Cryospheric Algal Sampling Protocols –
International Collaboration and Exchange
The CASP-ICE Mission
Cryospheric Algal Sampling Protocols – International Collaboration and Exchange, or CASP-ICE for short, is a UKRI-funded international network of researchers working on snow and glacier algae across the cryosphere. The network brings together leaders in the field of snow and glacier algal research to undertake the foundational work needed to align efforts across the research community and unlock the next generation of science on snow and glacier algal blooms cryosphere-wide.
Develop standardised protocols
Establishing best practices for snow and glacier algal sampling and mapping to ensure consistency and comparability in data collection
Providing and sharing useful resources
Developing protocols, datasets and networks for all those interested in snow and glacier algae across the world
Undertake cryosphere-wide sampling
Implementing standardized protocols to produce inter-comparable datasets on snow/glacier algal blooms across the cryosphere.
Establish a global monitoring network
Identifying key sites and securing funding for continuous, worldwide cryospheric algal monitoring.
2026 coordinated community sampling campaign
CASP-ICE is organising a coordinated community sampling campaign for the 2026 northern hemisphere field season and the 2026/27 austral season. The aim is to build an open, cross-site ground-truth dataset of snow and glacier algal abundance that can be paired with satellite, drone and modelling products.
The campaign uses a shared nested-grid sampling design so that field teams can capture both the spatial structure of algal blooms and robust estimates of average abundance across sampled snowpacks or glacier surfaces. CASP-ICE will support participating teams with shared sampling templates, protocols and, where needed, sampling consumables.
- Field teams collect replicated snow or ice samples using standardised 10 × 10 m nested sampling grids, scaled where required for smaller sites.
- Surface images are collected alongside samples, ideally using RAW image format and a 24-colour Calibrite ColorChecker where available.
- Melted samples are preserved in 2 mL tubes with Lugol’s solution and either counted locally or returned to Bristol for cell counting.
- The resulting dataset will support bloom ecology, phenology, remote-sensing validation and future cryosphere-wide monitoring.
- Join the community sampling initiative
- Download the draft sampling protocol
- Request sampling consumables
- Report on sampling undertaken
Get involved
We welcome all interested researchers and external people/groups to join our network and participate in our activities. We would encourage anyone interested in snow or glacier algal research and monitoring to reach out to us and join in.
We also hope to extend snow and glacier algal monitoring to non-microbiology focussed research groups and citizen science initiatives working across the cryosphere to extend the breadth of our monitoring. Please email casp-ice@bristol.ac.uk or use the contact form below to get involved.
Resources
CASP-ICE resources will be shared through the main MicroLab@Bristol resources page, alongside other tools that may be useful for snow and glacier algal field sampling. This includes the FieldApp notebook, field sampling materials, and other practical resources for collecting, documenting and sharing cryospheric algal datasets. We will continue to add CASP-ICE protocols, data tools and community resources as they become available.
Project info
The CASP-ICE project is funded by UKRI Natural Environment Research Council, grant NE/Y002636/1. The project is led by Dr Chris Williamson and hosted by MicroLab@Bristol at the University of Bristol.
Contact us on casp-ice@bristol.ac.uk or use the contact form below
Credit: Robin Kodner