1,2,- 1Cold Regions Research Centre, University of Wroclaw, Wrocław, Poland
- 2Institute of Geography and Regional Development, University of Wroclaw, Wrocław, Poland
- 3Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA
- 4Department of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Sogndal, Norway
- 5Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Adam Mickiewicz, Poznań, Poland
Rapid warming in polar and alpine regions is accelerating glacier retreat, producing vast quantities of meltwater and sediments that are delivered to downstream ecosystems. Glacial meltwaters contain essential micronutrients, such as iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), which may stimulate primary production in freshwater and marine ecosystems, potentially influencing carbon cycling. While dissolved Fe and Mn cycling are relatively well studied, the role of sediment-bound species remains poorly constrained despite their high potential bioavailability.
Here we present data on sediment-bound and dissolved Fe and Mn concentrations and flux, and associated chemical weathering processes, along source-to-sink transects in glacierized catchments of the High Arctic (Svalbard Archipelago) and Sub-Arctic regions (Jostedalsbreen ice cap and Jotunheimen mountain range, Norway). We analyzed meltwaters from 20 glacierized catchments spanning diverse lithologies with glacial coverage ranging from 3% to 62%, including metamorphic, sedimentary, carbonate, and plutonic substrates. Dissolved trace elements (<0.45 μm) were measured using ICP-MS/MS, while sediment-bound fractions were extracted with ascorbic acid (labile phases) and dithionite (crystalline phases) and analysed by ICP-OES.
Our results reveal striking contrasts between regions. Svalbard glacial streams exhibited sediment-bound Fe and Mn concentrations at least one order of magnitude higher than dissolved concentrations, whereas Norwegian glacial streams showed only few-fold higher particulate Fe relative to dissolved. Conversely, dissolved Fe was up to three times higher in Norwegian streams compared to Svalbard, whereas dissolved Mn was lower. Suspended particulate matter concentrations were also markedly different, with Svalbard streams showing concentrations near an order of magnitude higher than Norwegian streams.
Major ion chemistry indicates contrasting geochemical weathering processes. Major ion concentrations were generally higher in High Arctic streams compared to Sub-Arctic streams. Additionally, pH values were typically neutral to slightly alkaline in the High Arctic, while streams in Sub-Arctic catchments were more acidic. These patterns suggest regional differences in chemical weathering rate, buffering capacity, and glacio-fluvial erosion rates between regions. Stronger glacier recession and thinning, and biological expansion in proglacial zones of Norwegian glaciers compared to Svalbard may further contribute to these differences.
Our findings underscore the importance of sediment-bound element export and association with chemical weathering signatures and highlight regional differences in biogeochemical pathways during deglaciation. These insights are critical for predicting nutrient delivery to aquatic ecosystems in a warming world from glacierized regions.
How to cite: Stachnik, L., Telążka, M., Hawkings, J., Yde, J. C., Murphy, J. G., Raczyk, H., Łopuch, M., Proch, A., Proch, J., and Niedzielski, P.: Contrasting Export of Iron and Manganese between High Arctic and Sub-Arctic Glacierized Watersheds, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-20867, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-20867, 2026.
