Iceberg Ecosystems

A large iceberg with a natural arch in icy water, surrounded by smaller ice fragments, under a gray sky. 
Photo by Dr. Jack Pan

Using remote sensing and citizen science to understand the impacts of icebergs and meltwater on the Arctic marine food web

Large iceberg floating in calm ocean with rocky hills and partly cloudy sky in the background.

Coastal Greenland is experiencing measurable impacts from climate change. To understand how these habitats are affected by melting ice sheets and the presence of thousands of melting icebergs, we use a multifaceted approach.

We combine remote sensing (satellite-derived) observations of ocean properties with physical and biological data collected by citizen scientists onboard tour vessels to validate and refine a new remote sensing algorithm to detect iceberg meltwater, to characterize phytoplankton and seabird community abundance and biodiversity, and to study the potential impacts of melting ice sheets on the coastal marine ecosystem.

Map showing sea surface glacial meltwater fraction percentages around Greenland, with color indicating the meltwater fraction from 0% to 5%.
Logo of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego with a globe
NASA logo with a stylized satellite orbiting above the word NASA, surrounded by stars.