Detailed analysis of spring dynamics of biogeochemical properties of fast ice

What is it about?

This study is a detailed analysis of the short term dynamics of nutrients and DOM in fast ice system in early spring. This period is characterised by a significant removal of nutrients in the interior ice layers, by the accumulation of nutrients and DOM in the bottom ice and platelet layer and by the modification of the chemical properties of the seawater surrounding the sea ice. The changes of the chemistry of sea ice system provide information on the complex activity of ice communities.

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Why is it important?

In fast ice and in the sub-ice platelet layer, the activity of ice communities is modulated by strong vertical gradients of the ambient conditions and by fast temporal changes of the availability of nutrients. This condition causes a complex spatial and temporal successions of the biogeochemical processes in sea ice, which can be studied only on the basis of high resolution spatial and temporal data series.