Temporal dynamics and biogeography of sympagic and planktonic photosynthetic microbial eukaryotes during the under-ice Arctic bloom

Clarence Wei Hung Sim, Catherine Ribeiro Gerikas, Florence Le Gall, Ian Probert, Priscilla Gourvil, Connie Lovejoy, Daniel Vaulot, Adriana Lopes dos Santos

Abstract

Photosynthetic microbial eukaryotes play a pivotal role as primary producers in the Arctic Ocean, where seasonal blooms within and below the ice are crucial phenomena, contributing significantly to global primary production and biogeochemical cycling. In this study, we investigated the taxonomic composition of sympagic algae and phytoplankton communities during the Arctic under-ice spring bloom using metabarcoding of the 18S rRNA gene. Samples were obtained from three size fractions over a period of nearly three months at an ice camp deployed on landfast ice off the coast of Baffin Island as part of the Green Edge project. We classified the major sympagic and phytoplankton taxa found in this study into biogeographical categories using publicly available metabarcoding data from more than 2800 oceanic and coastal marine samples. This study demonstrated the temporal succession of taxonomic groups during the development of the under-ice bloom, illustrated by an overall transition from polar to polar-temperate taxa, particularly in the smallest size fraction. Overlooked classes such as Pelagophyceae (genera Plocamiomonas and Ankylochrysis), Bolidophyceae (Parmales environmental clade 2), and Cryptophyceae (Baffinella frigidus) might play a greater role than anticipated within the pico-sized communities in and under the ice pack during the pre-bloom period. Finally, we emphasize the importance of microdiversity, taking the example of B. frigidus, for which two ecotypes linked to pelagic and sea ice environments have been identified.