A long - lived paradigm in polar oceanography is that
arctic pelagic ecosystems, characterized by short food webs, remain in a dormant state throughout most of the winter season beneath the sea - ice cover, which can last 8 — 10 months in some regions.
At least four key findings from these projects relating to
arctic heterotrophic food web,
pelagic - benthic coupling and biodiversity have emerged: (1) Contrary to a long - standing paradigm of dormant
ecosystems during the long
arctic winter, major food web components showed relatively high level of winter activity, well before the spring release of ice algae and subsequent phytoplankton bloom.