COCCOLITHOPHORES IN SVALBARD WATERSEgge, Jorun K.1, Tverberg, Sesilie F1, Thomsen, Helge A.2 , Gabrielsen, Tove3, Larsen, Aud4, Heldal, Mikal1

1)University of Bergen, Norway (e-mail: jorun.egge@uib.no)2)Aqua DTU, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark3)The University Centre in Svalbard(UNIS), Norway4)Uni Research/University of Bergen, Norway

Balangier virulosa HET: scale bar = 1µm, all other images scale bare = 2µm

Papposphaera arctica

Papposphaera heldalii

Papposphaeralepida

Papposphaera obpyramidalis

Papposphaera sagittifera

Papposphaera sarion

Papposphaera bourrellii

Papposphaera sp

Pappomonas borealis Pappomonas fabellifera Wigwamma arctica

Wigwamma annulifera Alisphaera extenta

Porsildia acerviphora

Acanthoica quatrospina

Algirosphaera robusta

Paulusphaera vandelii

Rhabdosphaera xiphos

Coccolithus pelagicus

Emiliania huxleyi

Calciopappus caudatus

Syracosphaeramarginaporata

Ophiaster hydroideus

Balanigervirgulosa

Coccolithuspelagicus HOL

Anthosphaera origami HOL Holococcolithophorasphaeroidea HOL

Helladosphaera cornifera HOL Acanthoica quattrospina HOL Papposphaera sagittifera HOL Balaniger virgulosa HOL

Unknown coccolithophore

BACKGROUND:Coccolithophores is one of the main groups of marine phytoplankton and they play an important role in marine ecosystem biogeochemical cycles as primary producers and calcifiers. Coccolithophores have received much attention in the context of global change and ocean acidification.

The highest known diversity is from warm oligotrophic tropical and subtropical waters. Although early taxonomic work indicated the presence of several calcifying species in samples from the Arctic it has been assumed that low temperatures greatly limit their distribution in polar areas.

Polar coccolithophores have small cell size (<5 µm) and lightly calcified coccoliths. Many species are without a chloroplast and thus dependent on heterotrophic growth which makes them well adapted to the Polar night regime.

SAMPLING:Samples (>150) for Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were collected during cruises at different seasons between 2012 and 2015 from open water stations north and west of Svalbard, and from Svalbard fjords: Rijpfjorden, Kongsfjorden and Adventsfjorden/Isfjorden (IsA) (see map). Samples from 0-1m, 20m, 500m, and if possible 1000m were collected from open water stations, involving Surface Water, Arctic Water and Atlantic Water.

Water samples for SEM analysis, were filtered onto 25 mm Polycarbonate (pore size 1 µm). Dry filters were sputter coated with gold/ palladium and analysis in the scanning electron microscope (Supra 55VP, ZEISS)

REFERENCES:Manton & al. (1976a). British Phycological Journal, 11: 225-234Manton & al. (1976b). Proceedings of the Royal Soc. London. Series B: Biological Sciences,194: 179-194Manton & al. K (1977). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 197(1127): 145-168Marchant & Thomsen (1994). The Haptophyte algae, Ch. 11. New York, Oxford University Press: 209-228Thomsen & al. (2013). Acta Protozoologica, 52: 237–256Thomsen & Østergaard (2014). Acta Protozoologica, 53: 235-256 Thomsen & Østergaard (2015). Acta Protozoologica, 54: 157-171 Thomsen & al. (2016a). Acta Protozoologica, 55 (1): 33-50 Thomsen & Egge (2016). Acta Protozoologica, 55: 27–32 Thomsen & al. (2016b). Micropaleontology (ISSN: 0026-2803), 61(6): 429-438Thomsen & al. (2016c). Micropaleontology (ISSN: 0026-2803), 61(6): 419-427Thomsen & al. (2016d). Revue de micropaléontologie 59: 267–273 Westbroek & al. (1993). Global and Planetary Changes 8: 27-46

NOVEL OBSERVATIONS:The collected material has contributed to a series of papers by H.A. Thomsen and co-authors on Coccolithophores in Polar Waters.

• A new genus Porsildia, with the species Porsildia acerviphora was described based on material from Greenland and Adventsfjorden/Isfjorden (Thomsen & Østergaard, 2015).

• Papposphaera heldalii, observed both from open water stations and Svalbard fjords was described by Thomsen & Egge (2016).

• Description of 1-2 more new species is in preparation.

• Papposphaera obpyramidalis, preciously only observed in Antarctica, were for the first time observed in the Arctic region (Thomsen & al. 2016d)

• Descriptions of the genera Pappomonas, Wigwamma, and species from the genus Papposphaera(P. sagittifera, P. sarion, P. arctica) has been revisited with contribution from the present material (Thomsen & al., 2013, Thomsen & Østergaard, 2014, Thomsen & al., 2016a-c)

MAIN FINDINGS:• Coccolithophores were present year around

• Coccolithophores were distributed throughout the water column Apparently healthy cells were observed at depths > 500m

• Cell numbers were always very low, <50 cells L-1

• 26 coccolithophore species has been identified, 50% from the Family Papposphaeraceae - see species list

• Highest abundance and diversity observed in late fall

• Holococcolith stage of 7 species, all in August/September

• Small difference in species composition between open water stations and fjord, and different water masses

SPESIES LIST:Anthosphaera origami HOLHelladosphaera cornifera HOLHolococcolithophora sphaeroidea HOLCoccolithus pelagicus HET & HOLEmiliania huxleyiAcanthoica quatrospina HET &HOLAlgiosphaera robustaPalusphaera vandeliiRhabdosphaera xiphosCalciopappus caudatusOphiaster hydroideusSyracosphaera marginaporataAlisphaera extentaBalaniger virgulosa HET & HOLPappomonas borealisPappomonas fabelliferaPapposphaera arcticaPapposphaera sagittifera HET& HOLPapposphaera lepidaPapposphaera obpyramidalisPapposphaera sarionPapposphaera heldaliiPapposphaera bourrelliiPapposphaera spPorsildia acerviphoraWigwamma annuliferaWigwamma arctica

Location of the different cruises and stations around Svalbard, and Rijpfjorden, Kongsfjorden(KB) and Isfjorden/Adventsfjorden(IsA)

This investigation has been a part of the projects MicroPolar and

CarbonBridge, both funded by: