September 10, 2013

MICRO-GELS FROM TINY ARCTIC AND ANTARCTIC ICE ALGAE PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN POLAR OCEAN CARBON BUDGETS



Secretion of polysaccharides from the micro community living within the sea ice stick organism together and forms greater particles introducing a rapid transport of carbon to the seafloor. New research now makes it possible to forecast the importance for the global carbon budget of this transport

A community of microscopic algae and bacteria thrives within the Arctic and Antarctic pack ice. These ice-organisms are adapted to growing on the ice crystal surfaces and within a labyrinth of channels and pores that permeate the ice floes.