Articles | Volume 12, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3653-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3653-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
26 Nov 2018
Research article |
| 26 Nov 2018
| 26 Nov 2018
Microbial processes in the weathering crust aquifer of a temperate glacier
Brent C. Christner
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Biodiversity Institute, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Heather F. Lavender
Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Christina L. Davis
Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Biodiversity Institute, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Erin E. Oliver
Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
current address: Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182, USA
Sarah U. Neuhaus
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
Krista F. Myers
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
Birgit Hagedorn
Sustainable Earth Research LLC, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
Slawek M. Tulaczyk
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
Peter T. Doran
Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
William C. Stone
Stone Aerospace, Del Valle, TX 78617, USA
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Biogeochemical Responses to Mixing of Glacial Meltwater and Hot Spring Discharge in the Mount St. Helens Crater A. Dubnick et al. 10.1029/2022JG006852
- A model of the weathering crust and microbial activity on an ice-sheet surface T. Woods & I. Hewitt 10.5194/tc-17-1967-2023
- Glacial Water: A Dynamic Microbial Medium G. Varliero et al. 10.3390/microorganisms11051153
- Spatially consistent microbial biomass and future cellular carbon release from melting Northern Hemisphere glacier surfaces I. Stevens et al. 10.1038/s43247-022-00609-0
- High prevalence of parasitic chytrids infection of glacier algae in cryoconite holes in Alaska K. Kobayashi et al. 10.1038/s41598-023-30721-w
- Metagenomic inference of microbial community composition and function in the weathering crust aquifer of a temperate glacier Q. Faber et al. 10.3389/frmbi.2024.1488744
- Weathering crust formation outpaces melt-albedo feedback on blue ice shelves of East Antarctica G. Traversa & B. Di Mauro 10.1038/s43247-024-01896-5
- Nutrient Uptake in the Supraglacial Stream Network of an Antarctic Glacier A. Bergstrom et al. 10.1029/2020JG005679
- Spatial distribution and stable isotopic composition of invertebrates uncover differences between habitats on the glacier surface in the Alps T. Jaroměřská et al. 10.1007/s10201-023-00713-w
- Culture-Dependent and -Independent Analyses Reveal the Diversity, Structure, and Assembly Mechanism of Benthic Bacterial Community in the Ross Sea, Antarctica A. Li et al. 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02523
- Algal growth and weathering crust state drive variability in western Greenland Ice Sheet ice albedo A. Tedstone et al. 10.5194/tc-14-521-2020
- Dark ice in a warming world: advances and challenges in the study of Greenland Ice Sheet's biological darkening L. Halbach et al. 10.1017/aog.2023.17
- Variations in Phototroph Communities on the Ablating Bare-Ice Surface of Glaciers on Brøggerhalvøya, Svalbard N. Takeuchi et al. 10.3389/feart.2019.00004
- Storage and export of microbial biomass across the western Greenland Ice Sheet T. Irvine-Fynn et al. 10.1038/s41467-021-24040-9
- Pigment signatures of algal communities and their implications for glacier surface darkening L. Halbach et al. 10.1038/s41598-022-22271-4
- Dissolved organic nutrients dominate melting surface ice of the Dark Zone (Greenland Ice Sheet) A. Holland et al. 10.5194/bg-16-3283-2019
- The distinctive weathering crust habitat of a High Arctic glacier comprises discrete microbial micro‐habitats S. Rassner et al. 10.1111/1462-2920.16617
- Molecular-level characterization of supraglacial dissolved and water-extractable organic matter along a hydrological flow path in a Greenland Ice Sheet micro-catchment E. Doting et al. 10.5194/bg-22-41-2025
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Biogeochemical Responses to Mixing of Glacial Meltwater and Hot Spring Discharge in the Mount St. Helens Crater A. Dubnick et al. 10.1029/2022JG006852
- A model of the weathering crust and microbial activity on an ice-sheet surface T. Woods & I. Hewitt 10.5194/tc-17-1967-2023
- Glacial Water: A Dynamic Microbial Medium G. Varliero et al. 10.3390/microorganisms11051153
- Spatially consistent microbial biomass and future cellular carbon release from melting Northern Hemisphere glacier surfaces I. Stevens et al. 10.1038/s43247-022-00609-0
- High prevalence of parasitic chytrids infection of glacier algae in cryoconite holes in Alaska K. Kobayashi et al. 10.1038/s41598-023-30721-w
- Metagenomic inference of microbial community composition and function in the weathering crust aquifer of a temperate glacier Q. Faber et al. 10.3389/frmbi.2024.1488744
- Weathering crust formation outpaces melt-albedo feedback on blue ice shelves of East Antarctica G. Traversa & B. Di Mauro 10.1038/s43247-024-01896-5
- Nutrient Uptake in the Supraglacial Stream Network of an Antarctic Glacier A. Bergstrom et al. 10.1029/2020JG005679
- Spatial distribution and stable isotopic composition of invertebrates uncover differences between habitats on the glacier surface in the Alps T. Jaroměřská et al. 10.1007/s10201-023-00713-w
- Culture-Dependent and -Independent Analyses Reveal the Diversity, Structure, and Assembly Mechanism of Benthic Bacterial Community in the Ross Sea, Antarctica A. Li et al. 10.3389/fmicb.2019.02523
- Algal growth and weathering crust state drive variability in western Greenland Ice Sheet ice albedo A. Tedstone et al. 10.5194/tc-14-521-2020
- Dark ice in a warming world: advances and challenges in the study of Greenland Ice Sheet's biological darkening L. Halbach et al. 10.1017/aog.2023.17
- Variations in Phototroph Communities on the Ablating Bare-Ice Surface of Glaciers on Brøggerhalvøya, Svalbard N. Takeuchi et al. 10.3389/feart.2019.00004
- Storage and export of microbial biomass across the western Greenland Ice Sheet T. Irvine-Fynn et al. 10.1038/s41467-021-24040-9
- Pigment signatures of algal communities and their implications for glacier surface darkening L. Halbach et al. 10.1038/s41598-022-22271-4
- Dissolved organic nutrients dominate melting surface ice of the Dark Zone (Greenland Ice Sheet) A. Holland et al. 10.5194/bg-16-3283-2019
- The distinctive weathering crust habitat of a High Arctic glacier comprises discrete microbial micro‐habitats S. Rassner et al. 10.1111/1462-2920.16617
- Molecular-level characterization of supraglacial dissolved and water-extractable organic matter along a hydrological flow path in a Greenland Ice Sheet micro-catchment E. Doting et al. 10.5194/bg-22-41-2025
Latest update: 26 Jul 2025
Short summary
Solar radiation that penetrates into the glacier heats the ice to produce nutrient-containing meltwater and provides light that fuels an ecosystem within the ice. Our analysis documents a near-surface photic zone in a glacier that functions as a liquid water oasis in the ice over half the annual cycle. Since microbial growth on glacier surfaces reduces the amount of solar radiation reflected, microbial processes at depths below the surface may also darken ice and accelerate meltwater production.
Solar radiation that penetrates into the glacier heats the ice to produce nutrient-containing...
