Ice algae
Encyclopedia
Ice algae is a general term used to describe all the various types of algal communities encountered in annual and multi-year sea-ice. The ice algal communities play an important role in primary production
and are therefore considered an important part of both Polar ecosystems.
Sea-ice algal communities can be found between ice crystals or attached to them, in the interstitial
water or brine channels between ice crystals
, or simply associated with the undersurface of the ice.
Although phytoplankton
production is greater than that of ice algae on an annual basis in most offshore regions of the Southern Ocean
, blooms of sea-ice algae differ considerably from the phytoplankton in terms of timing and distribution. Thus sea-ice algae provide food resources for higher trophic level
organisms in seasons and regions where water column biological production is low or negligible.
A different kind of ice algae live on glacier surfaces, a permanently cold freshwater ecosystem. Known members are Mesotaenium berggrenii or Ancylonema nordensskiöldii.
Primary production
400px|thumb|Global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September [[1997]] to August 2000. As an estimate of autotroph biomass, it is only a rough indicator of primary production potential, and not an actual estimate of it...
and are therefore considered an important part of both Polar ecosystems.
Interstitial
An interstitial space or interstice is an empty space or gap between spaces full of structure or matter.In particular, interstitial may refer to:-Physical sciences:...
water or brine channels between ice crystals
Ice crystals
Ice crystals are a small crystalline form of ice including hexagonal columns, hexagonal plates, dendritic crystals, and diamond dust. The highly symmetric shapes are due to depositional growth, namely, direct deposition of water vapour onto the ice crystal...
, or simply associated with the undersurface of the ice.
Although phytoplankton
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are the autotrophic component of the plankton community. The name comes from the Greek words φυτόν , meaning "plant", and πλαγκτός , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the unaided eye...
production is greater than that of ice algae on an annual basis in most offshore regions of the Southern Ocean
Southern Ocean
The Southern Ocean comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean, generally taken to be south of 60°S latitude and encircling Antarctica. It is usually regarded as the fourth-largest of the five principal oceanic divisions...
, blooms of sea-ice algae differ considerably from the phytoplankton in terms of timing and distribution. Thus sea-ice algae provide food resources for higher trophic level
Trophic level
The trophic level of an organism is the position it occupies in a food chain. The word trophic derives from the Greek τροφή referring to food or feeding. A food chain represents a succession of organisms that eat another organism and are, in turn, eaten themselves. The number of steps an organism...
organisms in seasons and regions where water column biological production is low or negligible.
A different kind of ice algae live on glacier surfaces, a permanently cold freshwater ecosystem. Known members are Mesotaenium berggrenii or Ancylonema nordensskiöldii.