Microbial food web contributions to bottom water hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Nutrients from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya Rivers greatly stimulate biological production in the ‘classical’ food web on the inner shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico. Portions of this production, especially large diatoms and zooplankton fecal pellets, sink and decompose in the bottom water, consuming oxygen and contributing to the annual development of an extensive zone of bottom water hypoxia, typically >15,000 km² since 1993. The microbial food web is also active in the Mississippi River plume, but consists of small organisms that sink slowly. This ‘recycling’ food web has not been considered as a significant contributor to vertical flux and hypoxia. However, gelatinous zooplankton, especially pelagic appendicularians such as Oikopleura dioica, mediate the conversion of microbial web organisms to organic particles with high sinking rates. When pelagic appendicularians are abundant in coastal regions of the northern Gulf of Mexico, they stimulate the rapid vertical transfer of microbial web productivity in the surface layer, which is only 5–15 m thick in the coastal hypoxic region, to the sub-pycnocline layer that becomes hypoxic each summer. In this paper we present results from two studies examining the significance of this pathway. In both 2002 and 2004, we observed high production rates of appendicularians in coastal waters. Discarded gelatinous houses and fecal pellets from the appendicularian populations often provided more than 1 g m⁻² d⁻¹ of organic carbon for the establishment and maintenance of hypoxia in the northern Gulf of Mexico. This source of organic matter flux is especially important in regions far from the river plumes and during periods of low river discharge. Autotrophic elements of this food web are primarily supported by recycled inorganic nutrients originating in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers. Sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) supporting the heterotrophic components of this microbial food web may include in situ production, the Mississippi/Atchafalaya Rivers, and Louisiana's coastal wetlands. If significant, the latter source provides a possible link between Louisiana's high rates of coastal land loss and the large hypoxic zone observed along the coast during summer. Both of the latter DOM sources are independent of phytoplankton production stimulated by inputs of riverine inorganic nutrients.     

Mercury in sediments of the Horwer Bucht (Lake Lucerne) and tributary streams,Switzerland

The mercury content of sieved, dried sediments from 24 sampling sites in the Horwer Bucht (Lake Lucerne) and its principal tributary stream system in Horw LU (Switzerland) was determined by flameless atomic absorption analysis. Mercury content significantly above background levels were found at several points. The distribution of mercury in the bay sediments implies that the Steinibach is the principal supplier of mercury to the bay.     

鄱阳湖水体溶解无机碳的季节变化、输送及其来源

为深入理解鄱阳湖水体溶解性无机碳(DIC)、碳同位素时空分布特征及其影响因素,继而了解鄱阳湖碳通量及其主要碳源贡献率,于2019-2020年典型水文季节对鄱阳湖湖区及"五河"入湖口进行样品采集分析,采用统计学方法初步分析鄱阳湖及入湖口水体中DIC及其同位素(δ13 CDIC)分布特征.结果 表明:(1)DIC浓度丰水期...     

Structure,diversity and stability of two oligochaete communities according to sedimentary inputs in Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

Two oligochaete communities were sampled monthly during one year in two 35 m deep locations of Lake Geneva (Switzerland). Organic sedimentation was lower and less variable in station 1 than in station 2 (157 versus 214 g C m⁻²yr⁻¹). The oligochaete community in station 1 was more diverse and more stable (persistent over time) than in station 2, as long as the organic sedimentation was low. Diversity and stability decreased in station 1 when the organic sedimentation increased, and during anOscillatoria bloom. The less diverse community in station 2 was more resistent to these changes. Diversity was associated with environmental stability, but resistance to perturbation was greater in the simpler community which is adapted to changing environmental conditions. The value of oligochaete communities as an indicator of the level of eutrophication was reassessed according to our present data. Changes in the structure of oligochaete communities were related to changes in sedimentation processes.     

Sedimentary inputs and oxygen uptake by the sediment in Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

Sediment cores and sediment traps were collected twice a month in two 35 m deep stations of Lake Geneva (Switzerland). The organic input sedimenting to the bottom is equal to 157 g C m⁻²y⁻¹ in station 1, to 214 g C in station 2. In spite of this difference, the oxygen uptake by the sediment (OUS) is similar in both locations (46–47 g C m⁻²y⁻¹). The oxygen uptake by the matter sedimenting to the bottom (OUSM) is respectively 45 g C m⁻²y⁻¹ and 41 g C in stations 1 and 2. The equivalence between OUS and OUSM implies that most of the sedimented matter arriving to the bottom is directly oxidized at the sediment surface. In station 1, OUS is positively correlated to OUSM, and OUSM is positively correlated to chlorophyll-a concentrations in the water column (0–20 m) one week before sediment sampling. In location 2, OUS is positively correlated to the percentage of organic carbon and nitrogen in the sedimented matter, negatively to its C:N ratio. Increasing allochthonous inputs have a negative influence on benthic respiration. At both sites, OUS is not directly related to macrobenthic biomass or to temperature of bottom water.     

Effect of eutrophication on species composition and growth of freshwater mussels(Mollusca,Unionidae) in Lake Hallwil (Aargau,Switzerland)

Species composition, relative abundance and life history of unionid mussels are compared between 1982–86 and 1915–19 in Lake Hallwil and the outflowing brook. The recent samples of unionid mussels were collected by divers, whereas the older ones were from a shell collection. The motivation for the comparison was that the trophic degree of the lake has changed since the beginning of the century from mesotrophic to highly eutrophic. The effects of this increased trophic degree of the lake on the life cycle of unionid mussels is discussed. Predictions are made about species composition and life history in the context of the ongoing lake restoration by the authorities.     

博斯腾湖表层沉积物无机碳及其稳定同位素空间异质性

2012年8月,在新疆博斯腾湖13个站点进行表层沉积物采集,分析无机碳及其碳、氧稳定同位素的含量和空间分布特征,探讨该湖表层沉积物无机碳(TIC)的空间变化影响因素.结果表明:2012年,博斯腾湖表层沉积物TIC含量平均值为5.5%,变幅为3.8%~9.8%,而δ13Ccarb和δ18Ocarb平均值分别为0.71‰和-4.4‰,范围为-0.23‰~2.27‰和-5.53‰~-2.55‰.从空间来看,湖泊北岸TIC值明显高于南岸,最高值出现在湖泊西北部的黄水沟水域,而河口区和湖心区最低.总体上,博斯腾湖表层沉积物TIC主要是湖泊自生的,其空间分布主要受开都河、黄水沟等入湖河水的影响,导致水体矿化度和营养盐的空间差异,进而影响了碳酸盐的析出与沉淀.另外,湖泊局部的水动力条件也影响TIC的保存与分布.δ13Ccarb与δ18Ocarb的极显著正相关说明近几年博斯腾湖封闭程度较好,尤其是东部大湖区,属于封闭环境碳酸盐沉淀.     

The cysts ofCeratium hirundinella: Their dynamics and role within a eutrophic (Lake Sempach,Switzerland)

The dynamics of theCeratium hirundinella population and the abundance of dinocysts in the plankton and sediments were studied in Lake Sempach in 1988. In 1987, a rich population ofCeratium (380 cells ml^–1) accompanied byPeridinium spp. developed in the lake. The dinocysts were found entrapped in a kind of flocs, in the deepest part of the lake, in the upper flocculent layer. The number of viable cysts ofCeratium in the sediments decreased gradually from April to July 1988. TheCeratium population increased slowly starting in April, and reached a maximum number in August (31 cells ml^–1).Peridinium willei reached 100 cells ml^–1. Newly formed cysts ofCeratium were recorded in the plankton and sediments at the end of July — beginning of August. They appear in the sediments as separate cells. Their number increased gradually, reaching a maximum of 600 cysts l^–1 at the end of October.Ceratium formed more cysts than didPeridinium, but the rate of survival of theCeratium cysts appears to be lower than that ofPeridinium cysts. In addition to their biological functions, the cysts also have an impact on the ecosystem as carriers of nutrients from down to up and from up to down.     

Bedding in Scottish (Fifeshire) Tuff-pipes and its relevance to maars and calderas

Along the coast between Lower Largo and St. Monance, in Fife, Scotland, Carboniferous sediments are piecerd by 13 exceptionally well-exposed basaltic tuff-pipes. The pyroclastic rocks, which are bedded in either centroclinal or collapsed form, were originally formed subaerially. They are separated by ring faults from the surrounding sediments which are turned down against the pipe margins. The tuffs in the pipes have undergone cauldron subsidence of at least 500 m. Clastic and magmatic minor intrusions, particularly at the margins of the pipes, accompanied the subsidence. As comparable amounts of subsidence are recorded in many basaltic tuffpipes (some with, others without ring fractures) in other parts of the world, it is suggested that subsidence may have contributed to the formation of maars. Comparison is made between cauldron-subsidence features in tuff-pipes and those of calderas.     

The high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in Nannochloropsis limnetica (Eustigmatophyceae) and its implication for food web interactions, freshwater aquaculture and biotechnology

In the eustigmatophycean Nannochloropsis limnetica the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is extremely high in comparison to different planktonic green algal taxa in freshwater ecosystems. The sums of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids in N. limnetica were ten-fold higher than in the other picoplankton Choricystis minor and Pseudodictyosphaerium jurisii, and higher than in the nanoplanktonic green algae Chlorella vulgaris, Monoraphidium neglectum and Scenedesmus obtusiusculus. The content of fatty acids in N. limnetica was highly variable under different culture conditions. The highest concentrations of PUFA in N. limnetica were found in non-aerated suspension cultures, with a high content of phosphate (40 mg l⁻¹ K₂HPO₄) in the culture medium: linoleic acid 22.19 mg g⁻¹ DW, arachidonic acid 10.52 mg g⁻¹ DW, and eicosapentaenoic acid 55.56 mg g⁻¹ DW. N. limnetica represent a high-quality food resource in freshwater food chains. Furthermore, cultures of this eustigmatophycean alga have a high potential for use in biotechnology and aquaculture.     

Bioconcentration and biomagnification of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) through lower-trophic-level coastal marine food web

Bivalves, crabs, fishes, seawater, and sediment collected from the inner part of Tokyo Bay, Japan, were measured for 20 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and 5 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners. To determine the trophic levels of the organisms, carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) were also measured. Bioconcentration factors of PBDE and PCB congeners increased as the octanol-water partition coefficient (K_ow) rose to log K_ow = 7, above which they decreased again. Biomagnification of PCBs and several PBDE congeners (BDE47, 99, 100, 153 and 154) up the trophic ladder was confirmed by a positive correlation between their concentrations and δ¹⁵N. Other PBDE congeners showed a negative or no correlation, suggesting their biotransformation through metabolism. The more hydrophobic congeners of both PBDEs (Br = 2-6) and PCBs (Cl = 6-9) were biomagnified more. It thus appears that PBDEs are less biomagnified than PCBs.     

Origin and chemical and isotopic evolution of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in groundwater of the Okavango Delta,Botswana

The origin and the chemical and isotopic evolution of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in groundwater of the Okavango Delta in semi-arid Botswana were investigated using DIC and major ion concentrations and stable oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotopes (δD, δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C_DIC). The δD and δ¹⁸O indicated that groundwater was recharged by evaporated river water and unevaporated rain. The river water and shallow (<10 m) groundwater are Ca–Na–HCO₃ type and the deep (≥10 m) groundwater is Na–K–HCO₃ to HCO₃–Cl–SO₄ to Cl–SO₄–HCO₃. Compared to river water, the mean DIC concentrations were 2 times higher in shallow groundwater, 7 times higher in deep groundwater and 24 times higher in island groundwater. The δ¹³C_DIC indicate that DIC production in groundwater is from organic matter oxidation and in island groundwater from organic matter oxidation and dissolution of sodium carbonate salts. The ionic and isotopic evolution of the groundwater relative to evaporated river water indicates two independent pools of DIC.     

The influence of bedrock orientation on the landscape evolution,surface morphology and denudation (10Be) at the Niesen,Switzerland

Landscape evolution and surface morphology in mountainous settings are a function of the relative importance between sediment transport processes acting on hillslopes and in channels, modulated by climate variables. The Niesen nappe in the Swiss Penninic Prealps presents a unique setting in which opposite facing flanks host basins underlain by identical lithologies, but contrasting litho‐tectonic architectures where lithologies either dip parallel to the topographic slope or in the opposite direction (i.e. dip slope and non‐dip slope). The north‐western facing Diemtigen flank represents such a dip slope situation and is characterized by a gentle topography, low hillslope gradients, poorly dissected channels, and it hosts large landslides. In contrast, the south‐eastern facing Frutigen side can be described as non‐dip slope flank with deeply incised bedrock channels, high mean hillslope gradients and high relief topography. Results from morphometric analysis reveal that noticeable differences in morphometric parameters can be related to the contrasts in the relative importance of the internal hillslope‐channel system between both valley flanks. While the contrasting dip‐orientations of the underlying flysch bedrock has promoted hillslope and channelized processes to contrasting extents and particularly the occurrence of large landslides on the dip slope flank, the flank averaged beryllium‐10 (¹⁰Be)‐derived denudation rates are very similar and range between 0.20 and 0.26 mm yr^?1. In addition, our denudation rates offer no direct relationship to basin's slope, area, steepness or concavity index, but reveal a positive correlation to mean basin elevation that we interpret as having been controlled by climatically driven factors such as frost‐induced processes and orographic precipitation. Our findings illustrate that while the landscape properties in this part of the northern Alpine border can mainly be related to the tectonic architecture of the underlying bedrock, the denudation rates have a strong orographic control through elevation dependent mean annual temperature and precipitation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Micro-hole and multigrain quartz luminescence dating of Paleodeltas at Lake Fryxell,McMurdo Dry Valleys (Antarctica), and relevance for lake history

Relict (perched) lacustrine deltas around the perennially ice-covered lakes in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica, imply that these lakes were up to 40 times larger in area than at present since the last glacial maximum (LGM). These deltas have been used to constrain ice-margin positions in Taylor Valley, and the boundaries of the proposed LGM ice-damned Glacial Lake Washburn. The timing of these high lake levels has depended on ¹⁴C chronologies of algal layers within relict lacustrine deltas. To provide additional geochronometric data for the post-LGM lake-level history, we applied photon-stimulated-luminescence (PSL) sediment dating to polymineral fine silt and sand-size quartz from 7 perched-delta and 3 active-delta sites of different elevations along 3 major meltwater streams entering Lake Fryxell. Our PSL dating of 4 quartz-sand samples from core tops in the seasonal ice-free moat of Lake Fryxell (elevation ∼18 m a.s.l.) and two core-top moat samples from the seasonal moat of Lake Vanda in nearby Wright Valley establish that adequate PSL clock zeroing (by daylight) occurs in regional, modern shoreline deposits. Minimum-age micro-hole PSL results from the moats are consistently near 100 a. Minimum-age micro-hole age estimates for the deltas range from ∼50 to 100 a near the present lake level up to 13.4 ± 1.3 ka at 240 m. These are systematically younger than the comparable, reservoir-uncorrected, ¹⁴C ages that range from 7 ka (cal yr BP) to 13 ka (cal yr BP) near lake level up to 20 ka (cal yr BP) at 220–240 m elevation. Our results indicate the occurrence of a dramatic discrepancy between PSL minimum-age and ¹⁴C age estimates that is presently unresolved.     

Relevance of inflows on the thermodynamic structure and on the modeling of a deep subalpine lake (Lake Maggiore,Northern Italy/Southern Switzerland)

Atmospheric exchanges largely dominate the heat budget of deep lakes in temperate regions. Heat import and export by through-flows is of much lower entity and has been neglected or simplified in many numerical thermodynamic models of lakes. This is often due either to the unavailability of data for inflows and outflows, or to the difficulties in forecasting the evolution of their discharge and temperature in climate change studies. While disregarding through-flows may seem correct, riverine intrusions can bring warmer water than the deep hypolimnetic one to the lower metalimnion and upper hypolimnion, where sunlight does not penetrate and mixing is poor. For holomictic lakes with significant inflow contributions, this can affect the thermal structure at intermediate depths, hampering any numerical model which neglects through-flows. This study focuses on a relevant basin under such aspect, Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy/Southern Switzerland), which drains the rainiest watershed of the Southern Alps. First, we quantify to what extent a one-dimensional fixed-level model ignoring through-flows is able to predict the observed evolution of the thermal structure of the lake and the improvements resulting from reproducing the main inflows and outflows. Then, we directly discuss the influence of through-flows on the thermodynamic structure of Lake Maggiore. The General Lake Model (GLM) was here adopted, reproducing the 1998–2014 period, spanning years with different meteorological and hydrological features. Results show that a calibrated enclosed-lake model can give satisfactory results only if it employs an unrealistically low light extinction coefficient to allow heating of the deep metalimnion and hypolimnion, whose real warming strongly depends on interflows.     

How does the body-scale model affect back-calculated growth: The example of arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus (L.), of Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

When back-calculating fish length from scale measurements, the choice of the body-scale relationship is a fundamental step. Using data from the arctic charrSalvelinus alpinus (L.) of Lake Geneva (Switzerland) we show the need for a curvilinear model, on both statistical and biological grounds. From several 2-parameters models, the log-linear relationship appears to provide the best fit. A 3-parameters, Bertalanffy model did not improve the fit. We show moreover that using the proportional model would lead to important misinterpretations of the data.     

Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in a marine food web from Liaodong Bay,North China

The concentrations of 21 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) congeners were analyzed in organisms within a marine food web collected from the Liaodong Bay, North China. The total concentrations of PBDEs in all samples ranged from 0.87 to 91.4 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight (lw). BDE-47 was the predominant congener and had a concentration ranging from 0.30 to 36.1 ng g⁻¹ lw. The trophic magnification factors (TMF) of the PBDEs were calculated using the trophic levels obtained from the stable nitrogen isotope ratios. The TMF value of ∑PBDEs was 3.50 for the entire food web and 2.21 for the food web excluding seabirds. Four concentration ratios, BDE-99/BDE-100, BDE-99/BDE-47, BDE-153/BDE-154 and BDE-183/BDE-154, decreased linearly with the increase of the trophic levels in the invertebrates and the fishes (p < 0.01). The results suggested that the PBDEs were steadily metabolized in the trophic transfer process along the food chain.     

Influence of submerged aquatic vegetation on size class distribution of perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus) in the littoral zone of Lake Geneva (Switzerland)

The abundance of different size classes of perch and roach in the littoral zone of Lake Geneva was compared between submerged aquatic vegetation and unvegetated zones. Samples were taken with gillnets during four periods between June and October 1993. During the vegetation period (June to September), perch 9 cm and roach 10 cm were more abundant in vegetation whereas roach > 20 cm were more abundant in open water. Perch larger than 18 cm and medium roach were equally distributed in both habitats whatever the period, whereas medium perch distribution fluctuated according to the period. In October, after the decline of the vegetation, no more differences in fish distribution were observed except for small roach, which were always more abundant in the vegetated sites.     

中全新世以来呼伦湖沉积物碳埋藏及其影响因素分析

通过对内蒙古高原呼伦湖沉积物样品总有机碳含量(TOC)及其稳定同位素(δ13Corg)、总氮含量(TN)和TOC/TN(C/N)值的测定,结合沉积岩芯AMS14C年代标尺,分析了中全新世以来呼伦湖沉积物有机碳埋藏速率随时间变化的趋势及有机质的来源,并探讨了影响呼伦湖有机碳埋藏的主要因素.结果表明,中全新世以来呼伦湖有机碳埋藏速率平均值约为2.06 g/(m~2·a),碳储量约为35.25 Tg C,且总体上呈现增加趋势.呼伦湖沉积物中有机质主要来源于外源输入,但近1000 a以来内源输入逐渐增加并占据优势.呼伦湖有机碳埋藏速率与温度和降水均呈负相关,表明在长时间尺度上,升温及降水量的增加可能对呼伦湖的碳埋藏起到一定的抑制作用.     

博斯腾湖水盐动态变化(1951-2011年)及对气候变化的响应

分析了1951-2011年博斯腾湖历史水位和湖水矿化度的动态变化特征,解析了博斯腾湖水量与水质对气候变化的响应及未来变化趋势.结果表明,博斯腾湖水位在60年内经历了两个突变时期,突变时间分别为1974年和1994年,湖水矿化度也相应地呈现了三个动态变化阶段,水量与水位呈极显著负相关,但水质变化滞后于水位变化1年;流域气温呈显著增加趋势,气温升高的突变时间为1993年,与开都河出山口径流突变时间一致,但降水变化不显著;1993年前,博斯腾湖水量主要受气温和人类活动双重影响,1993年后博斯腾湖水量主要受气温的显著影响,气温主要通过改变入湖水量及湖区蒸发损耗来调控湖泊水位和水质;未来气温持续升高情景下,博斯腾湖水位将面临降低趋势,水质也将有恶化趋势.因此,为合理开发利用博斯腾湖水资源,减少水资源无效损耗,抑制水质恶化趋势,确保流域可持续发展,建议将博斯腾湖调水时间集中在5-9月,并严格控制孔雀河流域工农业用水量及工农业、生活污染源,减少污水排放量,减少周边地下水开发量.