Geochemical and biological linkages in glacier ecosystems

Project aim

Glaciers are not frozen rivers, but another aquatic ecosystem in the cryosphere. Most life on glaciers occurs in numerous shallow holes called cryoconites as simple microbial communities. We will study the functioning of these communities and link it to the important processes of carbon and nitrogen cycling. Biological processes change the nature of the glacier surface and may increase melting, which in turn may contribute to more rapid glacier retreat.