Antarctica icebergs hold sea life

WASHINGTON -- Scientists say icebergs in Antarctica serve as hosts for thriving communities of seabirds, phytoplankton and fish.

A report published in the current issue of Science magazine said the icebergs hold trapped terrestrial material, which they release far out at sea as they melt, the National Science Foundation said Friday in a release.
Scientists say the process produces a "halo effect" with significantly increased nutrients, chlorophyll and krill out to a radius of more 2 miles.
Researchers said the icebergs are raising the biological productivity of almost 40 percent of Antarctica's Weddell Sea, and may play a role in global climate regulation by removing carbon from the atmosphere.
The research, funded by The National Science Foundation, was conducted by scientists from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the University of San Diego and the University of South Carolina.

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