The biogeography of red snow microbiomes and their role in melting arctic glaciers

Lutz, Stefanie; Anesio, Alexandre M.; Raiswell, R.; Edwards, Arwyn; Newton, Robert J.; Gill, F.; Benning, Liane G.

doi:10.1038/ncomms11968

Cited by 210 publications

(247 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…1). The recovery of these bacteria is consistent with previous studies of supraglacial snow [13,17] (Hamilton and Havig, 2017) and highlights a role for these populations in degradation of complex organic carbon on the glacial surface.…”

Section: Stratovolcano Supraglacial Microbial Community Compositionsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…were the most abundant in the Collier Glacier snow sample. The sequences recovered are similar to those recovered from the Arctic, further indicating snow algae are cosmopolitan [17]. Bacterial OTUs most closely related to Chitinophagaceae, Cytophagaceae, and Sphingobacteriaceae were abundant in snow algae samples from the three glaciers (Fig.…”

Section: Stratovolcano Supraglacial Microbial Community Compositionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These effects can be far reaching-a darkening of the Greenland ice sheet has been observed coincident with increased melt [20]. While the effects of inorganic material on albedo have been quantified, climate models have not traditionally accounted for melting caused by snow algae [17]. These efforts are complicated by the difficulty in separating abiotic albedo from biologically induced darkening, or bio-albedo, as well as a paucity of data on snow algae distribution and density.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Sierra Nevada snowfields, snow algae abundance was negatively correlated to surface albedo [15] and a recent study quantified the role of snow algae communities in snowmelt on an icefield in Alaska [16]. Similarly, in the Arctic, red algal blooms darken the snow/ice surface, lowering surface albedo (by as much as 13% over the melt season) [17] and increasing melt rates [18,19].Allochthonous material delivered to snow and ice surfaces such as forest fire-derived black carbon, Saharan or pro-glacial mineral dust, volcanic ash, and anthropogenic pollution causes increased absorption of solar radiation and locally accelerated melting. These effects can be far reaching-a darkening of the Greenland ice sheet has been * Trinity L. Hamilton…”

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confidence: 99%

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Inorganic carbon addition stimulates snow algae primary productivity

Hamilton

Havig

2018

The ISME Journal

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Earth has experienced glacial/interglacial oscillations accompanied by changes in atmospheric CO 2 throughout much of its history. Today over 15 million square kilometers of Earth's land surface is covered in ice including glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets. Glaciers are teeming with life and supraglacial snow and ice surfaces are often darkened by the presence of photoautotrophic snow algae, resulting in accelerated melt due to lowered albedo. Few studies report the productivity of snow algal communities and the parameters which constrain their growth on supraglacial surfaces-key factors for quantifying biologically induced albedo effects (bio-albedo). We demonstrate that snow algae primary productivity is stimulated by the addition of inorganic carbon. Our results indicate a positive feedback between increasing CO 2 and snow algal primary productivity, underscoring the need for robust climate models of past and present glacial/interglacial oscillations to include feedbacks between supraglacial primary productivity, albedo, and atmospheric CO 2 .Earth has experienced intervals of glacial and interglacial periods in its history including Snowball Earth events [1,2]. Today, glaciers and ice sheets are integral to the Earth's climate and hydrological system-they influence regional and global climate, are sensitive to climate change, and are the largest freshwater reservoir on Earth [3,4]. Geologic and geochemical evidence suggest that glacial/interglacial oscillations are coincident with lower atmospheric CO 2 [5] and are exacerbated by lower solar luminosity [6]. For instance, models indicate overcoming high planetary albedo during Snowball Earth events required greenhouse warming caused by the accumulation of high levels of CO 2 from volcanic outgassing accompanied by decreases in silicate weathering [7,8]. Due to human activity, atmospheric CO 2 is now above 400 ppm [9] and from 1999 to 2010, CO 2 was emitted at a rate 100 times as fast as during the last glacial termination [10]. Coincident with increasing CO 2 , average global temperatures have increased (~1°C over the past century) leading to glacial retreat and receding snowpack.Glaciers and ice sheets are a host to diverse ecosystems including supraglacial communities that contribute to local and global biogeochemical cycles [11]. Snow algae (eukaryotic photoautotrophs) are key primary producers on supraglacial habitats in the Arctic, and on glaciers and snowfields throughout the world where they thrive in highirradiation environments [12,13]. To overcome this high irradiance, snow algae produce secondary carotenoids resulting in blooms of red algal biomass [14], which darkens snow and ice surfaces. In Sierra Nevada snowfields, snow algae abundance was negatively correlated to surface albedo [15] and a recent study quantified the role of snow algae communities in snowmelt on an icefield in Alaska [16]. Similarly, in the Arctic, red algal blooms darken the snow/ice surface, lowering surface albedo (by as much as 13% over the melt season) [17] and in...

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Section: Stratovolcano Supraglacial Microbial Community Compositionsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Stratovolcano Supraglacial Microbial Community Compositionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inorganic carbon addition stimulates snow algae primary productivity

Hamilton

Havig

2018

The ISME Journal

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Snow Cover and Vegetation‐Induced Decrease in Global Albedo From 2002 to 2016

et al. 2018

JGR Atmospheres

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Land surface albedo is an essential parameter in regional and global climate models, and it is markedly influenced by land cover change. Variations in the albedo can affect the surface radiation budget and further impact the global climate. In this study, the interannual variation of albedo from 2002 to 2016 was estimated on the global scale using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) datasets. The presence and causes of the albedo changes for each specific region were also explored. From 2002 to 2016, the MODIS‐based albedo decreased globally, snow cover declined by 0.970 (percent per pixel), while the seasonally integrated normalized difference vegetation index increased by 0.175. Some obvious increases in the albedo were detected in Central Asia, northeastern China, parts of the boreal forest in Canada, and the temperate steppe in North America. In contrast, noticeable decreases in the albedo were found in the Siberian tundra, Europe, southeastern Australia, and northeastern regions of North America. In the Northern Hemisphere, the greening trend at high latitudes made more contribution to the decline in the albedo. However, the dramatic fluctuation of snow‐cover at midlatitudes predominated in the change of albedo. Our analysis can help to understand the roles that vegetation and snow cover play in the variation of albedo on global and regional scales.

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Ecology of A rctic Glaciers

Anesio

Laybourn‐Parry

2020

Arctic Ecology

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The biogeography of red snow microbiomes and their role in melting arctic glaciers

Cited by 210 publications

References 47 publications

Inorganic carbon addition stimulates snow algae primary productivity

Inorganic carbon addition stimulates snow algae primary productivity

Snow Cover and Vegetation‐Induced Decrease in Global Albedo From 2002 to 2016

Ecology of A rctic Glaciers

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