In:
Scientific Reports, Springer Science and Business Media LLC, Vol. 11, No. 1 ( 2021-02-03)
Abstract:
The pelagic spring bloom is essential for Arctic marine food webs, and a crucial driver of carbon transport to the ocean depths. A critical challenge is understanding its timing and magnitude, to predict its changes in coming decades. Spring bloom onset is typically light-limited, beginning when irradiance increases or during ice breakup. Here we report an acute 9-day under-ice algal bloom in nutrient-poor, freshwater-influenced water under 1-m thick sea ice. It was dominated by mixotrophic brackish water haptophytes ( Chrysochromulina / Prymnesium ) that produced 5.7 g C m −2 new production. This estimate represents about half the annual pelagic production, occurring below sea ice with a large contribution from the mixotrophic algae bloom. The freshwater-influenced, nutrient-dilute and low light environment combined with mixotrophic community dominance implies that phagotrophy played a critical role in the under-ice bloom. We argue that such blooms dominated by potentially toxic mixotrophic algae might become more common and widespread in the future Arctic Ocean.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2045-2322
DOI:
10.1038/s41598-021-82413-y
Language:
English
Publisher:
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Publication Date:
2021
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2615211-3
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