So far, the surface of glaciers was regarded as only aerobic zones due to high biomass and production of algae. On the white surface of ice shimmering in the sunlight we can see dark wind-transported dust, cryoconite holes (water-filled depressions in the ice with dark sediments on their bottom), sometimes ponds, cracks or wells. Would …
Red snow is just an effect of red algae blooming. It is usually called watermelon snow although the appearance of this colour on snow does not have anything to do with the fruit. Chlamydomonas nivalis is a species responsible for the blooming of snow. I am always amazed by how, within just a few days, …
In polar regions, mosses present one of the most numerous groups with respect to species diversity. Additionally, they constitute the greatest biomass of plants. They are both a habitat for a number of invertebrates and the main source of food for them (e.g. tardigrades, mites or springtails). Mosses are well-known for their high phenotypic plasticity …
Nematodes, also called roundworms, are the most abundant and one of the most hyperdiverse animal groups on Earth. Nematoda (in Latin) are cosmopolitan which means they inhabit a wide range of earth zones from hot tropics to cold polar regions. Most of the nematodes are free-living and inhabit terrestrial and marine ecosystems, which means they … Continue reading
Since its very beginnings, human curiosity rushes towards recognition and description of the surrounding environment. The best examples are wall paintings in the caves, where the first human hoards lived. These wall paintings are regarded as the first pieces of art. Yet, in my opinion, they are a kind of notes from environmental observations, … Continue reading
Group of Marek Stibal (Charles University in Prague) seeking a highly motivated student to investigate the origin, age, and fate of methane (CH4) released from the Greenland Ice Sheet, as part of the new 5-year project “Microbial Production and Release of Methane from the Greenland Ice Sheet” (MARCH4G). Project is realised withing a framework of … Continue reading
The rapid growth and permanent spreading of resistance to antibiotics among bacteria is an unquestioned global problem and according to the World Health Organization, one of the most serious threats of the 21st century. Currently, drug-resistant diseases cause at least 700,000 deaths globally per year and it is estimated that this number will increase to … Continue reading
Students of the Faculty of Biology at Adam Mickiewicz University are invited to apply for a field course organized in the vicinity of the town of Longyearbyen in Svalbard. The main idea of the course is a combination of biology, geology and ecology. The main topics are glacial ecosystems, succession, the impact of glaciers on … Continue reading
Cryoconite holes – ecosystems studied within the project. A – cryoconite holes on Longyearbreen (Svalbard), B – cylindrical cryoconite hole on Longyearbreen (Svalbard), C – cryoconite hole on Forni Glacier (the Alps). Dark matter on the bottom of holes are cryoconite granules. Otwory kriokonitowe – ekosystemy badane w ramach projektu. A – otwory kriokonitowe na … Continue reading
Forni Glacier. Lodowiec Forni. For a biologist who works on organisms and biological processes on the surface of glaciers the season is definitely over. This means it is time to write about the last expedition to Forni. The Forni Glacier is one of the largest glacier located in the Italian part of the Alps. When … Continue reading
As it turns out, the more we learn about glacial ecosystems, the less we know about them. Glaciers and ice caps constitute 10% of lands, which is why the eyes of the world are anxiously looking at new reports of polar ice recession and its possible consequences for a civilisation such as flooding coastal cities. … Continue reading
Glaciation accompanied our ancestors in Africa 3 million years ago. The growth of ice caps in the northern hemisphere and global cooling led to the transformation of forests in Africa into savannas, and hominids (our ancestors) who had “left the trees” had to learn to live in the open area. The first people in … Continue reading
Możliwość studiów doktoranckich w jednym z najlepszych instytutów biologii środowiska z wybitnymi polskimi ekologami morza. Biorąc pod uwagę rezultaty uzyskane w ramach projektów prowadzonych w Zakładzie Ekologii Morza PAN, wyniki badań prowadzonych w ramach doktoratu mogą być jednymi z bardzo ważnych w zrozumieniu szybko zmieniających się ekosystemów morskich. Wszystko wymaga jednak pracy, ale za to … Continue reading
glacier&polar life 