Mapping the in situ microspatial distribution of ice algal biomass through hyperspectral imaging of sea-ice cores.

ABSTRACT: Ice-associated microalgae make a significant seasonal contribution to primary production and biogeochemical cycling in polar regions. However, the distribution of algal cells is driven by strong physicochemical gradients which lead to a degree of microspatial variability in the microbial biomass that is significant, but difficult to quantify. We address this methodological gap by employing a field-deployable hyperspectral scanning and photogrammetric approach to study sea-ice cores. The optical set-up facilitated unsupervised mapping of the vertical and horizontal distribution of phototrophic biomass in sea-ice cores at mm-scale resolution (using chlorophyll a [Chl a] as proxy), and enabled the development of novel spectral indices to be tested against extracted Chl a (R² ≤ 0.84

SUBMITTER: Cimoli E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7736878 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature