Varliero, GildaLebre, Pedro HumbertoFrey, BeatFountain, Andrew G.Anesio, Alexandre M.Cowan, Don A.2024-08-272024-08-272023-04-28Varliero, G.; Lebre, P.H.; Frey, B.; Fountain, A.G.; Anesio, A.M.; Cowan, D.A. GlacialWater: A Dynamic Microbial Medium. Microorganisms 2023, 11, 1153. https://DOI.org/10.3390/microorganisms11051153.2076-2607 (online)10.3390/microorganisms11051153http://hdl.handle.net/2263/97882DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT : No new data were created or analyzed in this study. Data sharing is not applicable to this article.Microbial communities and nutrient dynamics in glaciers and ice sheets continuously change as the hydrological conditions within and on the ice change. Glaciers and ice sheets can be considered bioreactors as microbiomes transform nutrients that enter these icy systems and alter the meltwater chemistry. Global warming is increasing meltwater discharge, affecting nutrient and cell export, and altering proglacial systems. In this review, we integrate the current understanding of glacial hydrology, microbial activity, and nutrient and carbon dynamics to highlight their interdependence and variability on daily and seasonal time scales, as well as their impact on proglacial environments.en© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.Glacial microorganismsGlacierMeltwateProglacial environmentWater residence timeSDG-13: Climate actionSDG-14: Life below waterArticle