Biological, physical and chemical parameters in water and microbial mat samples from ponds in the Cape Hallett vicinity and cryoconite holes on the Tucker and Bornmann glaciers

Samples for dissolved inorganic carbon uptake were taken for analysis. Nitrogen fixation was determined and gas samples from the nitrogen fixation were then collected for analysis by gas chromatography. Temperature, pH and conductivity were measured at the surface and deepest point of each pond.

As all ponds were fully mixed, water samples for cation, anion and bicarbonate analyses were collected from the surface and bottom of the ponds only. Five cryoconite ponds on each of two glaciers, Tucker and Bornmann glaciers, were investigated. For each cryoconite hole, temperature, pH and conductivity profiles were taken through the water column.

Water samples were collected for dissolved nutrients, chlorophyll a, particulate nutrients, cations, anions and bicarbonate analyses, while sediment samples were collected for pigment analysis and species composition.