Mineral phosphorus drives glacier algal blooms on the Greenland Ice Sheet

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20627-w
• Publication Date: 2021-01-25T11:06:41Z
• Authors: Jenine McCutcheon; Stefanie Lutz; Christopher Willi...; Joseph M. Cook; Andrew J. Tedstone; Aubry Vanderstraeten; Sasha Wilson; Anthony Stockdale; Steeve Bonneville; Alexandre M. Anesio; Marian L. Yallop; James B. McQuaid; Martyn Tranter; Liane G. Benning
• Keywords: Melt pond; Greenland ice sheet; Antarctic ice sheet; Ice-albedo feedback

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