Biomass and estimated production rates of metazoan zooplankton community in a tropical coral reef of Malaysia

Quantitative research on composition, biomass and production rates of zooplankton community is crucial to understand the trophic structure in coral reef pelagic ecosystems. In the present study, micro‐ (35–100 μm) and net‐ (>100 μm) metazooplankton were investigated in a fringing coral reef at Tioman Island of Malaysia. Sampling was done during the day and night in August and October 2004, and February and June 2005. The mean biomass of total metazooplankton (i.e. micro + net) was 3.42 ± 0.64 mg C·m^?3, ranging from 2.32 ± 0.75 mg C·m^?3 in October to 3.26 ± 1.77 mg C·m^?3 in August. The net‐zooplankton biomass exhibited a nocturnal increase from daytime at 131–264% due to the addition of both pelagic and reef‐associated zooplankton into the water column. The estimated daily production rates of the total metazooplankton community were on average 1.80 ± 0.57 mg C·m^?3·day^?1, but this increased to 2.51 ± 1.06 mg C·m^?3·day^?1 if house production of larvaceans was taken into account. Of the total production rate, the secondary and tertiary production rates were 2.20 ± 1.03 and 0.30 ± 0.06 mg C·m^?3·day^?1, respectively. We estimated the food requirements of zooplankton in order to examine the trophic structure of the pelagic ecosystem. The secondary production may not be satisfied by phytoplankton alone in the study area and the shortfall may be supplied by other organic sources such as detritus.     

Anchovy spawning in relation to the biomass and the replenishment rate of their copepod prey on the western Agulhas Bank

Anchovy biomass and copepod standing stocks and growth rates on the Agulhas Bank were compared during the peak spawning period (November) in 1988 and 1989. In 1988, copepod biomass over the western Agulhas Bank was low (1,0 g dry mass·m^?2) relative to anchovy biomass there (14,7 g dry mass·m^?2). In November 1989 in the same area, fish biomass was much lower (5,7 g dry mass·m^?2), following a recruitment failure, and copepod biomass was higher (2,4 g dry mass·m^?2), possibly as a result of lesser predation by anchovy. By contrast, the eastern Agulhas Bank had a larger biomass of copepods (4–6 g dry mass·^?2) and a lower biomass of anchovy during both years. Knowing, from laboratory studies, that a prey biomass of 0,78 g·m^?2 is required for fish to obtain their daily maintenance ration, it is suggested that spawning on the western Agulhas Bank was food-limited in 1988. Copepods on the western Bank may be replaced by local growth or transport from the eastern Bank. Growth rates of copepods on the western Bank were 10–50 per cent of maximum in 1988, but total production (c. 100 mg dry mass·m^?2·day^?1) was low, primarily because biomass was low and less than the rate of consumption by anchovy (243 mg copepod dry mass·m^?2·day^?1). On the eastern Bank, copepod production exceeded anchovy consumption and it is concluded that the flux of copepod biomass onto the western Bank may be as important as local growth in replenishing copepod stocks there. Feeding conditions for anchovy on the western Agulhas Bank are often marginal compared to the situation on the eastern Bank, and it is suggested that the selection of the western Bank as the major spawning area is related more to the success of transport and survival of eggs and larvae on the West Coast recruiting grounds than to feeding conditions per se.     

Use of particle-size data to predict potential pelagic-fish yields of some southern African areas

A particle-size spectrum model is used to estimate standing stocks of some pelagic fish from measurements of phytoplankton chlorophyll in two exploited regions in southern Africa (southern Benguela and off South West Africa/Namibia) and in two unexploited regions (the Agulhas Bank and off the eastern Cape Province). The model is based on the assumption that equal biomasses occur in logarithmically equal size classes in the pelagic marine environment. Phytoplankton, with an equivalent spherical diameter ranging from 1 to 128 μm, occupy 21 size classes on the logarithmic scale. Two different size ranges are assumed for some commercial, pelagic fish species, equivalent to exploitation with two different purse-seine mesh sizes. A mesh of 12,7 mm would catch 8 size classes of pilchard, horse mackerel and anchovy whereas a mesh of 32 mm would catch only 3,3 size classes of pilchard and horse mackerel. From the model, the potential biomass of these commercial pelagic fish is estimated, after allowing for the presence of other commercial and non-commercial fish and other taxa in the exploited size range. Total pelagic fish production is estimated by assuming constant turnover rates of 1·y^?1 and 1,5·y^?1 when exploited with 32 and 12,7 mm mesh nets respectively. Consideration of the maximum and mean reported catches in the exploited areas indicates that only some 25 per cent of pelagic fish production is exploitable by man. On this basis, the unexploited Agulhas Bank region may yield some 400 000 metric tons (wet) of pelagic fish of the species considered, and the East Coast region some 90 000 tons. Exploitation in these regions cannot be recommended, because the Agulhas Bank is an important spawning ground for many pelagic species, and the fish in both regions probably act as a reserve buffer for the heavily exploited pelagic resource of the Western Cape.     

Nitrogen excretion by the Cape rock lobster Jasus lalandii and its possible contribution to the inshore Benguela System

The Cape rock lobster Jasus lalandii is a major predator in the inshore Benguela system. The mean density and biomass at Oudekraal is 0,48 individuals ·m^?2 or 49,75 g dry mass ·m^?2. The main component of its diet is Aulacomya ater, the ribbed mussel, which has a mean biomass of 1,15 kg dry mass ·m^?2. Daily consumption of carbon and nitrogen from this source reaches a maximum in summer and, when J. lalandii feed on mussels, 14,1 per cent of the flesh is lost to the environment as a result of "messy feeding". The absorption efficiency of ingested nitrogen is 86,2 per cent. Ammonia and urea excreted in the first 12 h after feeding represent 6,7 and 1,6 per cent respectively of the nitrogen ingested. Endogenous nitrogen excretion has a mean rate of 1,9 μg N·g (dry mass)^?1·h^?1 The range of estimates for combined figures of kelp and phytoplankton nitrogen requirements are 76,4 – 86,7 g N·m^?2·year^?1 J. lalandii returns 6,3 g N·m^?2·year^?1 to the system, accounting for 7,2 – 8,2 per cent of annual kelp and phytoplankton requirements. This could be of particular importance during downwelling when the supply of new nitrogen is limited.     

Seabirds as consumers in the southern Benguela region

Estimates of consumption of fish by breeding seabirds in the southern Benguela region converge on 50–60 × 10³ tons of food per year. Total annual avian consumption of food is approximately 15,5 × 10⁴ tons, 74 per cent being taken by species which feed on pelagic prey and most of the rest by species which frequently feed on offal at demersal trawlers. Avian consumption is similar in magnitude to that of Cape fur seals and to the catch of the commercial fishery in the southern Benguela region, but far less than consumption by snoek, squid, and, probably, sharks and jellyfish.     

Plankton carbon metabolism and air–water CO2 fluxes at a hypereutrophic tropical estuary

Multiple biotic and abiotic drivers regulate the balance between CO₂ assimilation and release in surface waters. In the present study, we compared in situ measurements of plankton carbon metabolism (primary production and respiration) to calculated air–water CO₂ fluxes (based on abiotic parameters) during 1 year (2008) in a hypereutrophic tropical estuary (Recife Harbor, NE Brazil – 08°03′S, 34°52′W) to test the hypothesis that high productivity leads to a net CO₂ flux from the atmosphere. The calculated CO₂ fluxes through the air–water interface (FCO₂) were negative throughout the year (FCO₂: –2 to –9 mmol C·m^?2·day^?1), indicating that Recife Harbor is an atmospheric CO₂ sink. Respiration rates of the plankton community ranged from 2 to 45 mmol C·m^?2·hr^?1. Gross primary production ranged from 0.2 to 281 mmol C·m^?2·hr^?1, exceeding respiration during most of the year (net autotrophy), except for the end of the wet season, when the water column was net heterotrophic. The present results highlight the importance of including eutrophic tropical shallow estuaries in global air–water CO₂ flux studies, in order to better understand their role as a sink of atmospheric CO₂.     

Zooplankton distribution patterns at two seamounts in the subtropical and tropical NE Atlantic

Spatial distribution patterns of zooplankton biomass in relation to local and large‐scale hydrographical and biological driving forces were studied at Ampère and Senghor, two shallow seamounts in the subtropical and tropical NE Atlantic, respectively. The study includes a first assessment of the taxonomic composition and an estimation of the respiratory carbon demand of the zooplankton community. Zooplankton was sampled during three cruises at the seamount and open ocean reference sites in May and October 2009 and in December 2010. Zooplankton standing stocks and the corresponding respiratory carbon demand were about six times higher at Senghor than at Ampère, with mean stocks of 24.7 and 4.6 g·m^?2, respectively, in the upper 1000 m. Mean respiratory carbon demand in the epipelagic zone was calculated as 61.4 mg·C·m^?2·day^?1 for Senghor and 9.6 mg·C·m^?2·day^?1 for Ampère. At neither site were differences between seamount and open ocean sites significant. However, horizontal surveys across Ampère Seamount show clear differences between day and night distributions and a reduced biomass above the summit. Across Senghor, zooplankton biomass increased from the SW to the NE flank, with the highest concentrations in the subsurface layer of the chlorophyll maximum and just above a strong oxycline. The zooplankton community at Ampère Seamount reflects the oligotrophic character of the NE Atlantic subtropical gyre, whereas the nutrient‐rich waters of the cyclonic tropical gyre at Senghor support a higher biomass. This difference in the zooplankton biomass between the two seamounts can be attributed to the large‐scale hydrographical features governing the productivity regimes rather than to regional seamount effects.     

Feeding of Aurelia sp. (Scyphozoa) and links to the microbial food web

The impact of the scyphomedusa Aurelia sp. on planktonic assemblages was experimentally studied in enclosures incubated in situ in the sea lake of Mljet Island (Big Lake, Southern Adriatic), where jellyfish are present throughout the year. In situ feeding experiments using plankton at natural densities indicated a reduction in abundance for small calanoid and cyclopoid copepods, copepodites, nauplii and ciliates in the presence of Aurelia sp. In addition to direct predatory pressure, Aurelia sp. exerted an indirect cascading effect on autotrophic and heterotrophic microbial plankton. Phytoplankton biomass increases of up to 0.5 μg C·l^?1·h^?1 were mainly related to 19′‐hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin‐ and 19′‐butanoyloxyfucoxanthin‐containing phytoplankton. Bacterial production was about twice as high in the presence of Aurelia sp. and biomass was also consistently higher. It appears that the top‐down effect of predation along with material release by Aurelia sp. results in increases in microbial biomass and production.     

Seasonal dynamics influencing coastal primary production and phytoplankton communities along the southern Myanmar coast

Myanmar is tenth among the world’s fish-producing countries and third in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). To understand the mechanisms underlying the high production, oceanographic and phytoplankton surveys, including primary productivity measurements based on pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry, were conducted near an active fishing ground near Myeik City. Three surveys, one in each of the representative seasons and covering the characteristic coastal environments, showed well-defined seasonality in primary production and phytoplankton occurrence. End of the dry season was the most productive, with productivity of 2.59 ± 1.56 g C m^?2 day^?1 and high concentration of chlorophyll a (3.14 ± 2.64 µg L^?1). In this season, the phytoplankton population was dominated by high densities of the diatoms Bellerochea horologicalis and Chaetoceros curvisetus, whereas primary productivity was low at the onset of the dry season, 1.36 ± 0.77 g C m^?2 day^?1. However, this low primary production might be compensated by activation of microbial food chains originating from high dissolved organic carbon. The rainy season exhibited the lowest production, 6.6% of the end of the dry season, due to the extensive discharge of turbid water from the rivers which lowered euphotic layer depth and resulted in an unusually high diffuse attenuation coefficient of 2.30 ± 1.03 m^?1. This incident of turbid water may be related to soil erosion from deforestation and mangrove deterioration. This research reveals the seasonal trend in Myanmar’s coastal productivity and its relationship to the tropical monsoon climate as well as emphasizing the importance of tropical coastal environments to the sustainability of the fisheries.     

An experimental study of microflagellate bacterivory: further evidence for the importance and complexity of microplanktonic interactions

By simulating an upwelling event in a laboratory microcosm, it was possible to promote the development of a natural and diverse planktonic community. An initial bacterioplankton community which developed in response to phytoplankton growth was dominated by small coccoid forms (0,14–0,2 μm³) of the genera Vibrio and Pseudomonas. This group was heavily exploited by the heterotrophic microflagellate Pseudobodo sp. (30 μm³). Later, the bacterioplankton community was dominated by large rods (0,7 μm³) which the flagellates seemed unable to exploit. A Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model fitted to the observed data indicated that the flagellates consumed 2,4 times their carbon body mass per day or 19 bacteria·flagellate^?1·h^?1 when prey were not limiting. Clearance rates were inversely proportional to prey density and ingestion rate, ranging from 2 × 10^?3 to 20 × 10^?3) μ?·flagellate^?1·h^?1. At typical field densities of bacteria and heterotrophic flagellates in the southern Benguela region, between 5 and 30 percent of the water column could be cleared per day. Specific growth rates of the flagellates were positively related to prey density, the maximal rate being 0,84 · d^?1. Their initially faster growth rates allowed bacteria to increase in numbers despite predation. The growth yield of the flagellates (34–36 per cent) was also positively related to food density. Such low values suggest inefficient transfer of carbon to higher trophic orders but considerable nitrogen regeneration. Nitrogen excretion rates were approximately 6–7 μg N·mg dry weight^?1·h^?1, comparable to other flagellates but faster than ciliates. These rates are comparable with in situ measurements of NH⁺₄-N excretion in pycnoclinal regions based on ¹⁵N isotope studies but are only about 20 per cent of measured rates in surface waters. This is interpreted to mean that, in pycnoclinal regions where the relative input of "new" nitrogen is high, there are few regenerative steps and the model describes them satisfactorily. In surface waters, observed rates of excretion can only be accounted for by many regenerative steps in a highly complex food chain in which the cumulative total of nitrogen excretion at each step amounts to that based on ¹⁵N labelling studies.     

Plankton productivity and biomass in a tributary of the upper Chesapeake Bay. I. Importance of size-fractionated phytoplankton productivity,biomass and species composition in carbon export

Phytoplankton productivity, community composition and biomass were determined over a nine-month period in brackish waters of the lower Gunpowder River, a tributary of Chesapeake Bay. Primary productivity followed expected seasonal magnitudes for temperate estuaries with rates exceeding 142·4 mg C m^?3 h^?1 in July through September 1979 and minimum rates of 1·6 mg C m^?3 h^?1 in February 1980. Annual primary production was estimated at 45·5 gC m^?2. Cell numbers were highest in August, September and November with cyanophytes dominating the planktonic algae. Primary productivity, chlorophyll concentrations and cell densities were dominated by nanoplanktonic forms (< 10 μm) through-out the study. Phytoplankton carbon calculated from cells volumes exceeded nutritional requirements of the pelagic herbivores in all months suggesting a mean daily export (to the bay or sediments) of 1607 mg C m^?3 d^?1.     

Mesozooplankton dynamics in the Benguela ecosystem,with emphasis on the herbivorous copepods

Recent research developments on the ecology, dynamics and trophic position of copepods in the Benguela ecosystem are synthesized. Attention is focused on herbivorous species of the southern Benguela and how they cope with the physical and biological variability characteristic of this upwelling region. Copepods constitute on average approximately half of the total zooplankton carbon and. are most abundant during the upwelling season. They are able to maintain large population densities within local coastal upwelling areas by combining ontogenetically based vertical migration behaviour with features of the current system. Some species have developed finely tuned strategies to overcome periods of starvation between upwelling bouts by storing lipid reserves or by entering temporary developmental arrest. In situ measurements of production rates of local species are among the highest recorded for copepods. Despite an apparent excess of food, copepods exert only limited impact on the phytoplankton, removing on average <25 per cent of that available daily. Indirect estimates of carbon flux indicate that 11–25 per cent of copepod daily ration is used for egestion of faecal pellets. Copepods are the preferred prey of a wide variety of invertebrate and vertebrate predators. Large copepods in particular are important in the diet of commercially exploited pelagic fish. Localized areas of low abundance of copepods have been found in association with high densities of anchovy during peak spawning and recruitment periods. Copepods may therefore constitute a central limiting factor for pelagic fish production in the southern Benguela.     

Comparison of sinking particles in the upper 200 m between subarctic station K2 and subtropical station S1 based on drifting sediment trap experiments

Drifting sediment trap experiments were conducted during various seasons to elucidate the characteristics of particles sinking through the upper 200 m of the water column in the western Pacific at subarctic station K2 and subtropical station S1. The sinking particle flux increased when primary productivity was high at each station, during June–July at K2 and during February at S1. Biogenic opal (Opal) and CaCO₃ were the major components of the fluxes at K2 and S1, respectively. Contrary to the expectation of a high flux at the eutrophic station K2 and low flux at the oligotrophic station S1, the annual average organic carbon fluxes at 100 m were comparable at both stations: 62.7 mg C m^?2 day^?1 at K2 and 56.1 mg C m^?2 day^?1 at S1. The similarity of the fluxes was perhaps a reflection of the unexpectedly high primary production at S1. At K2, the organic carbon export ratio (organic carbon flux/primary productivity) was significantly and negatively correlated with primary production and tended to decrease with depth. The magnitude of the rate of attenuation of the organic carbon flux with depth was larger at S1 than at K2. This rate of attenuation tended to decrease and increase with primary production at K2 and S1, respectively. The explanation for these patterns may be that the flux of labile organic carbon at relatively shallow depths decreased with increasing primary production at K2, and zooplankton grazing pressure increased with increasing primary productivity at S1.     

Particulate organic matter in the coastal and estuarine waters of Goa and its relationship with phytoplankton production

In the coastal and estuarine waters of Goa, particulate organic carbon (POC) varied from 0.52 to 2.51 mg l^?1 and from 0.28 to 5.24 mg l^?1 and particulate phosphorus (PP) varied from 0.71 to 5.18 μg l^?1 and from 0.78 to 20.34 μg l^?1, respectively. The mean values of chlorophyll and primary productivity were 1.94 mg m^?3 and 938.1 mg C m^?2 day^?1 in the coastal waters and 4.3 mg m^?3 and 636.5 mg C m^?1 day^?1 in the estuarine waters, respectively.$\text{POC}\text{chl}$ ratios were low in June and October even when POC values were quite high. The POC in surface waters was linearly correlated with the chlorophyll content. Also PP increased when chlorophyll and primary productivity remained high. The results suggest that the phytoplankton was sharply increasing and contributed to POC and PP content. The percentage of detritus calculated from the intercept values of chlorophyll on POC varied from 46 to 76% depending on season. Results indicate that the major portion of POC and PP during postmonsoon (October–January) is derived from phytoplankton production while the allochthonous matter predominate during monsoon (June–September).     

Phytoplankton absorption and pigment adaptation of a red tide in the Benguela ecosystem

Phytoplankton absorption and pigment characteristics of a red tide were investigated in coastal waters of the southern Benguela. Diagnostic indices indicated that dinoflagellates were the dominant phytoplankton group, with diatoms and small flagellates being of secondary importance. Very high biomass was observed close to the coast where chlorophyll a concentrations of up to 117 mg m^–3 were measured. Both measured (a _ph) and reconstructed pigment absorption (a _pig) displayed an increasing trend with chlorophyll a, while the package effect index (Q^* _a) decreased, indicating increased packaging with an increase in biomass. Proportioning of the total pigment absorption between 400 and 700 nm revealed that chlorophyll a accounted for 39–65% of the absorption, while photosynthetic carotenoids (15–30%) and chlorophyll cs (15–30%) were also prominent in absorbing light for photosynthesis.     

Estimates of standing stock,production and consumption of meso- and macrozooplankton in the Benguela ecosystem

Attempts are made to consolidate current information on estimates of standing stock, production and consumption of meso- and macrozooplankton from the shelf region of the west and south coasts of southern Africa for inclusion in a network analysis of carbon flow in the Benguela system. The meso- and macrozooplankton communities consist chiefly of copepods and euphausiids respectively. Although geographic and seasonal differences in standing stock are reasonably well described for the inner shelf (<200 m), knowledge of production and rate processes affecting standing stock is limited, and extrapolation to the whole shelf area (<500 m) provides only a crude appraisal of the real situation. Despite the uncertainties, direct measurements have improved on estimates previously inferred. It seems likely that grazing by meso- and macrozooplankton plays a minor role in phytoplankton losses in the Benguela system. However, it would appear that predation by macrozooplankton, particularly under swarming conditions, has an appreciable impact on mesozooplankton biomass.     

Comparing trophic flows in the southern Benguela to those in other upwelling ecosystems

A balanced trophic flow model of the southern Benguela ecosystem is presented, averaging the period 1980–1989 and emphasizing upper trophic levels. The model is based largely on studies conducted within the framework of the Benguela Ecology Programme and updates the results of an expert workshop held in Cape Town in September 1989. Small pelagic fish other than anchovy Engraulis capensis and sardine Sardinops sagax, mainly round herring Etrumeus whiteheadi and mesopelagic fish, were important components of the food web in the southern Benguela. Severe balancing difficulties were encountered with respect to the semi-pelagic resources (hake Merluccius spp.) and demersal top predators (sharks), indicating the need for further research on the interaction of these groups with their ecosystem. The model is compared to other existing trophic flow models of ecosystems in major upwelling areas, i.e. the northern Humboldt Current (4–14°S), the California Current (28–42°N) and the southern Canary Current (l2–25°N), and to two independently constructed models of the northern Benguela ecosystem. These models are compared using network analysis routines of the ECOPATH software, focusing on the interactions between the five dominant fish species (anchovy, sardine, horse mackerel Trachurus trachurus capensis, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus and hake) that support important fisheries in all systems. The upwelling systems rank by size rather than species dominance. The ratio of catches and primary production differs between systems, partly because of differences in fishing regimes. Predation on the five dominant fish groups by other fish in the system was the most important cause of fish mortality in all models. Fishery catches are generally a larger cause of mortality for these groups than predation by mammals. The ecological cost of fishing appears to be comparatively low in the southern Benguela, because catches are low compared with the primary production, but also because the fishery is relatively low in the foodweb. However, in view of the very tight foodweb demonstrated in the model. it is likely that an increase in fishing pressure would cause severe trade-offs with respect to other components of the southern Benguela ecosystem.     

Microheterotrophic pathways in the southern Benguela upwelling system

During the 1980s, there was a major shift in the understanding of the structure of marine foodwebs. As a result, the microbial loop has been incorporated into the classical concept of the planktonic food chain. Heterotrophic bacteria and Protozoa have been shown to be important components of the plankton biomass in many parts of the world's oceans, and their role in the trophic dynamics of pelagic foodwebs has been studied intensively. In the southern Benguela, field, laboratory and modelling studies have been combined to calculate carbon and nitrogen fluxes through the microheterotrophic portion of the pelagic foodweb. A size-based simulation model incorporating recent hypotheses on the structure and functioning of the pelagic foodweb after upwelling predicts rapid growth of a phytoplankton community dominated by netphytoplankton and chain-forming nanophytoplankton cells. After nitrate-depletion the bloom declines, to be followed by a bloom of single nanophytoplankton cells dependent upon regenerated nitrogen. During conditions of high nitrate availability and a netphytoplankton-dominated community, mesozooplankton ingest 44 per cent of the total primary production through herbivory and 1,4 per cent through carnivory. During periods of low nitrate availability and a nanophytoplankton-dominated community, mesozooplankton ingest 0,6 per cent of the total primary production through herbivory and 5 per cent through carnivory. Food chains are longer and microheterotrophs are an important link between primary producers and the larger heterotrophs. Simulation results show that microheterotrophs are an important component of the pelagic foodweb, primarily as regenerators of nitrogen, which sustains phytoplankton growth, and as a food source for larger heterotrophs of the metazoan foodweb during the nanophytoplankton-dominated bloom.     

Low reproductive success for copepods during a bloom of the non‐aldehyde‐producing diatom Cerataulina pelagica in the North Adriatic Sea

Egg production rates and/or hatching success in the copepods Acartia clausi, Calanus helgolandicus and Temora longicornis were negatively affected by a late spring (May–June 2003) phytoplankton bloom in the North Adriatic Sea, dominated mainly by the large diatom Cerataulina pelagica. Highest total concentrations of 3.3·10⁴ cells·ml^?1 were located in the vicinity of the Po River, which also corresponded to the area where the highest numbers of phaeophorbides were measured (0.779, 0.528 and 0.419 μg·l^?1, respectively, compared to an average of the remaining stations of 0.183 ± 0.049 SD), suggesting some grazing on the bloom. Phytoplankton biomass in terms of carbon was dominated by diatoms, representing on average 42% of total phytoplankton carbon and more than 80% at several stations. Cerataulina pelagica, Cyclotella spp., Chaetoceros spp. and small unidentified centric diatoms dominated the diatom community numerically but C. pelagica was by far the dominant diatom in terms of carbon due to its large cell size. This species represented more than 60% of the diatom biomass at nine of the 14 stations sampled, and was absent only at one station, which was the most offshore station sampled during the cruise. Although polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) were not detected, other oxylipins which are hydroxy and keto derivatives of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids that affect copepod reproduction were found in these samples. Hence, we can attribute the negative impact of diatoms not only to PUAs, as previously believed, but also to these compounds. This is the first direct evidence of the presence of oxylipins other than PUAs in marine blooms dominated by diatoms.     

Bacterial abundance and production in different water masses around South Island,New Zealand

Abstract

Bacterial numbers and production were measured in the upper water column in the winter and spring of 1993 in five water masses surrounding the South Island of New Zealand. Average bacterial numbers and production were found to be higher in spring (8.5 × 10⁵ cells ml^?1 and 0.20 mg m³ h^?1, respectively) than winter (5.5 × 10⁵ cells ml^?1 and 0.05 mg C m³ h^?1 respectively). Bacterial production was strongly correlated with chlorophyll a and primary production (P < 0.001) in spring but not in winter. Spring bacterial production and at 10 m depth averaged across 28 stations was 23% of primary production, and with a growth efficency of 40%, may have consumed up to 57% of primary production. Bacterial biomass was greater than phytoplankton biomass for 75% of the 10 m depth comparisons during winter sampling and 44% during the spring sampling. The bacterial biomass was found to represent 24.6–33.5% of the nitrogen in particulate organic matter (<200 μm) supporting the concept that in New Zealand oceanic water masses bacteria are of significant biogeochemical importance.