Bacterial and organic matter distribution in the sediments of the Thracian Sea (NE Aegean Sea)

Recently, black carbon has been introduced as the form of carbon that may be separated from the biologically mediated carbon cycle thereby representing the non-bioavailable fraction of the estimated organic carbon. It has been speculated that the bioavailability of organic matter may be a limiting factor for the presence of active bacteria within the sediments. In order to address this question, marine sediments were collected from the Thracian Sea (Eastern Mediterranean), a complex system impacted by riverine inputs and Black Sea water masses. In addition to counts of total bacteria, we estimated the fraction of active bacteria by using a destaining step to the DAPI staining method. Black carbon was also estimated following the thermal oxidation method in order to determine the fraction of the refractory organic matter. The fraction of black carbon to total organic carbon varied from 16% to 53% indicating that black carbon constitutes a significant pool of sedimentary organic carbon in the Thracian sea. A fraction ranging from 18% to 97% was scored as nucleoid containing cells. We did not record any significant differences in the fraction of nucleoid-containing bacteria among sediment depths (P<0.05) indicating that there was no accumulation of dead bacterial cells with depth. The same was observed for the fraction of black carbon and bioavailable organic carbon with sediment depth (P<0.05) indicating that benthic consumers are not the key regulators of the organic matter pool in these sediments but have a minor effect. A possible reason for these observations and for the uncoupling between the active bacterial fraction and the bioavailability of organic matter could be (i) the presence of refractory components in the estimated bioavailable organic matter and (ii) the hydrological and geological complexity of the study area. The North Aegean marginal slopes are highly unstable experiencing frequent seismic events. These events are capable of inducing sediment transport from the upper slopes thus altering the entire sediment profile. On the other hand, the significant correlations that were recorded between nucleoid-containing cells and phytopigments (chlorophyll a, phaeopigments, chloroplastic pigment equivalents) at all sediment depths indicate that bacterial communities respond immediately to the deposited phytodetritus, using it as a primary source of carbon and energy. Our data suggests that the Thracian Sea sediments are by no means homogeneous and can best be described as a mosaic controlled by numerous local and regional environmental factors.     

Mussel farming as a nutrient reduction measure in the Baltic Sea: consideration of nutrient biogeochemical cycles

Nutrient loads from the land to the sea must be reduced to combat coastal eutrophication. It has been suggested that further mitigation efforts are needed in the brackish Baltic Sea to decrease nutrients, especially in eutrophic coastal areas. Mussel farming is a potential measure to remove nutrients directly from the sea. Mussels consume phytoplankton containing nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P); when the mussels are harvested these nutrients are removed from the aquatic system. However, sedimentation of organic material in faeces and pseudo-faeces below a mussel farm consumes oxygen and can lead to hypoxic or even anoxic sediments causing an increased sediment release of ammonium and phosphate. Moreover, N losses from denitrification can be reduced due to low oxygen and reduced numbers of bioturbating organisms. To reveal if mussel farming is a cost-effective mitigation measure in the Baltic Sea the potential for enhanced sediment nutrient release must be assessed.     

Sediment‐water Fluxes of Nutrients and Dissolved Organic Carbon in Extensive Sea Cucumber Culture Ponds

Sediment samples were collected from three seawater aquaculture ponds, and soil characteristics, sediment oxygen consumption (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient fluxes were measured using chamber incubations at laboratory. The three ponds were each representing a specific monoculture or polyculture model of sea cucumber. Total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) contents in the dry sediment ranged from 0.14 to 0.26% and 0.022 to 0.037%, respectively. Total phosphorus (TP) contents in the sediment were more spatially and temporally variable. SOC ranged from 15.29 to 45.86 mmol m^–2 d^–1 and showed significant differences among the three ponds (p < 0.05). TOC, total carbon (TC) contents, and SOC of the sediment in the pond polycultured with jellyfish increased with culture time, indicating that jellyfish farming enhanced the accumulation of organic matter in the sediments to some extent. Sediment showed net nitrate and ammonium uptake in most ponds and months, and significant differences were found among months (p < 0.05). Dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) was released from the sediments in all ponds with low flux rates. DOC was released from the sediment in all ponds and ranged from 0.67 to 1.74 g DOC m^–2 d^–1. The results suggested that non‐artificial‐feeding sea cucumber culture ponds could not only yield valuable seafood products, but also effectively remove nutrients from the aquaculture systems and consequently alleviate nutrient loadings of the nearby coast.     

Seasonal nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics during benthic clam and suspended mussel cultivation

Effects of suspended mussel and infaunal clam cultivation on sediment characteristics, and benthic organic and inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes were compared in a shallow coastal lagoon. The two species had different impacts on sediment features, but both created “hotspots” of nutrient fluxes with annual N and P regeneration rates being 4.9 and 13.5 (mussel) and 4.5 and 14.9 (clams) fold greater than those of unfarmed control sediments. Mussel farming also caused considerable nutrient regeneration within the water column with the mussel ropes contributing ∼25% of total inorganic N and P production and at times dominating the sediments (e.g. 95% of SRP production in summer and 45% of DIN production in winter). Such nutrient regeneration rates seriously question the proposal that suspension-feeding bivalves act as a eutrophication buffer, especially during summer when nutrient regeneration rates are maximal, but other nutrient sources (freshwater run-off and unfarmed sediments) are at their lowest.     

Sedimentary records of natural and artificial Huanghe (Yellow River) channel shifts during the Holocene in the southern Bohai Sea

Two gravity cores collected off the modern Huanghe (Yellow River) delta in the southern Bohai Sea were analyzed for grain size, the total organic carbon (TOC)/total nitrogen (TN) ratio, color diffraction, magnetic susceptibility, ¹⁴C dating and ¹³⁷Cs and ²¹⁰Pb isotope contents to clarify changes in the sedimentary environment during the Holocene. In particular, the effect of natural and artificial river-course shifts of the Huanghe on the Bohai Sea sediment was investigated. A peat layer, scouring surface and sharp changes in the grain size, TOC/TN ratio, sediment color (L^?, a^?) and magnetic susceptibility were identified and are likely to be due to the early-Holocene sea-level rise resulting in environmental changes from coastal to shelf environments in the Bohai Sea. After the sea level reached its maximum at 6-7 ka BP, the lateral shifts in the river course of the Huanghe formed 10 superlobes, and superlobe 7 (11-1048 AD) and superlobe 10 (1855-present) of the Huanghe delta affected the core sites. The northern site of BH-239 has been more affected by the Huanghe since the middle Holocene. Notably, in the superlobe 10 period, the reshaping of the northern Huanghe delta due to an artificial river-course shift from northward to eastward in 1976 (e.g., a∼10 km shoreline retreat due to coastal erosion) was recorded in the core sediments, particularly in terms of the TOC/TN ratio, sediment color (L^? and a^?) and magnetic susceptibility, owing to the huge sediment supply from coastal erosion of the former river mouth area.     

A 400-year record of black carbon flux in the Xisha archipelago, South China Sea and its implication

We reconstructed the first long-term (∼400 years) records of black carbon (BC) deposition flux from three ornithogenic sediment profiles, which were collected from three remote, isolated islets of the Xisha archipelago, South China Sea. The significant correlations between black carbon, organic matter and excess ²¹⁰Pb suggested that black carbon was mainly derived from atmospheric deposition, and further enriched by plant-derived organic matter in sediments. During the past 400 years, the BC flux remained relatively low before the onset of 20th century; it started to increase from approximately 1900 AD, and peaked around the 1970s. In the recent 30 years, the BC flux seemed to display decreasing trend, very likely due to the change of energy structure and development of pollution control techniques. In comparison with marginal sea regions that are greatly impacted by anthropogenic activities, these pristine Xisha islands were not significantly influenced by black carbon of anthropogenic origin.     

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in coastal benthic populations under multiple organic enrichment sources

In a dispersive coastal area under multiple organic enrichment sources, stable isotopes were used to trace organic sources of carbon and nitrogen in sediments and benthic macrofauna. The Bivalve Abra alba and the Polychaetes Nephtys sp. and Pectinaria (Lagis) koreni were reliable indicators of the input of terrestrial-derived organic matter into this coastal area, either originated in outfall sewage discharges or estuarine outflow. An isotopic depletion was observed up to 250 m from the outfall branches, much stronger in the biota than in the sediments. An enrichment of 2‰ in the sediments, and 2-6‰ in the species was noticed in sites located farther than 1500 m from the outfall. Depositivores and carnivores/omnivores gave the best picture of the extension of the sewage dispersion and incorporation into the food web.     

Carbon speciation and composition of natural microbial communities in polluted and pristine sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Sediment samples collected from polluted (Augusta Bay) and pristine regions of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (South Ionian Sea, Thracian Sea) were analyzed for black carbon, aliphatic hydrocarbons and phospholipid ester-linked fatty acids (PLFA). The aim of the study was to investigate the anthropogenic and biogenic inputs into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and to evaluate the effects of refractory organic matter (e.g. black carbon) and the level of hydrocarbon contamination on benthic microbial community composition. Black carbon, generally considered to be chemically and biologically inert, comprised a significant but highly variable fraction of the sedimentary carbon pool in the analyzed sediments with a ratio to total organic carbon ranging from 0.02 to 0.66. Principal component analysis of the chemical characteristics of the sediments (organic carbon content, black carbon, bioavailable organic carbon, chlorophyll a, phaeopigments, aliphatic hydrocarbons) revealed clustering of samples along a gradient from the most productive and contaminated region of Augusta Bay to the carbon-poor and pristine sediments of the Thracian Sea. PLFA analysis revealed that gram-negative bacteria and microeukaryotes were most abundant in Augusta Bay and in the most impacted station of the Thracian Sea. The high levels of branched and odd-chain fatty acids recorded for these stations is probably linked to the elevated amounts of hydrocarbons at these stations; e.g. microbial communities may have developed the ability to degrade either naturally occurring aliphatic hydrocarbons or hydrocarbons derived from oil contamination.     

Probleme der spektrophotometrischen Chlorophyllbestimmung

For the determination of the contents of chlorophyll a and phaeopigment a in sediment samples the method according to LORENZEN with its principle and the error sources is discussed in detail. The acidification required for the determination of the phaeopigments should be carried out on a final concentration of 0.006 mol/l acid. As an extracting agent, such a quantity of acetone has to be added to the sediment sample that a final concentration of 90 % acetone will be obtained with the interstitial water being taken into account. By an extraction done twice 90 % of pigments are extracted. Methanol as an extracting agents is unsuitable for several reasons mentioned. Exposure to light at more than 1 W/m₂ results in a high rate of chlorophyll degradation, the same effect being shown by increased temperatures. Between the trichromatic chlorophyll determination according to JEFFREY and HUMPHREY and the determination according to LORENZEN exists the linear relation chl. a (J. and H.)=chl. a (L.)+0.6. phaeo. a (L.). The procedure of the determination of chlorophyll a and phaeopigment a according to LORENZEN is described in a detailed representation.     

Sustainable impact of mussel farming in the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean Sea): evidence from biochemical, microbial and meiofaunal indicators

We have investigated the impact of a large mussel farm on the benthic environment using a battery of benthic indicators of environmental quality (including biochemical, microbial and meiofaunal parameters). These were analysed through a multi-control sampling strategy over one year. The differences across the seasons are typically higher than those between the impacted and the control stations. No effects are seen in terms of the sediment oxygen penetration and the downward fluxes (as the total mass, organic and phytopigment fluxes). The indicators based on the biochemical compositions of the sediment organic matter and the microbial parameters also show no evidence of the eutrophication process, except as a slight increase in the bacterial density in the sediments beneath the long-lines of the farm during the period of highest mussel stocks. Finally, no effects are observed in terms of the benthic faunal indicators, as the meiofaunal abundance, the community structure and the taxa richness are all indistinguishable between the farm sediments and the controls. These results show that mussel farming in the investigated system is eco-sustainable and does not significantly alter the coastal marine ecosystem, both in terms of the functioning and the trophic state. The battery of indicators selected in this study represents a useful tool for the monitoring of the potential ecological impact of mussel farms, towards guaranteeing the sustainable development of aquacultures in shallow coastal environments.     

A regression model using sediment chemistry for the evaluation of marine environmental impacts associated with salmon aquaculture cage wastes

This study was undertaken to develop an approach for modelling changes of sediment chemistry related to the accumulation of aquaculture waste. Metal composition of sediment Al, Cu, Fe, Li, Mn, and Zn; organic carbon and < 63 microm particles were used to determine the extent of detectable effects around the cage. This study showed marked differences in the sediment chemistry between aquaculture sites and the natural background: (1) negative correlations between sediment Cu and Zn with Al, (2) poor correlations between metals and Li, and (3) concentrations of Fe and Mn decreased with increased accumulation of organic carbon. There is a trend among normalised metals, organic carbon and particles related to normal, hypoxic and anoxic sediment conditions. The trends are useful for detecting and assessing the cumulative effects from aquaculture wastes to the marine environment. Lithium is less interactive with other metals in aquaculture sediments compared with the natural background sediments. Principal components analysis (PCA) was carried out on the metals, organic carbon, and particles to cluster the similarities of the variables so as to establish the predicted or adjusted environmental monitoring program (EMP) ratings. This approach, using the adjusted EMP rating based on sediment chemistry, yields a regression model with R2 = 0.945 compared to R2= 0.653 for the regression model using unadjusted EMP for assessing the environmental conditions.     

A micro-dilution method for detecting oxytetracycline-resistant bacteria in marine sediments from salmon and mussel aquaculture sites and an urbanized harbour in Atlantic Canada

A micro-dilution technique with changes in optical density (OD) used to measure bacterial growth over 72 h in culture media containing 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 microg OTC (oxytetracycline)ml(-1) was applied to determine growth inhibition (GI) in mixed bacterial strains cultured from samples of marine sediments and salmon feed pellets. Growth of control cultures (Aeromonas salmonicida) was inhibited at all OTC concentrations. Some feed pellet samples and under-cage sediments from salmon aquaculture sites in the Bay of Fundy showed GI up to > or = 160 microg OTCml(-1). Lower values (40 to 80 microg OTC ml(-1)) occurred in subsurface (5-18 cm) sediments, > 100 m from salmon pens and adjacent to sewage outfalls in Halifax Harbour. GI values < 20 microg OTC ml(-1) in sediment from reference locations in Halifax Harbour and mussel aquaculture sites are considered to reflect natural background levels for OTC resistance.     

A geochemical record of environmental changes in sediments from Sishili Bay,northern Yellow Sea,China: Anthropogenic influence on organic matter sources and composition over the last 100 years

Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N were measured in sediment cores at three sites in Sishili Bay, China, to track the impacts of anthropogenic activities on the coastal environment over the last 100 years. The increased TOC and TN in the upper section of sediment cores indicated a eutrophic process since 1975. In comparison, the TOC and TN in the sediment core near to a scallop aquaculture area displayed a much slower increase, indicating the contribution of scallop aquaculture in mitigating eutrophication. Combined information from δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N and TOC:TN indicated an increased terrestrial signal, although organic matter sources in Sishili Bay featured a mixture of terrestrial and marine sources, with phytoplankton being dominant. Increased fertilizer use since 1970s contributed to the eutrophic process in Sishili Bay since 1975, and increased sewage discharge from 1990s has added to this process.     

Integrative assessment of coastal pollution: Development and evaluation of sediment quality criteria from chemical contamination and ecotoxicological data

Elutriate embryo-larval bioassays with sea-urchins (Paracentrotus lividus) were conducted concurrently with chemical analyses of sediments and biota as part of an integrative assessment of pollution in highly productive coastal regions. High metal contents and organic compounds in sediments and mussels were found in localised areas from the inner part of the estuaries indicating a clear anthropogenic influence. In particular, average maximum concentrations of 2803 mg Cu/kg dw, 776 mg Pb/kg dw, 2.5 mg Hg/kg dw and 5803 μg ∑₇PAHs/kg dw were measured in sediments from the most polluted sites. Significant correlations were observed between sediment chemistry and toxicity bioassays. Moreover, the Mantel test revealed a significant correlation (r_M=0.80; p<0.01) between sediment pollutant concentrations and toxicity data profiles. In addition, sediment quality criteria were used to help in the ecological interpretation of sediment chemistry data and to identify pollutants of concern. The toxicity bioassays identified polluted sites and quantified the level of toxicity, providing a cost-effective tool to complement the routine chemical monitoring currently conducted in European coastal waters with ecologically relevant information. This is in line with the recent European legislation that advocates the use of biological tools with the ultimate aim of protecting marine resources from anthropogenic substances that will affect their sensitive early life stages.     

Environmental assessment of two artificial reef systems off southern Portugal (Faro and Olhão): A question of location

This study investigates environmental assessment of artificial reef systems deployed at different areas in terms of nutrient cycling and seabed organic enrichment. Two identical artificial reef systems: Olhão Artificial Reef—OAR (37°00′55″N and 007°44′54″W) and Faro Artificial Reef—FAR (36°58′65″N and 008°00′91″W) were deployed in southern Portuguese coast, adjacent to a highly productive coastal lagoon (Ria Formosa) in 1990 and monitorized over two years (1992–1993). Water samples were collected within OAR and FAR systems, inside the lagoon (L) and in a non-reef area (NRA) to evaluate nutrient dynamics. Settled particles and sediment cores were also sampled within OAR and FAR to determine aluminium, calcium, silicon and chlorophyll a and organic and inorganic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous. Results obtained showed that: (i) water column nutrients evidenced seasonal and spatial variability. The maximum nutrients concentration was recorded inside the lagoon and in OAR, mainly during warmer periods. Ammonium, nitrate and silicate in OAR were statistically higher (p<0.01, n=18) than in FAR and NRA; (ii) particulate organic carbon and nitrogen in FAR settled particles were significantly higher (p<0.005) than those collected at OAR; and (iii) organic carbon and nitrogen, calcium, aluminium and chlorophyll a in OAR upper sediment were higher than at FAR. The overall results suggest that OAR is a productive system, emphasizing its contribution to the trophic chain pull out, while FAR presented oceanic oligotrophic water.     

The Impact of Snail (Bellamya aeruginosa) Bioturbation on Sediment Characteristics and Organic Carbon Fluxes in an Eutrophic Pond

A mesocosm experiment was conducted for 32 days in an eutrophic pond to study the effects of the bioturbation of the freshwater snail, Bellamya aeruginosa, on the benthic environment and to further understand cycling of organic carbon in water containing algal blooms. Chlorophyll‐a (chl‐a), phaeopigment, and organic matter contents of sediment, sediment oxygen consumption (SOC), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes were determined on day 1, 16, and 32, respectively. The SOC decreased on day 16 and increased on day 32 significantly with the increase in snail density. DOC fluxes showed a net sediment uptake in all enclosures throughout the experiment. DOC fluxes in the high and mid density treatments were lower than those of the control. The concentrations of chl‐a and phaeopigment in the sediment increased significantly with snail density, indicating that the presence of snails reduced the biomass of phytoplankton. The results suggest that freshwater snails, B. aeruginosa, could influence the algal biomass (chl‐a) of small water bodies by their bioturbation effects on sediment characteristics and the fluxes of organic carbon.     

Assessing metal toxicity in sediments using the equilibrium partitioning model and empirical sediment quality guidelines: A case study in the nearshore zone of the Bohai Sea,China

Surface sediments were collected from five nearshore (wastewater discharges, aquaculture facilities and a seaport) sites in Bohai Bay and Laizhou Bay, China. The equilibrium partitioning (EqP) model and empirical sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) were applied to assess the potential metal toxicity in the collected sediments. The results show that, based on the EqP model, 35% of stations exhibited potential metal toxicity. Several metals (Cu, Ni and Cr) exceeded the empirical SQGs (9–93% of the time), however these guidelines may not be suitable for use in the Bohai Sea owing to the background concentrations. The EqP model is a more useful method for assessing potential metal toxicity in Bohai Sea sediment than the empirical SQGs. Additionally, we have provided new understanding about methods for assessing sediment metal toxicity in the Bohai Sea that may be useful in other coastal areas in China.     

Jellyfish blooms in China: Dominant species, causes and consequences

Three jellyfish species, Aurelia aurita, Cyanea nozakii and Nemopilema nomurai, form large blooms in Chinese seas. We report on the distribution and increasing incidence of jellyfish blooms and their consequences in Chinese coastal seas and analyze their relationship to anthropogenically derived changes to the environment in order to determine the possible causes. A. aurita, C. nozakii and N. nomurai form blooms in the temperate Chinese seas including the northern East China Sea, Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea. N. nomurai forms offshore blooms while the other two species bloom mainly in inshore areas. Eutrophication, overfishing, habitat modification for aquaculture and climate change are all possible contributory factors facilitating plausible mechanisms for the proliferation of jellyfish blooms. In the absence of improvement in coastal marine ecosystem health, jellyfish blooms could be sustained and may even spread from the locations in which they now occur.     

Constraining the dating of late Quaternary marine sediment records from the Scotia Sea (Southern Ocean)

In Southern Ocean sediments south of the Antarctic Polar Front, the scarcity of calcareous microfossils hampers the development of sediment chronologies based on radiocarbon dating and oxygen isotope stratigraphy established from carbonate. In this study, radiometric dating, magnetic susceptibility (MS), biogenic opal content, diatom abundance fluctuation, and paleomagnetic information were investigated on a north–south transect of central Scotia Sea sediment cores to verify their reliability as stratigraphic tools in the study area. Radiocarbon dating on organic carbon humic acid fraction can be used to establish the stratigraphy of upper core sections, but regional comparison and correlation are needed to verify a possible bias by fossil carbon contamination. For the long-term stratigraphy, MS, which can be correlated to the Antarctic ice core dust/climate signal, represents the most valuable parameter. Fine-grained single domain magnetite, probably of biogenic origin, makes a significant contribution to the interglacial MS signal, while major contributions from detrital material affect the glacial MS record. The core from the southern Scotia Sea contains significant proportions of biogenic magnetite also in glacial sediments, suggesting depositional environments different from those of the northern Scotia Sea. Our data suggest low contributions of high-coercive minerals to the overall magnetic intensity of glacial and interglacial Scotia Sea sediments, which excludes dust as a main source of the magnetic signal. Opal content can be used to distinguish between cold and warm intervals for the past 300 thousand years. Abundance fluctuation patterns of diatom species Fragilariopsis kerguelensis and Eucampia antarctica are useful stratigraphic tools for periods back to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 6. The Mono Lake geomagnetic excursion is identified in Scotia Sea sediments for the first time. Possible correlations of ash layers are suggested between Scotia Sea sediments and East Antarctic ice cores. They have potential to serve as additional age markers for further studies in this area.