Ablation provides key macronutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous) to glacier ice algae in NW Greenland

Abstract

Dissolved phosphorus (P) is thought to limit the growth of glacier ice algae, which darken the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and enhance surface melt. This contention is largely based on the low-level of P concentrations, which are often below the limit of detection of conventional methods. Here, we propose that low-level nutrient analysis is essential to understand the macronutrient limitation of glacier algal growth on the GrIS. We sample surface (≤5 cm) and shallow (5−10 and ~80−90 cm depth) ice from two sites in NW Greenland and measure the nano-molar concentrations of dissolved nitrogen (N) and P using a custom-built continuous segmented flow analyser. Quantifiable concentrations of these macronutrients are present, along with glacier ice algal abundances comparable to those of the Dark Zone, a zone of biologically enhanced ice sheet melting. Mass balance calculations for each site indicate that N and P released during seasonal ablation exceed the amounts incorporated into glacier ice algal biomass. These results suggest that dissolved macronutrients are unlikely to limit glacier ice algal growth on the Greenland Ice Sheet.