Researchers crack the ice to study the arctic marine food web

Marine ecologists, supported by the National Science Foundation, conduct research in the Arctic to study algae, which form the base of the marine food web. Algae bloom in spring and migrate from ice to water, supporting marine life. The team investigates algae's role in the ecosystem, including interactions with jellyfish. Climate change may disrupt this balance, affecting larger marine animals. Algae serve as indicators of environmental changes in the Arctic.

What methods do the researchers use to study algae levels and their consumers in the ice?

Describe the relationship between algae and larger marine animals mentioned in the text.