Tracing sea ice algae in Arctic benthic food webs using the sea ice diatom biomarker IP25

Project Description

With climatic changes in the Arctic, and the subsequent reduction in sea ice cover, we need to understand the importance of primary production associated with sea ice and how this may change in the future. This project employs a unique sea ice algal biochemical tracer, called IP-25 , which is conserved in consumers after foraging on sea ice algae. In this project we assess the abundance and distribution of this biomarker in sea ice, open ocean particulate organic matter, surface sediments, and various consumers from the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. We use these analyses to quantify the relative proportion of sea ice algae in these consumers.

Project Funding

NPRB
Amount: $198,830
Start Date: 2015-07-00
End Date: 2018-01-00

 

 

Research Team

Katrin Iken

Katrin Iken

Principal Investigator

Professor

Specialties:

  • Trophic interactions and food web analysis
  • Benthic diversity and communities
  • Stable isotope analysis
  • Phycology and invertebrate ecology
  • Shallow water ecology and deep-sea biology
  • Polar marine biology

Full Profile