Experimental Evidence on Nutrient and Substrate Limitation of Baltic Sea sea-ice Algae and Bacteria

Abstract

The effect of nutrient limitation on Baltic Sea ice algae, and substrate and nutrient limitation on ice bacteria, was studied in a series of in situ -experiments conducted during the winter of 2002 in northern Baltic Sea. Community level changes in algal biomass (chlorophyll a) and productivity, and bacterial thymidine and leucine incorporation were followed for one week after the addition of nutrient and/or organic carbon rich filtered seawater to the experimental units. The results showed the major contribution of snow cover to the algal responses during the beginning of the ice-covered season. Algal communities were able to grow even in January if no snow was present. Nutrient addition did occasionally have an effect on algal biomass and productivity in the ice. Surprisingly, seeding effect from the ice to the underlying water was negatively affected by the nutrient availability in March. Bacterial limitation varied between nutrient (phosphorus) and substrate limitations. The results showed, that limitation in both algal and bacterial communities changed periodically in the northern Baltic Sea ice.