Nansen 1906

4 /If THE NORWEGIAN S& NORTH POLAR EXPEDITION 1893—1896 SCIENTIFIC EESULTS EDITED BY FRIDTJOF NANSEN VOLUME V PUBLISHED BY THE FRIDTJOF NANSEN FUND FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE Nansen, F., 1906 Protozoa on the ice-floes of the North Polar Sea In: F Nansen (Editor), The Norwegian North Polar Expedition 1893 1896 [Scientific Results, (16)] Longrnans, Green and Comp., London, 22 pp CONTENTS OF VOL XIV On O B BeGGiLD Bottom Deposits the of V the North Polar Sea Pp 1—52, with Plates Appendix of the Do and Charles N Heidenreich I Bottom Deposits Hans Kler: II and the Pp 53 Thalamophora Mud from J J Fox : Analyses — 57 of the the Ice Surface Bottom Deposits Pp 58—62 (Printed June 1904) XV V Walfrid Ekman: On Dead- Water: Being a description of the called phenomenon often hindering the headway and navigation ships in gation Norwegian Fjords and elsewhere, and an experimental of Bjerknes its causes etc With a preface soof investi- by Professor Vilhelm Pp 1—152, with 17 Plates (Printed June 1904) XVI Fridtjof Nansen: Protozoa on the Ice-Floes of the North Polar Sea Pp 1—22, with Plates (Printed March 1906) o t I XVI PROTOZOA ON THE ICE-FLOES OF THE NORTH POLAR SEA BY FRIDTJOF NANSEN (WITH PLATES.) INTRODUCTORY REMARKS D, my "uring that in the visit first summer, when to the East Greenland Sea the surface of the ice-floes got a very dirty and often brownish colour on thick and very old dently came drifting ice-floes — what call this dirty dust from the atmosphere brought smaller extent was much melted, thought by the gradual melting it unknown the ice might also be due ice, by falling By to impurities or was due During cient to f to To some organisms this reddish brown on May 1882, 9, a layer of algae, chiefly diatoms to side of the ice, ! frequently coloured due chiefly in the and which were now aggregated of Ihe ice at the surface examination under the microscope on lour evi- sea near the snow noticed another feature, viz that the thinner and comparatively was — which the real polar ice brownish colour was down on sea-water which had been frozen into the or two feet thick it southward along the East Greenland Coast from very supposed that noticed I This was especially noticeable high latitudes, probably after having crossed the then North Pole 1882, in , I voyage new I ice, also one the under side'2 found that the co- adhering to the under- had, however, no opportunity, nor the knowledge then suffi- pay more attention to these highly interesting features See "Naturen", vol XI, Bergen 1887, p 214 This ice with a red underside was called "seal-ice" by the sealers, because they said that the seal preferred to lie on floes of that kind This might not be improbable; for where there are so many diatoms in the water, there are probably also many Crustacea, which form the food of the seal {Phoca groenlandica) According to the drawings I then made, the diatoms seem to have been Coscinodiscus, Fragilaria, Navicula directa, and others [norw pol exp FRIDTJOF NANSEN In 1888, way to the again saw the North polar I crossing of Greenland mud a few samples of the thick on the mud which had layer of Denmark in the ice One sample was taken from a ice-floes somewhere come from evidently collected had the common area of the ordinary ice-surface, which ice-floes the neigh- from a greater dirty appearance from which the samples were taken were very old and thick; they had evidently drifted in the the North Polar Basin sea for several years, and had probably crossed These samples were afterwards examined and described by Dr A E Tornebohm and Professor P T Cleve Dr A E Tornebohm found neral grains of different kinds collected my on then used the opportunity of collecting I bourhood of land, whilst another smaller sample was The Strait, the samples to be largely composed of mi- But the mineral grains in the smaller sample, from the greater area of the dirty ice-surface, were extremely small sample a great many diatoms also occur- and difficult red, which were examined by Professor Cleve who found 16 species and va- rieties, to determine which were all of In this them identical with Kjellman, during the Vega Expedition Wankarema on the north-east coast found in from the ice I my ice-floe had seen side of the near Cape in the Wankarema Denmark But how the diatoms had come on had originally lived neither I kinds of dust on the ice-floes on the surface of the floe-ice Strait, On June of the sixteen indicate to had already assumed I could In the I tell had spe- that the was melted by 11th, 1894, I noted in my for other reasons of the ice, or where they my summer attention directed towards of the water were formed on the floes round the Fram of June These were hitherto only known This seemed During the Expedition with the Fram, all near Bering Straits to the surface Cleve nor near Cape had actually come from the Siberian Strait, North Polare Basin; as ice-floe and twelve in 1883, samples from the Denmark diatoms collected by of on an 1879), of Siberia, diatoms had been described by Cleve cies, (in species 1894 the snow and sun, and ponds This began in diary (hat the ice ice of fresh the first part was rapidly H Mohn and F Nansen, Wissenschaftliche Ergebnissc von Dr F Nansens DurchPetermann's Mitteilungen, Erganzungsheft No 105, querung von Grflnland 1888 1892, pp 104-108 Professor H H Gban, has given a full account of what has been written about diatoms from the polar ice, in vol IV, No 11, pp et seq., of this Report Most of the papers there cited by him were, however, published after our departure in 1893 NO 16.] PROTOZOA ON THE ICE-FLOES OF THE NORTH POLAR melting on the surface, and formed on the floes, so many much without water-tight shoes great and small fresh-waterponds had been so that We SEA it was not even agreeable to walk about were then about 81° 39' N Lat and in 122° 9' E Long fn July I observed that numerous small brownish specks small accumulations of sediment were beginning to most fresh-water-ponds, especially on the thick floes before the previous winter as or, were, it form on the ice-bottom of which had been formed Similar brownish spots were also formed on the socalled "ice-foot" in the channels along the margin of the floes ming these brownish accumulations, from the "ice-foot", under the microscope, I By the bottom of the ponds found in the midle of July, to exa- and from my aston- Diagram illustrative of the melting of the ice a, Pond of fresh water on the iceLayer of fresh melting-water, resting on sea-water (S) c, Ice-foot, d Lumps of floating near boundary between fresh-water and sea-water, e, Small accumulations of algae t on ice-foot, f, Small accumulation of algae in the pond on the ice Fig A floe .6, algae ishment that they were composed tiplying in this water on the ice; to posed of a some smaller etc., which had evidently formation; and their shell-fragments had ice ; melted, been and on the set ice-foot free again and But among the many moving organisms living and mul- extent they were also com- mineral dust and of dead fragments of diatoms, Chcetoceras, little Coscinodiscus chiefly diatoms, of algae, been frozen now when into the ice on its the surface layers of the gathered on the bottom of the ponds living of various kinds diatoms The I also observed a good biggest and most conspicuous By the melting of the snow and of the upper layers of the floe-ice a good deal of nearly fresh water (with a salinity of or per mille) is formed during the warmest summer months, June, July and the beginning of August This water either accumulates in hollows in the floes to form ponds (Fig A, a), or runs off into the channels and cracks between the flows where it forms a layer (Fig A, b), or metres thick Memoir No 9, vol Ill pp 305-309) of nearly fresh water resting on the cold seawater (Fig A, S) This surface layer of water becomes comparatively warm and has therefore a corrosive>ffect upon the edges of the floes by melting away the ice near (see the water level, whilst the lower part of the ice situated in the very cold sea-water not affected, and it consequently projects, often several feet (see Fig A, c), and is is called the ice-foot FRIDTJOF NANSEN [norw pol exp were Infusoria, but numerous smaller organisms to the Flagellata or similar groups, were also observed and studied In nearlv samples of these brownish accumulations all of great mobility belonging I also very frequently observed a comparatively big bassilum, of a simple rodlike appearance, rapidly oscilla- and often forming long chains ting, The brown A, (Fig spots on the bottom of the ponds (Fig A, f) and on the ice-foot grew gradually larger from day e) to day; but owing to their dark brownish colour they absorbed more heat from the sun than the surrounding white ice, rapidly and then the melted away, and deeper into the under them was more ice sank they and formed small ice, and deeper cylindrical holes (Fig B) often several inches deep and perhaps an inch or Diagram Fig B of the , , b, bottom of on the ponds on the a, ice Fresh-water with diameter, in , , T in gradually ° holes, was mass of diatoms, Ice Holes c, The bottom and square edges accumulation of algae holes in more very sharp illustrative - quite » J fii tilled which could these vertical of -.i • i with a brownish easily be sucked up with a glass tube In channels between the the where there was very myself observed little in July, movement 1894, especially ice-floes, in in the narrow ones, the water, both Dr Blessing numerous small globular lumps, generally lumps grew rapidly larger from day hardly visible specks, lumps my greenish the channels often I find the following between the brown masses composed occurred size, one or two solely of remarks about these First floes: I mention mucous a brown alga, Melosira great abundance at a certain in they began as small, much more diary for July 18th, 1894, floating in day; but eventually attained considerable inches in diameter, or even In to of These a reddish colour, or sometimes with a more bleaked whitish colour floating and depth (of about 1 which , metre or more) "almost in every small channel, especially the more enclosed ones, and one could see, that on the sides of the brown layer spread over looked as It In 1882 I if it was the surface of the the food ice, a certain depth, a greenish and far down same alga which here grew on found quantities of this alga them as vegetable ice-floes, at in the into the water the ice" I stomach of a bear, who seems then to eat NO PROTOZOA ON THE ICE-FLOES OF THE NORTH POLAR 16.] state that "in floating; the Under of them water a great deal of smaller mucous lumps were also were partly white partly yellowish they tions of diatoms and a great many round red & Fig gave the lumps 8) had died and become "These lumps depth, about metre l and composed accumula- of This large, globular alga were alga? all many collected & 8) (PI VIII, where, however, this alga lumps got a white appearance colourless, the of diatoms I cells (see PI VIII, Figs reddish colour, their and red, the microscope they appeared to be with round refractive red globules" filled SEA them of externally floating at a certain under the water-surface, where in some small channels they might occur in great quantity At greenish brown alga (Melosira) also chiefly distributed, whilst parts of rose to the surface often whitish was same depth the the above mentioned it These parts were often greenish brown as usual, but also and were evidently dead It is clear that the lumps of diatoms as well as the Melosira keep themselves floating just at the depth where the upper layer of fresh-water (melting-water from the lying salt sea- water The water on the surface rests ice) was on the under- perfectly fresh could be used as drinking water) and the lumps of diatoms sank in they floated when they came lower down" These floating bular alga (PI VIII, lumps composed as they were touched In these lumps I & Figs They also found 8) A, were very fragile had to and foot" and in fell a special memoir (No in I ice 11, in vol found along with these diatoms, of It I could not well as on the "ice- I of this Report) could, the Infusoria at the same time subject and other Protozoa I determine the and having no species, later in the season, the thickness of the layer some channels contained between found ice-floes made numerous them, some of which have been reproduced on Pis hand, Somewhat in at IV and Not being conversant with the kind to those have been described by Professor H H Gran studied on the spot, as well as drawings soon to pieces as numerous Infusoria, and other small protozoa these free-floating lumps, as ponds on the in the whilst be collected with great care accumulations of diatoms in the ponds on the The diatoms found it d) moving about between the diatoms; they were very similar in the it, e diatoms and the unknown red glo- of therefore (Fig (i and per mille salt I— VIII literature of the but could only make approached metres, at least FRIDTJOF NANSEN drawings and notes of what an opportunity many ways, them over with all at all, Since as my investigations, Miss I and the Fram on a it finally got Bonnevie has, my time was taken up in time to them then, and before summer sledge journey before the next have been occupied with other I any time to give however, done to the matter me the great favour of drawings and notes and of selecting those figures which hand hands They are here reproduced on Pis We of is — VIII them draw an expert on the subject my observations, imperfect though It the form they were brought home They may the attention of future travellers to this interesting ice-floes of the at least serve to life on the drifting The probability ice when is it that they, or rather was formed germs at the surface of the sea as the diatoms, and were also carried by the channels between the like same in same ponds the between and %o The water of marine origin of these ponds con- salt seems hardly probable that the infusoria could have been carried by the wind through the and clean far When floes most diatoms found It have melting water into the seems probable therefore that these infusoria were tained, however, only ice in of them, the ice again melted the germs developed in the ponds on the ice in the It pub- North Polar Sea been frozen into the way I might seem puzzling, how these organisms have got into the first place owe hardly sufficient for the determination of the species appeared possible, however, that in the I both agree, that they are, might be of some interest to future students of this matter, lish were floes no further opportunity of studying gratitude for her very valuable assistance in the As and have not been able Kristine the material at even My should later get I ponds and channels between the ice, be of most interest much her left the much return from the expedition looking through may not give that I could the middle of August, 1894, covered hoped however that I studying them more closely of so saw; I [norw pol exp floes, air Some of them were found on comparatively white which had been formed during the previous autumn and winter, from any sea-shore or open water N0 PROTOZOA ON THE ICE-FLOES OF THE NORTH POLAR 16 -1 - LACRYMARIA, PI 1—14; Figs I, SEA sp PI II, Figs 5-7 This infusorium occurred very commonly both in the free-floating lumps channels between the of algae, in the diatoms in the ponds on the and same the When it the ice external appearance The normal, green, or almost black moved Figs I, the accumulations of in I numerous animals also found and shape, but which were dark- transparent form will actively about, as or less elongated form (PL and individuals were as a rule transparent some ponds on colourless, but in exactly of ice-floes, The ice was be described first generally the case, it had a more The body was very mobile and 1, 2, 14) could be stretched out and become rather slender (Figs and 14) or be shortened and become thicker (Figs dual as Fig 2) or globe (Fig manner like swim toms, or could slowly round tated was the body and then (Fig 2) and 3, Fig same the is could even be contracted into a spheroidal, it When 10) freely could rapidly wind it it axis The indivi- motionless could bend in a way between its through the water while longitudinal its stretched out, worm- the dia- body generally its length could it body the of developed individuals might, under these conditions, be 0-10 mm well of (Fig ro- 1) or more At the anterior end there was a proboscis-like protuberance, which during activity could be more quiescent the proboscis long cilia, pushed out and bent vigorously state was which were was not the animal partly retracted were actually fixed it, when was contracted to the proboscis, or The what shorter not very dense in a a spheroidal form, into Whether merely situated at surface of the body cilia whilst, This proboscis was provided with numerous in perpetual active motion ascertained to the sides its these long cilia base, surrounding was provided with some- They were somewhat more numerous at the posterior end In most individuals furrows could be seen, winding in left banded spirals along the outside of the body (Figs 3—7, 13—14) As far as I seven in number could (at least round the proboscis ribs could make out, the spirally wound ribs thus produced, on the anterior part) and ended (see Fig 5, in where four of these lobes are sometimes also be seen on the posterior end were seven (?) lobes seen) (Fig 3) These The Norwegian N- Polar Expedition1893- 96 N?I6 Pl.l P