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Abstract:
Recently, new glaciological findings were reported for Thwaites Glacier, one of the vulnerable glaciers in Pine Island Bay, Antarctica; however, no studies have considered the ecosystems that could be impacted by these melting and collapsing ice shelves. During the austral summer cruise of 2020, the phytoplankton community was dominated by Phaeocystis antarctica in most coastal waters of the Amundsen Sea, as previously reported; however, unexpected blooms of diatom Dactyliosolen were observed throughout the Pine Island Bay region at a high dominance rate (~ 90%) and abundance. The dramatic difference in phytoplankton compositions between these adjacent coastal areas indicates an unstable phytoplankton response to ice melting conditions, implying that the ecosystem is already being impacted and shifted.
