Supraglacial Sulfur Springs and Associated Biological Activity in the Canadian High Arctic—Signs of Life Beneath the Ice

Abstract

Unique springs, discharging from the surface of an arctic glacier, release H₂S and deposit native sulfur, gypsum, and calcite. The presence of sulfur in three oxidation states indicates a complex series of redox reactions. Physical and chemical conditions of the spring water and surrounding environment, as well as mineralogical and isotopic signatures, suggest biologically mediated reactions. Cell counts and DNA analyses confirm bacteria are present in the spring system, and a limited number of sequenced isolates suggests that complex communities of bacteria live within the glacial system.