Articles | Volume 15, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2083-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-15-2083-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
27 Apr 2021
Research article |
| 27 Apr 2021
| 27 Apr 2021
Early spring subglacial discharge plumes fuel under-ice primary production at a Svalbard tidewater glacier
Tobias Reiner Vonnahme
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University
of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Emma Persson
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University
of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Ulrike Dietrich
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University
of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Eva Hejdukova
Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University,
Prague, Czech Republic
Christine Dybwad
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University
of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Josef Elster
Centre for Polar Ecology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Institute of Botany ASCR, Třeboň, Czech Republic
Melissa Chierici
Institute of Marine Research, Tromsø, Norway
University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Svalbard
Rolf Gradinger
Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT The Arctic University
of Norway, Tromsø, Norway
Viewed
Total article views: 4,424 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 05 Nov 2020)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,906 | 1,337 | 181 | 4,424 | 259 | 183 | 234 |
- HTML: 2,906
- PDF: 1,337
- XML: 181
- Total: 4,424
- Supplement: 259
- BibTeX: 183
- EndNote: 234
Total article views: 3,656 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 27 Apr 2021)
| HTML | XML | Total | Supplement | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,557 | 937 | 162 | 3,656 | 259 | 170 | 220 |
- HTML: 2,557
- PDF: 937
- XML: 162
- Total: 3,656
- Supplement: 259
- BibTeX: 170
- EndNote: 220
Total article views: 768 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Cumulative views and downloads
(calculated since 05 Nov 2020)
| HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 349 | 400 | 19 | 768 | 13 | 14 |
- HTML: 349
- PDF: 400
- XML: 19
- Total: 768
- BibTeX: 13
- EndNote: 14
Viewed (geographical distribution)
Total article views: 4,424 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 4,255 with geography defined
and 169 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 3,656 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 3,530 with geography defined
and 126 with unknown origin.
Total article views: 768 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
Thereof 725 with geography defined
and 43 with unknown origin.
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Country | # | Views | % |
|---|
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
| Total: | 0 |
| HTML: | 0 |
| PDF: | 0 |
| XML: | 0 |
- 1
1
Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Winter subglacial meltwater detected in a Greenland fjord K. Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-025-01652-0
- Small meter-scale (1–10 m) spatial variability in snow depth, sea ice properties, ice algal biomass and photobiology L. Lund-Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-026-03491-0
- Acoustic mapping reveals macroalgal settlement following a retreating glacier front in the High Arctic V. Gonzalez Triginer et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1438332
- Impact of winter freshwater from tidewater glaciers on fjords in Svalbard and Greenland; A review T. Vonnahme et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103144
- High sea ice algal primary production near marine-terminating glaciers linked to turbulence-driven nutrient fluxes across the ice–ocean interface D. Søgaard et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-53846-0
- A fjord with a land-terminating glacier: Meltwater, bio-optics, particulate matter, nutrients, phytoplankton species, and primary production in west Greenland L. Lund-Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103054
- Arctic Inshore Biogeochemical Regime Influenced by Coastal Runoff and Glacial Melting (Case Study for the Templefjord, Spitsbergen) M. Pogojeva et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12010044
- Dark plumes of glacial meltwater affect vertical distribution of zooplankton in the Arctic M. Szeligowska et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22475-8
- Economic dynamics of agri‐food supply chains at a macrolevel N. Gildas https://doi.org/10.1002/wfp2.12067
- Loss of pelagic fish and zooplankton density associated with subglacial upwelling in high Arctic estuaries may be mitigated by benthic habitat expansion following tidewater glacier retreat V. Triginer et al. https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2024-0040
- Hydrographic parameters and sedimentary characteristics under the influence of glacial derived meltwater in the Kongsfjorden-Krossfjorden fjord system, Svalbard R. Panikkaveetil et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2026.101415
- Seasonal plankton dynamics in Kongsfjorden during two years of contrasting environmental conditions P. Assmy et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2023.102996
- Rubisco in high Arctic tidewater glacier‐marine systems: A new window into phytoplankton dynamics M. Roberts et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12525
- Light and freshwater discharge drive the biogeochemistry and microbial ecology in a sub-Arctic fjord over the Polar night T. Vonnahme et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.915192
- Primary production in the bays of the novaya zemlya archipelago (Kara Sea) in the contrasting glacial and non-glacial environmental conditions A. Demidov et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106620
- Estimates of carbon sequestration potential in an expanding Arctic fjord (Hornsund, Svalbard) affected by dark plumes of glacial meltwater M. Szeligowska et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3617-2024
- Fifty Years of Tidewater Glacier Surface Elevation and Retreat Dynamics along the South-East Coast of Spitsbergen (Svalbard Archipelago) J. Kavan et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14020354
- Photophysiological responses of bottom sea-ice algae to fjord dynamics and rapid freshening Z. Forgereau et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1221639
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Winter subglacial meltwater detected in a Greenland fjord K. Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-025-01652-0
- Small meter-scale (1–10 m) spatial variability in snow depth, sea ice properties, ice algal biomass and photobiology L. Lund-Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-026-03491-0
- Acoustic mapping reveals macroalgal settlement following a retreating glacier front in the High Arctic V. Gonzalez Triginer et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1438332
- Impact of winter freshwater from tidewater glaciers on fjords in Svalbard and Greenland; A review T. Vonnahme et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2023.103144
- High sea ice algal primary production near marine-terminating glaciers linked to turbulence-driven nutrient fluxes across the ice–ocean interface D. Søgaard et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-53846-0
- A fjord with a land-terminating glacier: Meltwater, bio-optics, particulate matter, nutrients, phytoplankton species, and primary production in west Greenland L. Lund-Hansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103054
- Arctic Inshore Biogeochemical Regime Influenced by Coastal Runoff and Glacial Melting (Case Study for the Templefjord, Spitsbergen) M. Pogojeva et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12010044
- Dark plumes of glacial meltwater affect vertical distribution of zooplankton in the Arctic M. Szeligowska et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-22475-8
- Economic dynamics of agri‐food supply chains at a macrolevel N. Gildas https://doi.org/10.1002/wfp2.12067
- Loss of pelagic fish and zooplankton density associated with subglacial upwelling in high Arctic estuaries may be mitigated by benthic habitat expansion following tidewater glacier retreat V. Triginer et al. https://doi.org/10.1139/as-2024-0040
- Hydrographic parameters and sedimentary characteristics under the influence of glacial derived meltwater in the Kongsfjorden-Krossfjorden fjord system, Svalbard R. Panikkaveetil et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2026.101415
- Seasonal plankton dynamics in Kongsfjorden during two years of contrasting environmental conditions P. Assmy et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2023.102996
- Rubisco in high Arctic tidewater glacier‐marine systems: A new window into phytoplankton dynamics M. Roberts et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.12525
- Light and freshwater discharge drive the biogeochemistry and microbial ecology in a sub-Arctic fjord over the Polar night T. Vonnahme et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.915192
- Primary production in the bays of the novaya zemlya archipelago (Kara Sea) in the contrasting glacial and non-glacial environmental conditions A. Demidov et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2024.106620
- Estimates of carbon sequestration potential in an expanding Arctic fjord (Hornsund, Svalbard) affected by dark plumes of glacial meltwater M. Szeligowska et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-3617-2024
- Fifty Years of Tidewater Glacier Surface Elevation and Retreat Dynamics along the South-East Coast of Spitsbergen (Svalbard Archipelago) J. Kavan et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14020354
- Photophysiological responses of bottom sea-ice algae to fjord dynamics and rapid freshening Z. Forgereau et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2023.1221639
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 22 Oct 2026
Short summary
We describe the impact of subglacial discharge in early spring on a sea-ice-covered fjord on Svalbard by comparing a site influenced by a shallow tidewater glacier with two reference sites. We found a moderate under-ice phytoplankton bloom at the glacier front, which we attribute to subglacial upwelling of nutrients; a strongly stratified surface layer; and higher light penetration. In contrast, sea ice algae biomass was limited by low salinities and brine volumes.
We describe the impact of subglacial discharge in early spring on a sea-ice-covered fjord on...
