tag: glacier

Active microbial ecosystem in glacier basal ice fuelled by iron and silicate comminution-derived hydrogen

The basal zone of glaciers is characterized by physicochemical properties that are distinct from firnified ice due to strong interactions with underlying substrate and bedrock. Basal ice (BI) ecology and the roles that the microbiota play in biogeochemical cycling, weathering, and proglacial soil formation remain poorly described. We report on …

Bacterial 16S diversity of basal ice, sediment, and the forefront of Svínafellsjökull glacier via isolation chips and classical culturing techniques

Sub-glacial microbes are receiving increased attention due to their central roles in storage and release of greenhouse gases, such as methane and CO2. Climate change driven warming and resulting glacier retreat exposes bedrock that can contribute to soil formation in which subglacial-released microorganisms may play a crucial role. Basal ice, …

Sampling and Describing Glacier Ice

Determination of the physical, chemical and biological properties of glacier ice is essential for many aspects of glaciology and glacial geomorphology. In this chapter, we draw principally on examples of the description and sampling of the basal zone of glaciers where the ice is in direct contact with its substrate, …