Seasonal variability of living benthic foraminifera from the outer continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay

Living benthic foraminiferal faunas of six stations from the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay have been investigated during three successive seasons (spring, summer and autumn 2002). For the three investigated stations, bottom water oxygen concentration, oxygen penetration into the sediment and sediment organic carbon contents are all relatively similar. Therefore, we think that the density and the composition of the foraminiferal faunas is mainly controlled by the quantity and quality of organic input resulting from a succession of phytoplankton bloom events, occurring from late February to early September. The earliest blooms are positioned at the shelf break, late spring and early summer blooms occur off Brittany, whereas in late summer and early autumn, only coastal blooms appear, often in the vicinity of river outlets. In spring, the benthic foraminiferal faunas of central (B, C and D) and outer (E) continental shelf stations are characterised by strong dominance in the first area and strong presence in the second area of Nonionella iridea. In fact, station E does not serve as a major depocenter for the remains of phytoplankton blooms. If station E is not considered, the densities of this taxon show a clear gradient from the shelf-break, where the species dominates the assemblages, to the coast, where it attains very low densities. We explain this gradient as a response to the presence, in early spring, of an important phytoplankton bloom, mainly composed of coccolithophorids, over the shelf break. This observation is supported by the maximum particles flux values at stations close to the shelf break (18.5 g m^− 2 h^− 1) and lower values in a station closer to the coast (6.8 g m^− 2 h^− 1). In summer, the faunal density is maximum at station A, relatively close to more varied phytoplancton blooms that occur off Brittany until early June. We suggest that the dominant species, Nonion fabum, Cassidulina carinata and Bolivina ex. gr. dilatata respond to phytodetritus input from these blooms. In autumn, the rich faunas of inner shelf station G are dominated by N. fabum, B. ex. gr. dilatata, Hyalinea balthica and Nonionella turgida. These taxa seem to be correlated with the presence of coastal blooms phenomena, in front of river outlets. They may be favoured by an organic input with a significant contribution of terrestrial, rather low quality organic matter.     

The mobilisation of sediment and benthic infauna by scallop dredges

We present the results of experiments to assess the immediate impact of scallop dredging on the seabed sediment and on the inhabiting infauna. The passage of the scallop dredge is shown to homogenise the seabed, flattening sand ripples. The turbulent wake entrains up to the equivalent of a 1 mm layer of sediment per unit of swept width, although an analysis of the finer particles material implies that the suspended silt material must originate from depths of at least 10 mm.The species most abundant in the sediment plume either swim actively in the water column or are found in, or on, the upper layers of the substrate, whereas those most abundant in core samples taken from the sediment, but not present in the net samples, are almost all tube-building or deep burrowing.The vertical stratification of sediment concentration and of animal numbers in the water column suggests that even if some of these species respond actively to the presence of the dredge, once entrained, they are transported more or less passively in the same way as the larger sediment particles.There was no difference between the core samples taken before or after towing suggesting that animals mobilised by the dredge resettle in the tow path. Our analysis does not provide any information regarding the fate of these animals.     

Pore-water distribution and quantification of diffusive benthic fluxes of nutrients in the Huanghai and East China Seas sediments

1 Indroduction The coastal zone and continental shelf area is an important region in the global biogeochemical cycle of nutrients in the ocean. This portion of the global ocean interacts closely with the continents, atmosphere and the open ocean in a comp…     

The ecology of benthic foraminifera across the Frisian Front, southern North Sea

Benthic foraminifera were collected across the Frisian Front, a biologically enriched transition-zone with high organic matter content below a tidal-mixing front in the southern North Sea. On four occasions between 2002 and 2005, box-cores from different hydrographic regimes (i.e. tidally mixed, frontal and stratified) at depths between 30- and 45-m deep were sampled. The results indicate that standing stocks and foraminiferal diversity are higher in the central zone of the Frisian Front than further away from the frontal zone. Most of the abundant species occupy a specific zone relative to the front's central position. Elphidium excavatum is abundant at the southern edge of the Frisian Front, where input of labile organic matter is high and physical disturbance (i.e. resuspension of fine-grained material) is relatively frequent. Ammonia tepida and Quinqueloculina spp. dominate at the front's center where organic carbon input is relatively high. Hopkinsina pacifica has its highest abundances at the deepest, northerly boundary of the front, and Eggerella scabra dominates the deeper, seasonally stratified Oyster Grounds north of the front. Differences in seasonal distribution patterns were minor compared to spatial patterns. Depth distributions varied between summer (more ‘epifaunal’ distribution) and winter (vertically more evenly distributed). The latter suggests that the vertical distribution of foraminifera is governed by the arrival of fresh organic matter at the seafloor in spring and summer. A comparison with foraminiferal abundances across the Frisian Front in 1988/1989 reveals that total abundances and distribution of the most abundant species were similar in both data sets, despite a macrobenthic regime shift at the Frisian Front in the early 1990s. The decoupled dynamics of foraminifera and macrofauna suggests that foraminifera reflect reliably the hydrodynamic environment (stratified, frontal, mixed), despite the changed macrofaunal community and its physical and geochemical consequences.     

东海陆架HY126EA1孔有孔虫壳体的氧、碳同位素记录

东海陆架HY126EA1孔有孔虫壳体氧同位素组成具有明显的阶段性变化.通过与深海氧同位素组成曲线对比,可将氧同位素组成变化分为5期,分别对应着冰消期、末次冰期极盛期、末次冰期间冰段、末次冰期初期和末次间冰期.碳同位素组成的变化与氧同位素组成的变化基本一致.δ18O和δ13C的相关性在不同气候期存在明显差异,主要受陆源水和海水交换复杂程度的控制.     

Filling the gaps one at a time: The Gully Marine Protected Area in Eastern Canada. A response to Agardy, Notarbartolo di Sciara and Christie

In a recently published paper, Agardy et al. [Mind the gap: addressing the shortcomings of marine protected areas through large scale marine spatial planning. Marine Policy 2011;35:226-32] discuss the shortcomings of several Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) including the Gully MPA, located 200 km offshore Nova Scotia, Canada. Although the paper's critical assessment of MPA effectiveness was welcomed, the Gully MPA received an out-of-date profile resulting in an erroneous analysis of current protection levels. This short communication has been written to set the record straight.     

The role of floating mucilage in the invasive spread of the benthic microalga Chrysophaeum taylorii

Chrysophaeum taylorii Lewis & Bryan (Pelagophyceae) is a mucilage‐producing benthic microalga that has recently begun to spread in the Mediterranean Sea, where a range expansion is occurring. This paper presents the results of three field experiments that aimed to increase the knowledge on mucilage provision mechanisms for this benthic microalga and to evaluate the importance of mucilage in its range expansion. By means of two correlative field experiments (several years of data were considered to encompass the variability of mucilage cover) we found that, on the sea bottom, mucilage cover does not depend on epilithic cell density and that both its cover and settling are affected by water flow. We also tested the hypothesis that cells embedded in floating mucilage fall on the underlying substratum, where their abundance depends on water flow. To this aim, in the field we manipulated the presence of floating mucilaginous aggregates in cages with different levels of exposure to winds. The abundance of C. taylorii cells on the substratum under cages with mucilage was compared with that of two control treatments: cages without mucilage and mucilage in still water, in the field and lab, respectively. The results suggested that mucilage can represent an excellent strategy for the species to disperse, as C. taylorii cells fall from the floating mucilage and, if the water flow is unimportant, settle on hard substrata just underneath the cage. This study enriches the portfolio of knowledge of the dispersal strategies of microalgae and contributes to the understanding of the spread of invasive species.     

Sedimentary labile organic carbon and pore water redox control on species distribution of benthic foraminifera: A case study from Lisbon-Setúbal Canyon (southern Portugal)

Rose Bengal stained benthic foraminifera were studied from 11 cores collected along two depth transects off southern Portugal: one in the Lisbon-Setúbal Canyon and the other along the canyon edge. The total standing stocks and distribution of foraminifera were investigated in relation to sediment and pore water geochemistry. Nitrate was used as a redox indicator, sedimentary chlorophyll a and CPE (chloroplastic pigment equivalents) contents as a measure of labile organic matter, and total organic carbon as a measure of bulk organic matter availability.The canyon sediments were enriched in organic carbon and phytopigments at all water depths in comparison with the canyon edge. Water depth seemed to control sedimentary phytopigment content, but not total organic carbon. No significant correlation was seen between pigment and total organic carbon content.The abundance of calcareous foraminifera correlated with the phytodetritus content, whereas a weaker correlation was observed for the agglutinated taxa. Therefore, calcareous foraminifera appear to require a fresher food input than agglutinated taxa. The foraminiferal species composition also varied with pigment content and nitrate penetration depth in the sediment, in line with the TROX concept. Phytopigment-rich (surficial CPE content >20 μg/cm³) sediments with a shallow nitrate penetration depth (∼1 cm depth) were inhabited by generally infaunal species such as Chilostomella oolina, Melonis barleeanus and Globobulimina spp. As the nitrate penetration increased to ∼2 cm depth in sediment and the pigment content remained relatively high (>15 μg/cm³), Uvigerina mediterranea and Uvigerina elongatastriata became dominant species. With declining CPE content and increasing nitrate penetration depth, the foraminiferal assemblages changed from the mesotrophic Cibicides kullenbergi-Uvigerina peregrina assemblage to the oligotrophic abyssal assemblage, mainly consisting of agglutinated taxa.     

南海北部海域表层沉积物底栖有孔虫分布特征及影响因素

有孔虫在海洋环境指示方面具有重要意义,对现代环境中有孔虫的分布及影响因素进行研究有助于利用有孔虫对地质历史时期的沉积环境进行还原。我国南海海域辽阔,南海有孔虫的相关研究很早便有报道。对我国南海北部海域表层沉积物中的底栖有孔虫分布特征进行了描述,研究区以玻璃质壳底栖有孔虫占主导,胶结壳其次,瓷质壳最少。根据底栖有孔虫的分布特征划分了4个底栖有孔虫组合,组合1为Heterolepa subpraecincta - Hanzawaia mantaensis - Rotalinoides gaimardii;组合2为Bulimina marginate - Lagena substriata;组合3为Elphidium advenum - Pararotalia nipponica;组合4 为Recurvoides contortus - Ammodisus cretaceous - Bulimina aculeata。对影响该区域底栖有孔虫分布的环境因素进行了探究,结果表明,温度、盐度、底质类型等对底栖有孔虫的分布均存在一定程度的影响,海流对研究区底栖有孔虫时空分布的影响值得进一步探究。     

福建海岛潮间带底栖生物群落生态的研究

对福建海岛潮间带大型底栖生物共鉴定862种，其中动物为734种，藻类为128种。对11个主要海鸟的潮间带生物群落测定Jaccard群落系数，应用加权均值联结法聚类分析及极坐标排序分析，海岛潮间带生物群落可分为3个类型：（1）开敞海域群落，宏观上分布于地处远岸水域的海岛或近岸凸出部、开阔部水域的海岛；（2）近岸港湾群落，分布于近岸或港湾的海岛；（3）河口群落，分布于河口区的海岛。群落种类组成和海岛所在地理集团及其生境密切相关。盐度水扰动程度是影响群落分 布的主要因子。     

Contribution of benthic and epiphytic diatoms to clam and oyster production in the Akkeshi-ko estuary

The species composition and dynamics of phytoplankton in the water column and its contribution to clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, and oyster, Crassostrea gigas, production were studied in the Akkeshi-ko estuary, eastern part of Hokkaido, Japan. A total 128 taxa of diatoms were identified, with 103 and 102 species occurring on the surface sediments and in the water column, respectively. Amphora sp., Bacillaria paradoxa var paxilifer, Cocconeis scutellum, Navicula sp., Nitzschia sigma, Paralia sulcata, Rhoicosphenia curvata, Synedra ulna and Thalassiosira sp. were most common and dominant in all stations in both water column and surface sediment. Benthic diatoms were most dominant in both water column and surface sediment. The species composition of epiphytes was, in part, similar to diatom assemblage of the water column and also to that of the surface sediment. The benthic and pelagic ratio in the diatom assemblage of the water column was very high. Benthic diatoms were able to resuspend into water column by turbulence stimulated by wind. Chlorophyll a concentration in the water column increased as wind speed increased. Seventy and 67% of the gut contents oysters consisted of benthic diatoms in 2003 and 2004 and also 78 and 87% of clams in 2003 and 2004, respectively. The availability of benthic and epiphytic diatom assemblages contributes significantly to food resources for clam and oyster mariculture due to resuspension by disturbance in the Akkeshi-ko estuary.     

Combining echo sounding,sediment and biological data to map benthic habitats in a coastal area of the Persian Gulf

Mapping surveys of coastal benthic habitat in Qeshm Island Geopark, Persian Gulf, were conducted using a combination of biological, sedimentological and echo‐sounding data. The survey area covered approximately 233 km² in a depth range of 5–25 m, and the data were acquired from a single beam echo sounder, grab, video and still photography. Sediment and macrofauna samples were collected by grab at 76 stations and subjected to classification and ordination analyses. Two acoustic classes were identified differentiating along the near/offshore axis. Sediment texture was dominated by fine grain sizes, with five distinct sub‐sediment types. In total, 214 macrobenthic taxa were identified, of which polychaetes accounted for 60%. Other dominant groups included young sponges, nematodes, malacostracan crustacean, bivalves, ostracods and ophiuroids. Underwater videos and still photos integrated the macrofaunal and sedimentary data and revealed a range of biogenic sedimentary features such as burrows and tubes. The biological data identified six main biological assemblages showing an inshore/offshore pattern. The macrobenthic abundance did not demonstrate a significant difference with depth, although polychaetes were positively correlated with depth. The highest abundance and species richness were observed at median depths. Species distribution and diversity did not show any correlation with sediment type. A preliminary habitat mapping of the south coast of the Qeshm Island Geopark has been carried out, integrating acoustic, sediment and biological data.     

Comparative biomass structure and estimated carbon flow in food webs in the deep Gulf of Mexico

A budget of the standing stocks and cycling of organic carbon associated with the sea floor has been generated for seven sites across a 3-km depth gradient in the NE Gulf of Mexico, based on a series of reports by co-authors on specific biotic groups or processes. The standing stocks measured at each site were bacteria, Foraminifera, metazoan meiofauna, macrofauna, invertebrate megafauna, and demersal fishes. Sediment community oxygen consumption (SCOC) by the sediment-dwelling organisms was measured at each site using a remotely deployed benthic lander, profiles of oxygen concentration in the sediment pore water of recovered cores and ship-board core incubations. The long-term incorporation and burial of organic carbon into the sediments has been estimated using profiles of a combination of stable and radiocarbon isotopes. The total stock estimates, carbon burial, and the SCOC allowed estimates of living and detrital carbon residence time within the sediments, illustrating that the total biota turns over on time scales of months on the upper continental slope but this is extended to years on the abyssal plain at 3.6 km depth. The detrital carbon turnover is many times longer, however, over the same depths. A composite carbon budget illustrates that total carbon biomass and associated fluxes declined precipitously with increasing depth. Imbalances in the carbon budgets suggest that organic detritus is exported from the upper continental slope to greater depths offshore.The respiration of each individual “size” or functional group within the community has been estimated from allometric models, supplemented by direct measurements in the laboratory. The respiration and standing stocks were incorporated into budgets of carbon flow through and between the different size groups in hypothetical food webs. The decline in stocks and respiration with depth were more abrupt in the larger forms (fishes and megafauna), resulting in an increase in the relative predominance of smaller sizes (bacteria and meiofauna) at depth. Rates and stocks in the deep northern GoM appeared to be comparable to other continental margins where similar comparisons have been made.     

冲绳海槽有孔虫壳体的微量元素Sr,Nd同位素地球化学

钙质生物壳的微量元素组合和Sr,Nd同位素组成是识别海底混合源沉积物中生物源物质相对贡献的重要参数.冲绳海槽有孔虫壳体强烈富集Sr,P,Mn和Ba,富集Li,U,Th,Sc,Co,Pb,Zn,Cr,Rb,Y,Sb和轻稀土元素,弱富集V,Ga,Zr,Nb,Cd和中稀土元素,相对贫Ge,Mo,In,Sn,Cs,Hf,Ta,W,Tl,Bi和重稀土元素,海水中微量元素的背景含量和生物活动对微量元素的选择性吸收是有孔虫壳体中微量元素发生富集和贫化的主要机制,冲绳海槽有孔虫壳体的稀土元素配分模式与海水和太平洋有孔虫的有明显差异,表现出中稀土元素相对富集,并具有微弱的负Ce异常.有孔虫壳体的Sr,Nd同位素比值也与大洋海水不同,分别为0.709769和0.512162,前者略高于大洋海水,后者略低于大洋海水,表明冲绳海槽海水明显受大陆河水影响.     

Patterns in the abundance of hyperbenthic zooplankton and colonization of marine benthic invertebrates on the seafloor of Saanich Inlet,a seasonally hypoxic fjord

This study describes changes in abundance of hyperbenthic zooplankton (including meroplankton) and benthic colonists at the seasonally hypoxic seabed of Saanich Inlet, British Columbia, Canada. We used the Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (VENUS) cabled observatory to measure water properties and to sample hyperbenthos with a sediment trap at 97 m from September 2008 to September 2009. Some faunal groups exhibited seasonal reproduction, and abundance peaked during their reproductive periods. These included larvae of the barnacle Balanus crenatus, and the crabs Petrolisthes eriomerus, Oregonia gracilis, and Lophopanopeus bellus bellus. Other groups were most abundant in spring and summer when food and oxygen levels were highest and temperature was lowest. These included cumaceans, the siphonophore Diphyes sp., the bryozoan Triticella pedicellata, and tintinnids. We also collected benthic colonists, predominantly bryozoans and polychaetes, on colonization plates deployed in spring/summer 2008, fall 2008/winter 2009, and spring/summer 2009. The total abundance of colonists and of bryozoans did not vary seasonally or with substrate complexity, whereas polychaetes were more numerous in spring/summer deployments and on a highly complex substrate. Taxon richness of colonists was higher in spring/summer 2008 than in fall 2008/winter 2009, whereas an anoxic episode in spring/summer 2009 reduced richness to similar values with that of fall 2008/winter 2009 levels. Substrate complexity had no effect on richness. Juvenile squat lobsters, digitally imaged in fall 2008/winter 2009, were most numerous when oxygen levels were lowest and potentially excluding larger predators. Our study illustrates how season, food availability, temperature, and oxygen can interact to shape community structure in a seasonally hypoxic habitat.     

The response of benthic foraminifera and ostracoda to heavy metal pollution in Gulf of Izmir (Eastern Aegean Sea)

Benthic foraminifera can be used as environmental bioindicators, especially in polluted environments where their sensitivity to pollutants may be expressed by a modification in the assemblage. Nineteen sediment samples were collected in November 2002 from surficial sediments of the Gulf of Izmir (Turkey). The Gulf of Izmir is located in Western Turkey and surrounded by a densely populated community. The gulf has been contaminated by numerous heavy metals, but geochemical analyses have shown that metals are significant pollutants only in the inner part of the gulf. Outer and Middle Sections showed low levels of heavy metals, except the estuary of Gediz River. Eight heavy metals have been analyzed in all the sampling points. Sixty-seven foraminifer and 22 ostracod species were identified in 16 sediment samples. Statistical analysis shows that there is a significant correlation between foraminifera species and heavy metals. The most polluted Inner Sections are dominated by the tolerant species Ammonia tepida that may be used as pollution indicator. The gradient observed in heavy metal concentrations between the Outer and Inner Sections has a prevalent influence on the foraminiferal distribution. There is a gradient of the number of species, increasing from the Inner Section toward the Outer Section. The occurrence of test abnormalities among foraminifera may represent a useful biomarker for evaluating long-term environmental impacts in a coastal region.     

Organic matter in deepwater sediments of the Northern Gulf of Mexico and its relationship to the distribution of benthic organisms

Sediment samples were selected from 28 sites across the deep (212–3527 m) northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM) as part of the Deep Gulf of Mexico Benthos (DGoMB) program, and analyzed for geochemical parameters related to organic carbon (OC) distribution and characteristics. The results of this study indicate that the OC content of sediments in the deep northern GOM is controlled by several factors; including water depth, overlying water productivity, sediment carbonate content, sediment oxygen exposure time, OC sources, and regional influences. The best correlation between sediment OC content, on a CaCO₃-free basis, and other parameters examined was an inverse correlation of OC with water depth. The OC/SA ratio had a wide range of values and, along with variable sources of sedimentary OC, indicated that the organism-available concentration of metabolizable organic matter may not be simply related to sedimentary OC content. This was perhaps reflected in the observation that benthic macrofaunal and meiofaunal biomass abundances were well correlated with sedimentary OC, but the abundance of bacteria in sediments was not.     

矾石浅滩抛泥区泥沙的运动规律及其对航道回淤影响的研究

１９９２年１０月在“珠江口航道整治规划”研究中应用中子活化示踪沙技术对矾石浅滩抛泥区泥沙的运动规律及其对航道的回淤影响进行了现场测验，就该抛泥区的合理性进行了分析。该抛泥区所抛泥沙主要沿矾石浅滩南移沉积，另有一部分西行进入伶仃航道，为减少航道的淤积，该抛泥区应适当向东迁移。     

Contribution of benthic microalgae to the whole water algal biomass and primary production in Suo Nada,the Seto Inland Sea,Japan

Biomass and primary productivity of benthic microalgae (BMA) and planktonic algae in Suo Nada, the western part of the Seto Inland Sea, Japan were compared in terms of unit area with regard to their seasonal and spatial distribution in 2002. Judging from light compensation depth and water depth, the southwestern part of Suo Nada was considered to be a potential habitat for BMA. Whereas the contribution of sedimented planktonic algae was high in biomass at the sediment surface, BMA was obviously significant both in biomass and primary production in the shallow southwestern part. However, the contribution of BMA to the total biomass in the entire water column was 7% in winter and 2% in summer. The primary production of BMA varied between 4.0 and 74.0 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ in the southwestern part, accounting for 2–12% of the whole water column primary production. The ecological roles of BMA in the Suo Nada ecosystem are discussed, such as reduction of benthic nutrient flux, oxidation of surface sediments and feed for higher animals.