Measuring chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> concentrations in the Sea of Japan using probe and flow fluorimeters

The spatial variability of chlorophyll a concentrations was studied from the data of two near-shore expeditions and the cruise of the R/V Akademik M.A. Lavrent’ev in October–November 2010 over the northwestern part of the Sea of Japan. The sections across eddies showed a maximum of chlorophyll a at a depth of 40 m. According to the data from the cruise, the chlorophyll a concentration was maximum in the north of the sea and decreased to the south. In parallel, the procedures for chlorophyll a determination were compared for spectrophotometry with a fluorescence probe and a fluorescence flow system. The probe data of chlorophyll a fluorescence showed a high correlation with the chlorophyll a concentrations by spectrophotometry. On the contrary, data on chlorophyll a concentrations from spectrophotometry did not agree with those from the flow system. It was shown that a fluorimeter in the flow system recorded dissolved organic matter along with the chlorophyll a fluorescence.     

High mortality and poor growth of green mussels, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perna viridis</Emphasis>, in high chlorophyll-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> environment

The current study was carried out from May 2014 to April 2015 to estimate the stock status of P. viridis in Marudu Bay. The gonad development was monitored by histological examination, while the population parameters including asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), mortality rate (Z, F and M), exploitation level (E) and recruitment of P. viridis were estimated using the lengthfrequency data. Results of the current study demonstrated that P. viridis in Marudu Bay spawned throughout the year with two major peaks, one in April to May and another one in October to December. The recruitment pattern was continuous with the peak in May to June 2014, which corresponded to the first spawning peak in April. However, no significant recruitment was observed from the second spawning peak due to the difference in spawning timing between male and female populations. The estimated asymptotic length (L_∞), growth coefficient (K), total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M), fishing mortality (F) and growth performance (ф) of P. viridis in Marudu Bay were estimate to be 117 mm, 0.97 yr^-1, 4.39 yr^-1, 1.23 yr^-1, 3.16 yr^-1 and 4.123, respectively. The exponent b of the lengthweight relationship was 2.4 and exploitation level (E) was 0.72. The high mortality, low condition indices and negative allometric of P. viridis in Marudu Bay is caused by a lack of suitable food in the surrounding water.     

Distribution of ephyrae and polyps of jellyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aurelia</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">aurita</Emphasis> (Linnaeus 1758) <Emphasis Type="Italic">sensu lato</Emphasis> in Mikawa Bay,Japan

We surveyed the distribution of colonies of polyps of Aurelia aurita sensu lato (s.l.) in Mikawa Bay, Japan. First, we surveyed the distribution of ephyrae of A. aurita s.l. at 75 stations encompassing the whole of Mikawa Bay in early 2008. A total of 37 ephyrae were sampled mostly from fishing ports. Ephyrae were most abundant around the islands located near the mouth of the bay, and decreased from the western part to the eastern part of Mikawa Bay. Next, we selected five fishing ports in Mikawa Bay where ephyrae occurred and surveyed the underside of floating piers and underwater overhangs of wharfs. We found dense colonies of polyps of A. aurita s.l. under nearly all of the floating piers at the two islands located near the mouth of the bay. Fitting a logistic regression model to the dataset showed that the percentage coverage of Aurelia polyps was significantly greater at the two islands compared with the other locations. In addition, the coverage of Aurelia polyps was greater when the coverage of other fouling organisms was in the range of 65–90%, and the coverage of Aurelia polyps was lower on floating piers with a vinyl surface and on concrete wharfs. The combined distribution of polyp colonies of A. aurita s.l. in Ise Bay and Mikawa Bay suggested that A. aurita s.l. in the two bays probably forms a single population and shoals of medusae mainly originate from protected harbors along the mouth-part of the bays.     

Effects of temperature on growth,photophysiology, Rubisco gene expression in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prorocentrum donghaiense</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Karenia mikimotoi</Emphasis>

To explore the effects of temperature changes on dinoflagellate bloom succession in the coastal waters of the East China Sea, changes in the growth, photophysiology, and Rubisco gene expression of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia mikimotoi, two harmful algal species, were investigated at different temperatures (16 to 28°C). The maximal specific growth rate and the maximal mRNA expression of Rubisco gene in P. donghaiense and K. mikimotoi occurred at 20 and 24°C, respectively. The photosynthetic activity of P. donghaiense was generally stable, but K. mikimotoi photosynthesis increased when temperatures rose from 16 to 28°C. The effective photochemical efficiency (F _q ^′ /F _m ^′ ) and the maximal relative electron transfer rate (rETR_max) of K. mikimotoi increased significantly with increasing temperature, and the lowest and highest values occurred at 16 and 28°C, respectively. It seems that P. donghaiense has higher photosynthetic capacity than K. mikimotoi due to its higher F _q ^′ /F _m ^′ , rETR_max, and photosynthetic efficiency (α). However, K. mikimotoi has a higher growth rate than P. donghaiense. These results suggest that the photosynthetic activity and genetic responses of dinoflagellates are species-dependent. It is likely that temperature changes affect species composition during blooms, leading to the observed patterns of bloom succession.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zostera marina</Emphasis> seed burial can be enhanced by Manila clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis>: A microcosm study

Seagrass seed bank plays a key role in the regeneration of new vegetation when seagrasses are removed by the natural or man-made disaster. Various factors may affect the development of sediment seed bank. We conducted a microcosm experiment to test the effects of burrowing and feeding activities of Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum on the burial of Zostera marina seeds in sediments. The effects of lasting time (3-hour, 1-day, 3-day, 7-day, 14-day and 28-day), clam density (0, 2, 4 and 8 clams with shell length of 3 cm in each microcosm) and clam size (shell length of 2, 3 and 4 cm at 4-clam density) on seed burial were examined in plastic microcosm cores (30 cm high × 10 in inner diameter) in a 28-day period. Results showed that the seed burial depth significantly increased with time, the density and the size of clams. No seeds were buried in the sediment in the cores without clams during the whole experiment period. For the 3-cm clams, about 91.61% of the seeds were buried in the sediment at the end of the experiment in the high-density treatment (8 clams at each core); while in the medium and low-density treatments (4 and 2 clams in each core, respectively), about 76.93% and 60.61% of the seeds were buried in the sediment, respectively. For the size treatments, large (4 cm) clams buried 89.56% of the seeds at the end of the experiment, much more than those of medium (3 cm, 76.93%) and small (2 cm, 61.50%) size clams. During the whole experiment period, nearly all of the buried seeds were at a depth of from 0 cm to 5 cm. These results suggested that Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum may play an important positive role in seagrass seed bank dynamics in the field.     

Diel Patterns in Chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> Specific Absorption Coefficient and Absorption Efficiency Factor of Picoplankton

Diel patterns in the chlorophyll a specific absorption coefficient of surface picoplankton, a*_pico (γ) (m²·[mg chlorophyll a]⁻¹), were studied at 7 stations under daily cycle of in situ light condition in the western subarctic Pacific and Japan Sea. All the data were normalized by dividing the anomaly with daily averaged a*_pico (γ). Opposite diel patterns were observed for the normalized a*_pico (443) and a*_pico (675) with maximum toward dawn or dusk and minimum toward midday at 4 stations under low-irradiance (LI) conditions and vice versa at 3 stations under high-irradiance (HI) conditions. The absorption efficiency factors at red absorption peak, Q _a (675), were determined by reconstruction with intracellular chlorophyll a concentration and cell diameter. The normalized Q _a (675) also showed diel pattern with maximum toward midday and minimum toward dawn or dusk under LI. The diel pattern in a*_pico (675) and Q _a (675) were primarily caused by changes in intracellular chlorophyll a concentration due to photoadaptation under LI. The diel pattern in a*_pico (443) was influenced by pigmentation, as recognized by blue to red ratio [a*_pico (443)/a*_pico (675)] under HI. This study proposed that the opposite diel pattern in a*_pico (γ) might occur for a wide range of algal species. The results presented here have important consequences for the interpretation of diel variations in optical properties observed in the open ocean.     

Molecular phylogeny of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chondracanthus</Emphasis> (Rhodophyta), focusing on the resurrection of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. okamurae</Emphasis> and the description of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. cincinnus</Emphasis> sp. nov.

Determining the taxonomic status of the red algal genus Chondracanthus based on morphological characters is challenging due to the similarity and high degree of plasticity of the thallus. Since the taxonomic history of several Chondracanthus species remains unclear, we analyzed the plastid rbcL and mitochondrial COI genes of the specimens from Korea and Japan, in combination with morphological observations, to examine their phylogenetic relationships. Our results confirmed the distinction of C. okamurae, which is separated from C. intermedius, and identified a novel species, C. cincinnus sp. nov. Three species (C. okamurae, C. intermedius and C. cincinnus) formed a monophyletic clade with C. tenellus. C. okamurae is distinguished by linear, narrow, cylindrical to compressed, slightly recurved axes, and a high-intertidal to subtidal distribution. It was collected from Korea and Japan, while C. intermedius was identified from Japan only. A new species, Chondracanthus cincinnus sp. nov., is characterized by linear, compressed, strongly recurved axes, and a low-intertidal to subtidal distiribution. Based on the molecular phylogeny using rbcL and COI data, we herein resurrect C. okamurae as a distinct species and identify C. cincinnus as a new species.     

Distribution of the primary production and chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> in the Kara Sea in September of 2007

The studies were performed from September 10 to 29 of 2007 in the Kara Sea in transects westward of the Yamal Peninsula, near the St. Anna Trough, in the Ob River’s estuary, and on the adjacent shelf. The concentration of chlorophyll a in the euphotic layer changed from 0.02 to 4.37 mg/m³, amounting on the average to 0.76 mg/m³. The primary production in the water column varied from 10.9 to 148.0 mg C/m² per day (the mean was 56.9 mg C/m² per day). It was shown that frontal zones divided the Kara Sea into distinct areas with different productivities. The maximum levels of the primary production were measured in the deep part of the Yamal transect (132.4 mg C/m² per day) and the shallow Kara Sea shelf near the Ob River’s estuary (74.9 mg C/m² per day). The characteristics of these regions were the low salinity of the surface water layer (19–25 psu) and the elevated silicon content (12.8–28.1 μg-atom Si/l), which is explainable by the river water inflow. The frontal zones of the Yamal Current in the Yamal and Ob transects displayed high values of the assimilation numbers, amounting to 2.32 and 1.49 mg C/mg of chlorophyll per h, respectively (the maximal for the studied regions).     

New polymorphic microsatellite markers derived from hemocyte cDNA library of Manila clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis> challenged by the protozoan parasite <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perkinsus olseni</Emphasis>

Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum is one of the most important benthic animals in the coastal north Pacific region, where clam populations have been mixed genetically through trade and aquaculture activities. Accordingly, identification of the genetically different clam populations has become one of the most important issues to manage interbreeding of the local and introduced clam populations. To identify genetically different populations of clam populations, we developed 11 expressed sequence tag (EST)-microsatellite loci (i.e., simple sequence repeat, SSR) from 1,128 clam hemocyte cDNA clones challenged by the protozoan parasite Perkinsus olseni. Genotype analysis using the markers developed in this study demonstrated that clams from a tidal flat on the west coast contained 6 to 19 alleles per locus, and a population from Jeju Island had 4 to 20 alleles per locus. The expected heterozygosity of the 2 clam populations ranged from 0.472 to 0.919 for clams from the west coast, and 0.494 to 0.919 for clams from Jeju Island, respectively. Among the 11 loci discovered in this study, 7 loci significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction. The 5 loci developed in this study also successfully amplified the SSRs of R. variegatus, a clam species taxonomically very close to R. philippinarum, from Hong Kong and Jeju Island. We believe that the 11 novel polymorphic SSR developed in this study can be utilized successfully in Manila clam genetic diversity analysis, as well as in genetic discrimination of different clam populations.     

Molecular ecological study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Siganus spinus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. guttatus</Emphasis> from Okinawan waters based on mitochondrial DNA control region sequences

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was sequenced to examine the genetic variability and gene flow of juvenile Siganus spinus and S. guttatus. In total, 461 nucleotide sequences were obtained from 69 specimens of juvenile S. spinus from Okinawa Island and Ishigaki Island, in which 17 variable sites and 22 haplotypes were identified. Haplotype diversity (h) was high (0.9244 in Okinawa and 0.8984 in Ishigaki), whereas nucleotide diversity (π) was low (0.0063 in Okinawa and 0.0059 in Ishigaki). The two populations were not genetically distinct. Siganus guttatus, which do not form large schools at recruitment, in contrast S. spinus, were also analyzed by studying 152 individuals collected off Okinawa Island, Miyako Island, and Ishigaki Island. Of 476 nucleotide sequences, 50 were variable, and 42 haplotypes were identified. Genetic variability values were high (h = 0.8766 and π = 0.0151 in Okinawa; h = 0.9640 and π = 0.0192 in Miyako; h = 0.9161 and π = 0.0199 in Ishigaki). The Okinawa population was genetically isolated from the Miyako and Ishigaki populations. As a result, genetic diversity was high for each of these siganid populations despite their being target species for fisheries; however, the degree of inter-population gene flow was higher for S. spinus than S. guttatus, suggesting that these species exhibit different dispersal strategies.     

Vertical Distributions of Larvae of the Clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis> and the Striped Horse Mussel <Emphasis Type="Italic">Musculista senhousia</Emphasis> in Eastern Ariake Bay,Southern Japan

We have examined the vertical distributions of planktonic bivalve larvae, particularly the clam Ruditapes philippinarum and the mussel Musculista senhousia which are common and abundant on tidal flats of eastern Ariake Bay, southern Japan. Submersible pumping gear was used to take samples at 2 stations every 2 hours during the spring tide over a whole tidal cycle and/or through daytime and nighttime. Water samples were pumped up from 3 to 5 depths from the surface to sea bottom. Regardless of tidal cycles, D-shaped larvae were concentrated near the surface, while umbo larvae were found at the surface to intermediate depths. On average, these larval densities were significantly higher at the station close to the shore than the offshore station, with no significant difference between daytime and nighttime and between flood and ebb tides at each station. The velocity and direction of water movement at both stations revealed remarkable difference between the surface and bottom waters. The larvae at the surface may quickly disperse and be transported elsewhere, while those in water close to the sea bottom may tend to be retained.     

Behavioral patterns and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in-situ</Emphasis> target strength of the hairtail (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichiurus lepturus</Emphasis>) via coupling of scientific echosounder and acoustic camera data

The present study focuses on the influence of target strength (TS) changes in the swimming angle of the hairtail (Trichiurus lepturus). We measured in-situ TS at 38 and 120 kHz with luring lamps at a fishing ground for jigging boats near the coastal waters of Jeju-do in Korea. Swimming angle and size of hairtails were measured using an acoustic camera. Results showed that mean preanal length was estimated to be 13.5 cm (SD = 2.7 cm) and mean swimming tilt angle was estimated to be 43.9° (SD = 17.6°). The mean TS values were ?35.7 and ?41.2 dB at 38 and 120 kHz, respectively. The results will assist in understanding the influence of swimming angle on the TS of hairtails and, thus, improve the accuracy of biomass estimates.     

Encystment and excystment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gyrodinium instriatum</Emphasis> Freudenthal et Lee

In the present study, we have investigated the conditions influencing encystment and excystment in the dinoflagellate Gyrodinium instriatum under laboratory conditions. We incubated G. instriatum in modified whole SWM-3 culture medium and in versions of modified SWM-3 from which NO₃ ⁻, PO₄ ³⁻, NO₃ ⁻ + PO₄ ³⁻, or Si had been omitted and observed encystment. Percentage encystment was high in the media without N and without P, while the percentage encystment in the medium lacking both N and P was highest. Moreover, to investigate N or P concentration which induced the encystment, Gyrodinium instriatum was also incubated in media with different concentrations of inorganic N and P; the concentrations of NO₂ ⁻ + NO₃ ⁻ and PO₄ ³⁻ were measured over time. The precursors of cysts appeared within 2 or 3 days of a decrease in NO₂ ⁻ + NO₃ ⁻ or PO₄ ³⁻ concentration to values lower than 1 μM or 0.2 μM, respectively. When cysts produced in the laboratory were incubated, we observed excystment after 8–37 days, without a mandatory period of darkness or low temperature. We incubated cysts collected from nature at different temperatures or in the dark or light and observed excystments. Natural cysts excysted at temperatures from 10 to 30°C, in both light and dark, but excystment was delayed at low temperatures. These studies indicate that G. instriatum encysts in low N or P concentration and excysts over a wide temperature range, regardless of light conditions, after short dormancy periods.     

Total Lipid and Fatty Acid Classes in Decomposing Mangrove Leaves of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bruguiera gymnorrhiza</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Kandelia candel</Emphasis>: Significance with respect to Lipid Input

Changes in the concentration of total lipid and fatty acids (FAs) during the decomposition of mangrove leaves were investigated by field experiments using yellow leaves of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza (L.) Lamk. and Kandelia candel (L.) Druce, in order to quantify mangrove contribution to lipid and fatty acid inputs to marine sediments. Total lipid and total FA in the fresh (green and yellow) and decomposing leaves of both species were significantly higher during winter than summer. During decomposition, total lipid content and FA concentration, in particular branched chain fatty acids (BrFAs) and bacterial fatty acids (BFAs), increased to a maximum concentration in 45 days during winter and in 17 days during summer. Lipids were lost faster in K. candel leaf detritus than in B. gymnorrhiza leaf detritus in which >90% of the total lipid original weight was lost during the summer experiment and <60% during the winter experiment. The changes in the concentrations of total lipids and FAs in the decomposing leaves also indicate that mangrove leaves are significant sources of fatty acids and probably other lipid compounds to estuarine ecosystems and that tidal waters transport the lipids and FAs adsorbed to particulate matter from mangroves to adjacent estuarine sediments and the ocean.     

Determination of the chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> concentration by MODIS-Aqua and VIIRS satellite radiometers in Eastern Arctic and Bering Sea

The waters of the Bering and Chukchi seas, as well as the De Long Strait, are investigated based on the data obtained in August 2013 during the scientific expedition of the Far Eastern Floating University on the research vessel Professor Khlyustin. Chlorophyll a concentrations calculated from MODIS-Aqua and VIIRS satellite data by ocean color and obtained by means of shipboard flow-through fluorometric measurements are comparatively analyzed. Vessel data are corrected for standard spectrophotometric measurements and the vertical depth distribution of phytoplankton. It has been found that, in the waters of the Eastern Arctic, satellite radiometers showed overestimated chlorophyll a concentrations in the upper seawater layer visible from the satellite. This is associated with the additional contribution of colored dissolved organic matter in the sea surface color. In the De Long Strait, satellite measurements incorrectly estimate the depth integrated chlorophyll a concentration, since the bulk of phytoplankton cells at a chlorophyll a concentration of 10–20 g/L is at depths of 25–30 m with luminosity of 5%.     

Spatial variability of the primary production and chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> concentration in the drake passage in the austral spring

The spatial distribution of the primary production (PP) and the chlorophyll a concentration (Chl) were investigated during two research cruises in the Drake Passage area in October–November of 2007 and 2008. The algorithm evaluating the integral PP (PP_int) for the water column in this area was developed based on the data on the surface chlorophyll (Chl_s) and the incident solar irradiance obtained in 2004–2008 in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean. The results obtained both by the experimental and model approaches suggested that the Polar Front (PF) region of the Drake Passage was characterized by low values of both the PP_int (<100 mg C/m² per day) and Chl_s (0.08–0.20 mg/m³) in October–November. Low values of the Chl_s and relatively high phaeophytine a concentrations indicated the winter succession state of the phytoplankton community in the Antarctic Ocean and the southern Polar Frontal Zone (PFZ). The seasonal warming of the surface water layers and the developing pycnocline resulted in a phytoplankton bloom and a Chl_s concentration of more than 1 mg/m³ in mid-November in this area and the Subantarctic waters.