title: Export of algal biomass from the melting Arctic sea ice.
abstract: In the Arctic, under-ice primary production is limited to summer months and is restricted not only by ice thickness and snow cover but also by the stratification of the water column, which constrains nutrient supply for algal growth. Research Vessel Polarstern visited the ice-covered eastern-central basins between 82° to 89°N and 30° to 130°E in summer 2012, when Arctic sea ice declined to a record minimum. During this cruise, we observed a widespread deposition of ice algal biomass of on average 9 grams of carbon per square meter to the deep-sea floor of the central Arctic basins. Data from this cruise will contribute to assessing the effect of current climate change on Arctic productivity, biodiversity, and ecological function.
authors: Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research, 27515 Bremerhaven, Germany. antje.boetius@awi.de
authors: Antje
authors: A
authors: Boetius
authors: Sebastian
authors: S
authors: Albrecht
authors: Karel
authors: K
authors: Bakker
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Bienhold
authors: Janine
authors: J
authors: Felden
authors: Mar
authors: M
authors: Fernández-Méndez
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Hendricks
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Katlein
authors: Catherine
authors: C
authors: Lalande
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Krumpen
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Nicolaus
authors: Ilka
authors: I
authors: Peeken
authors: Benjamin
authors: B
authors: Rabe
authors: Antonina
authors: A
authors: Rogacheva
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Rybakova
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Somavilla
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Wenzhöfer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D044822:Biodiversity; D018533:Biomass; D057486:Carbon Cycle; D057231:Climate Change; D017377:Diatoms / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D017753:Ecosystem; D005615:Freezing; D019015:Geologic Sediments; D046448:Ice Cover; D012616:Sea Cucumbers; D012623:Seawater