Bathymetric distribution patterns of Southern Ocean macrofaunal taxa: Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Isopoda and Polychaeta

The aim of this study is to compare the depth distributions of four major Southern Ocean macrobenthic epi- and infaunal taxa, the Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Isopoda, and Polychaeta, from subtidal to abyssal depth. All literature data up to summer 2008, as well as the unpublished data from the most recent ANDEEP I–III (Antarctic benthic deep-sea biodiversity: colonisation history and recent community patterns) expeditions to the Southern Ocean deep sea are included in the analysis. Benthic invertebrates in the Southern Ocean are known for their wide bathymetric ranges. We analysed the distributions of four of the most abundant and species-rich taxa from intertidal to abyssal (5200 m) depths in depth zones of 100 m. The depth distributions of three macrofaunal classes (Bivalvia, Gastropoda, Polychaeta) and one order (Isopoda) showed distinct differences. In the case of bivalves, gastropods and polychaetes, the number of species per depth zone decreased from the shelf to the slope at around 1000 m depth and then showed stable low numbers. The isopods showed the opposite trend; they were less species rich in the upper 1000 m but increased in species numbers from the slope to bathyal and abyssal depths. Depth ranges of families of the studied taxa (Bivalvia: 31 families, Gastropoda: 60, Isopoda: 32, and Polychaeta: 46 families) were compiled and illustrated. At present vast areas of the deep sea in the Southern Ocean remain unexplored and species accumulation curves showed that only a fraction of the species have been discovered to date. We anticipate that further investigations will greatly increase the number of species known in the Southern Ocean deep sea.     

C NMR, micro-FTIR and fluorescence spectra, and pyrolysis-gas chromatograms of coalified foliage of late Carboniferous medullosan seed ferns, Nova Scotia, Canada: Implications for coalification and chemotaxonomy

The cuticles and cuticle-free compressions of three Carboniferous medullosan seed-fern leaf species (Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri, Neuropteris ovata var. simonii and Alethopteris lesquereuxii) were analyzed by elemental, ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), micro-FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) and coal petrographic techniques. The 13C NMR spectra of the cuticle-free compressions and the associated whole coal (high volatile A/B bituminous coal rank) are generally similar and consist of a large aromatic carbon peak, a smaller aliphatic carbon peak and a shoulder on the aromatic peak, representing phenolic carbons. In contrast, the ¹³C NMR spectra of the cuticles from the same leaves have a predominant peak for aliphatic carbons and a much smaller aromatic carbon peak. This difference in aromaticity between the cuticles and the cuticle-free compressions is also reflected in the higher atomic H/C ratios of the cuticles. Micro-FTIR spectra of the cuticles show oxygenated functional groups (carboxyl and ketone) similar to those in modern cuticles but their most characteristic feature is very strong bands in the aliphatic stretching region. The cuticle-free compressions (mainly vitrinite), in turn, show the absence or significant reduction in oxygenated functional groups, reduction in aliphatic stretching bands and, usually, increased absorbance of aromatic out-of-plane deformation in the 700–900 cm⁻¹ region. Fluorescence spectra for the cuticles from all three species show a great similarity with a λ_max at 580–590 nm, probably reflecting a similardegree of coalification, which is consistent with the similar vitrinite reflectance (R_r) and H/C and O/C ratios of the cuticlefree compressions.These results indicate that leaf cuticle-free compressions, which were initially cellulose rich ( 90% cellulose and hemicellulose, < 10% lignin), can alter, during peatification and coalification, to a macromolecular structure similar to that of coalified wood (initially 50% cellulose and hemicellulose, 30%–50% lignin). Thus, a lignin-enriched structure is not a prerequisite for the formation of the macromolecular structure of vitrinite. In addition, the micro-FTIR spectra reveal the complexity of the molecular structure in coalified seed-fern leaves. The micro-FFIR data reveal some significant differences among the cuticles that may be of chemotaxonomic value. Clearly, a combination of macro- and micro-techniques offers a better basis for the interpretation of the molecular structure of pre-macerals and their alteration during peatification and coalification. Also, the data presented in this paper provide important new information that extends the data from morphological and cuticular taxonomic studies of some seed ferns. The data are encouraging preliminary advances in the chemotaxonomy of medullosan seed fern species.Pyrolysis-gas chromatography (PY-GC) data for the cuticles of three seed-fern leaves indicate distinct chemical signatures for the two neuropterid leaves as compared to the Alethopteris leaf. This perhaps indicates a chemotaxomic factor, or it could be related to the greater thickness of the cuticle of Alethopteris. Mass spectrometric data are needed to identify individual components in the PY-GC chromatograms.     

Untersuchungen der Tektonik der Hunsrückrandstörungszone zwischen Münster-Sarmsheim und Kirn an der Nahe

Zusammenfassung Der NW-Flügel der Nahe-Mulde wird durch die Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone geprägt. Dieses Lineament erstreckt sich vom SE-Rand des Taunus über die Nahe- und Prims-Mulde und das Saargebiet bis nach Frankreich, wo es in die Metzer Störung übergeht. Im Arbeitsgebiet reicht die Verwerfung in große Tiefen hinab und verwirft noch die Moho.Zwischen Münster-Sarmsheim und Argenschwang ist das Devon auf das Rotliegende aufgeschoben. Von Allenfeld an nach SW ändert sich der Charakter der Störungszone. Sie spaltet in zwei bzw. drei streichende Verwerfungen auf, wodurch die beschriebene Schollengliederung des Arbeitsgebietes entsteht.Die NW-Scholle lagert diskordant auf dem varistischen Gebirge mit einem Einfallen von max. 20° SE. Sie wird vom NW-Ast der Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone nach SE begrenzt. Im Abschnitt Argenschwang/Hochstetten schlieBt sich eine Grabenscholle an. In ihr lagern sowohl Gesteine des Unter- wie des Oberrotliegenden. Im Abschnitt Hochstetten/Kirn trennt der NW-Ast der Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone die NW-Scholle von der Zentralscholle, die relativ gehoben erscheint. SE der SE-Grabenrandverwerfung bzw. der Störung SE der Zentralscholle des Abschnittes Hochstetten/Kirn, folgt eine gefaltete Zone.Durch eine Störung getrennt, schlieBt sich nach SE eine Scholle an, auf der die Schichten zunächst mit 60° SE einfallen. In Richtung auf die Muldenachse der Nahe-Mulde biegen sie zu flacher Lagerung um. Der Bereich um Kirn ist durch die zahlreichen Magmatite geprägt, die in enger Verbindung zur Tektonik stehen.Eine tektonische Aktivität ist nach Ablagerung der Lebacher- bzw. der Tholeyer Gruppe möglich. Die Hauptbewegungsphase fällt in das Oberrotliegende. Es entfällt die Saalische Phase mit ihrer Diskordanz zwischen Unter- und Oberrotliegendem. Lokale Diskordanzen sind auf die Intrusionstektonik zurückzuführen. Die endgültige Ausgestaltung der Nahe-Mulde dürfte wahrend der Pfälzischen Phase der varistischen Gebirgsbildung erfolgt sein.Die Querstörungen sind jünger als alle streichenden Elemente. Teilweise haben sie tertiäres Alter. Zu dieser Zeit ist vermutlich die Aufschiebung des Devons auf das Rotliegende im Abschnitt Argenschwang/Hochstetten erfolgt. Rezente Bewegungen lassen sich bis in die heutige Zeit an Hand von Erdbeben nachweisen. Die Antwort nach der Ursache der tektonischen Bewegungen bleibt spekulativ. Bei der Größe dieses Lineaments muß man jedoch an eine Plattengrenze denken.

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The NW-side of the Nahe-Mulde (tray) is characterized by a fault zone at the southern rim of the Hunsrück-mountains (= Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone = HRS). This lineament extends from the SE-periphery of the Taunus-mountains over the Nahe-Mulde and the Prims-Mulde and the Saar-district up to France, where it passes into the Metz-disturbance. In this range the faulting reaches great depths and also faults the Moho.The treated part of the HRS between Münster-Sarmsheim and Kirn an der Nahe shows a division into three parts from NE to SW. Between Münster-Sarmsheim and Argenschwang the Devonian is faulted up onto the Rotliegendes (Lower Permian). Between Argenschwang and Allenfeld the character of the faulting zone changes. It is divided into two resp. three fault strikes by what the described block division of this range results.In the area Argenschwang/Hochstetten and Hochstetten/Kirn the NW-block is deposited discordantly on the variscan formation with a maximum dip of 20° SE. It is limited to the SE by the NW-branch of the HRS. Adjacent to this lies a grabenblock in the area Argenschwang/Hochstetten. There we find rocks of the Lower as of the Upper-Rotliegenden. In the area Hochstetten-Kirn, the NW-branch of the HRS divides the NW-block from the central block, which seems to be relatively emerged. A folded zone follows in the SE of the SE-marginal graben rim fault resp. of the disturbance in the SE of the central block of the area Hochstetten/Kirn. This zone is closely locked to the SE-branch of the HRS and does not reach beyond it in the NW. Another block is adjecant to this in the SE and divided from it by a disturbance. Next to it the layers dip 60° SE and bend to a flat bedding near the axis of the Nahe-Mulde. The area around Kirn is characterized by numerous magmatic rocks, closely connected to the tectonic structures.Already structured in the Carboniferous, the HRS first represents the dividing element between the sedimentation area of the Saar-Nahe-depression and the variscan mountains. In the Lower-Rotliegendes the sedimentation then reaches beyond the fault and the Permian material is deposited discordantly on the folded Devonian.A tectonic activity is possible after the deposition of the Lebacher-resp. the Tholeyergroup. The main movements however happened within the Oberrotliegendes. Here the today identifiable longitudinal disturbances with all their phenomenas as grahen genesis, folding and intrusions are formed. The Saalische Phase with its discordance between Unter- and Oberrotliegendem is inapplicable, because the last one is concordantly following. Local discordances are explained by intrusion tectonics.The final shopping of the Nahe-Mulde might be a result of the Pfälzische Phase of the variscian orogenesis.The crossfaults were later than all the longitudinal elements.In some cases they have tertiary age. At this time also the upfaulting of the Devonian on the Rotliegendes in the part Argenschwang/Hochstetten took place. Up to our time recent movements are provable on the basis of earthquakes. Considering the dimension of this lineament one however has to be thougth of a plate boundary. However, it remains to further investigations to show this with security.

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Résumé Le côte NW de la dépression de la Nahe est marquée par la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone«. Ce linéament s'étend du bord SE du Taunus, par la dépression de la Nahe et du Prims et le Saargebiet jusqu'en France, où il passe à la faille de Metz. Dans la région de ce travail, le rejet s'étend jusqu'aux grandes profondeurs et déplace encore la Moho.Pour le segment traité de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« entre Münster-Sarmsheim et Kirn an der Nahe il en résulte une structure en trois sections du NE au SW. Entre Münster-Sarmsheim et Argenschwang le Dévonien est refoulé sur le Permien. A partir de Allenfeld et dans la direction SW, le caractère de la zone dérangée change. Elle se scinde en deux ou bien trois failles longitudinales, par lesquelles se forme la structure décrite du bloc de la région.Dans les segments Argenschwang/Hochstetten et Hochstetten/Kirn, le bloc NW étudiée repose d'une façon discordante sur le terrain varistique avec un pendage de 20° SE maximum. Il est limité dans la direction du SE par la branche NW de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone«. Dans le segment Argenschwang/Hochstetten se joint le massif affaissé. A l'intérieur de celui-ci, il y a, aussi bien des roches du »Unter«-que du »Oberrotliegendem«. Dans le segment Hochstetten/Kirn, la branche NW de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« sépare le bloc-NW du bloc central qui se montre relativement élevé. Au SE la faille marginale SE du graben ou bien de la faille SE du bloc central du segment Hochstetten/Kirn, suit une zone plissée. Cette zone est liée très étroitement à la branche-SE de la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« et ne la sillit pas dans le NW. A la zone plissée et séparée par une faille, se joint un blov vers le SE, sur lequel les strates inclinent d'abord de 60°. Dans la direction de l'axe synclinal du Nahe-mulde, elles s'incurvent et prennent une faibel inclinaison. Le segment de Kirn est marqué de nombreuses magmatites qui sont en relation étroite avec la tectonique.Déjà structurée au carbonifêre, la »Hunsrücksüdrandstörungszone« représente 1'élément séparant l'aire sedimentaire de la Saar-Nahe-Senke et le terrain varistique. Dans le »Unterrotliegendem« la sédimentation s'entend au delá de la faille et la Permien repose en discordance.Une véritable activité tectonique est possible après la sédimentation du groupe Lebacher ou du groupe Tholeyer. La phase principale est cependant dans le »Oberrotliegende«. Ici se forment les failles longitudinales, aujoud'hui reconniassables, avec tous leurs phénomènes, comme formation de fosses tectoniques, plis et instrusions. La »Saalische« phase avec sa discordance entre »Unter«- et »Oberrotliegendem« échappe, parce que ce dernier est déposé de façon concordante sur les roches de base. On peut ramener les discordances locales à la tectonique de l'intrusion. La formation définitive pourrait avoir lieu pendant la »Pfälzische Phase« de l'orogénèse varistique.Les failles transversales sont plus jeunes que tous les éléments longitudinaux. Elles sont en partie d'âge sou-tertiare. Le lévement du Dévonien sur le Permien dans le segment Argenschwang/Hochstetten s'est vraissemblablement produit à cette époque. Des mouvements récents se laissent démontrer jusqu'à nos jours au moyen des tremblements de terre. La réponse a la cause des mouvements reste spéculative. Cependant, en voyant la grandeur de ce linéament, on doit penser à une limite de plaque. Cette réalité nécessiterait toute fois d'autres recherches.

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A Database for Volatile Organic Compounds

The database for volatile organic compounds (VOC data base) was created with the aim of providing an overview of tropospheric hydrocarbon measurements. The data base contains 202 substances, for which atmospheric and useful kinetic data such as rate coefficients, photolysis frequencies, mixing ratios, emission data and ozone formation potentials are compiled from available literature. The database file can be downloaded without charge from http://www.physchem.uni-wuppertal.de/voc-database. Registered users will be informed about the appearance of updates.     

Nitrogen, phosphorus, silica, and carbon in Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia: Differential limitation of phytoplankton biomass and production

Subtropical estuaries have received comparatively little attention in the study of nutrient loading and subsequent nutrient processing relative to temperate estuaries. Australian estuaries are particularly susceptible to increased nutrient loading and eutrophication, as 75% of the population resides within 200 km of the coastline. We assessed the factors potentially limiting both biomass and production in one Australian estuary, Moreton Bay, through stoichiometric comparisons of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), silicon (Si), and carbon (C) concentrations, particulate compositions, and rates of uptake. Samples were collected over 3 seasons in 1997–1998 at stations located throughout the bay system, including one riverine endmember site. Concentrations of all dissolved nutrients, as well as particulate nutrients and chlorophyll, declined 10-fold to 100-fold from the impacted western embayments to the eastern, more oceanic-influenced regions of the bay during all seasons. For all seasons and all regions, both the dissolved nutrients and particulate biomass yielded N:P ratios <6 and N:Si ratios <1. Both relationships suggest strong limitation of biomass by N throughout the bay. Limitation of rates of nutrient uptake and productivity were more complex. Low C:N and C:P uptake ratios at the riverine site suggested light limitation at all seasons, low N:P ratios suggested some degree of N limitation and high N:Si uptake ratios in austral winter suggested Si limitation of uptake during that season only. No evidence of P limitation of biomass or productivity was evident.     

Imprudent fishing harvests and consequent trophic cascades on the West Florida shelf over the last half century: A harbinger of increased human deaths from paralytic shellfish poisoning along the southeastern United States, in response to oligotrophication?

Within the context of ubiquitous overfishing of piscivores, recent consequent increments of jellyfish and clupeids have occurred at the zooplanktivore trophic level in the eastern Gulf of Mexico (GOM), after overfishing of one of their predators, i.e. red snapper. Initiation of a local trophic cascade thence led to declines of herbivore stocks, documented here on the West Florida shelf. These exacerbating world-wide trophic cascades have resulted in larger harmful algal blooms (HABs), already present at the base of most coastal food webs. Impacts on human health have thus far been minimal within nutrient-rich coastal regions. To provide a setting for past morbidities, consideration is given to chronologies of other trophic cascades within eutrophic, cold water marine ecosystems of the Scotian Sea, in the Gulf of Alaska, off Southwest Africa, within the Barents, White, and Black Seas, in the Gulf of Maine, and finally in the North Sea. Next, comparison is now made here of recent ten-fold increments within Florida waters of both relatively benign and saxitoxic HABs, some of which are fatal to humans. These events are placed in a perspective of other warm shelf systems of the South China and Caribbean Seas to assess prior and possible future poison toxicities of oligotrophic coastal habitats. Past wide-spread kills of fishes and sea urchins over the Caribbean Sea and the downstream GOM are examined in relation to the potential transmission of dinoflagellate saxitoxin and other epizootic poison vectors by western boundary currents over larger “commons” than local embayments. Furthermore, since some HABs produce more potent saxitoxins upon nutrient depletion, recent decisions to ban seasonal fertilizer applications to Florida lawns may have unintended consequences. In the future, human-killing phytoplankton, rather than relatively benign fish-killing HABs of the past, may be dispersed along the southeastern United States seaboard.     

Calculating ground water transit time of horizontal flow through leaky aquifers

The calculation of ground water transit times is one important factor in ground water protection. In this paper, we present an analytical solution for the transit time for a Dupuit-type flow system applicable to saturated flow through a horizontal leaky aquifer discharging to a downgradient fixed-head boundary under steady-state conditions. We investigate the influence of leakage when comparing the resulting travel times of our model based on head-dependent leakage with the commonly used model with no leakage and a simplified model with constant leakage. The results show significant differences in the position of the water divide and transit time, suggesting that leakage cannot be ignored.     

Nutrient availability in support of Karenia brevis blooms on the central West Florida Shelf: What keeps Karenia blooming?

Identifying nutrient sources, primarily nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), sufficient to support high biomass blooms of the red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia brevis, has remained problematic. The West Florida Shelf is oligotrophic, yet populations >10⁶ cells L⁻¹ frequently occur and blooms can persist for months. Here we examine the magnitude and variety of sources for N and P that are available to support blooms. Annual average in situ or background concentrations of inorganic N in the region where blooms occur range 0.02–0.2 μM while inorganic P ranges 0.025–0.24 μM. Such concentrations would be sufficient to support the growth of populations up to ∼3×10⁴ cells L⁻¹ with at least a 1 d turnover rate. Organic N concentrations average 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than inorganic N, 8–14 μM while organic P concentrations average 0.2–0.5 μM. Concentrations of organic N are sufficient to support blooms >10⁵ cells L⁻¹ but the extent to which this complex mixture of N species is utilizable is unknown. Other sources of nutrients included in our analysis are aerial deposition, estuarine flux, benthic flux, zooplankton excretion, N₂-fixation, and subsequent release of organic and inorganic N by Trichodesmium spp., and release of N and P from dead and decaying fish killed by the blooms. Inputs based on atmospheric deposition, benthic flux, and N₂-fixation, were minor contributors to the flux required to support growth of populations >2.6×10⁴ cells L⁻¹. N and P from decaying fish could theoretically maintain populations at moderate concentrations but insufficient data on the flux and subsequent mixing rates does not allow us to calculate average values. Zooplankton excretion rates, based on measured zooplankton population estimates and excretion rates could also supply all of the N and P required to support populations of 10⁵ and 10⁶ cells L⁻¹, respectively, but excretion is considered as “regenerated” nutrient input and can only maintain biomass rather than contribute to “new” biomass. The combined estuarine flux from Tampa Bay, Charlotte Harbor, and the Caloosahatchee River can supply a varying, but at times significant level of N and P to meet growth and photosynthesis requirements for populations of approximately 10⁵ cells L⁻¹ or below. Estimates of remineralization of dead fish could supply a significant proportion of bloom maintenance requirements but the rate of supply must still be determined. Overall, a combination of sources is required to maintain populations >10⁶ cells L⁻¹.     

Zooplankton and Karenia brevis in the Gulf of Mexico

Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Karenia brevis are common in the Gulf of Mexico, yet no in situ studies of zooplankton and K. brevis have been conducted there. Zooplankton abundance and taxonomic composition at non-bloom and K. brevis bloom stations within the Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms (ECOHAB) study area were compared. At non-bloom stations, the most abundant species of zooplankton were Parvocalanus crassirostris, Oithona colcarva, and Paracalanus quasimodo at the 5-m isobath and P. quasimodo, O. colcarva, and Oikopleura dioica at the 25-m isobath. There was considerable overlap in dominance of zooplankton species between the 5 and 25-m isobaths, with nine species contributing to 90% of abundance at both isobaths. At stations within K. brevis blooms however, Acartia tonsa, Centropages velificatus, Temora turbinata, Evadne tergestina, O. colcarva, O. dioica, and P. crassirostris were dominant. Variations in abundance between non-bloom and bloom assemblages were evident, including the reduction in abundance of three key species within K. brevis blooms.