Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs.
Pelagic primary production in Arctic seas has traditionally been viewed as biologically insignificant until after the ice breakup. There is growing evidence however, that under-ice blooms of pelagic phytoplankton may be a recurrent occurrence. During the springs of 2011 and 2012, we found substantia...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2014-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4256470?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1819327351387848704 |
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| author | Steven W Duerksen Gregory W Thiemann Suzanne M Budge Michel Poulin Andrea Niemi Christine Michel |
| author_facet | Steven W Duerksen Gregory W Thiemann Suzanne M Budge Michel Poulin Andrea Niemi Christine Michel |
| author_sort | Steven W Duerksen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Pelagic primary production in Arctic seas has traditionally been viewed as biologically insignificant until after the ice breakup. There is growing evidence however, that under-ice blooms of pelagic phytoplankton may be a recurrent occurrence. During the springs of 2011 and 2012, we found substantial numbers (201-5713 cells m-3) of the large centric diatom (diameter >250 µm) Coscinodiscus centralis under the sea ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago near Resolute Bay, Nunavut. The highest numbers of these pelagic diatoms were observed in Barrow Strait. Spatial patterns of fatty acid profiles and stable isotopes indicated two source populations for C. centralis: a western origin with low light conditions and high nutrients, and a northern origin with lower nutrient levels and higher irradiances. Fatty acid analysis revealed that pelagic diatoms had significantly higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (mean ± SD: 50.3 ± 8.9%) compared to ice-associated producers (30.6 ± 10.3%) in our study area. In particular, C. centralis had significantly greater proportions of the long chain omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), than ice algae (24.4 ± 5.1% versus 13.7 ± 5.1%, respectively). Thus, C. centralis represented a significantly higher quality food source for local herbivores than ice algae, although feeding experiments did not show clear evidence of copepod grazing on C. centralis. Our results suggest that C. centralis are able to initiate growth under pack ice in this area and provide further evidence that biological productivity in ice-covered seas may be substantially higher than previously recognized. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T13:09:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-536a5dcbb6344c47bd1add51a968deee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T13:09:28Z |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-536a5dcbb6344c47bd1add51a968deee2022-12-21T16:53:56ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032014-01-01912e11407010.1371/journal.pone.0114070Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs.Steven W DuerksenGregory W ThiemannSuzanne M BudgeMichel PoulinAndrea NiemiChristine MichelPelagic primary production in Arctic seas has traditionally been viewed as biologically insignificant until after the ice breakup. There is growing evidence however, that under-ice blooms of pelagic phytoplankton may be a recurrent occurrence. During the springs of 2011 and 2012, we found substantial numbers (201-5713 cells m-3) of the large centric diatom (diameter >250 µm) Coscinodiscus centralis under the sea ice in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago near Resolute Bay, Nunavut. The highest numbers of these pelagic diatoms were observed in Barrow Strait. Spatial patterns of fatty acid profiles and stable isotopes indicated two source populations for C. centralis: a western origin with low light conditions and high nutrients, and a northern origin with lower nutrient levels and higher irradiances. Fatty acid analysis revealed that pelagic diatoms had significantly higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (mean ± SD: 50.3 ± 8.9%) compared to ice-associated producers (30.6 ± 10.3%) in our study area. In particular, C. centralis had significantly greater proportions of the long chain omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), than ice algae (24.4 ± 5.1% versus 13.7 ± 5.1%, respectively). Thus, C. centralis represented a significantly higher quality food source for local herbivores than ice algae, although feeding experiments did not show clear evidence of copepod grazing on C. centralis. Our results suggest that C. centralis are able to initiate growth under pack ice in this area and provide further evidence that biological productivity in ice-covered seas may be substantially higher than previously recognized.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4256470?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Steven W Duerksen Gregory W Thiemann Suzanne M Budge Michel Poulin Andrea Niemi Christine Michel Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs. PLoS ONE |
| title | Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs. |
| title_full | Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs. |
| title_fullStr | Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs. |
| title_short | Large, omega-3 rich, pelagic diatoms under Arctic sea ice: sources and implications for food webs. |
| title_sort | large omega 3 rich pelagic diatoms under arctic sea ice sources and implications for food webs |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4256470?pdf=render |
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