Abstract
The Arctic marine ecosystem is shaped by the seasonality of the solar cycle, spanning from 24-h light at the sea surface in summer to 24-h darkness in winter. The amount of light available for under-ice ecosystems is the result of different physical and biological processes that affect its path through atmosphere, snow, sea ice and water. In this article, we review the present state of knowledge of the abiotic (clouds, sea ice, snow, suspended matter) and biotic (sea ice algae and phytoplankton) controls on the underwater light field. We focus on how the available light affects the seasonal cycle of primary production (sympagic and pelagic) and discuss the sensitivity of ecosystems to changes in the light field based on model simulations. Lastly, we discuss predicted future changes in under-ice light as a consequence of climate change and their potential ecological implications, with the aim of providing a guide for future research.
Highlights
The reduction of Arctic sea ice is one of the strongest manifestations of global climate change
Despite the notably high albedo of a sea ice cover, a fraction of the light is propagated through the ice, into the ocean
Once light reaches the ocean surface, it is further attenuated through absorption and scattering by sea water itself and by particles such as Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM), Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), and phytoplankton (‘‘Sea ice algae and phytoplankton’’ section)
Summary
Shine a light: Under-ice light and its ecological implications in a changing Arctic Ocean. Giulia Castellani , Gaelle Veyssiere, Michael Karcher, Julienne Stroeve, S. Received: 30 April 2021 / Revised: 11 October 2021 / Accepted: 26 October 2021 / Published online: 25 November 2021
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