Strong and regionally distinct links between ice-retreat timing and phytoplankton production in the Arctic Ocean

Recent rapid sea-ice changes in the Arctic Ocean have been widely considered to alter phytoplankton bloom timing and primary production, but the magnitude and regionality of this effect remain unclear. Here, we examined the spatial patterns in bloom timing, bloom magnitude, and primary productivity in relation to ice-retreat timing, using a combination of satellite observations and numerical modeling. We found distinct regional differences in how the phytoplankton bloom relates to ice-retreat timing. In the Arctic shelf regions, earlier and stronger blooms follow earlier annual ice retreats and enhanced light availability. By contrast, in some parts of the central Arctic, especially in the Canada Basin, there have been weakened blooms and reduced primary production in recent years. This reduction is largely due to a chain reaction triggered by earlier ice-melt and enhanced haline stratification, which further suppress vertical nutrient exchange and reduce surface nutrients in an already nutrient-limited system. Recognizing and quantifying strong and regionally distinct links between sea-ice retreat and primary production will improve spatiotemporal projections of biogeochemical cycles and trophic flows in Arctic marine ecosystems.

Automated summary

Recent rapid sea-ice changes in the Arctic Ocean have different regional impacts on phytoplankton bloom timing and primary productivity, with earlier and stronger blooms in shelf regions following earlier ice retreats and enhanced light availability, while weakened blooms and reduced primary production in the central Arctic, particularly in the Canada Basin, are attributed to a chain reaction triggered by earlier ice-melt and enhanced haline stratification. Recognizing and quantifying these regional links will improve projections of biogeochemical cycles and trophic flows in Arctic marine ecosystems.