Seasonal contribution of living phytoplankton carbon to vertical fluxes in a coastal upwelling system (Ría de Vigo, NW Spain)

The aim of this study is to explore the contribution of living phytoplankton carbon to vertical fluxes in a coastal upwelling system as a key piece to understand the coupling between primary production in the photic layer and the transfer mechanisms of the organic material from the photic zone. Between April 2004 and January 2005, five campaigns were carried out in the Ría de Vigo (NW Iberian Peninsula) covering the most representative oceanographic conditions for this region. Measurements of particulate organic carbon (POC), chlorophyll-a (chl a), phaeopigments (phaeo), and identification of phytoplankton species were performed on the water column samples and on the organic material collected in sediment traps.The POC fluxes measured by the sediment traps presented no seasonal variation along the studied period ranging around a mean annual value of 1085±365 mg m⁻² d⁻¹, in the upper range of the previously reported values for other coastal systems. The fact that higher POC fluxes were registered during autumn and winter, when primary production rates were at their minimum levels points to a dominant contribution of organic carbon from resuspended sediments on the trap collected material. On the contrary, fluxes of living phytoplankton carbon (C_phyto) and chl a clearly presented a seasonal trend with maximum values during summer upwelling (546 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 22 mg chl a m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) and minimum values during winter (22 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ and 0.1 mg chl a m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively). The contribution of C_phyto to the vertical flux of POC ranged between 2% and 49% in response to the pelagic phytoplankton community structure. Higher values of C_phyto fluxes were registered under upwelling conditions which favour the dominance of large chain-forming diatoms (Asterionellopsis glacialis and Detonula pumila) that were rapidly transferred to the sediments. By contrast, C_phyto fluxes decreased during the summer stratification associated with a pelagic phytoplankton community dominated by single-cell diatoms and flagellates. Minimal C_phyto fluxes were observed during the winter mixing conditions, when the presence of the benthic specie Paralia sulcata in the water column also points toward strong sediment resuspension.     

Seasonal variations and trophic ecology of microzooplankton in the southeastern Arabian Sea

The seasonal ecological response of microzooplankton in the southeastern Arabian Sea is presented. During the spring intermonsoon period, stratification and depletion of nitrate in the surface waters (nitracline was at 60 m depth) cause low integrated chlorophyll a (av. 19±11.3 mg m⁻²) and primary production (av. 164±91 mgC m⁻² d⁻¹). On the other hand, nutrient enrichment associated with coastal upwelling and river influx during the onset and peak summer monsoon resulted in high integrated chlorophyll a (av. 21±6 mg m⁻² and av. 29±21 mg m⁻², respectively) and primary production (av. 255±94 mgC m⁻² d⁻¹ and av. 335±278 mgC m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively). During all three periods, diazotropic cyanobacterium Trichodesmium erythraeum dominated in the nutrient depleted surface waters. A general increase in abundance of larger diatoms was evident in the surface waters of the inshore region during monsoon periods. The microzooplankton abundance was found to be significantly higher during the spring intermonsoon (av.241±113×10³ ind m⁻²) as compared to onset of summer monsoon (av. 105±89×10³ ind m⁻²) and peak summer monsoon (av.185±175×10³ ind m⁻²). Microzooplankton community during the spring intermonsoon was numerically dominated by ciliates while heterotrophic dinoflagellate was the dominant ones during the monsoon periods. The high abundance of ciliates during the spring intermonsoon could be attributed to the stratified environmental condition prevailed in the study area which favors high abundance of smaller phytoplankton and cyanobacteria, the most preferred food of ciliates. On the other hand, the dominance of heterotrophic dinoflagellates during the monsoon periods could be linked to their ability to graze larger diatoms which were abundant during the monsoon periods. The overall results show low abundance of microzooplankton in the eastern Arabian Sea during the monsoon periods mainly due to a decline in ciliates abundance. This decline during the monsoon periods could be the result of (a) low abundance of smaller phytoplankton and (b) high stock of mesozooplankton predators (av. 245 ml 100 m⁻³).     

Bacterial distribution and nutrient limitation in relation to different water masses in the coastal and northwestern South China Sea in late summer

In order to study heterotrophic bacterial responses to upwelling in the northern South China Sea (SCS) and the influence of the Pearl River estuarine coastal plume, two cruises were conducted to investigate the distribution of bacterial abundance (BA) in September-October 2004 and 2005, along with measurements of inorganic nutrients, particulate and dissolved organic carbon (POC and DOC) in 2004. Surface BA was 10±2×10⁸ cells l⁻¹ near the Pearl River estuary and 6±1×10⁸ cells l⁻¹ in oligotrophic offshore waters of the SCS in both 2004 and 2005. In contrast, BA was 15±3×10⁸ cells l⁻¹ in western coastal waters during the upwelling period in 2004, and decreased to 10±2×10⁸ cells l⁻¹ in 2005 when upwelling was absent, indicating that upwelling exerted a significant influence on BA (p<0.05). Nutrient addition experiments were conducted and showed that phosphorus availability limited bacterial growth in coastal upwelled waters and near the Pearl River estuary, while bacteria in offshore waters were mainly C limited. The upwelled waters brought up considerable amounts of nutrients to the surface (e.g. DOC ∼70 μM, DIN ∼4 μM and PO₄ ∼0.1 μM). However, P addition increased BA and bacterial production (BP) by 20±5% and 30±5%, respectively, in the upwelled water, which was higher than those near the Pearl River estuary (2±1% and 20±3%, respectively) (p<0.05). In the upwelled waters, phosphorus was low relative to nitrogen, which resulted in a high N:P ratio of 40:1 at the surface and hence potential P deficiency in bacteria. Consequently, there was a higher increase in BP in response to a PO₄ addition.     

Pelagic production and respiration in the Gulf of Papua during May 2004

The metabolic balance between production and respiration in plankton communities of the Gulf of Papua was investigated in May 2004. Water samples taken at 19 stations were allocated to groups on the basis of physico-chemical characteristics. Oxygen consumption and production in flasks incubated in the dark and in the light was determined by micro-Winkler titration. Dark bottle respiration in samples influenced by the estuarine plume averaged 3.09±1.92 (SD) mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹ and production within surface light bottles averaged 7.63±3.36 (SD)  mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹. Corresponding values in stations more typical of the central Gulf of Papua were 1.68±1.30 (SD) mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹ and 1.08±2.25 (SD) mmol O₂ m⁻³ d⁻¹. Despite a shallow (<10 m) euphotic zone within the plume stations, phytoplankton production in the surface layers was sufficiently high to subsidise total water column respiration. Integrating production and respiration over the water column resulted in a calculation of net community production (NCP) of 626±504 (SD) mg C m⁻² d⁻¹, and community respiration (CR) of 712±492 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ at the plume stations, with an average P:R ratio of 1.97. In the offshore group NCP was 157±450 (SD) mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ and CR was 1620±1576 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹. The average P:R ratio was 1.27. Three of the 7 stations allocated to the offshore group were net heterotrophic. In contrast to earlier studies in the area indicating that the Gulf of Papua waters is heterotrophic [Robertson, A.I., Dixon, P., Alongi, D.M., 1998. The influence of fluvial discharge on pelagic production in the Gulf of Papua, Northern Coral Sea. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 46, 319–331], our data indicate that in May 2004 the Gulf was in positive metabolic balance, but by only ∼120 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹. We conclude that waters of the Gulf of Papua under riverine influence are net autotrophic, but that within the central Gulf there is a fine metabolic balance alternating between autotrophy and heterotrophy.     

Net ecosystem metabolism of a coastal embayment fertilised by upwelling and continental runoff

O₂, N, P and Si net ecosystem metabolism of the Ría de Ares-Betanzos (NW Iberian upwelling system) was estimated during two 3-wk periods of contrasting summer downwelling and autumn upwelling conditions by means of a transient 2-D kinematic box model. The subtidal circulation was positive in both situations, although it was depressed during downwelling and enhanced during upwelling. Concurrently, the ría was fertilised mainly by shelf bottom waters, which introduced from 69% (under downwelling) to almost 100% (under upwelling) of the limiting N nutrients. The ría was an efficient nutrient trap: about 70% of the N nutrients that entered the embayment were retained under downwelling conditions (average flushing time, 9 days) and about 50% under upwelling conditions (average flushing time 3 days). Although the trapping efficiency was lower, the net ecosystem production (NEP) was much higher under upwelling (from 1.0±0.3 to 1.5±0.4 g C m⁻² d⁻¹), than under downwelling favourable winds (from 0.2±0.1 to 0.3±0.1 g C m⁻²). The stoichiometry of NEP suggests that P and N compounds recycled faster than C compounds, specially in the inner segment of the ría. The net degree of silification was twice in the inner than in the outer segment of the ría.     

Export fluxes of biogenic matter in the presence and absence of seasonal sea ice cover in the Chukchi Sea

Drifting sediment traps were deployed at 9 stations in May-June (ice-covered conditions) and July-August (ice-free conditions) 2004 in the Chukchi Sea to investigate the variability in export fluxes of biogenic matter in the presence and absence of sea ice cover. Measurements of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate nitrogen (PN), phytoplankton, zooplankton fecal pellets, and the stable carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) of the sinking material were performed along Barrow Canyon (BC) and a parallel shelf-to-basin transect from East Hanna Shoal (EHS) to the Canada Basin. POC export fluxes were similarly high in the presence (378±106 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) and in the absence of ice cover (442±203 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) at the BC stations, while fluxes were significantly higher in the absence (129±98 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) than in the presence of ice cover (44±29 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) at the EHS stations. The C/N ratios and δ¹³C values of sinking organic particles indicated that POC export fluxes on the Chukchi continental shelf were mostly composed of freshly produced labile material, except at the EHS stations under ice cover where the exported matter was mostly composed of refractory material probably advected into the EHS region. Chl-a fluxes were higher under ice cover than in ice-free water, however, relatively low daily loss rates of Chl-a and similar phytoplankton carbon fluxes in ice-covered and ice-free water suggest the retention of phytoplankton in the upper water column. An increase in fecal pellet carbon fluxes in ice-free water reflected higher grazing pressure in the absence of ice cover. Elevated daily loss rates of POC at the BC stations confirmed other indications that Barrow Canyon is an important area of carbon export to the basin and/or benthos. These results support the conclusion that there are large spatial and temporal variations in export fluxes of biogenic matter on the Chukchi continental shelf, although export fluxes may be similar in the presence and in the absence of ice cover in highly productive regions.     

Life history, growth and production of Theodoxus fluviatilis in Lake Esrom, Denmark

A population of Theodoxus fluviatilis L in the littoral zone of Lake Esrom was investigated from November 1977 to February 1979. The population was sampled every month in the winter period and twice during the rest of the year. Biomass was estimated as ash-free dry weight (AFDW) of the organic matter both of the soft parts of the animal and the shell itself. The relation between AFDW (c) and shell length (l) was log c=2.9509×log (l)−1.7120. The population comprised more than 1 year-class, which could be separated by shell length, by a narrow band on the shells and the growth of algae on the shell. The life cycle lasted years. The oldest animals had a shell length of 7.0-7.5 mm. A few individuals who were estimated to be years had a shell length up to 8.6 mm. Population density varied between 575 and 2115 individuals m⁻² on the stony substratum. The average was 1160 individuals m⁻². Mortality was low during the summer period. In winter many animals died due to the effect of ice and stormy weather on the stony substratum. Growth of the animals was estimated from the shell length. Maximum growth was observed from May to August with no growth during the winter. Egg capsules were found on the stones all year round. New capsules were found from late May to the middle of November. Most freshly laid capsules were observed in May-June and August-September. Capsules from the late summer hatched in spring and capsules laid in the spring hatched in August-September. The average annual net production for the whole population was estimated by three methods. The Allen curve method gave 1.895 AFDW m⁻², the growth-increment method gave 1.784 mg AFDW m⁻² and the Hynes method 2.284 mg AFDW m⁻². Corresponding estimated P/B ratios were 1.29, 1.30 and 1.57. Annual net-production of the four investigated year-classes was 16 mg AFDW m⁻² year⁻¹ for 1975, 224 mg AFDW m⁻² year⁻¹ for 1976, 1.258 mg AFDW m⁻² year⁻¹ for 1977 and 287 mg AFDW m⁻² year⁻¹ for 1978. P/B ratios for the three oldest year-classes were, respectively, 0.32, 0.50 and 1.67. A comparison with other investigations on gastropod life cycles, reproduction and P/B ratios is made and differences discussed. Variations are correlated to temperature, and food quality and quantity.     

A case study of airborne and satellite remote sensing of a spring bloom event in the Gulf of Finland

The concentrations of chlorophyll-a (chl-a), total suspended solids (TSS) and the absorption coefficient of colored dissolved organic matter (a_CDOM(400)) are estimated in Case II waters using medium resolution imaging spectrometer (MERIS) satellite (full resolution [FR] level 1b, 300 m resolution) and AISA airborne spectrometer data acquired during a spring bloom in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea on April 27, 2004. The accuracy of the estimation is analyzed using empirical band-ratio algorithms together with in situ observations that include water samples analyzed in a laboratory (variation ranges: 22–130 μg/l, 2.9–20 mg/l, and 1.29–2.61 m⁻¹ for chl-a, TSS and a_CDOM(400), respectively). Additional in situ estimates (transects) on these characteristics are available through absorption and scattering coefficients measured with an ac-9 absorption and attenuation meter installed in a flow-through system. The retrieval accuracy (R²) of all three water quality characteristics with MERIS data is close to or above 0.9, while the RMSE is 7.8 μg/l (22%), 0.74 mg/l (16%) and 0.08 m⁻¹ (5%), for chl-a, TSS and a_CDOM(400), respectively. The validity of the chl-a algorithm is tested using nine additional data points. The BIAS-error for these points is 5.2 μg/l and the RMSE is 10.6 μg/l. The effects of changes in the atmospheric characteristics on band-ratio algorithms in cases where no concurrent in situ reference data are available are analyzed using the MODerate spectral resolution atmospheric TRANSmittance algorithm and computer model (MODTRAN). The additional error due to these changes is estimated to be below 20% for the applied ratio algorithms. The water quality data available in the level 2 MERIS-product distributed by the European Space Agency did not include valid results for the date investigated here.     

Seasonal variation of fluxes and distributions of dissolved methane in the North Yellow Sea

The concentrations and sea-to-air fluxes of dissolved methane (CH₄) were investigated in the North Yellow Sea during August 2006, January, April and October 2007. Dissolved CH₄ concentrations showed obvious seasonal variation, with maximum values occurring in summer and lowest values occurring in winter. The saturations of dissolved CH₄ in surface waters ranged from 78.7% to 1679.7% with an average of 252.4%. The estimated atmospheric CH₄ fluxes using the Liss and Merlivat (LM86), and Wanninkhof formulae (W92) were (4.2±4.7), (11.6±10.3), (8.5±12.7) and (0.2±1.0), and (6.9±7.3), (14.6±22.3), (13.8±14.3) and (0.4±1.7) μmol·(m² d)⁻¹, respectively, for spring, summer, autumn and winter. Based on the average annual atmospheric CH₄ flux and the area of the North Yellow Sea, the annual CH₄ emission was estimated to be (2.4×10⁻²–4.2×10⁻²) Tg a⁻¹, which suggests that the North Yellow Sea was a net source of atmospheric CH₄.     

Recent carbon and nitrogen uptake rates of phytoplankton in Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea

Cruises to Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea in US waters from late June in 2002 to early September in 2004 and the Russian–American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA) research cruise in 2004 covered all major water masses and contributed to a better understanding of the regional physics, nutrient dynamics, and biological systems. The integrated concentration of the high nitrate pool in the central Chukchi Sea was greater in this study than in previous studies, although the highest nitrate concentration (∼22 μM) in the Anadyr Water mass passing through the western side of Bering Strait was consistent with prior observations. The chlorophyll-a concentrations near the western side of the Diomede Islands ranged from 200 to 400 mg chl-a m⁻² and the range in the central Chukchi Sea was 200–500 mg chl-a m⁻² for the 2002–2004 Alpha Helix (HX) cruises. Chlorophyll-a concentrations for the 2004 RUSALCA cruise were lower than those from previous studies. The mean annual primary production of phytoplankton from this study, using a ¹³C–¹⁵N dual-isotope technique, was 55 g C m⁻² for the whole Chukchi Sea and 145 g C m⁻² for the plume of Anadyr–Bering Shelf Water in the central Chukchi Sea. In contrast, the averages of annual total nitrogen production were 13.9 g N m⁻² (S.D.=±16.2 g N m⁻²) and 33.8 g N m⁻² (S.D.=±14.1 g N m⁻²) for the Chukchi Sea and the plume, respectively. These carbon and nitrogen production rates of phytoplankton were consistently two-or three-fold lower than those from previous studies. We suggest that the lower rates in this study, and consequently more unused nitrate in the water column, were caused by lower phytoplankton biomass in the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea. However, we do not know if the lower rate of production from this study is a general decreasing trend or simply temporal variations in the Chukchi Sea, since temporal and geographical variations are substantially large and presently unpredictable.     

Bacterioplankton dynamics along the gradient from highly eutrophic Pearl River Estuary to oligotrophic northern South China Sea in wet season: implication for anthropogenic inputs

Bacterioplankton abundance (BA) and biomass (BB) from the eutrophic Pearl River Estuary (PRE) to the oligotrophic northern South China Sea (NSCS) were studied in the wet season. BA was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in PRE (12.51 ± 3.52 × 10⁸ cells L⁻¹), than in the continental shelf neritic province (CSNP, 4.95 ± 2.21 × 10⁸ cells L⁻¹) and in the deep oceanic province (OP, 3.16 ± 1.56 × 10⁸ cells L⁻¹). Nutrient-replete PRE waters (DIN > 100 μM and PO₄ > 1 μM) resulted in high chl a and BB, whereas nutrient-depleted offshore waters (DIN <5 μM and PO₄ < 0.5 μM) had low biomass. Temperature (>26 °C) was not the controlling factor of BA. BB was significantly correlated with chl a biomass both in PRE and NSCS. The bacteria to phytoplankton biomass (BB/PB) ratio increased clearly along the gradient from near-shore PRE (0.15) to offshore CSNP (0.93) and deep OP (2.75), indicating the important role of small cells in the open ocean compared to estuarine and coastal zones.     

Effects of an estuarine plume-associated bloom on the carbonate system in the lower reaches of the Pearl River estuary and the coastal zone of the northern South China Sea

We observed a phytoplankton bloom downstream of a large estuarine plume induced by heavy precipitation during a cruise conducted in the Pearl River estuary and the northern South China Sea in May–June 2001. The plume delivered a significant amount of nutrients into the estuary and the adjacent coastal region, and enhanced stratification stimulating a phytoplankton bloom in the region near and offshore of Hong Kong. A several fold increase (0.2–1.8 μg Chl L⁻¹) in biomass (Chl a) was observed during the bloom. During the bloom event, the surface water phytoplankton community structure significantly shifted from a pico-phytoplankton dominated community to one dominated by micro-phytoplankton (>20 μm). In addition to increased Chl a, we observed a significant drawdown of pCO₂, biological uptake of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and an associated enhancement of dissolved oxygen and pH, demonstrating enhanced photosynthesis during the bloom. During the bloom, we estimated a net DIC drawdown of 100–150 μmol kg⁻¹ and a TAlk increase of 0–50 μmol kg⁻¹. The mean sea–air CO₂ flux at the peak of the bloom was estimated to be as high as ∼−18 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹. For an average surface water depth of 5 m, a very high apparent biological CO₂ consumption rate of 70–110 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹ was estimated. This value is 2–6 times higher than the estimated air–sea exchange rate.     

Dry deposition and particle-size distribution of phosphorus in the marine atmosphere over the northeastern coast of Taiwan

This study is the first to measure the particulate phosphorus, including total inorganic phosphorus (TIP) and organic phosphorus (OP), in size-fractionated atmospheric particles. The results indicate that continental and marine sources are the key controls on the particle-size distribution of phosphorus species. For continental and local anthropogenic sources, both TIP and OP are associated with fine-mode aerosols during the winter and spring, and both are also associated with coarse particles during the summer and autumn. The coarse/fine ratios are low during periods with a non-oceanic source but high at other times, probably because of the biological growing season in the surface waters of the study area. The calculated annual fluxes based on estimates of dual-mode particles are 532±185, 435±172, and 96.8±48.8 μmol m⁻² yr⁻¹ for TP, TIP, and OP, respectively. Based on previously published solubility data for particulate phosphorus (34%), we calculated an annual flux of 180±63 μmol m⁻² yr⁻¹ for readily soluble particulate phosphorus.     

The growth dynamics of Karenia brevis within discrete blooms on the West Florida Shelf

As part of the ECOHAB: Florida Program, we studied three large blooms of the harmful bloom forming dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. These blooms formed on the West Florida Shelf during Fall of 2000 off Panama City, and during Fall 2001 and Fall 2002 off the coastline between Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor. We suggest that these blooms represent two different stages of development, with the 2000 and 2001 blooms in an active growth or maintenance phase and the 2002 bloom in the early bloom initiation phase. Each bloom was highly productive with vertically integrated primary production values of 0.47–0.61, 0.39–1.33 and 0.65 g C m⁻² d⁻¹ for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 K. brevis blooms, respectively. Carbon specific growth rates were low during each of these blooms with values remaining fairly uniform with depth corresponding to generation times of 3–5 days. Nitrogen assimilation by K. brevis was highest during 2001 with values ranging from 0.15 to 2.14 μmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹ and lower generally for 2000 and 2002 (0.01–0.64 and 0.66–0.76 μmol N L⁻¹ d⁻¹ for 2000 and 2002, respectively). The highest K. brevis cell densities occurred during the 2001 bloom and ranged from 400 to 800 cells mL⁻¹. Cell densities were lower for each of the 2000 and 2002 blooms relative to those for 2001 with densities ranging from 100 to 500 cells mL⁻¹. The 2000 and 2001 blooms were dominated by K. brevis in terms of its contribution to the total chlorophyll a (chl a) pool with K. brevis accounting generally for >70% of the observed chl a. For those populations that were dominated by K. brevis (e.g. 2000 and 2001), phytoplankton C biomass (C_p,0) constituted <30% of the total particulate organic carbon (POC). However, in 2002 when diatoms and K. brevis each contributed about the same to the total chl a, C_p,0 was >72% of the POC. The fraction of the total chl a that could be attributed to K. brevis was most highly correlated with POC, chl a and salinity. Nitrogen assimilation rate and primary production were highly correlated with a greater correlation coefficient than all other comparisons.     

Seasonal variation of microzooplankton (20–200 μm) and its possible implications on the vertical carbon flux in the western Bay of Bengal

Stratification (throughout the year) and low solar radiation (during monsoon periods) have caused low chlorophyll a and primary production (seasonal average 13–18 mg m⁻² and 242–265 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) in the western Bay of Bengal (BoB). The microzooplankton (MZP) community of BoB was numerically dominated by heterotrophic dinoflagellates (HDS) followed by ciliates (CTS). The highest MZP abundance (average 665±226×10⁴ m⁻²), biomass (average 260±145 mg C m⁻²) and species diversity (Shannon weaver index 2.8±0.42 for CTS and 2.6±0.35 for HDS) have occurred during the spring intermonsoon (SIM). This might be due to high abundance of smaller phytoplankton in the western BoB during SIM as a consequence of intense stratification and nitrate limitation (nitracline at 60 m depth). The strong stratification during SIM was biologically evidenced by intense blooms of Trichodesmium erythraeum and frequent Synechococcus–HDS associations. The high abundance of smaller phytoplankton favors microbial food webs where photosynthetic carbon is channeled to higher trophic levels through MZP. This causes less efficient transfer of primary organic carbon to higher trophic levels than through the traditional food web. The microbial food web dominant in the western BoB during SIM might be responsible for the lowest mesozooplankton biomass observed (average 223 mg C m⁻²). The long residence time of the organic carbon in the surface waters due to the active herbivorous pathways of the microbial food web could be a causative factor for the low vertical flux of biogenic carbon during SIM.     

Lead in blood and eggs of the sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, from the Eastern Pacific: Concentration, isotopic composition and maternal transfer

Concentrations of lead were assessed in the sea turtle, Lepidochelys olivacea, from a nesting colony of the Eastern Pacific. Twenty-five female turtles were sampled and a total of 250 eggs were collected during the “arribada” event of the 2005-2006 season. Considering the nesting season, the maternal transfer of lead (Pb) via egg-laying, in terms of metal burden in whole body, was 0.5%. Pb concentrations (in dry weight) in blood (0.95 ± 0.18 μg g⁻¹) and egg samples (yolk, 0.80 ± 0.10 μg g⁻¹; albumen, 1.08 ± 0.20 μg g⁻¹; eggshell, 1.05 ± 0.20 μg g⁻¹) were comparable or even lower than those found in other sea turtles. The isotope ratios (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb and ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁸Pb) in blood (1.183 ± 0.0006 and 2.452 ± 0.0006, respectively) were comparable to that of natural Pb-bearing bedrock in Mexico (1.188 ± 0.005 and 2.455 ± 0.008, respectively). According to international norms of Pb, the health of this population and its habitats is acceptable for Pb and corresponds to basic levels of a nearly pristine environment.     

Effects of low tide rainfall on the erodibility of intertidal cohesive sediments

Low tide rainfall may represent an important but little studied process affecting sediment fluxes on intertidal mudflats. In this study, we simulated rainfall events on an intertidal mudflat (median grain size=18.4 μm) of low slope (1 in 300) then quantified effects on sediment erodibility. Treatments consisted of a high (4.1 mm min⁻¹ for 6 min) and low (0.36 mm min⁻¹ for 60 min) rain intensity, chosen to match naturally occurring events and experiments were conducted seasonally (May and August) to encompass variations in ambient sediment stability. Changes in bed elevation due to rainfall were estimated using marked rods and sediment erodibility parameters (mass of sediment eroded at a flow velocity of 0.3 m s⁻¹ (ME-30, g m⁻²) and critical erosion velocity (U_crit, m s⁻¹)) were determined in annular flumes (bed area=0.17 m²). Ambient/control sediment erodibility in May (ME-30=211 g m⁻², U_crit=0.18 m s⁻¹) was higher than in August (ME-30=30 g m⁻², U_crit=0.26 m s⁻¹) and was correlated with changes in biological activity. In May, surface sediment was influenced by high densities of the bioturbating snail Hydrobia ulvae (1736 ind. m⁻²) and low biomass of the sediment stabilising microphytobenthos (5.7 μg chlorophyll a cm⁻²). In contrast, in August H. ulvae densities were low (52 ind. m⁻²) and microphytobenthic biomass higher (9.2 μg chlorophyll a cm⁻²). The high rain treatment caused a decrease in bed elevation of between 1.5 mm (May) and 4.4 mm (August) and significantly reduced sediment organic content and microphytobenthic biomass. Rainfall increased sediment erodibility; compared to ambient sediments ME-30 increased by a factor of 1.4× in May and 8.8× in August and caused a 10–30% decline in U_crit. The seasonal difference in treatment effect was due to the change in ambient sediment stability. The low rain treatment in August had no effect on bed elevation, microphytobenthic biomass or sediment erodibility. In May, the same treatment caused a reduction in bed elevation (0.5 mm) and microphytobenthic biomass but counter-intuitively, a decrease in sediment erodibility (ME-30 was reduced by 40%, U_crit increased by 5%) compared to controls. We attribute this result to removal by rainfall of easily eroded surface flocs and biogenic roughness which resulted in an underlying sediment with a smoother surface and greater resistant to erosion. Results suggest that high intensity rain events may destabilise intertidal sediments making them more susceptible to erosion by returning tidal currents and that the sediment eroded during such events may represent a considerable fraction (up to 25%) of the seasonal variation in shore elevation. The impact of natural rain events are likely to vary considerably due to variations in droplet size, intensity and duration and the interaction with ambient sediment stability.     

The temporal series of the New Guinea 29 April 1996 aftershock sequence

The aim of our search is the analysis of aftershock temporal series following a mainshock with magnitude M ≥ 7.0. Investigating aftershock behavior may find the key to explain better the mechanism of seismicity as a whole.In particular, the purpose of this work is to highlight some methodological aspects related to the observation of possible anomalies in the temporal decay. The data concerning the temporal series, checked according to completeness criteria, come from the NEIC-USGS data bank. Here we carefully analyze the New Guinea 29 April 1996 seismic sequence.The observed temporal series of the shocks per day can be considered as a sum of a deterministic contribution (the aftershock decay power law, n(t) = K·(t + c)^−p + K₁) and of a stochastic contribution (the random fluctuations around a mean value represented by the above mentioned power law). If the decay can be modeled as a non-stationary Poissonian process where the intensity function is equal to n(t) = K·(t + c)^−p + K₁, the number of aftershocks in a small time interval Δt is the mean value n(t)·Δt, with a standard deviation .