Ice algae 2065110 172918972 2007-11-21T15:25:01Z 138.232.128.198 '''"Ice algae"''' is a general term used to describe all the various types of [[algal]] communities encountered in annual and multi-year sea-ice. The ice algal communities play an important role in [[primary production]] and are therefore considered an important part of both Polar ecosystems. [[Image:Krillicekils.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The undersurface of the [[pack ice]] in Antarctica colored green - [[Antarctic krill]] scraping off the ice algae]] Sea-ice algal communities can be found between ice crystals or attached to them, in the [[interstitial]] water or [[brine channels]] between [[ice crystals]], or simply associated with the undersurface of the ice. Although [[phytoplankton]] production is greater than that of ice algae on an annual basis in most offshore regions of the [[Southern Ocean]], blooms of sea-ice algae differ considerably from the phytoplankton in terms of timing and distribution. Thus sea-ice algae provide food resources for higher [[trophic level]] organisms in seasons and regions where water column biological production is low or negligible. A different kind of ice algae live on glacier surfaces, a permanently cold freshwater ecosystem. Known members are Mesotaenium berggrenii or Ancylonema nordensskiƶldii. ==External links== *[http://www.eman-rese.ca/eman/ecotools/protocols/marine/seaicealgae/page1.html eman-rese.ca: ] *[http://www.bioone.org/bioone/?request=get-document&issn=0003-1569&volume=041&issue=01&page=0057 BioOne] *[http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/Eistour/index-e.html interactive icetour AWI] *[http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/Eistour/mikrostruktur-e.html microstructure AWI] *[http://psc.apl.washington.edu/pscweb2002/about.html Polar Science Center] *[http://www2.dmu.dk/LakeandEstuarineEcology/CAMP/discrib.htm image under the ice] *[http://www.tree-hugger.us/sea_ice/frill.htm schematic and cross sections] [[Category:Algae]] [[Category:Aquatic ecology]]