竹内 望

Glaciers and ice sheets are considered a biome with unique organism assemblages. Tardigrada (water bears) are micrometazoans that play the function of apex consumers on glaciers. Cryoconite samples with the dark-pigmented tardigrade Cryoconicus gen. nov. kaczmareki sp. nov. were collected from four locations on glaciers in China and Kyrgyzstan. The erection of the new genus is based on a unique combination of morphological traits as well as on phylogenetic analyses. The analysis of COI sequences in the new species revealed high genetic differentiation with 9 haplotypes shared among 13 sequenced individuals from three sequenced populations. There was no apparent geographic structure in COI haplotype diversity, which might indicate effective dispersal abilities of the new species. A recovery of numerous live individuals from a sample that was frozen for 11 years suggests high survival rates in the natural environment. The ability to withstand low temperatures, combined with dark pigmentation that is hypothesised to protect from intense UV radiation, could explain how the new taxon is able to dwell in an extreme glacial habitat. We also found that a rare mountain tardigrade Ramazzottius cataphractus (Maucci, 1974) is morphologically similar to the new species, therefore we propose to transfer it to the new genus. Our study indicates that glacier invertebrate fauna is still poorly known and requires intense research.

Abstract. Snow algal bloom is a common phenomenon on melting snowpacks in polar and alpine regions and can substantially increase melting rates of the snow due to the effect of albedo reduction on the snow surface. In order to reproduce algal growth on the snow surface using a numerical model, temporal changes in snow algal abundance were investigated on the Qaanaaq Glacier in northwest Greenland from June to August 2014. Snow algae first appeared at the study sites in late June, which was approximately 94 hours after air temperatures exceeded the melting point. Algal abundance increased exponentially after the appearance, but the increasing rate became slow after late July, and finally reached 3.5 × 107 cells m-2 in early August. We applied a logistic model to the algal growth curve and found that the algae could be reproduced with an initial cell concentration of 6.9 × 102 cells m-2, a growth rate of 0.42 d-1, and a carrying capacity of 3.5 × 107 cells m-2 on this glacier. This model has the potential to simulate algal blooms from meteorological data sets and to evaluate their impact on the melting of seasonal snowpacks and glaciers.

AimCryoconite, a microbe-mineral aggregate found on glaciers worldwide, is formed by microbial phototrophs, principally cyanobacteria. Despite their ecological importance in supraglacial environments, the phylogeographical distributions of supraglacial cyanobacteria are poorly understood. Here, we investigate the biogeographical distribution of cyanobacteria on glaciers in the Antarctic, Arctic and Asia. LocationGlaciers in the Antarctic, Arctic and Asia. MethodsWe analysed contiguous sequences of 16S rRNA genes and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions, determined by a long read strategy and single-filament PCR analysis in 38 glacial samples. We analysed cyanobacterial distribution patterns and genetic differentiation. ResultsThe cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences were grouped into 20 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and the six major OTUs that accounted for 88% of sequences were distributed broadly from polar to Asian glaciers, suggesting that they are cosmopolitan at the species level. However, analysis of the more variable ITS region revealed geographical differentiation at the strain level. Nineteen OTUs, including the six major OTUs, showed considerable genetic differentiation among geographical regions; at the population level, they are, thus, geographically restricted. Only one of the phylotype exhibits a population structure which does not show a relationship with geographical distribution, suggesting that is cosmopolitan, even at the strain level. Main conclusionsOur 16S rRNA gene analyses suggest a global distribution of species of cyanobacteria colonizing glacier surfaces; however, the 16S-23S ITS regions revealed that most of the phylotypes are fundamentally endemic to particular areas at the population level and indicate limited migration among regions. Our result suggests that selection pressures among geographical regions are strong driving forces shaping genetic structure in cyanobacteria.

Daily samples of aerosol (n=27) were collected from September 21st to October 4th, 2013 in Fukang (44.17(omicron)N, 88.45(omicron)E, 475 m a.s.l.), Xinjiang, Northwest China. The enrichment factors (EFc) of selected 49 elements showed that the aerosols had extremely high concentrations of heavy metals, probably indicating their anthropogenic origins. Morphology of individual aerosol particles was determined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Based on morphology and elemental composition, the particles were clustered into three dominant types: (I) crustal originated particles: Si/Al-rich particles (36%) and Si/Fe-rich particles (24%); (II) mixed source particles; and (III) pollution derived particles: Pb-rich particles (10%). The backward trajectories were calculated using the HYSPLIT model, and the results indicated the different anthropogenic sources for heavy metals in Fukang aerosols. Air mass from north was identified as the most polluted source when compared to south and west.

The community structure of bacteria associated with the glacier ice worm Mesenchytraeus solifugus was analyzed by amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and their transcripts. Ice worms were collected from two distinct glaciers in Alaska, Harding Icefield and Byron Glacier, and glacier surfaces were also sampled for comparison. Marked differences were observed in bacterial community structures between the ice worm and glacier surface samples. Several bacterial phylotypes were detected almost exclusively in the ice worms, and these bacteria were phylogenetically affiliated with either animal-associated lineages or, interestingly, clades mostly consisting of glacier-indigenous species. The former included bacteria that belong to Mollicutes, Chlamydiae, Rickettsiales, and Lachnospiraceae, while the latter included Arcicella and Herminiimonas phylotypes. Among these bacteria enriched in ice worm samples, Mollicutes, Arcicella, and Herminiimonas phylotypes were abundantly and consistently detected in the ice worm samples; these phylotypes constituted the core microbiota associated with the ice worm. A fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed that Arcicella cells specifically colonized the epidermis of the ice worms. Other bacterial phylotypes detected in the ice worm samples were also abundantly recovered from the respective habitat glaciers; these bacteria may be food for ice worms to digest or temporary residents. Nevertheless, some were overrepresented in the ice worm RNA samples; they may also function as facultative gut bacteria. Our results indicate that the community structure of bacteria associated with ice worms is distinct from that in the associated glacier and includes worm-specific and facultative, glacier-indigenous lineages.

We examine a firn core from a dome in southeast Greenland that exhibits distinct firn densification. The ice was-20.9 degrees C at 20 m depth, and the core gives an average accumulation rate of 1.0 m w.e. yr(-1) in water equivalent. However, the close-off density of 830 kg m(-3) occurs at 83.4-86.8 m depth, which is about 20-m shallower than that obtained from two empirical models. Where the density p > 750 kg m(-3), the densification appears faster than that from the empirical models. As a result, compared to the empirical coefficient, the actual compactive viscosity coefficient is nonlinear and decreases at p > 750 kg m(-3), indicating that the fun with a higher density is softer than that from the empirical result. We argue here that the high accumulation rate creates a high overburden pressure in a short time. Thus, the relative softness of the firn may arise from (1) there being not enough time to form bonds between grains as strong as those in a lower accumulation-rate area, and similarly, (2) the dislocation density in the firn being relatively high.

雪氷藻類は，氷河や積雪上で繁殖する光合成微生物である．本稿では，北極域氷河の生物学的な暗色化過程を理解するために，近年明らかになったアラスカ，スンタルハヤタ，スバールバル，グリーンランドの各氷河上の雪氷藻類群集を比較する．氷河裸氷域の藻類による暗色化には，2 つのプロセスがあることがわかってきた．一つは暗色の色素を持った緑藻の繁殖によるもので，もう一つはシアノバクテリアによるクリオコナイト形成によるものである．さらに積雪域では，赤雪を引き起こす緑藻の繁殖が，アルベド低下の一因であることがわかってきた．それぞれの雪氷藻類の繁殖に関わる環境要因の解明と繁殖のモデル化，さらに物理モデルに基づいたアルベドへの影響評価が，今後の課題である．

Cryoconite granules are aggregations of microorganisms with mineral particles that form on glacier surfaces. To understand the processes by which the granules develop, this study focused on the altitudinal distribution of the granules and photosynthetic microorganisms on the glacier, bacterial community variation with granules size and environmental factors affecting the growth of the granules. Size-sorted cryoconite granules collected from five different sites on Qaanaaq Glacier were analyzed. C and N contents were significantly higher in large (diameter greater than 250 μm) granules than in smaller (diameter 30-249 μm) granules. Bacterial community structures, based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, were different between the smaller and larger granules. The filamentous cyanobacterium Phormidesmis priestleyi was the dominant bacterial species in larger granules. Multivariate analysis suggests that the abundance of mineral particles on the glacier surface is the main factor controlling growth of these cyanobacteria. These results show that the supply of mineral particles on the glacier enhances granule development, that P. priestleyi is likely the key species for primary production and the formation of the granules and that the bacterial community in the granules changes over the course of the granule development.

Snow and ice algal communities were investigated on four glaciers in the Suntar-Khayata Mountain Range in eastern Siberia in Russia over three melting seasons from 2012 to 2014. Two taxa of green algae and five taxa of cyanobacteria were observed on the glaciers. The algal community was dominated by green algae: Ancylonema nordenskioldii in the lower bare ice area and Chloromonas sp. in the upper snow area. The total algal bio-volume showed attitudinal variation, ranging from 0.03 to 4.0 mL m(-2), and was greatest in the middle of the glaciers. The altitudinal variations in the algal community were similar on all studied glaciers, suggesting that they are typical in this region. Observations over the three years revealed that there was no significant change in the community structure, but a significant change in the total biomass. Since the mean summer air temperature was significantly higher in 2012 when algal biomass was greater, the difference in algal biomass among the years is probably due to the duration of surface melting. The community structure on the studied glaciers is similar to those on glaciers in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. and NIPR. All rights reserved.

Microbial colonization of glacial ice surfaces incurs feedbacks which affect the melting rate of the ice surface. Ecosystems formed as microbe-mineral aggregates termed cryoconite locally reduce ice surface albedo and represent foci of biodiversity and biogeochemical cycling. Consequently, greater understanding the ecological processes in the formation of functional cryoconite ecosystems upon glacier surfaces is sought. Here, we present the first bacterial biogeography of an ice cap, evaluating the respective roles of dispersal, environmental and biotic filtration occurring at local scales in the assembly of cryoconite microbiota. 16S rRNA gene amplicon semiconductor sequencing of cryoconite colonizing a Svalbard ice cap coupled with digital elevation modelling of physical parameters reveals the bacterial community is dominated by a ubiquitous core of generalist taxa, with evidence for a moderate pairwise distance-decay relationship. While geographic position and melt season duration are prominent among environmental predictors of community structure, the core population of taxa appears highly influential in structuring the bacterial community. Taxon co-occurrence network analysis reveals a highly modular community structured by positive interactions with bottleneck taxa, predominantly Actinobacteria affiliated to isolates from soil humus. In contrast, the filamentous cyanobacterial taxon (assigned to Leptolyngbya/Phormidesmis pristleyi) which dominates the community and binds together granular cryoconite are poorly connected to other taxa. While our study targeted one ice cap, the prominent role of generalist core taxa with close environmental relatives across the global cryosphere indicate discrete roles for cosmopolitan Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria as respective keystone taxa and ecosystem engineers of cryoconite ecosystems colonizing ice caps.

Areas of dark ice have appeared on the Greenland ice sheet every summer in recent years. These are likely to have a great impact on the mass balance of the ice sheet because of their low albedo. We report annual and geographical variations in the bare ice and dark ice areas that appeared on the Greenland Ice Sheet from 2000 to 2014 by using MODIS satellite images. The July monthly mean of the extent of bare ice showed a positive trend over these 15 years, and large annual variability ranging from 89,975 to 279,075km2, 5 and 16% of the entire ice sheet, respectively. The extent of dark ice also showed a positive trend and varied annually, ranging from 3575 to 26,975km2, 4 and 10% of the bare ice extent. These areas are geographically varied, and their expansion is the greatest on the western side, particularly the southwestern side of the ice sheet. The bare ice extent correlates strongly with the monthly mean air temperature in July, suggesting that the extent was determined by snow melt. The dark ice extent also correlates with the air temperature however, the correlation is weaker. The dark ice extent further correlates negatively with solar radiation. This suggests that the extent of dark ice is not only controlled by snowmelt on the ice, but also by changes in the surface structures of the bare ice surface, such as cryoconite holes, which are associated with impurities appearing on the ice surface.

Cryoconite is granular sediment found on glacier surfaces comprising both mineral and biological material. Despite long having been recognised as an important glaciological and biological phenomenon cryoconite remains relatively poorly understood. Here, we appraise the literature on cryoconite for the first time, with the aim of synthesising and evaluating current knowledge to direct future investigations. We review the properties of cryoconite, the environments in which it is found, the biology and biogeochemistry of cryoconite, and its interactions with climate and anthropogenic pollutants. We generally focus upon cryoconite in the Arctic in summer, with Antarctic and lower latitude settings examined individually. We then compare the current state-of-the-science with that at the turn of the twentieth century, and suggest directions for future research including specific recommendations for studies at a range of spatial scales and a framework for integrating these into a more holistic understanding of cryoconite and its role in the cryosphere.

Glacial meltwater samples were collected from 15 supraglacial ponds at elevations ranging between 3989 and 4292 m above sea level in the debris-covered area of Lirung glacier in central Nepal Himalayas, from November 2010 to October 2011 on a bimonthly basis. We examined elevation trends, and their control by seasonality, dominant geochemical processes, and seasonal dynamics in these supraglacial ponds. Concentration of some parameters showed a decreasing trend with elevation but with high variability and modulation by seasons, being more prevalent in the post-monsoon. Sulfate is the only parameter showing significant elevation trends regardless of the season, although the trend is also affected by the monsoon. The concentrations of major chemical solutes were highest during post-monsoon season and lower in the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, indicating influence of seasonality on dissolution, dilution, and hydrological processes. Contribution to chemical loads from marine aerosols to these pond water appeared to be minor except for sodium and magnesium. Chemical weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals fueled by dissolution of pyrite appeared as the dominant geochemical processes.

This paper outlines meteorological and glaciological observations of Glacier No. 31 in the Suntar-Khayata Range, east Siberia, obtained from 2012 to 2014. We set up meteorological instruments and seven stakes on the glacier for the purpose of measuring surface mass balance and flow velocity. The mean air temperature between July 8, 2012 and August 7, 2013 was -13.9 degrees C at site 31-2 (2446 m a.s.l.) and the minimum temperature was -46.0 degrees C The air temperature on the glacier from November to April was approximately 10 degrees C higher than that at Oymyakon village, suggesting a temperature inversion phenomenon, which typically occurs during winter in this region. The snow depth records show that snow increased at the beginning and end of winter, and that there was almost no change from the beginning of October until the end of April. The maximum snow depth from the previous summer was 158 cm at site 31-2 on May 28, 2013. The average annual surface mass balance for the 6 sites was - 1256 mm water equivalent (w.e.) during the period from August 24, 2012 to August 16, 2013, indicating that ablation proceeded rapidly in all areas of the glacier. Surface flow velocity in 2013/2014 was 1.57 ma(-1) at the approximate midpoint of the glacier, and was much slower than that measured during the IGY (International Geophysical Year) period (4.5 ma(-1)) in 1957/1958. The length and areal extent of the glacier were 3.85 km and 3.2 km(2) in 1958/1959 and 3.38 km and 2.27 km(2) in 2012/2013, respectively, showing a decrease over the last 54 years.

A multiple parameter dating technique was used to establish a depth/age scale for a 171.3 m (145.87 m w.e.) surface to bedrock ice core (Bl2003) recovered from the cold recrystallization accumulation zone of the Western Belukha Plateau (4115 m a.s.l.) in the Siberian Altai Mountains. The ice-core record presented visible layering of annual accumulation and of delta O-18/delta D stable isotopes, and a clear tritium reference horizon. A steady-state glacier flow model for layer thinning was calibrated and applied to establish a depth/age scale. Four radiocarbon (C-14) measurements of particulate organic carbon contained in ice-core samples revealed dates for the bottom part of Bl2003 from 9075 +/- 1221 cal a BC at 145.2 +/- 0.1 m w.e. (0.665 m w.e. from the bedrock) to 790 +/- 93 AD at 121.1 m w.e. depth. Sulfate peaks coincident with volcanic eruptions, the Tunguska meteorite event, and the 1842 dust storm were used to verify dating. Analysis of the Bl2003 ice core reveals that the modern Altai glaciers were formed during the Younger Dryas (YD) (similar to 10 950 to similar to 7500 cal a BC), and that they survived the Holocene Climate Optimum (HCO) (similar to 6500 to similar to 3600 cal a BC) and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) (similar to 640 to similar to 1100 AD). A decrease in air temperature at the beginning and an abrupt increase at the end of the YD were identified. Intensification of winds and dust loading related to Asian desert expansion also characterized the YD. During the YD major ion concentrations increased significantly, up to 50 times for Na+ (background), up to 45 times for Ca2+ and Mg2+, and up to 20 times for SO42- relative to the recent warm period from 1993 to 2003. A warm period lasted for about three centuries following the YD signaling onset of the HCO. A significant and prolonged decrease in air temperature from similar to 2000 to similar to 600 cal a BC was associated with a severe centennial drought (SCD). A sharp increase in air temperatures after the SCD was coincident with the MWP. After the MWP a cooling was followed gradually with further onset of the Little Ice Age. During the modern warm period (1973-2003) an increase in air temperature is noted, which nearly reaches the average of HCO and MWP air temperature values.

We investigated characteristics of impurities and their impact on the ablation of Glacier No.31 in the Suntar-Khayata Mountain Range in Russian Siberia during summer 2014. Positive degree-day factors (PDDFs) obtained from 20 stake measurements distributed across the glacier's ablation area varied from 3.00 to 8.55 mm w.e. K−1 day−1. The surface reflectivity measured with a spectrometer as a proxy for albedo, ranged from 0.09 to 0.62, and was negatively correlated with the PDDF, suggesting that glacier ablation is controlled by surface albedo on the studied glacier. Mass of total insoluble impurities on the ice surface varied from 0.1 to 45.2 g m−2 and was not correlated with surface reflectivity, suggesting that albedo is not directly conditioned by the mass of the impurities. Microscopy of impurities revealed that they comprised mineral particles, cryoconite granules, and ice algal cells filled with dark-reddish pigments (Ancylonema nordenskioldii). There was a significant negative correlation between surface reflectivity and algal biomass or organic matter, suggesting that the ice algae and their products are the most effective constituents in defining glacier surface albedo. Our results suggest that the melting of ice surface was enhanced by the growth of ice algae, which increased the melting rate 1.6–2.6 times greater than that of the impurity free bare-ice.

Understanding past atmospheric dust variability is necessary to put modern atmospheric dust into historical context and assess the impacts of dust on the climate. In Asia, meteorological data of atmospheric dust is temporally limited, beginning only in the 1950s. High-resolution ice cores provide the ideal archive for reconstructing preinstrumental atmospheric dust concentrations. Using a similar to 500year (1477-1982A.D.) annually resolved calcium (Ca) dust proxy from a Tibetan Plateau (TP) ice core, we demonstrate the lowest atmospheric dust concentrations in the past similar to 500years during the latter twentieth century. Declines in late nineteenth to twentieth century Ca concentrations significantly correspond with regional zonal wind trends from two reanalysis models, suggesting that the Ca record provides a proxy for the westerlies. Twentieth century warming and attendant atmospheric pressure reductions over northern Asia have potentially reduced temperature/pressure gradients resulting in lower zonal wind velocities and associated dust entrainment/transport in the past similar to 500years over the TP.

Despite the large number of studies on glaciers, knowledge regarding biota in cryoconite holes is limited. Cryophilic animals are often neglected in ecological studies on glacial habitats, but are important for the functioning of these environments. Owing to climate change and the melting of polar ice, cryophilic fauna could be threatened in the near future. We provide the first comprehensive survey of invertebrates inhabiting the cryoconite holes of Alpine, Antarctic, Arctic, Himalayan and Patagonian glaciers. At present, the list of taxa is rather short and includes five phyla (Rotifera, Annelida, Tardigrada, Nematoda and Arthropoda). Owing to generally poor knowledge of the fauna of cryoconite holes, there could be more than the 25 currently known species. In addition, we present the geographical distributions of the taxa and discuss the diversity of invertebrates living in cryoconite holes and make predictions regarding the faunal diversity of these habitats.

The glacier ice worm, Mesenchytraeus solifugus, is a unique annelid, inhabiting only snow and ice in North American glaciers. Here, we analyzed the taxonomic composition of bacteria associated with M. solifugus based on the 16S rRNA gene. We analyzed four fixed-on-site and 10 starved ice worm individuals, along with glacier surface samples. In total, 1341 clones of 16S rRNA genes were analyzed for the ice worm samples, from which 65 bacterial phylotypes (99.0% cut-off) were identified. Of these, 35 phylotypes were closely related to sequences obtained from their habitat glacier and/or other components of cryosphere; whereas three dominant phylotypes were affiliated with animal-associated lineages of the class Mollicutes. Among the three, phylotype Ms-13 shared less than 89% similarity with database sequences and was closest to a gut symbiont of a terrestrial earthworm. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, Ms-13 was located on the gut wall surface of the ice worms. We propose a novel genus and species, 'Candidatus Vermiplasma glacialis', for this bacterium. Our results raise the possibility that the ice worm has exploited indigenous glacier bacteria, while several symbiotic bacterial lineages have maintained their association with the ice worm during the course of adaptive evolution to the permanently cold environment.

Fourty-two high-rank syntaxa and seven associations of the thallophyte system of syntaxa are either described as new or validated in this paper. Among those, there are the following nine classes: Aspicilietea candidae, Caulerpetea racemosae, Desmococcetea olivacei, Entophysalidetea deustae, Gloeocapsetea sanguineae, Mesotaenietea berggrenii, Naviculetea gregariae, Porpidietea zeoroidis, Roccelletea phycopsis. Eleven orders and ten alliances as well as three associations are described or validated: the Aspicilietalia verruculosae (incl. Aspicilion mashiginensis and Teloschistion contortuplicati), the Caulerpetalia racemosae (incl. Caulerpion racemosae), the Desmococcetalia olivacei (incl. Desmococcion olivacei), the Dirinetalia massiliensis, the Fucetalia vesiculosi (incl. Ascophyllion nodosi), the Gloeocapsetalia sanguineae, the Lecideetalia confluescentis (incl. Lecideion confluescentis), the Mesotaenietalia berggrenii (incl. Mesotaenion berggrenii, Mesotaenietum berggrenii and Chloromonadetum nivalis), the Naviculetalia gregariae (incl. Oscillatorion limosae and Oscillatorietum limosae), the Porpidietalia zeoroidis (incl. Porpidion zeoroidis), and the Roccelletalia fuciformis (incl. Paralecanographion grumulosae). Further, five orders, seven alliances and four associations, classified in known classes, were described as well. These include: the Bacidinetalia phacodis, the Agonimion octosporae and the Dendrographetalia decolorantis (all in the Arthonio radiatae-Lecidelletea elaeochromae), the Staurothelion solventis (in the Aspicilietea lacustris), the Pediastro duplicis-Scenedesmion quadricaudae and the Pediastro duplicis-Scenedesmetum quadricaudae (both in the Asterionelletea formosae), the Peccanion coralloidis and the Peltuletalia euplocae (both in the Collematetea cristati), the Laminarion hyperboreae, the Saccorhizo polyschidi-Laminarietum and the Alario esculenti-Himanthalietum elongatae (all in the Cystoseiretea crinitae), the Delesserietalia sanguinei, the Delesserion sanguinei and the Delesserietum sanguineae (all in the Lithophylletea soluti), as well as the the Rinodino confragosae-Rusavskietalia elegantis and the Rhizocarpo geographici-Rusavskion elegantis (both in the Rhizocarpetea geographici).

Glaciers in Central Asia are among the largest ice masses in the Eurasian continent and have supplied vital water to local inhabitants for thousands of years. The glaciers in this region are generally believed to be remnants of the last deglaciation, however, glacier variability in the central Asian mountains since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) has not been well documented. Here, we report an 86.87 m-deep ice core record drilled on an ice cap in the Tien Shan Mountains of Central Asia. Radiocarbon dating of organic soil from the bottom of the ice-core borehole showed that the age of the soil was 12,656 - 12,434 cal years before present, coincident with the beginning of the Younger Dryas cold period (YD). This result indicates that the ice cap did not exist in the Bolling-Allerod period (BA), which was the warm period before the YD, and that the BA climate was significantly warmer than at present. It also indicates that the ice cap has never entirely disappeared in any warm periods throughout the Holocene. We estimated that during the BA its extent was 43% or less of the present glacier coverage in the mountains. Our results suggest that this region at the end of Pleistocene was considerably warmer than at present, and that most of the present glaciers in this region are not relics of the Last Glacial period, but are composed of ice formed during the YD and Holocene. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/).

Cryoconites are microbial aggregates commonly found on glacier surfaces where they tend to take spherical, granular forms. While it has been postulated that the microbes in cryoconite granules play an important role in glacier ecosystems, information on their community structure is still limited, and their functions remain unclear. Here, we present evidence for the occurrence of nitrogen cycling in cryoconite granules on a glacier in Central Asia. We detected marker genes for nitrogen fixation, nitrification and denitrification in cryoconite granules by digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR), while digital reverse transcription PCR analysis revealed that only marker genes for nitrification and denitrification were abundantly transcribed. Analysis of isotope ratios also indicated the occurrence of nitrification; nitrate in the meltwater on the glacier surface was of biological origin, while nitrate in the snow was of atmospheric origin. The predominant nitrifiers on this glacier belonged to the order Nitrosomonadales, as suggested by amoA sequences and 16S ribosomal RNA pyrosequencing analysis. Our results suggest that the intense carbon and nitrogen cycles by nitrifiers, denitrifiers and cyanobacteria support abundant and active microbes on the Asian glacier.

Cryoconite is a dark-coloured surface dust deposited on glaciers that consists of wind-blown mineral particles, as well as organic matter derived from microbes living on glaciers. In this paper, we analyse the Sr and Nd isotopic ratios of four mineral fractions (i.e., the saline, carbonate, phosphate, and silicate mineral fractions), as well as the organic fraction, of cryoconite samples obtained from six Asian glaciers (the Altai, Pamir, Tien Shan, Qillian Shan, and Himalayan regions), and discuss their geographical variations in terms of the geological origins of the mineral particles and the biogeochemical processes on the glaciers. The silicate mineral fraction showed lower Sr and higher Nd ratios for the glaciers located to the north (Altai, Sr-87/Sr-86: 0.713 490-0.715 284, epsilon Nd (0): -6.4 to -5.6), while higher Sr and lower Nd ratios for the glaciers located to the south (Himalayas, Sr-87/Sr-86: 0.740 121-0.742 088, epsilon Nd(0): -16.4 to -15.7); the ratios were similar to those of desert sand, loess, and river sediments in the respective regions of the glaciers. This result suggests that the silicate minerals within the cryoconites were derived from different sources depending on the geographical locations of the glaciers. The isotopic ratios of the saline, carbonate, and phosphate mineral fractions were distinct from those of the silicate fraction, and were similar to those of evaporites and apatite deposits from the Asian deserts, but also varied geographically, indicating that they are likely to reflect their geological origin. The Sr isotopic ratios of the organic fraction were similar to those of the saline and carbonate fractions from glaciers in the central area (Tien Shan and Qillian Shan), but were higher than those of the saline and carbonate fractions, and lower than the phosphate mineral fraction, in the northern and southern areas. The ratios of organic fraction may be determined from the mixing ratio of calcium sources incorporated by microbes on the glaciers.

Spatial variations in impurities (cryoconite) on the glacier surface were investigated on Qaanaaq Ice Cap and Tugto Glacier in the northwest Greenland in the melting season of 2012. Abundance of impurities ranged from 0.36 to 119 gm-2 (dry weight, mean: 18.8 gm-2) on bare ice and from 0.01 to 8.7 gm-2 (mean: 3.6 gm-2) on snow surface at the study sites. On Qaanaaq Glacier (an outlet glacier of Qaanaaq Ice Cap) impurity abundance was greatest at mid-elevations, with fewer impurities at upper and lower sites. Surface reflectivity was lowest in the mid-elevation area, suggesting that impurities substantially reduce ice surface albedo at mid-elevations on glacier surfaces. Organic matter content in the impurities ranged from 1.4 to 12.0% (mean: 5.4%) on the ice and from 3.2 to 10.6% (mean: 6.7%) on the snow surface. Microscopy revealed that impurities in the ice areas mainly consisted of cryoconite granules, which are aggregations of mineral particles, filamentous cyanobacteria and other microbes and organic matter, while those in snow areas consisted of mineral particles and snow algae. Results suggest that the spatial variation in the abundance of impurities is caused by supply of mineral particles both from air and ice, and microbial production of organic matter on the glacier surface.© Japanese Society of Snow and Ice.

Field activities of the "Snow Impurity and Glacial Microbe effects on abrupt warming in the Arctic" (SIGMA) Project in Greenland in the summer season of 2011-2013 are reported this consists of (1) glaciological and meteorological observations and (2) biological observations. In 2011, we conducted a field reconnaissance in the Qaanaaq, Ilulissat and Kangerlussuaq areas to enable continuous meteorological observations with automatic weather stations (AWS), campaign observations for glaciology, meteorology and Biology and shallow ice core drilling, which were planned for 2012-2014. Based on the results, we chose the Qaanaaq area in northwest Greenland as our main activity area and the Kangerlussuaq area in mid-west Greenland partly for biological observations. In 2012, we conducted field observations for (1) and (2) mentioned above together with installations of two AWSs at site SIGMA-A on The Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) and at site SIGMA-B on the Qaanaaq ice cap (QIC) from June to August. Surface snow and ice over all of the QIC melted in July and August 2012, and most of the Glacier surface appeared to be dark-colored, probably due to mineral dust and glacial microbial products. In 2013, we carried out similar observations in the Qaanaaq area. However, the weather and Glacier surface conditions were considerably different from those in 2012. Snow cover over the summer of 2013 remained over large areas with elevations higher than about 700 m on QIC. Biological activity on the Glacier surface appears to be substantially lower as compared to that in 2012. © Japanese Society of Snow and Ice.

Snow and ice algae are cold tolerant algae growing on the surface of snow and ice, and they play an important role in the carbon cycles for glaciers and snowfields in the world. Seasonal and altitudinal variations in seven major taxa of algae (green algae and cyanobacteria) were investigated on the Gulkana glacier in Alaska at six different elevations from May to September in 2001. The snow algal communities and their biomasses changed over time and elevation. Snow algae were rarely observed on the glacier in May although air temperature had been above 0 degrees C since the middle of the month and surface snow had melted. In June, algae appeared in the lower areas of the glacier, where the ablation ice surface was exposed. In August, the distribution of algae was extended to the upper parts of the glacier as the snow line was elevated. In September, the glacier surface was finally covered with new winter snow, which terminated algal growth in the season. Mean algal biomass of the study sites continuously increased and reached 6.3 x 10 mu l m(-2) in cell volume or 13 mg carbon m(-2) in September. The algal community was dominated by Chlamydomonas nivalis on the snow surface, and by Ancylonema nordenskioldii and Mesotaenium berggrenii on the ice surface throughout the melting season. Other algae were less abundant and appeared in only a limited area of the glacier. Results in this study suggest that algae on both snow and ice surfaces significantly contribute to the net production of organic carbon on the glacier and substantially affect surface albedo of the snow and ice during the melting season.

Antibiotic resistance genes are biologically transmitted from microorganism to microorganism in particular micro-environments where dense microbial communities are often exposed to an intensive use of antibiotics, such as intestinal microflora, and the soil microflora of agricultural fields. However, recent studies have detected antibiotic-resistant bacteria and/or antibiotic resistance genes in the natural environment geographically isolated from such areas. Here we sought to examine the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in 54 snow and ice samples collected from the Arctic, Antarctic, Central Asia, North and South America and Africa, to evaluate the level of these genes in environments supposedly not affected by anthropogenic factors. We observed a widespread distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in samples from various glaciers in Central Asia, North and South America, Greenland and Africa. In contrast, Antarctic glaciers were virtually free from these genes. Antibiotic resistance genes, of both clinical (i.e. aac(3), blaIMP) and agricultural (i.e. strA and tetW) origin, were detected. Our results show regional geographical distribution of antibiotic resistance genes, with the most plausible modes of transmission through airborne bacteria and migrating birds.

Pollen taxon in sediment samples can be identified by analyzing pollen morphology. Identification of related species based on pollen morphology is difficult and is limited primarily to genus or family. Because pollen grains of various ages are preserved at below 0 degrees C in glaciers and thus are more likely to remain intact or to suffer little DNA fragmentation, genetic information from such pollen grains should enable identification of plant taxa below the genus level. However, no published studies have attempted detailed identification using DNA sequences obtained from pollen found in glaciers. As a preliminary step, this study attempted to analyze the DNA of Pinus pollen grains extracted from surface snow collected from the Belukha glacier in the Altai Mountains of Russia in the summer of 2003. A 150-bp rpoB fragment from the chloroplast genome in each Pinus pollen grain was amplified by polymerase chain reaction, and DNA products were sequenced to identify them at the section level. A total of 105 pollen grains were used for the test, and sequences were obtained from eight grains. From the sequences obtained, the pollen grains were identified as belonging to the section Quinquefoliae. Trees of the extant species Pinus sibirica in the section Quinquefoliae are currently found surrounding the glacier. The consistency of results for this section suggests that the pollen in the glacier originated from the same Pinus trees as those found in the immediate surroundings.

クリオコナイトとは, 氷河の雪氷中に含まれる暗色の物質である. 主に大気由来の鉱物粒子と雪氷上で繁殖する微生物, その他の有機物で構成され, これらは糸状のシアノバクテリアが絡まりあってクリオコナイト粒という粒状の構造体を形成している. クリオコナイトは氷河表面のアルベドを低下させ, 氷河の融解を促進する効果をもつ. クリオコナイトは世界各地の氷河にみられる物質である一方, その量や特性, 構成する微生物は氷河によって異なる. 近年グリーンランドや一部の山岳氷河で, 裸氷域のアルベドが低下していることが報告され, その原因としてクリオコナイトの量の増加があげられている. このような変化は, 現在の地球規模の気候変動が, 氷河生態系にも大きな影響を与えていることを示唆している.Cryoconite is dark-colored material on snow and ice of glaciers. It consists of windblown mineral particles, cold-adapted microbes, and organic matter derived from the microbes. They usually form small spherical aggregates known as cryoconite granules, whose spherical shape is maintained by filamentous cyanobacteria. Cryoconite substantially reduces albedo of the glacier surface and accelerates its melting. Although cryoconite can commonly be found on glaciers over the world, its abundance and characteristics vary among glaciers. Recently, studies have revealed that ice surface albedo of Greenland Ice Sheet and some other mountain glaciers significantly decreased. One of the possible causes of this albedo reduction is increase of cryoconite abundance on the glacier surface. The change of cryoconite abundance may be understood as response of glacier ecosystems to global environmental change, such as climate warming.

Insoluble particle concentration in ice cores is commonly analyzed as a proxy for variations in atmospheric mineral dust (aerosol concentration). However, recent studies have revealed that the mineral dust is not only a constituent of the particles but that biogenic organic particles are also contained. We microscopically analyzed insoluble particles in a shallow ice core drilled on a mountain glacier, the Urumqi Glacier No. 1, in eastern Tienshan, China. We distinguished different morphological particles in the ice core and quantified them separately. Results showed that the insoluble particles in this ice core consisted mainly of mineral particles, amorphous organic particles, pollen, and microorganisms. Mineral particles were the most dominant, accounting for approximately 67% of total particles, and amorphous organic particles were the second most dominant, accounting for approximately 33% of the total. The annual variation in the particles for the last 11 years differed between mineral and amorphous organic particles. The results suggest that the total insoluble particle concentration in the ice core reflects not only the atmospheric mineral dust but also the organic particles blown from ground soil or produced by microbes on the glacial surface.

Cold environments, including glacier ice and snow, are known habitats for cold-adapted microorganisms. We investigated the potential for cold-adapted yeast to have propagated in the snow of the high-altitude Belukha glacier. We detected the presence of highly concentrated yeast (over 10(4) cells mL(-1)) in samples of both an ice core and firn snow. Increasing yeast cell concentrations in the same snow layer from July 2002 to July 2003 suggests that the yeast cells propagated in the glacier snow. A cold-adapted Rhodotorula sp. was isolated from the snow layer and found to be related to psychrophilic yeast previously found in other glacial environments (based on the D1/D2 26S rRNA domains). 26S rRNA clonal analysis directly amplified from meltwater within the ice core also revealed the presence of genus Rhodotorula. Analyses of the ice core showed that all peaks in yeast concentration corresponded to the peaks in indices of surface melting. These results support the hypothesis that occasional surface melting in an accumulation area is one of the major factors influencing cold-adapted yeast propagation.

In this study, we used a 4.00-m pit on Belukha glacier in Russia's Altai region and attempted to establish the timing of chemical deposition events by analyzing pollen profiles. As the pollen deposition of each examined taxon on the glacier surfaces followed a distinct seasonal phenology, seasonal layers could be identified over a two-year period. The seasonal layer boundaries reconstructed from the pollen analyses were in close agreement with the in situ observations and indicated that the snow deposition on the glacier originates mainly from summer precipitation. The record of oxygen isotope ratios showed a relatively high mean value of 13.3 parts per thousand, which was attributed to the absence of winter depositions. The formate (HCOO-) concentration records displayed seasonal variation with the highest emissions occurring in the spring, and a dust event in the spring of 2003 was detected from the Mg2+, Ca2+, and dust concentration profiles. Taken together, these results suggest the analysis of pollen profiles in combination with chemical data in snow pits and ice cores may lead to better reconstruction of seasonal variation.

In a previous study, past summer temperatures were reconstructed from melt features in the Belukha ice core, Siberian Altai. We evaluated the climatic representativeness of net accumulation and melt features by comparing two Belukha ice cores retrieved at neighboring sites by different institutions and dated by different methods. Melt features in both cores showed a significant correlation, but the trends of net accumulation were different between the cores. Melt features corresponded to the retreat rate of a glacier terminus in a neighboring mountain range. These findings demonstrate the spatial representativeness of melt features in the ice cores. We reevaluated an equation formulated for reconstructions of summer temperature, as used in a previous study, and found that it underestimates temperature. We propose an alternative equation to obtain more reliable summer temperatures from melt features and net accumulation records for the period from 1914 to 2003.

We conducted 2 yr (2005-2007) of in situ meteorological and glaciological observations on the Gregoriev Glacier, a flat-top glacier within the Inner Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan. Relative carrier-phase GPS surveys reveal a vertical lowering at the summit of the glacier. Based on snow density data and an energy-mass balance model, we estimate that the annual precipitation and summer mean temperature required to maintain the glacier in the current state are 289 mm and -3.8 degrees C at the glacier summit (4600 m a.s.l.), respectively. The good agreement between dynamically derived precipitation and the long-term observed precipitation at a nearby station in the Tien Shan (296 mm at 3614 m a.s.l. for the period 1930-2002) suggests that the glacier has been in a near steady-state in terms of mass supply. The glacier mass-balance, reconstructed based on meteorological data from the Tien Shan station for the past 80 yr, explains the observed fluctuations in glacier extent, particularly the negative mass balance in the 1990s.