Table 1 Snow algae biogeochemistry.

From: Remote sensing reveals Antarctic green snow algae as important terrestrial carbon sink

 

Ryder Bay (67°S)

King George Island (62°S)

Sentinel 2 remote-sensed data

Snow algae cells ml−1 snow melt

2.2 × 104 ± 2.4 × 104 (n = 56)

2.2 × 104 ± 3.1 × 104 (n = 35)

4.2 × 104 ± 1.3 × 104 (n = 17,520)

Snow algae cells m−2 snow surface

3.9 × 109 ± 8.8 × 109 (n = 56)

2.2 × 109 ± 2.7 × 109 (n = 35)

2.2 × 109 ± 6.9 × 109 (n = 17,520)

Snow algae community dry mass g m−2

51.3 ± 44.0 (n = 19)

16.2 ± 21.2 (n = 31)

57.9 ± 173.0 (n = 17,520)

Green snow density (ml melt cc−1 snow)

0.56 ± 0.17 (n = 35)

0.59 ± 0.16 (n = 55)

0.58a

Snow algae layer thickness (mm)

12.7 ± 6.3 (n = 35)

7.2 ± 5.6 (n = 55)

9.05a

NCER (μmols CO2 m−2 s−1)b

−0.099 ± 0.099 (n = 3242)

−0.037 ± 0.029 (n = 1158)

−0.064 ± 0.19c

ER (μmols CO2 m−2 s−1)

0.089 ± 0.125 (n = 846)

−0.016 ± 0.02 (n = 195)

GEP (μmols CO2 m−2 s−1)

−0.188

−0.021

Snow algae %C

41.8 ± 8.8 (n = 57)

23.1 ± 10.2 (n = 25)

36.1a

Snow algae %N

6.2 ± 1.6 (n = 64)

3.3 ± 2.2 (n = 25)

Snow algae δ15N (‰)

11.4 ± 6.5 (n = 61)

−2.1 ± 2.4 (n = 25)

Green snow nitrate (μmols l−1)

15.64 ± 12.26 (n = 42)

Green snow phosphate (μmols l−1)

11.06 ± 13.69 (n = 19)

  1. In situ cell counts, biogeochemistry and carbon flux of Antarctic green snow algae compared to remote-sensed estimates. Reported values are mean ± 1 standard deviation and are from field work conducted in the Ryder bay area of Adelaide Island (2018) and the Fildes Peninsula area of King George Island (2019).
  2. NCER net carbon exchange rate, ER ecosystem respiration, GEP gross ecosystem photosynthesis.
  3. aAverage used in biomass model.
  4. bNegative values denote carbon flux from the air into the snow ecosystem and positive values for flux from the snow to the air.
  5. cBased on modelled biomass produced per m2.