Near-ubiquity of ice-edge blooms in the Arctic

Perrette, Mahé; Yool, Andrew; Quartly, G.; Popova, Ekaterina

doi:10.5194/bgd-7-8123-2010

Cited by 22 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…In the Arctic, ice edge blooms seem to be frequent, typically last 20 days in a 100 km band near the ice edge, but may last longer in some instances [Perrette et al, 2011]. As they are transient in space and time, quantifying their contribution to overall production is challenging.…”

Section: Light Transmissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Observations indicate: (i) phytoplankton blooms start under the ice [e.g., Arrigo et al, 2012] and then typically follow the summer ice retreat in the Arctic [Perrette et al, 2011], while only ice-edge blooms have been reported in the Southern Ocean [Smith and Nelson, 1985]; (ii) recent Arctic Ocean sea ice retreat is associated with a significant increase in pelagic primary production [Arrigo et al, 2008b;Tremblay et al, 2011]; and (iii) marine ecosystem shifts have occurred due to changing sea ice conditions, notably in the Bering Sea (Arctic) [Grebmeier et al, 2006] These observations support a significant role for sea ice on water column primary productivity, which can be mediated by physical and biogeochemical processes. First, sea ice, the material it contains (organic matter and sediments), and its snow cover control the incoming light in the upper ocean; while ice growth and melt affect the upper ocean stratification and nutrient supply [Tremblay and Gagnon, 2009].…”

Section: Biological Interactions With the Water Columnmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Role of sea ice in global biogeochemical cycles: emerging views and challenges

Vancoppenolle

Meiners

Michel

et al. 2013

Quaternary Science Reviews

215

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

International audienceObservations from the last decade suggest an important role of sea ice in the global biogeochemical cycles, promoted by (i) active biological and chemical processes within the sea ice; (ii) fluid and gas exchanges at the sea ice interface through an often permeable sea ice cover; and (iii) tight physical, biological and chemical interactions between the sea ice, the ocean and the atmosphere. Photosynthetic micro-organisms in sea ice thrive in liquid brine inclusions encased in a pure ice matrix, where they find suitable light and nutrient levels. They extend the production season, provide a winter and early spring food source, and contribute to organic carbon export to depth. Under-ice and ice edge phytoplankton blooms occur when ice retreats, favoured by increasing light, stratification, and by the release of material into the water column. In particular, the release of iron - highly concentrated in sea ice - could have large effects in the iron-limited Southern Ocean. The export of inorganic carbon transport by brine sinking below the mixed layer, calcium carbonate precipitation in sea ice, as well as active ice-atmosphere carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes, could play a central role in the marine carbon cycle. Sea ice processes could also significantly contribute to the sulphur cycle through the large production by ice algae of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), the precursor of sulphate aerosols, which as cloud condensation nuclei have a potential cooling effect on the planet. Finally, the sea ice zone supports significant ocean-atmosphere methane (CH₄) fluxes, while saline ice surfaces activate springtime atmospheric bromine chemistry, setting ground for tropospheric ozone depletion events observed near both poles. All these mechanisms are generally known, but neither precisely understood nor quantified at large scales. As polar regions are rapidly changing, understanding the large-scale polar marine biogeochemical processes and their future evolution is of high priority. Earth system models should in this context prove essential, but they currently represent sea ice as biologically and chemically inert. Palaeoclimatic proxies are also relevant, in particular the sea ice proxies, inferring past sea ice conditions from glacial and marine sediment core records and providing analogues for future changes. Being highly constrained by marine biogeochemistry, sea ice proxies would not only contribute to but also benefit from a better understanding of polar marine biogeochemical cycles

show abstract

Section: Light Transmissionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Biological Interactions With the Water Columnmentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of sea ice in global biogeochemical cycles: emerging views and challenges

Vancoppenolle

Meiners

Michel

et al. 2013

Quaternary Science Reviews

215

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A record minimum of 4.2 million km 2 was recorded in September 2007 (e.g., Perovich et al, 2008) compared to a 1979-2000 mean of 7.0 million km 2 . Given ongoing anthropogenic climate change, this trend is likely to continue, with modelling studies predicting a seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean (AO) as early as 2050 (Vinnikov et al, 1999;Flato and Boer, 2001;Overland et al, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Control of primary production in the Arctic by nutrients and light: insights from a high resolution ocean general circulation model

et al. 2010

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract. Until recently, the Arctic Basin was generally considered to be a low productivity area and was afforded little attention in global-or even basin-scale ecosystem modelling studies. Due to anthropogenic climate change however, the sea ice cover of the Arctic Ocean is undergoing an unexpectedly fast retreat, exposing increasingly large areas of the basin to sunlight. As indicated by existing Arctic phenomena such as ice-edge blooms, this decline in sea-ice is liable to encourage pronounced growth of phytoplankton in summer and poses pressing questions concerning the future of Arctic ecosystems. It thus provides a strong impetus to modelling of this region.The Arctic Ocean is an area where plankton productivity is heavily influenced by physical factors. As these factors are strongly responding to climate change, we analyse here the results from simulations of the 1/4 • resolution global ocean NEMO (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean) model coupled with the MEDUSA (Model for Ecosystem Dynamics, carbon Utilisation, Sequestration and Acidification) biogeochemical model, with a particular focus on the Arctic basin. Simulated productivity is consistent with the limited observations for the Arctic, with significant production occurring both under the sea-ice and at the thermocline, locations that are difficult to sample in the field.Results also indicate that a substantial fraction of the variability in Arctic primary production can be explained by two key physical factors: (i) the maximum penetration of winter mixing, which determines the amount of nutrients available for summer primary production, and (ii) short-wave radiation at the ocean surface, which controls the magnitude of phytoplankton blooms. A strong empirical correlation was Correspondence to: E. E. Popova (ekp@noc.soton.ac.uk) found in the model output between primary production and these two factors, highlighting the importance of physical processes in the Arctic Ocean.

show abstract

“…Consequently, both the Arctic ice and plankton algae blooms start earlier (Kahru et al, 2011;Perrette et al, 2011) . Seasonality in bloom development and in downward carbon export in present-day climate and ice conditions (a), and a future warmer climate with thinner ice in winter and more melting of summer ice, causing a widening of the seasonal ice zone (B).…”

Section: Goal and Intentionsmentioning

confidence: 99%