Palmer LTER: Microscopic analysis of ice assemblages in new-year sea ice in the Western Antarctic Peninsula, June-July 1999

FERRARIO, M.E.; GARIBOTTI, I.A.; VERNET, M.

Antarctic Journal of the United States

National Science Foundation

Lugar: Arlington, Virginia, Estados Unidos de América; Año: 2005 vol. 33 p. 242 - 244

0003-5335

The abundance and taxonomical composition of the algae from sea ice and water column was studied during the winter season (June-July 1999) in the western coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The abundance of cells was low, nevertheless, an elevated diversity of species was found. Diatoms and phytoflagellates were the main components in both, the water column and the sea ice. The water column was dominated by phytoflagellates, but their total cell concentration was of an order of magnitude lower than during the summer. In the ice there were more diatoms than flagellates. Cell abundance varied with ice type: the pack ice presented the lower abundance of cells and the ice pancake the highest. The taxonomic characteristics of the sea-ice community in this area differed from that of other zones of the Antarctic Ocean.