The Earth's cryosphere comprises those regions that are cold enough for water to turn into
ice. Recent findings show that the icy realms of polar oceans, glaciers and ice sheets are …

Glaciers and ice sheets, like other biomes, occupy a significant area of the planet and
harbour biological communities with distinct interactions and feedbacks with their physical …

Natural dust is often associated with hot, subtropical deserts, but significant dust events have
been reported from cold, high latitudes. This review synthesizes current understanding of …

The cycling of carbon on Earth exerts a fundamental influence upon the greenhouse gas
content of the atmosphere, and hence global climate over millennia. Until recently, ice …

Snow or glacial algae are found on all continents, and most species are in the
Chlamydomonadales (Chlorophyta) and Zygnematales (Streptophyta). Other algal groups …

In recent decades, the land-ocean aquatic continuum, commonly defined as the interface, or
transition zone, between terrestrial ecosystems and the open ocean, has undergone …

The Arctic is melting at an unprecedented rate and key drivers are changes in snow and ice
albedo. Here we show that red snow, a common algal habitat blooming after the onset of …

Cryoconite is granular sediment found on glacier surfaces comprising both mineral and
biological material. Despite long having been recognised as an important glaciological and …

The interactions of electromagnetic radiation with ice, and with ice-containing media such as
snow and clouds, are determined by the refractive index and absorption coefficient (the …

Glacier ecosystems are teeming with life on, beneath, and to a lesser degree, within their icy
masses. This conclusion largely stems from polar research, with less attention paid to …