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Mineral phosphorus drives glacier algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet

Author

Listed:
  • Jenine McCutcheon

    (School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane
    University of Waterloo)

  • Stefanie Lutz

    (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences)

  • Christopher Williamson

    (Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol
    School of Biosciences, University of Bristol)

  • Joseph M. Cook

    (Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University)

  • Andrew J. Tedstone

    (Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol)

  • Aubry Vanderstraeten

    (Environment and Society, Université Libre de Bruxelles)

  • Sasha Wilson

    (University of Alberta)

  • Anthony Stockdale

    (School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane)

  • Steeve Bonneville

    (Environment and Society, Université Libre de Bruxelles)

  • Alexandre M. Anesio

    (Aarhus University)

  • Marian L. Yallop

    (School of Biosciences, University of Bristol)

  • James B. McQuaid

    (School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane)

  • Martyn Tranter

    (Bristol Glaciology Centre, University of Bristol
    Aarhus University)

  • Liane G. Benning

    (School of Earth & Environment, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane
    GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences
    Free University of Berlin)

Abstract

Melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet is a leading cause of land-ice mass loss and cryosphere-attributed sea level rise. Blooms of pigmented glacier ice algae lower ice albedo and accelerate surface melting in the ice sheet’s southwest sector. Although glacier ice algae cause up to 13% of the surface melting in this region, the controls on bloom development remain poorly understood. Here we show a direct link between mineral phosphorus in surface ice and glacier ice algae biomass through the quantification of solid and fluid phase phosphorus reservoirs in surface habitats across the southwest ablation zone of the ice sheet. We demonstrate that nutrients from mineral dust likely drive glacier ice algal growth, and thereby identify mineral dust as a secondary control on ice sheet melting.

Suggested Citation

  • Jenine McCutcheon & Stefanie Lutz & Christopher Williamson & Joseph M. Cook & Andrew J. Tedstone & Aubry Vanderstraeten & Sasha Wilson & Anthony Stockdale & Steeve Bonneville & Alexandre M. Anesio & M, 2021. "Mineral phosphorus drives glacier algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20627-w
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20627-w
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