AUTUMN BLOOM OF ANTARCTIC PACK-ICE ALGAE

An autumn bloom of sea-ice algae was observed from February to June of 1992 within the upper 0.4 meter of multiyear ice in the Western Wedde ll Sea, Antarctica. The bloom was reliant on the freezing of porous ar eas within the ice that initiated a vertical exchange of nutrient-depl eted brine with nutrient-rich seawater. This replenishment of nutrient s to the algal community allowed the net production of 1760 milligrams of carbon and 200 milligrams of nitrogen per square meter of ice. The location of this autumn bloom is unlike that of spring blooms previou sly observed in both polar regions.