Physical control of the horizontal patchiness of sea-ice microalgae

Abstract

Factors controlling the horizontal distribution of sea-ice microalgae were studied in Southeastern Hudson Bay and adjacent Manitounuk Sound (Canadian Arctic). Both large (-30 km) and small (0.3 to 500m) scales of variability were investigated. Results showed that salinity was the most important factor controlling large scale distribution of the ice-microalgal biomass, through its effect on the structure of the ice (surface available for colonization). Variation in the thickness of the snow-ice cover, which determines irradiance at the bottom of the ice, was the factor controlling distribution of the algal biomass at smaller scale (diameter of patches of microalgal biomass ranging between 20 and 90 m). The relation between ice-algal abundance and snow-ice thickness changed however over the season. At the beginning of the growing season (in April when the bottom-ice irradiance was higher than a minimum critical irradiance), maximum algal biomass was observed under areas covered by the smallest snow depths. Towards the end of the season, when light transmitted through the snow-lce cover increased, maximum algal biomass was observed under areas covered by the deepest snow. This suggests that ice algae have both minimum and maximum critical light levels. The minimum level is the irradiance below which there is no photosynthetic activity (Imi, 7.6 CL Einst m-2 S-') and the maximum level corresponds to the inhibiting light intensity, which may vary during the growth season. The horizontal heterogeneity of the snow-ice cover, whlch is influenced by wind at the air-ice interface, thus provides diversified bottom-ice habitats where irradiance is compatible or not with the physiological limits of the ice microalgals cells. This results in a strong patchiness in distribution of ice-bottom microalgae.