Here we present a comparative study of polar summer microbial communities in the ice-free (eastern) and ice-covered (western) hydrographic regimes at the LTER HAUSGARTEN in Fram Strait, the main gateway between the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans. Based on measured and modeled biogeochemical parameters, we tentatively identified two different ecosystem states (i.e., different phytoplankton bloom stages) in the distinct regions. Using Illumina tag-sequencing, we determined the community composition of both free-living and particle-associated bacteria as well as microbial eukaryotes in the photic layer.

Supplement to: Fadeev, Eduard; Salter, Ian; Schourup-Kristensen, Vibe; Nöthig, Eva-Maria; Metfies, Katja; Engel, Anja; Piontek, Judith; Boetius, Antje; Bienhold, Christina (2018): Microbial Communities in the East and West Fram Strait During Sea Ice Melting Season. Frontiers in Marine Science, 5