Rationale: The importance of ice-related ecosystems is significant. Ice algae is the prime food source for the majority of the ice fauna, thus fuelling the ice-related part of the ecosystem, and the significance increases further north due to lower pelagic production. The sympagic–pelagic–benthic coupling is of great importance in the Arctic. Reduced sea ice, especially a shift towards less multiyear sea ice, will affect species composition as well as biomass and production
Theme: Biotic
Component: Ice associated fauna
Type of indicator: E, state of the ecosystem
Priority of indicator: e, essential
Parameters:
• Ice algae biomass (CBMP)
• Ice algae species composition (CBMP)
• Ice algae chlorophyll-a concentration (CBMP)
• Ice algae diversity indices (CBMP)
• Macrofauna species composition (CBMP)
• Macrofauna abundance and biomass (CBMP)
Responsible institution:
Melosira arctica – key diatom species in the Arctic. Photo: Józef Wiktor. Source: www.marbef.org