Primary Production in Antarctic Sea Ice
Kevin R. Arrigo,
*
Denise L. Worthen,
Michael P. Lizotte,
Paul Dixon,
Gerhard Dieckmann
A numerical model shows that in Antarctic sea ice, increased
flooding in regions with thick snow cover enhances primary production in the infiltration (surface) layer. Productivity in the freeboard (sea
level) layer is also determined by sea ice porosity, which varies with
temperature. Spatial and temporal variation in snow thickness and the
proportion of first-year ice thus determine regional differences in sea
ice primary production. Model results show that of the 40 teragrams of
carbon produced annually in the Antarctic ice pack, 75 percent was
associated with first-year ice and nearly 50 percent was produced in
the Weddell Sea.
K. R. Arrigo, NASA Oceans and Ice Branch, Goddard
Space Flight Center, Code 971.0, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA.
D. L. Worthen, Science Systems and Applications Inc., Lanham, MD 20706, USA.
M. P. Lizotte, Department of Biology and Microbiology, University of
Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI 54901, USA.
P. Dixon, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of
California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
G. Dieckmann, Alfred-Wegener Institut für Polar- und
Meeresforschung, Columbusstrasse, D-27570 Bremerhaven, Germany.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed.
