection mechanisms of photosystems were remarkably different between the groups, indicating that the acclimation strategies to growth irradiances were variable between species. Such variable acclimation strategies could be one of the forces that results in a diverse algal flora that enables this region around Franklin Bay to be a productive area, even though the psychrophilic phytoplankton and ice algae are highly shade-adapted

Effect of ice algal community on the increase of chlorophyll a concentration during spring in coastal water of the Sea of Okhotsk

A seasonal study of size fractionated chlorophyll α concentration was conducted weekly in Monbetsu Harbor from October 1996 to November 1997 to investigate the annually persistent occurrence of the spring peak of the chlorophyll α concentration in the >10μm size fraction immediately after the retreat of sea ice, as described by K. Hamasaki et al. (Plankton Biol. Ecol., 45,151,1998). Species composition of natural phytoplankton assemblages was also investigated to study whether phytoplankton or ice algae were responsible for the spring peak in the coastal water. The spring peak occurred immediately after the retreat of sea ice but timing of the occurrence was different between the stations occupied in the present study. The spatial heterogenity in occurrence of the spring peak seemed to be related to the sea ice distribution between the stations. New sea ice provided only a small supply of ice algae due to the relatively short growth period inside of the harbor. Large ice floes provided for a large supply of ice algae due to the long growth period outside of the harbor. The magnitude of the spring peak was related to sea ice growth. However, those ice algae seemed to sink to the bottom with little contribution to phytoplankton assemblage in the harbor, while ice algae contributed significantly to the spring peak outside of the harbor. Species composition revealed relatively fast response of phytoplankton to the environmental change after the disappearance of sea ice. Surface assemblages of phytoplankton including ice algae seemed to respond fully to the regional optical condition by changing in the species composition

Contrasting Sea-Ice Algae Blooms in a Changing Arctic Documented by Autonomous Drifting Buoys

Novel observations of the seasonal evolution of an ice algal bloom on the Chukchi shelf were collected by two autonomous buoys deployed 180 km apart in first-year drifting sea ice. High attenuation of blue light in the bottom of the ice indicated considerable accumulation of ice algae biomass with derived Chlorophyll-a concentrations (Chl a) up to 184 mg m−2. Differences in the magnitude and persistence of ice algae biomass under each buoy appear to have been driven by differences in snow thickness, as ice thickness was similar between the sites. Minimal snow cover (0.02 m) around one buoy was associated with algae growth beginning in mid-May and lasting 70 days. The second buoy had notably more snow (0.4 m), causing ice algae production to lag behind the first site by approximately 4 weeks. The delay in growth diminished the peak of ice algae Chl a and duration compared to the first site. Light attenuation through the ice was intense enough at both buoys to have a potentially inhibiting impact on water column phytoplankton Chl a. Modeling ice algae growth with observed light intensities determined that nutrients were the limiting resource at the low snow site. In contrast, the algae at the high snow site were light-limited and never nutrient-limited. These data point toward changes in ice algae phenology with an earlier and longer window for growth; and nutrients rather than light determining the longevity and magnitude of production

Ice Algae-Produced Carbon Is Critical for Overwintering of Antarctic Krill Euphausia superba

Antarctic krill Euphausia superba (“krill”) constitute a fundamental food source for Antarctic seabirds and mammals, and a globally important fisheries resource. The future resilience of krill to climate change depends critically on the winter survival of young krill. To survive periods of extremely low production by pelagic algae during winter, krill are assumed to rely partly on carbon produced by ice algae. The true dependency on ice algae-produced carbon, however, is so far unquantified. This confounds predictions on the future resilience of krill stocks to sea ice decline. Fatty acid (FA) analysis, bulk stable isotope analysis (BSIA), and compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of diatom- and dinoflagellate-associated marker FAs were applied to quantify the dependency of overwintering larval, juvenile, and adult krill on ice algae-produced carbon (αIce) during winter 2013 in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence Zone. Our results demonstrate that the majority of the carbon uptake of the overwintering larval and juvenile krill originated from ice algae (up to 88% of the carbon budget), and that the dependency on ice algal carbon decreased with ontogeny, reaching <56% of the carbon budget in adults. Spatio-temporal variability in the utilization of ice algal carbon was more pronounced in larvae and juvenile krill than in adults. Differences between αIce estimates derived from short- vs. long-term FA-specific isotopic compositions suggested that ice algae-produced carbon gained importance as the winter progressed, and might become critical at the late winter-spring transition, before the phytoplankton bloom commences. Where the sea ice season shortens, reduced availability of ice algae might possibly not be compensated by surplus phytoplankton production during wintertime. Hence, sea ice decline could seriously endanger the winter survival of recruits, and subsequently overall biomass of krill

Xanthophyll-cycle of ice algae on the sea ice bottom in Saroma Ko lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan

Using the ice algal community prevailing on the sea ice bottom in Saroma Ko lagoon, Hokkaido, Japan, the response of a photosynthetic system to exposure to light was investigated, focusing on xanthophylls-cycle features, diel changes of the pool size of xanthophylls-cycle pigments and the effective quantum yield of PS II in early February, 1998. By pigment analysis, β-carotene, chlorophylls a and c, diadinoxanthin, diatoxanthin and fucoxanthin were detected as major pigments, which suggests that diatoms dominated as ice algae during this study. When such ice algae were exposed to irradiance nearly 4 times higher than the daily maximum level at the ice bottom, the interconversion between diadinoxanthin and diatoxanthin continued for ca. 20 min immediately after the onset of irradiation in spite of the sub-zero Celsius ambient temperature. Although the pool size of this xanthophylls-cycle (relative amount of diadinoxanthin plus diatoxanthin per chlorophyll a) was not so large compared to that of mesophilic diatoms, it showed a circadian change increasing during the daytime and decreasing at night. This change correlated well with the effective quantum yield of PS II. These results suggest that ice algae at the sea ice bottom possess a relatively effective xanthophylls-cycle to regulate light energy usage. However, the xanthophylls-cycle in ice algae may be poor compared to that of algae living in intermediate irradiance, which can be interpreted from the point of view of bioenergetic aspects of shade adapted ice algae

Proliferation of Ice Algae in the Syowa Station Area,Antarctica

The distribution and seasonal variation of ice algae were investigated in the vicinity of Syowa Station (69°00\u27S, 39°35\u27E), Antarctica. The plant pigments, chlorophyll a and phaeophytin, were detected from top to bottom of the sea ice. However, the proliferation of ice algae occurred significantly at the bottom of the sea ice to make it brown in autumn and spring. The autumnal outburst of algae was found in the more limited regions which were covered with the ice formed newly than the regions in which the spring proliferation occurred. The autumnal proliferation of algae also occurred in the wintered ice as well as in the new ice but algal biomass in the old ice was less than in the new ice. The annual production of ice algae in the Syowa Station area was assumed as 1.50 to 3.25gC/m^2 based on the present data of algal biomass. These results show the potential importance of ice algae in the marine ecosystems of the polar regions

Extreme Low Light Requirement for Algae Growth Underneath Sea Ice:A Case Study From Station Nord, NE Greenland

Microalgae colonizing the underside of sea ice in spring are a key component of the Arctic foodweb as they drive early primary production and transport of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean interior. Onset of the spring bloom of ice algae is typically limited by the availability of light, and the current consensus is that a few tens‐of‐centimeters of snow is enough to prevent sufficient solar radiation to reach underneath the sea ice. We challenge this consensus, and investigated the onset and the light requirement of an ice algae spring bloom, and the importance of snow optical properties for light penetration. Colonization by ice algae began in May under >1 m of first‐year sea ice with ∼1 m thick snow cover on top, in NE Greenland. The initial growth of ice algae began at extremely low irradiance (<0.17 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and was documented as an increase in Chlorophyll a concentration, an increase in algal cell number, and a viable photosynthetic activity. Snow thickness changed little during May (from 110 to 91 cm), however the snow temperature increased steadily, as observed from automated high‐frequency temperature profiles. We propose that changes in snow optical properties, caused by temperature‐driven snow metamorphosis, was the primary driver for allowing sufficient light to penetrate through the thick snow and initiate algae growth below the sea ice. This was supported by radiative‐transfer modeling of light attenuation. Implications are an earlier productivity by ice algae in Arctic sea ice than recognized previously

Rapid consumption of phytoplankton and ice algae by Arctic soft-sediment benthic communities: Evidence using natural and 13C-labeled food materials

Reduction of sea ice in the Arctic may significantly alter the relative fluxes of phytoplankton and ice algae to the seafloor. To examine the response of Arctic benthic communities to changing food supplies, we incubated sediment cores collected from two sites (Smeerenburg Fjord, northwest Svalbard in May 2003 and Storfjord Trench, Barents Sea in May 2004) with controlled additions of natural phytoplankton and ice algal assemblages, and laboratory-cultured 13C-labeled ice algae (Nitzschia frigida, in 2004 only). We measured sediment respiration, pigments, lipid biomarkers, and compound-specific δ13C signals over the course of incubations. Both communities responded rapidly to the addition of food materials: regardless of food type, concentrations of organic biomarkers (pigments and fatty acids) decreased to the levels of control cores within seven days. Although we found no evidence for selective ingestion of the different food types by macrofauna, fatty acids were differentially consumed. The enriched polyunsaturated fatty acids of the ice algae were preferentially utilized compared to saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids bound in ice algae. However, the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids of phytoplankton (with depleted polyunsaturated fatty acids) are utilized more efficiently than those counterparts bound in ice algae. Bacterial activity was stimulated by food addition, indicated by the immediate increase of bacteria-specific fatty acids, but the direct assimilation of 13C-labeled carbon into bacterial biomass was limited. Our results imply that Arctic benthic communities can meet their energetic requirements by altering strategies to assimilate different components from variable food supplies

Mineral phosphorus drives glacier algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet

Melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet is a leading cause of land-ice mass loss and cryosphere-attributed sea level rise. Blooms of pigmented glacier ice algae lower ice albedo and accelerate surface melting in the ice sheet’s southwest sector. Although glacier ice algae cause up to 13% of the surface melting in this region, the controls on bloom development remain poorly understood. Here we show a direct link between mineral phosphorus in surface ice and glacier ice algae biomass through the quantification of solid and fluid phase phosphorus reservoirs in surface habitats across the southwest ablation zone of the ice sheet. We demonstrate that nutrients from mineral dust likely drive glacier ice algal growth, and thereby identify mineral dust as a secondary control on ice sheet melting.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe