The glacier ecosystem

While hiking up in Kootenay National Park a month ago, we noticed what appeared to be a unique ecosystem on the Fay Glacier. It started with us noticing red streaks throughout the melting glacial snow:You can see the streaks where the water runoff was prevalent, however it was scattered throughout the glacial surface. At some parts, the snow was quite red!After some serious searching on the internet to find out what this might be, I came across the term "watermelon snow" and *eureka!* - I found lots of information about this snow algae. The main species of algae that causes the red snow is called Chlamydomonas nivalis, and is actually a member of the green algae family. However, in addition to producing the green coloured chlorophyl, it also produces a ton of a red carotenoid pigment called astaxanthin. The red overwhelms the green so it only looks red.

C. nivalis is a fresh water, cold-tolerant extremophile that grows in snow and ice during alpine or polar summers. Unlike most algae, it loves growing in cold temperatures. It has been described all over the world, although sometimes the red snow is due to other organisms than this one. In addition, it is predominantly found on the western mountain ranges of North America, whereas in some of the eastern ranges, green or orange snow can be observed.

Snow algae are the primary producers on the glacier and form the beginning of a unique food chain. The second thing we noticed when on the glacier, after the red snow, were large beetles scattered across the snow surface. Here's one (not super zoomed in, unfortunately):Upon closer inspection, we saw not only the beetles, but thousands and thousands of teeny weeny little bugs. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of those guys, but they were pretty little and numerous. In fact, at first we thought they were just dust blown on the glacier surface, but closer inspection proved us wrong. I think these little guys are called springtails or snowfleas (Achorutes nivicolus) and look like this:These little guys are grazers that chow down on the snow algae, as well as pollen and other microscopic debris. Upon them prey diminutive carnivores, such as the big black beetles shown above.

The food chain continues to the next logical point - birds. We saw several kinds, including the typical crow:As well as birds like this little guy:The internet suggests he might be a Rosy Finch, and he does look similar to online pictures of Rosy Finches, so let's call him that.He was definitely chowing down on the beetles, which to me seem like an easy meal. It's not like black beetles can camouflage themselves very well on a white glacier.It was amazing to me that there was so much life in an environment that you would assume is devoid of life. Now, in the dead of winter, I'm sure the glacier is pretty devoid of life, but in the height of summer, it supports life in abundance. We just have to look close enough to see it.So, now you and I both know a lot about the ecosystem found on glaciers in Western North America in the summer months!