Speciation of dissolved copper and cadmium in the Loire estuary and over the North Biscay continental shelf in spring

Dissolved cadmium and copper species were measured in the Loire estuary and the North Biscay Bay continental shelf (France) in spring 2002. Metal behaviours along the salinity gradient, metal fluxes from the Loire system and surface distributions on the continental shelf were described and compared with the ones obtained at a period of higher discharge (i.e., winter 2001). Vertical distributions at different stations were also examined with the aim to assess whether the Loire inputs affect the Cu and Cd speciation over the continental shelf. In the Loire estuary, different metal behaviours were observed from winter. Cu and its various species mostly followed a theoretical dilution line whereas a Cd addition composed of chloro- and organic complexes was observed. According to our estimations, the Cu flux was composed, as in winter, of 40% hydrophobic organic complexes. On the other hand, Cd organic complexes accounted for less in the total dissolved metal flux than they did in winter (55 and 78% for spring and winter, respectively). On the continental shelf, a C₁₈Cu-to-TDCu ratio of 40% was observed in the stratified area under Loire influence. For Cd, the organic fraction was relatively important in the surface waters near the mouth of the estuary and decreased deeper and seaward. Thus, the Cu and Cd speciation on the North Biscay Bay continental shelf are firstly determined by the extent of the estuarine plume. Beyond the estuarine influence, biological processes appeared to be the origin of the observed variations.     

Determining how the pelagic ecosystem over the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay (NE Atlantic) functions: An approach using mesozooplankton enzyme activities as descriptors

A fisheries research cruise conducted in 2000 offered a first opportunity to take simultaneous measurements of the activities of three enzymes in mesozooplankton samples collected at a regional scale over the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay in the NE Atlantic, with the aim of characterizing main aspects of the functioning of the biotic environment of small pelagic fish populations. The activity of the digestive endopeptidase trypsin was selected to characterize the assimilation rate of proteins, whereas pyruvate kinase (PK) was chosen as an indicator of carbohydrate assimilation and aspartate transcarbamylase (ATC) provided an overall assessment of mesozooplankton productivity. The Bay of Biscay region is subject to various strong physical driving forces that directly affect the primary structure of the pelagic food web. On our cruise, the phytoplankton biomass distribution reflected these different physical influences: diatoms dominated the nutrient-enriched coastal water; picoplankton dominated the northern-central part where nutrients were depleted; and nanoplankton were abundant at the shelf break where internal waves provided an input of nutrients. These and other results (on bacteria, particulate organic carbon distribution, among others) illustrate the differences that exist in the microbial food webs of different sectors of the bay. The living matter produced was characterized by the quality and quantity of the smallest prey items that were available to higher trophic levels. Variations in mesozooplankton enzyme activities may agree well not only with classically expected results, but also present unexpected special features: high ATC specific activities were measured around the mouth of the Gironde, in the nutrient-rich desalted water of the plume, but surprisingly not in front of the Loire river. PK specific activities reflected preponderantly the balance between phytoplankton cells sizes and the related bacterial abundance resulting from nutrient limitation (mainly P), that induces varying carbohydrates production potential. Trypsin specific activities were moderately variable, except in a restricted area where a highly abundant protein content characterized the particulate matter and in the plume of water flowing out of the Gironde. It is concluded that the presented approach of the metabolism of mesozooplankton communities may provide novel views on crucial processes occurring at the mesoscale, which fits in generally well with the scales of ecological factors mostly influential on small pelagic fish populations.     

Modulation of the particulate organic carbon flux to the ocean by a macrotidal estuary: Evidence from measurements of carbon isotopes in organic matter from the Gironde system

The isotopic composition of the organic carbon of the suspended particulate matter in the Gironde estuary and the Biscay shelf has been measured on a seasonal basis from 1977 to 1982. The δ¹³C values show a progressive change along the estuary and permit an estimate of the proportion of terrestrial carbon in each sample. It is estimated from these data that up to 80% of the continental POC is mineralized in the estuary and 3–16% of the riverborne flux is exported to the shelf.     

Benthic indicators and index approaches in the three main estuaries along the French Atlantic coast (Seine, Loire and Gironde)

The three main estuaries in the French Atlantic coast – the Seine, Loire and Gironde, all with high tidal regimes – are interfaces between the continental and the coastal ecosystems. The Seine and Gironde are highly contaminated, whereas the Loire remains in a more natural state. Both the Seine and Gironde have suffered from harbour construction, and as a result, their biological units are extremely compartmentalized. Benthic species and communities have adapted to tolerate temporal physical and chemical changes ( e.g. salinity, substrata, depth, and levels of fine particles and oxygen) and human activities ( e.g. dredging, shipping traffic, and habitat reduction). Although numerous bio-indicators and indices are used to define the ecological quality status (EcoQS) of coastal waters, very few of them were developed specifically for environments with a mosaic of conditions and salinity levels, including freshwater. The main problem appears to be that all the indices for determining anthropogenic stress examine the abundances of stress-tolerant species, which may also be able to tolerate natural stressors such as those occurring in estuaries. This paper takes a look at the development status of the benthic indicators and index approaches used in the three main estuaries along the French Atlantic coast. In addition, it examines the adaptation of the different benthic indicators to the taxonomic sufficiency principle, and the adaptation of the Benthic Opportunistic Polychaetes Amphipods index (BOPA) and the Benthic Opportunistic Annelida Amphipod index (BO2A) for use in the freshwater zones of transitional waters ( i.e. up to the upper limit of the tidal range). Several perspectives are discussed in light of the diverse disturbances and the heterogeneity of such stressed zones, such as the use of multimetric and scoring approaches.     

Fine-grained sediment budget on the continental margin of the Bay of Biscay

Under present-day conditions, rivers are the main source of fine sediments dispersed to the Bay of Biscay. They deliver about 2.5×10⁶ t yr⁻¹ of continental fine sediments, 60% of which is derived from the Gironde estuary. Of this flux, 65% is believed stored on the shelf. Two kinds of mud fields can be found in the Bay of Biscay: coastal mud and shelf mud belts. The total mass of fine sediments stored during the past 2000 years is 3.2×10⁹ t. Consequently, about 0.9×10⁶ t yr⁻¹ could reach the shelf edge and eventually the open sea. From this amount of displaced material and the deposition surface areas, an evaluation of sediment fluxes across the margin during the late Holocene period is discussed. This evaluation is compared with results obtained from ECOsystéme du canyon du cap-FERret (ECOFER) data from sediment traps and surficial box cores.     

Do river discharge rates drive the overall functioning of the pelagic ecosystem over the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay (NE Atlantic)? A comparison of two contrasting years with special reference to anchovy (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Engraulis encrasicolus</Emphasis> L.) nutritional state

In the 2000 and 2001 springtime periods, mesozooplankton samples were systematically taken during research cruises devoted to the study of the distribution and abundance of small pelagic fishes in the French part of the Bay of Biscay, NE Atlantic, continental shelf. Simultaneous activities of three enzymes were measured in these mesozooplankton samples, to characterize the main features of ecosystem function at a regional scale. The aim was to assess assimilation rates of carbohydrates, through pyruvate kinase activity, and protein, through trypsin activity, by the mesozooplankton community and the resulting overall productivity, through aspartate transcarbamylase activity. The highest influence on the pelagic environment was the strong difference in the freshwater outflow rates from the two main large rivers, the Loire and the Gironde, which was principally responsible for the inter-annual fluctuations of the nutrients in the Bay. This overall influence of river flow results in a characteristic pattern of sea-surface salinity, which was reflected by the phytoplankton biomass distribution. Mesozooplankton enzyme activities showed high variations between the two years. The contrast in the dynamics of the pelagic food web processes between the two consecutive years, with higher activity in 2001, affected the nutritional condition of the zooplanktivorous breeding anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus.     

Distribution of hornblende on the Atlantic continental shelf off Georgia, United States

Hornblende is the least stable, and most diagnostic, mineral of the sediment blanketing the continental shelf off Georgia, U.S.A. Recent work by others has shown that the probable sources of hornblende-rich sands on the shelf are the Savannah and Altamaha Rivers, both of which originate in the southern Appalachian piedmont. Rivers with drainage basins confined to the coastal plain carry stable, low-hornblende heavy-mineral assemblages and contribute sediment to the shelf only during episodes of regression or transgression. Distribution of hornblende on the continental shelf reveals the importance of the Altamaha and Savannah Rivers, especially the Savannah, as sources of sediment. It is postulated that original point concentrations of hornblende-rich sand associated with Late Pleistocene deltas or estuaries of the Savannah River have been modified by southwest currents, possibly during winter storms. The resulting configuration is a series of northeast-trending, linear high-hornblende anomalies. The origin of the hornblende-distribution anomalies probably is identical to the origin of linear shoals that also trend northeast across the continental shelf.     

Les observations de poissons tropicaux et le réchauffement des eaux dans l'Atlantique européen

A recapitulation of the records of tropical fishes from European Atlantic waters shows that 67.6% were fishes caught from the upper slope, between approximately 200 and 600 m; 19.8% were fishes caught from the continental shelf; and 13.5% were specimens caught from the middle slope, between 700 and 1 300 m. Since 1963, the upper slope species have made regular northward range extensions off of south Portugal to north-western Ireland (about 55° 30′N), more and less rapidly, about 30 years for Cyttopsis roseus and only 6 years for Sphoeroides pachygaster. The continental shelf species, observed from 1969 but mostly from 1981, have a northward range to south-eastern Ireland (about 52° N), but 65.2% of them have been caught off the south of the Bay of Biscay. The middle slope species, recorded only from 1991 according to the development of the deep fishery, were caught between 48° N and 60° N. The northward range extension of upper slope species and the higher frequency of records of continental shelf species from the southern part of the Bay of Biscay coincide with the investigations on the warming of the south-north current in the upper slope of northern Spain and of the south French Atlantic continental shelf.     

Phytoplankton spring bloom of the Gironde plume waters in the Bay of Biscay: early phosphorus limitation and food-web consequences

During the spring 1995 (2–25 May), a cruise was carried on the RV Poseidon (Germany) on the continental shelf of the south Bay of Biscay. The objective was a comprehensive study of the planktonic food web within the Gironde plume waters. In these waters phosphate was present at very low concentrations (undetectable to < 0.1 μmol.L⁻¹), whereas nitrate, silicate and ammonium concentrations were much higher (several μmol·L⁻¹ for nitrate and silicate and 0.5 to 1.0 μmol·L⁻¹ for ammonium). The size distribution of the phytoplankton biomass (estimated from chlorophyll a measurements by high performance liquid chromatography) and primary production (measured by ¹⁴C in situ method) showed a great proportion of small (40 to 70 % < 3 μm) and active autotrophic cells (growth rates estimated from 0.4 to 0.8 d⁻¹ for the entire euphotic layer). Considering the very high values of NO₃-N:PO₄-P ratios and the high C:P and N:P ratios for the particulate organic matter, it is suggested that an early phosphorus depletion limits the spring bloom phytoplankton and particularly the new production (nitrate uptake coming from the Gironde waters).From these results and other simultaneous observations on the heterotrophic processes (such as grazing of microzooplankton), we can conclude that the planktonic food web would be close to a maintenance system as defined by Platt et al. The possible generalisation of these results for each spring is discussed with respect to the scarcity of previous and reliable phosphate data.     

The Meriadzek Terrace: A marginal plateau

The Meriadzek Terrace forms part of the continental margin in the Bay of Biscay at a depth between that of the Continental shelf and the abyssal plain. Reflection profiles show that it is bounded on either side by basement ridges with a sediment infill between the ridges. It was probably formed by downfaulting of the continental shelf, possibly connected with the opening of the Bay of Biscay.     

Clay minerals from the sedimentary cover from the Northwest Iberian shelf

The Northern Iberian margin is a typical example of a continental margin subjected to seasonal highly energetic regime (waves and tides) and receiving inputs of continental sediments via riverine discharges. The principal goal of this study has been to use clay minerals as indicators of sedimentary dynamics in the open shelf system. The distributions of clay mineral in the top layer of the sedimentary cover are shown to be related to their continental sources, but also reflect the influences of winter storms and longshore currents in determining the pathways of sediment transport.The mineralogical composition of the material issuing from the rivers is very similar to the general mineralogical composition of the fine fractions of the seabed sediments. Those deposits that are directly influenced by riverine discharges have higher contents of kaolinite (>20%), whereas those that are not have higher contents of illite (>80%). The available data indicate no significant quantities of terrigenous particles are being discharged from the Spanish rias. Therefore, we conclude that physical processes are controlling the clay mineral distributions and that, despite contributions from the Minho River, the main source of fine detrital particles to the shelf region is the Douro River discharge. These particles settle on the middle shelf, below the 60 m isobath. During storm events these particles are re-suspended and advected northwards to the Galician shelf or into deeper domains. Thus the distributions of the clays indicate there is a net transport of fine sediments both northwards and off-shelf.     

Behaviour of arsenic on the continental shelf off the Gironde estuary: Role of phytoplankton in vertical fluxes during spring bloom conditions

The arsenic (As) cycle in the marine environment is known to be sensitive to biological activity. Within the scope of the National Coastal Oceanography Program, we undertook a specific study of the behaviour of this element in a water column on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay off the Gironde estuary during two oceanographic cruises conducted in May 1994 and May 1995. Various chemical forms were measured: arsenate (As3), arsenate (As5), monomethylarsenic (MMA), dimethylarsenic (DMA) and dissolved total As after ultraviolet mineralization. The net flux of total As from the Gironde estuary was evaluated as well as its effect on the concentration in surface marine waters. The vertical profiles in the coastal zone during a period of active primary production confirmed a certain analogy between arsenates and phosphates as well as the formation of As3 and DMA. The importance of organoarsenic species not directly accessible to the formation of volatile hydrides is demonstrated. Their presence modifies assessments, reducing the deficit of dissolved total As in the euphotic layer to just 5%. For particles, the As content in phytoplankton was estimated at 6 μg·g⁻¹ compared to 20 to 30 μg·g⁻¹ in iron- and aluminium-rich terrigenous particles. These results do not invalidate the role of phytoplankton in the speciation of dissolved As but indicate that their involvement in vertical transfers was apparently not predominant in the zone under study.     

Morpho-sedimentary evidence of Holocene coastal changes near the mouth of the Gironde and on the Medoc Peninsula,SW France

The Medoc Peninsula is a triangular area of land between the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Gironde estuary on the east. The Gironde, orientated SE-NW, is the largest estuary in France. On the Medoc Peninsula Holocene sediments cover a substratum of Tertiary limestones and Plio-Pleistocene fluvial terraces. The Gironde originated as an incised valley during the Weichselian glacio-eustatic fall (100 000–18 000 B.P.) and has acted as a sink for fine sediment throughout the Holocene sea level rise (SLR) (18 000 B.P. onwards). Conversely, the Atlantic littoral zone, characterised by sandy beaches and dunes, has been subjected to erosion throughout the Holocene transgression.The incised valley of the present Gironde was inundated by the sea approximately 10 000 B.P. At this time, the rate of SLR exceeded that of sediment supply, producing a large accommodation space in which transgressive tidal-estuarine muds and sands were deposited. As the rate of SLR decreased around 6000-4000 B.P., sedimentation became more pronounced and the available accommodation space began to decrease significantly. Landward-derived fluvial sediments began to prograde over the tidal muds and sands, and a first generation of salt marshes formed in the lateral valleys. Around 2575-1420 B.P., a sandy chenier ridge formed at the edge of a first generation of salt marshes and wholly or partly separated them from the Gironde. On the eastern side of the ridge a second generation of marshes began to form after 1200 B.P. Reclamation of the first and second generations of marshes occurred during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, respectively. On the estuarine side of the eighteenth century dyke the modern intertidal flats and salt marshes began to form after the eighteenth century. Sedimentation within the estuary decreased the accommodation space and led to the increased transport of sediment to the shelf after 2 000 B.P. This process was also aided by climatic and anthropogenic factors. Future evolution of the Gironde estuary is likely to consist of further marsh growth and chenier development. However, future increases in the rate of SLR, and the degree of storminess, may cause a shift to an erosional regime in parts of the lower estuary.According to previous work [25, 66], three different dune fields migrated landwards across the Atlantic littoral zone over the Holocene period. A field of isolated barchan dunes moved landwards over the Plio-Pleistocene fluvial terraces before 5100 B.P. From some time after this, until around 3000 B.P., a field of parabolic dunes was active. Finally, a barchan dune field was active from around 3000-2000 B.P. to the end of the eighteenth century/beginning of the nineteenth century, when the dunes were stabilised by pine plantations. It is tentatively suggested, using these dates and dune morphology, that dune formation was controlled by sand supply governed by the rate of SLR. However, the role of climatic changes such as aridity, storminess, windiness and the associated effects of vegetation cover, is also likely to be important. In the future the Atlantic coast is likely to continue to erode, although the extensive plantation of the aeolian dunes with pine forests is likely to prevent large-scale transgressive activity.     

Genetic structure of the common sole (Solea solea) in the Bay of Biscay: Nurseries as units of selection?

Coastal and estuarine areas in the Bay of Biscay are essential nursery habitats for sole (Solea solea). Using three intronic markers, we investigated patterns of genetic differentiation among cohorts of juveniles (0+, 1+, sub-adults) inhabiting four major nurseries in the Vilaine and Loire river estuaries, the Pertuis d'Antioche strait, and the Gironde estuary. Genetic differentiation was not significant for the age 0- and 1-groups, but was among sub-adult samples (θ_WC = 0.017; P = 0.031). Hierarchical analyses of genotypic frequencies by nested multivariate ANOVA using redundancy analysis indicated that northern nurseries of Loire and Vilaine rivers had different patterns of genotypic variation with age than southern nurseries of the Pertuis d'Antioche and Gironde estuaries (F = 1.36; P = 0.007). Bay of Biscay nurseries appeared to be spatially structured between a southern and a northern group that exhibit different genotypic distributions. Genetic drift and gene flow explains this pattern poorly, but a statistical test (P < 0.035) suggested that the metallothionein (MT) locus may be significantly impacted by selection in southern estuaries. As metallothionein is involved in heavy-metal detoxification, and southern nurseries are known to be affected by cadmium, this indicates a possible correlation between observed genotypic distributions and some nursery habitat features in sole. Some selective patterns might also be proposed to explain patterns of linkage disequilibrium observed at amylase loci in three of the four nurseries.     

Relationship between hydrology and seasonal distribution of suspended sediments on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay

Numerous oceanographic cruises (with hydrology, water sampling, drift current measurements) carried out since 1980 on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay, together with available NOAA/AVHRR infra-red images, form the basis of a proposed explanation for the processes responsible for the distribution of suspended sediments on the shelf. The seasonal hydrographic structure of continental shelf waters is of paramount importance in sediment distribution. In summer, there is an horizontal stratification of water masses, and suspended sediment distribution is closely related to the thermo-haline structure. A fresher water mass with less suspended material lies on a thicker and more turbid homogeneous layer. During winter, when sediment discharge from the rivers often reaches its annual maximum, an oceanic thermo-haline wedge occurs on the shelf at around −100 m. As a result, winter turbidity values on the outer continental shelf are low (comparable to summer values), and a permanent nepheloı̈d layer is never observed. The wedge, which lasts for several months, may act as a filter, preventing transport to the slope. High turbidities on the external shelf and the continental slope are only measured in spring, when the thermo-haline wedge disappears. It seems possible that during winter time, suspended materials brought by rivers are deposited in the “Grande Vasière” (the “large mud patch”). It is postulated that the position of this mud patch is linked to the long-term stable location of the thermo-haline front that separates oceanic waters from the colder and less salty coastal waters.     

Suspended sediment transport from the Gironde estuary (France) onto the adjacent continental shelf

Current velocity and suspended sediment concentration measurements at anchor stations in the downstream extremity of the Gironde estuary indicate that during periods of high river discharge, a significant amount of suspended sediment is transported out of the estuary onto the adjacent continental shelf. The vertical profile of the residual (non-tidal) suspended sediment flux is similar to that of the residual current velocity, with a net upstream flux near the bottom and an overlying seaward-directed transport. The overall, depth-integrated result is a net seaward transport of suspended sediment out of the estuary. It appears that this net seaward transport varies directly with tidal amplitude.Aerial photography and water sampling indicate that during high river inflow, the downstream extremity of the turbidity maximum extends onto the continental shelf at ebb tide. The tidal and coastal current patterns of the inlet and inner shelf induce a northward transport of the turbid estuarine water, and at each tidal cycle, a certain amount of suspended sediment leaves the estuary; part of this sediment is deposited in a silt and clay zone on the continental shelf.     

Dietary plasticity of the oceanic striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, in the neritic waters of the Bay of Biscay

The striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, is an oceanic species that occasionally occurs in neritic habitats; in the Bay of Biscay it is abundant offshore and erratic in occurrence over the shelf. Given that prey assemblages differ widely among these habitats both in terms of taxonomic composition and of ecology, this would suggest that striped dolphins are able to shift from vertically migrating meso-pelagic prey to neritic or coastal prey types. We investigated the striped dolphin's dietary plasticity by examining the stomach contents of individuals stranded along the French Atlantic coast. 1109 prey items were identified belonging to 30 distinct taxa and their biomass was calculated. Fish accounted for 91% of the diet by number and 61% by mass; the rest was mostly cephalopods, crustaceans being present as trace. Specific composition included both oceanic (myctophid and sternoptychid fish; histioteuthid, gonatid and brachioteuthid cephalopods), neritic (gadids and anchovy; loliginid, sepiolid and sepiid cephalopods) and even coastal (atherinid fish) prey types, showing that these animals had changed their diet as they moved over the shelf.