A new study led by scientists from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science indicates that plant materials found in Arctic sea ice are considerably contributing to the marine ecosystem and help to maintain the local communities of the greater Bering Strait region.Scientists have managed to uncover the persistent biological compounds that are produced by microscopic plants in sea ice and observed that the compounds are present throughout the base of the food ecosystem in the sea. The research could help scientists to demonstrate the significance of sea ice ecosystems as a reservoir of food in Arctic waters in Alaska and beyond.