Microbial biomass measurements from supraglacial water in southwestern Greenland (2022 and 2023)

Studying supraglacial microbial communities is critical for predicting nutrient export and biogeochemical cycling in glacial environments. During summer months, surface meltwater is stored in a shallow layer of porous ice referred to as the weathering crust aquifer (WCA) before being released to streams. To investigate the distribution of microbial biomass in ice surfaces, we collected samples from supraglacial streams and the WCA on southwestern Greenland glaciers in 2022 and 2023. Samples were analyzed for cell counts using epifluorescent microscopy, chlorophyll concentrations using fluorescence, and ATP concentrations using Biothema ATP Biomass Kits, capturing spatial variability in microbial abundance on the ice surface.