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Benthic foraminiferal colonisation of phytodetritus during spring bloom within the marginal sea ice zone off Northern Svalbard continental margin


Abstract

Phytodetritus is transient organic material derived from phytoplankton blooms that sinks to the seafloor. Benthic foraminifera act as primary consumers of this nutrient-rich material, yet their distribution patterns in phytodetritus and underlying associated surface sediment in Arctic regions remain poorly understood. This study investigates the distribution of living benthic foraminifera in phytodetritus and underlying associated surface sediment during the spring bloom, examining their density, relative abundances, and microhabitat preferences. Distribution patterns were analysed in relation to water depth, bottom water conditions, and organic matter availability. At the highly productive Barents Sea slope station, Alabaminella weddellensis, Adercotryma glomeratum, and Cassidulina neoteretis occupied freshly deposited phytodetrital material, whilst Melonis zaandami dominated the sediment. At the moderately productive Yermak Plateau site, both layers hosted Cassidulina reniforme and C. neoteretis, with Lagenammina arenulata preferring the phytodetrital layer. At the Phaeocystis bloom site in Sophia Basin, Epistominella arctica and Quinqueloculina akneriana were abundant in phytodetritus, whilst Ioanella tumidula and Hormosinelloides guttifer inhabited the sediment. Our findings emphasise the significant role of environmental factors in shaping remarkably distinct foraminiferal communities within the phytodetrital layer and the associated surface sediment, as reflected in faunal composition, density, and relative abundances.

Data availability

Publicly available bottom water temperature and salinity were obtained from PANGAEA database (https://www.pangaea.de) at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.861865. All other data from this study are available in the main text, references, supplementary information, or on request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

This study used samples and data provided by the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (Grant No. AWI-PS92_00). We thank the IASC Network ART (Arctic in Rapid Transition) for initiating RV Polarstern expedition PS92 (TRANSSIZ). We would like to thank cruise leader Dr. Ilka Peeken from Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, and the captain and crew onboard of RV Polarstern. We would like to thank two anonymous reviewers for their constructive suggestions.

Funding

This study used samples and data provided by the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Grant No. AWI-PS92_00). Jutta Erika Wollenburg is funded by the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research. Kamila Faizieva, Matthias Nagy, Christopher Berndt, and Petra Heinz are funded by the University of Vienna. Open Access funding provided by the University of Vienna.

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Kamila Faizieva: Conceptualisation, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Visualisation, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. Jutta Erika Wollenburg: Conceptualisation, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing—original draft, Writing—review & editing. Matthias Nagy: Investigation, Validation, Writing – review & editing. Christopher Berndt: Investigation, Validation, Writing—review & editing. Petra Heinz: Conceptualisation, Data curation, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Writing – review & editing.

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Kamila Faizieva.

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Faizieva, K., Wollenburg, J.E., Nagy, M. et al. Benthic foraminiferal colonisation of phytodetritus during spring bloom within the marginal sea ice zone off Northern Svalbard continental margin.
Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45090-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-45090-3

Keywords

  • Benthic foraminifera
  • Phytodetritus
  • Northern Svalbard


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