Dynamics of microphytobenthic biomass in a coastal area of western Seto Inland Sea, Japan

This study focused on the causes of the variation in microphytobenthic biomass and the effects of this variation on macrobenthic animals in the western Seto Inland Sea, Japan, where the importance of microphytobenthos as the primary food source for benthic animals has been recently reported. We investigated the microphytobenthic biomass together with light attenuation of seawater, phytoplanktonic biomass, macrobenthic density and biomass at eight stations (water depth = 5–15 m) during four cruises in 1999–2000. The increased light attenuation coefficient of the water column associated with increased concentration of the phytoplanktonic Chl-a caused a decrease in light flux that reached the seafloor. The biomass of the microphytobenthos within the upper 1 cm of the sediment, 1.9–46.5 mg Chl-a m⁻², was inversely correlated with the phytoplanktonic biomass in the overlying water column, 10.9–65.0 mg Chl-a m⁻². Thus, interception of light by phytoplankton is considered to be a main cause of the variation in the microphytobenthic biomass. The microphytobenthos biomass showed a significant positive correlation with the macrobenthic density (78–9369 ind. m⁻²) and biomass (0.4–78.8 gWW m⁻²). It appears that the increase in oxygen production by the microphytobenthos allowed macrobenthic animals to become more abundant, as a consequence of oxygenation of the organically enriched muddy sediments (14.5 ± 2.69 mg TOC g⁻¹). This study suggests that the variation in the microphytobenthic biomass is influenced by the phytoplanktonic biomass due to shading effect, and the balance between these two functional groups might affect the variability in the macrobenthic density and biomass.     

Dissolved free amino acids in coastal seawater using a modified fluorometric method

The method of Parsonset al. (1984) for measuring dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) in coastal seawater was modified. We found considerable interference in DFAA determination from ammonia dissolved in coastal seawater, although the interference of urea could be ignored. For DFAA analysis for coastal seawater samples, ammonia determinations for the same sample are needed to correct DFAA values. For coastal surface seawater samples from all over the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, values of DFAA ranged from undetectable to 1.87 μg-at N/l when corrected for ammonia, while uncorrected values ranged from undetectable to 2.61 μg-at N/l. DFAA, urea, nitrate+nitrite, ammonia and DON concentrations in surface seawater collected in the Seto Inland Sea were analyzed simultaneously. DFAA at four seasons constituted from 1.4 to 10.1% of DON, with a mean value of 6.5%. The concentration of urea was similar to that of DFAA and often higher than that of ammonium, although generally lower than that of nitrate.     

Standing stocks and production rates of phytoplankton and abundance of bacteria in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Standing stocks and production rates of phytoplankton and abundance of bacteria were investigated at 39 stations in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan during four crulses in October 1993, January, April and June 1994. Primary productivity was measured by the¹³C tracer method. Photosynthetic rate varied from 0.41 to 32.1 μgC/1/h with an average value of 4.67 μgC/l/h. Annual primary production was estimated to be 218 gC/m²/year. Annual primary production in this study was 1.8 times as high as the values which were previously reported at same area. The reason for the disagreement between our primary production value and previous values is not thought to be due to the difference of methods used for measuring primary production or the different Chl.a concentrations but to the method of estimating the primary production in the euphotic zone from thein vitro measurements. The distribution of bacterial cells in surface seawater was examined during the same cruises. Bacterial cell density ranged from 0.32 to 3.4×10⁶ cells/ml. The density was relatively high in the eutrophic regions of Hiroshima Bay and Osaka Bay In addition, a high density of bacteria was also observed in an area within Suo Nada where Chl.a was relatively low. The disparity between Chla and bacterial density in Suo Nada suggests that bacterial abundance can be controlled by the availability of substrates other than phytoplankton exudate.     

Hydrothermal activity in the Obiro deposit embedded in the Tagawa acidic rocks,Uetsu region,NE Japan

The Obiro deposit is located in the Tagawa Acidic Rocks (AR), Uetsu region, NE Japan. The Tagawa AR is composed of a volcanic phase of dacitic welded tuff and a plutonic phase of porphyritic granodiorite. Drill core and ore samples were collected from the deposit and examined by XRD, EPMA, and microthermometry. The drill core samples have suffered pervasively from sericite (illite) alteration, whereas pinkish K‐feldspar alteration halo occur close to veins. The results of EPMA and microthermometry is interpreted as that the magnatic‐hydrothermal fluids has changed as follows; the granodioritic magma intruded at about 1.0 kb and 700°C near the water‐saturated granite solidus; after cooling to about 500°C the fluids boiled according to a change in the pressure regime from lithostatic to hydrostatic; mixing with meteoric water led to sulfide mineralization at around 400°C or less. The main reasons for the mineralization in the Obiro deposit are as follows; the oxidized magma intruded at a shallower level, and thereafter hydrothermal fluids were boiled, resulting in a saline fluid. The saline fluid then dissolved metals such as Pb, Zn, Cu, and Bi, and these metals precipitated during cooling accompanied by dilution of the meteoric water and increasing pH, resulting in decreasing solubility.     

A role for a superficial sediment layer in upward nutrient fluxes across the overlying water–sediment interface

A superficial sediment layer (SL) is the top 2–3 mm layer of surface sediment that may contribute to high upward nutrient flux. To study the characteristics and the biogeochemical processes in the superficial layer, the seasonal variation in the total phytopigments (chlorophyll a and pheo-pigments), total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN) of the surface sediments in a shallow coastal area, Shido Bay, were measured, and the influence of the superficial sediment layer on nutrient flux at the sediment–water interface was investigated. TOC and TN content were relatively constant for the SL and subsurface layers (0–1 and 1–2 cm) during the study period. In contrast, total phytopigments content was higher in the SL layer than in the subsurface layers. The results of upward nutrient flux experiments showed higher nutrient release within the whole sediment core (SL remaining) than the SL-less (SL removed) core. Moreover, high nutrient fluxes were observed during the high temperature season, indicating that seasonal variation in nutrient flux was regulated by temperature. Moreover, in the low temperature season, the SL seemed to absorb nutrients, probably because of microphytobenthos photosynthesis that took up the nutrients under the sufficient light penetration to the sea floor.     

New compact ocean bottom cabled seismometer system deployed in the Japan Sea

The Japanese islands are positioned near the subduction zones, and large earthquakes have repeatedly occurred in marine areas around Japan. However, the number of permanent earthquake observatories in the oceans is quite limited. It is important for understanding generation of large earthquakes to observe seismic activities on the seafloor just above these seismogenic zones. An ocean bottom cabled seismometer (OBCS) is the best solution because data can be collected in real-time. We have developed a new compact OBCS system. A developed system is controlled by a microprocessor, and signals from accelerometers are 24-bit digitized. Clock is delivered from the global positioning system receiver on a landing station using a simple dedicated line. Data collected at each cabled seismometer (CS) are transmitted using standard Internet Protocol to landing stations. The network configuration of the system adopts two dual methods. We installed the first practical OBCS system in the Japan Sea, where large earthquakes occurred in past. The first OBCS system has a total length of 25 km and 4 stations with 5 km interval. Installation was carried out in August 2010. The CSs and single armored optical submarine cable were buried 1 m below the seafloor to avoid a conflict with fishing activity. The data are stored on a landing station and sent to Earthquake Research Institute, University of Tokyo by using the Internet. After the installation, data are being collected continuously. According to burial of the CSs, seismic ambient noises are smaller than those observed on seafloor.     

Long-term (36-year) observations on the dynamics of the fish-killing raphidophyte Chattonella in Harima-Nada,eastern Seto Inland Sea,Japan

Long-term changes of the fish-killing raphidophyte Chattonella spp. (Chattonella antiqua, Chattonella marina and Chattonella ovata) were examined in relation to environmental factors at 19 sampling stations in Harima-Nada, eastern Seto Inland Sea, Japan, for 36 years from 1973 to 2008. Long-term trends in the dynamics of Chattonella populations were considered to relate to environmental factors such as nutrient concentrations and water temperature. High nutrient levels during the period from the 1970s to the early 1980s have contributed to the high cell density and large-scale red tides of Chattonella spp. in Harima-Nada. However, nutrient levels exhibited a decreasing trend thereafter, and it is thought that Chattonella spp. cannot form large-scale blooms under the present conditions. After the mid-1990s, the occurrence period of vegetative cells of Chattonella spp. has been several weeks or 1 month earlier than that of the 1970s and early 1980s, and the appearance frequency of Chattonella spp. has increased in the northern coastal area, although the cell density and the spatial scale of the distribution have become lower and smaller than those in the previous decades. It is suggested that the timing of germination of Chattonella cysts has become earlier as a result of the increase in water temperature, and the chances of vegetative growth have also increased, especially at the northern coast where most of large rivers discharge into the Harima-Nada. In addition, the present results revealed that fewer diatoms were also one of the significant factors for the high abundance of Chattonella spp. in Harima-Nada.     

Millennial-scale oscillations of the westerly jet path during the last glacial period

It has been established that East Asian summer monsoon intensity varies with Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles, suggesting a connection between the climates of East Asia and the North Atlantic on a millennial timescale. However, the dynamics of such a connection are still unsolved. Here we demonstrate that temporal changes in the provenance of aeolian dust in Japan Sea sediments, which we interpret to reflect changes in the westerly jet path over East Asia, exhibit variations in harmony with Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles. The dominance of dust with a Mongolian Gobi provenance during stadials suggests a westerly jet axis located to the south of the Himalaya–Tibetan Plateau throughout most of the year, whereas the co-dominance of dust from both the Taklimakan Desert and the Mongolian Gobi during interstadials suggests that the westerly jet axis jumped to the north of the Tibetan Plateau at latest in summer. As the shift of the westerly jet axis to the north of the Tibetan Plateau is closely related to the onset of the East Asian summer monsoon, changes of the westerly jet path apparently critically affect the teleconnection between the climates of Asia and North Atlantic on a millennial timescale.     

Effect of solid to solution ratio on biogenic silica determination in coastal sediments

The method of DeMaster (1981) for measuring biogenic silica (BSi) in marine sediments was modified. We found a considerable effect of the solid to solution (S/S) ratio on BSi determination in coastal sediments. The BSi contents determined by DeMaster’s method were overestimated due to the contribution of clay mineral-derived extractable Si at a low S/S ratio (<1 g l⁻¹), and incomplete recovery of BSi was observed due to incomplete extraction when using a high S/S ratio (>2 g l⁻¹). For BSi analysis of coastal sediment samples, the BSi content of representative samples must be measured using various S/S ratios to determine the appropriate S/S ratio in order to minimize the contribution of extractable Si derived from clay minerals and to obtain sufficiently efficient extraction with 1% Na₂CO₃ before actual sample measurement. One way to determine the appropriate S/S ratio is to use artificial sediment which has a theoretical Si and clay mineral content similar to the sediment sample composition. Using artificial sediment, the S/S ratio of 2 g l⁻¹ seems appropriate for measuring the BSi content of the coastal sediments investigated in this study, because 99.6% recovery can be achieved.