The sea-ice algal community of seasonal pack ice in the southwestern Kara Sea in late winter

The composition and abundance of ice algae have been studied in a 64-cm cor e of seasonal pack ice taken in the southwestern Kara Sea in February 1996. The cell numbers, biomass and taxonomic diversity of the ice microalgal as semblages were rather low, and there was a predominance of diatoms. The com parison of its composition with that of the pelagic microalgal community de monstrated a great difference between them. The ecological function of the seasonal ice habitat as a depository for seeding material of the early-spri ng pelagic diatom is suggested.