Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet

Laura Halbach; Katharina Kitzinger; Martin Hansen; Sten Littmann; Liane G. Benning; James A. Bradley; Martin J. Whitehouse; Malin Olofsson; Rey Mourot; Martyn Tranter; Marcel M. M. Kuypers; Lea Ellegaard-Jensen; Alexandre M. Anesio

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6

Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet

Laura Halbach^*, Katharina Kitzinger, Martin Hansen, Sten Littmann, Liane G. Benning, James A. Bradley, Martin J. Whitehouse, Malin Olofsson, Rey Mourot, Martyn Tranter, Marcel M. M. Kuypers, Lea Ellegaard-Jensen, Alexandre M. Anesio^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Blooms of dark pigmented microalgae accelerate glacier and ice sheet melting by reducing the surface albedo. However, the role of nutrient availability in regulating algal growth on the ice remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate glacier ice algae on the Greenland Ice Sheet, providing single-cell measurements of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios and assimilation rates of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), ammonium and nitrate following nutrient amendments. The single-cell analyses reveal high C:N and C:P atomic ratios in algal biomass as well as intracellular P storage. DIC assimilation rates are not enhanced by ammonium, nitrate, or phosphate addition. Our combined results demonstrate that glacier ice algae can optimise nutrient uptake, facilitating the potential colonization of newly exposed bare ice surfaces without the need for additional nutrient inputs. This adaptive strategy is particularly important given accelerated climate warming and the expansion of melt areas on the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Original language	English
Article number	1521
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
Number of pages	14
ISSN	2041-1723
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6
Publication status	Published - 2025

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Halbach, L., Kitzinger, K., Hansen, M., Littmann, S., Benning, L. G., Bradley, J. A., Whitehouse, M. J., Olofsson, M., Mourot, R., Tranter, M., Kuypers, M. M. M., Ellegaard-Jensen, L., & Anesio, A. M. (2025). Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet. Nature Communications, 16(1), Article 1521. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6

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title = "Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet",

abstract = "Blooms of dark pigmented microalgae accelerate glacier and ice sheet melting by reducing the surface albedo. However, the role of nutrient availability in regulating algal growth on the ice remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate glacier ice algae on the Greenland Ice Sheet, providing single-cell measurements of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios and assimilation rates of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), ammonium and nitrate following nutrient amendments. The single-cell analyses reveal high C:N and C:P atomic ratios in algal biomass as well as intracellular P storage. DIC assimilation rates are not enhanced by ammonium, nitrate, or phosphate addition. Our combined results demonstrate that glacier ice algae can optimise nutrient uptake, facilitating the potential colonization of newly exposed bare ice surfaces without the need for additional nutrient inputs. This adaptive strategy is particularly important given accelerated climate warming and the expansion of melt areas on the Greenland Ice Sheet.",

author = "Laura Halbach and Katharina Kitzinger and Martin Hansen and Sten Littmann and Benning, {Liane G.} and Bradley, {James A.} and Whitehouse, {Martin J.} and Malin Olofsson and Rey Mourot and Martyn Tranter and Kuypers, {Marcel M. M.} and Lea Ellegaard-Jensen and Anesio, {Alexandre M.}",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6",

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Halbach, L, Kitzinger, K, Hansen, M, Littmann, S, Benning, LG, Bradley, JA, Whitehouse, MJ, Olofsson, M, Mourot, R, Tranter, M, Kuypers, MMM, Ellegaard-Jensen, L & Anesio, AM 2025, 'Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet', Nature Communications, vol. 16, no. 1, 1521. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6

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T1 - Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet

AU - Halbach, Laura

AU - Kitzinger, Katharina

AU - Hansen, Martin

AU - Littmann, Sten

AU - Benning, Liane G.

AU - Bradley, James A.

AU - Whitehouse, Martin J.

AU - Olofsson, Malin

AU - Mourot, Rey

AU - Tranter, Martyn

AU - Kuypers, Marcel M. M.

AU - Ellegaard-Jensen, Lea

AU - Anesio, Alexandre M.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Blooms of dark pigmented microalgae accelerate glacier and ice sheet melting by reducing the surface albedo. However, the role of nutrient availability in regulating algal growth on the ice remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate glacier ice algae on the Greenland Ice Sheet, providing single-cell measurements of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios and assimilation rates of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), ammonium and nitrate following nutrient amendments. The single-cell analyses reveal high C:N and C:P atomic ratios in algal biomass as well as intracellular P storage. DIC assimilation rates are not enhanced by ammonium, nitrate, or phosphate addition. Our combined results demonstrate that glacier ice algae can optimise nutrient uptake, facilitating the potential colonization of newly exposed bare ice surfaces without the need for additional nutrient inputs. This adaptive strategy is particularly important given accelerated climate warming and the expansion of melt areas on the Greenland Ice Sheet.

AB - Blooms of dark pigmented microalgae accelerate glacier and ice sheet melting by reducing the surface albedo. However, the role of nutrient availability in regulating algal growth on the ice remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate glacier ice algae on the Greenland Ice Sheet, providing single-cell measurements of carbon:nitrogen:phosphorus (C:N:P) ratios and assimilation rates of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), ammonium and nitrate following nutrient amendments. The single-cell analyses reveal high C:N and C:P atomic ratios in algal biomass as well as intracellular P storage. DIC assimilation rates are not enhanced by ammonium, nitrate, or phosphate addition. Our combined results demonstrate that glacier ice algae can optimise nutrient uptake, facilitating the potential colonization of newly exposed bare ice surfaces without the need for additional nutrient inputs. This adaptive strategy is particularly important given accelerated climate warming and the expansion of melt areas on the Greenland Ice Sheet.

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-56664-6

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 39971895

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

M1 - 1521

ER -

Single-cell imaging reveals efficient nutrient uptake and growth of microalgae darkening the Greenland Ice Sheet

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