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The occurrence of sub-ice algal aggregations off northeast Greenland

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Abstract

Massive growth of sub-ice algal assemblages was recorded at two stations under first-year ice off northeast Greenland using a Remotely Operated Vehicle equipped with cameras. The assemblages mainly consisted of the diatom Melosira arctica (Ehr.) Dickie. A station sampled at the beginning of June 1993 revealed two forms of growth, curtain-like and rope-like, but with many intermediate types along the entire 150 m transect. The algal distribution was patchy. No significant sympagic fauna was found close to the algal masses. At a station sampled in the middle of July, similar algal concentrations seemed to be disturbed by ice-melting processes. Two casts under multi-year ice flows failed to show any algal aggregations. The observation of algal assemblages under first-year ice is in contrast to earlier reports from the Barents Sea where they have been recorded exclusively under multi-year ice.

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  1. Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, D-27568, Columousstrasse, Bremerhaven, Germany

    Julian Gutt

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  1. Julian Gutt
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Gutt, J. The occurrence of sub-ice algal aggregations off northeast Greenland. Polar Biol 15, 247–252 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239844

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00239844

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