Recently, Tris Irvine-Fynn, Arwyn Edwards, Nozomu Takeuchi and I put together a big review paper detailing the past century and a half of cryoconite research. Here's a brief run-through... What is cryoconite? Cryoconite refers to granules comprising organic and inorganic matter that are formed due to biological activity on ice surfaces. In the paper we … Continue reading Cryoconite: Dark Biological Secrets of the Cryosphere
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Biocryomorphology
In a recent publication in Frontiers in Earth Science, Arwyn Edwards, Alun Hubbard and I outlined a framework for developing a more holistic understanding of the cryosphere. We suggest that the complex reciprocal relationships between physical and biological processes on ice surfaces represent a crucial gap in our knowledge of glacial systems, and propose to … Continue reading Biocryomorphology
NEP Video
Here is a quick video I made outlining the well-known "total dissolved inorganic carbon" (TDIC) procedure for measuring Net Ecosystem Productivity. It is a very basic aide-memoir for undergraduate and postgraduate students showing the major steps in the TDIC procedure. There is a paper document to accompany this video available to students working in the labs at the … Continue reading NEP Video
New Scientist’s “Icy Oases” Article: The full interviews!
New scientist recently published an article introducing cryoconite holes as oases for microbial life on ice surfaces. As 'new scientists' working on cryoconite, colleagues Arwyn Edwards (Aberystwyth University), Karen Cameron (GEUS / Dark Snow Project) and I were interviewed by science writer Nick Kennedy. Of course only a few sound-bites made it into the final … Continue reading New Scientist’s “Icy Oases” Article: The full interviews!
Water Bears on Ice: Guest blog by Jesamine Bartlett
Huge thanks to Jesamine Bartlett - a recent MSc graduate from the University of Sheffield who has been working on Tardigrade research - for providing this introduction to the weird world of water bears... Whether or not you like microbiology, bugs, or even science, no one can deny the frankly awesome nature of the Tardigrade. … Continue reading Water Bears on Ice: Guest blog by Jesamine Bartlett
Swapping Space and Time
A transect is a straight path between two points along which a number of sampling sites are established. The same procedures are generally carried out at each sampling point so that changes in a certain variable can be related to distance along the transect. Transect studies have been used to examine the spatial variability of various glaciological … Continue reading Swapping Space and Time
A Cryoconite Bibliography
Below is a bibliography of cryoconite literature that may help those looking for material in this field. I will endeavour to regularly update this with omissions and new work! If you are a cryoconite researcher/enthusiast and you notice anything I've missed, please let me know so I can make this as complete as possible! CRYOCONITE … Continue reading A Cryoconite Bibliography
Living the High Life… in the aeolian biome
At the top of the highest mountains - where air is thin, solar irradiance intense, meteorology unpredictable, temperatures low and food scarce - spiders live on snow. The same spiders that are found in much more favourable conditions at sea level around the world. With no specific adaptations and no obvious lower trophic levels to … Continue reading Living the High Life… in the aeolian biome
Measuring NEP
Some under- and post-grad students recently asked me to explain how to measure NEP in cryoconite holes, and this post represents a brief overview on their behalf - apologies to other readers who may find this a bit "niche" - something more accessible next time! What is NEP? NEP stands for Net Ecosystem Productivity and is a … Continue reading Measuring NEP
Carbon Flux Modelling
C Flux Modelling To date, three attempts have been made to model carbon (C) fluxes in the supraglacial environment, all in the past five years. These models tried to reconcile 'snapshot' measurements of net ecosystem productivity (relative rates of photosynthesis and respiration - NEP) made at a small number of sites with atmospheric carbon fluxes … Continue reading Carbon Flux Modelling
To The Poles 