Publication Date:
2020-04-01
Description:
In the Arctic Ocean ice algae constitute a key ecosystem component and the ice algal spring bloom a
critical event in the annual production cycle. The bulk of ice algal biomass is usually found in the bottom
few cm of the sea ice and dominated by pennate diatoms attached to the ice matrix. Here we report
a red tide of the phototrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum located at the ice-water interface of newly
formed pack ice of the high Arctic in early spring. These planktonic ciliates are not able to attach to the
ice. Based on observations and theory of fluid dynamics, we propose that convection caused by brine
rejection in growing sea ice enabled M. rubrum to bloom at the ice-water interface despite the relative
flow between water and ice. We argue that red tides of M. rubrum are more likely to occur under the
thinning Arctic sea ice regime.
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Article
,
isiRev
Format:
application/pdf
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