Global ecosystem typology

Alternative site for the Global ecosystem typology with additional information for ecosystem profiles and indicative maps.

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M2.5 Sea ice

Biome: M2. Pelagic ocean waters biome

Contributors:
(texts)

These seasonally frozen surface waters in polar oceans are one of the most dynamic ecosystems on earth. The sea-ice itself provides habitat for ice-dependent species, such as the microalgal and microbial communities that form the basis of communities in waters below, while plankton, fish and marine birds and mammals feed on and around the ice. Sea-ice plays a crucial role in both pelagic marine ecosystems and biogeochemical processes like ocean-atmosphere gas exchange.

Key Features

Highly dynamic, seasonally frozen surface waters support diverse ice-associated organisms from plankton to seabirds and whales.

Overview of distribution

Polar oceans.

Profile versions

Main references

Selected references for this functional group:

  • Brierley AS, Thomas DN (2002) Ecology of Southern Ocean pack ice Advances in Marine Biology 43: 171-276. Academic Press DOI:10.1016/s0065-2881(02)43005-2

  • Arrigo KR, Thomas DN (2004) Large scale importance of sea ice biology in the Southern Ocean Antarctic Science 16: 471-486 DOI:10.1017/s0954102004002263

  • Horner R., Ackley, SF, Dieckmann GS, Gulliksen B, Hoshiai T, Legendre L, Melnikov IA, Reeburgh WS, Spindler M, Sullivan CW (1992) Ecology of sea ice biota Polar Biology 12: 417-427

Diagrammatic assembly model

Diagrammatic assembly model of M2.5 Sea ice. See general notes on diagrams. Open image full size.

Maps

Maps are indicative of global distribution patterns are not intended to represent fine-scale patterns. The maps show areas of the world containing major (coloured red) or minor occurrences (coloured yellow) of each ecosystem functional group. See general notes on maps.

There are 2 alternative versions of the indicative map for this functional group, please compare description and sources below.

M2.5.IM.orig_v1.0

Datasets

  • G02135-Sea-Ice-3.0

Map references

  • Fetterer F, Knowles K, Meier WN, Savoie M, Windnagel AK (2017) Sea Ice Index, Version 3. Monthly Sea Ice Extent NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center Boulder, Colorado USA. Updated daily, Accessed September 2019 DOI:10.7265/N5K072F8

M2.5.web.orig_v1.0

Indicative distributions of sea ice were obtained from Fetterer et al. (2017). To approximate the maximum annual global extent, we used the monthly extent for March 2019 for the northern hemisphere, and the monthly extent for September 2018 for the southern hemisphere. Occurrences were mapped at 30 arc second spatial resolution. Open image full size.

Datasets

  • G02135-Sea-Ice-3.0

Map references

  • Fetterer F, Knowles K, Meier WN, Savoie M, Windnagel AK (2017) Sea Ice Index, Version 3. Monthly Sea Ice Extent NSIDC: National Snow and Ice Data Center Boulder, Colorado USA. Updated daily, Accessed September 2019 DOI:10.7265/N5K072F8

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