Inter-decadal variability in zooplankton and phytoplankton abundance on the Newfoundland and Scotian shelves

Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) sampling on the Newfoundland and Scotian shelves covers three multi-year periods characterised by negative (1962–1971), positive (1992–2000) and negative/neutral (2001–2003) values of the NAO index. Water temperatures respond differently to changes in the NAO in different regions: a positive NAO index tends to lead to reduced temperatures on the Newfoundland shelf and to increased temperatures on the central/western Scotian shelf, and a negative NAO index to the reverse. Since the 1960s, the hydrographic changes due to the NAO have been superimposed on a freshening of the water column throughout the region, which is attributed to increased contribution of Arctic water outflow. Changes in plankton abundance measured by the CPR for the three time periods were generally, but not always, similar on the Newfoundland and eastern and western regions of the Scotian shelf, although Arctic species (e.g. Calanus glacialis, Calanus hyperboreus) were notably more abundant and warm water species (e.g. Metridia lucens, euphausiids) less abundant on the Newfoundland shelf than on the Scotian shelf. Three categories of phytoplankton (colour, diatoms, dinoflagellates) increased in abundance in the 1990s, and these increases generally persisted into 2001–2003. This is believed to be a response to the persistent freshening of the water column, probably due to increased stratification. The Arctic species C. glacialis and C. hyperboreus also showed persistent increases in abundance after 1992, perhaps due to increased transport from the Arctic, although the abundance of the Arctic slope water species Metridia longa decreased. Two groups, Calanus 1–4 and euphausiids, both thought to play important roles in the food chain, showed persistent decreases in abundance after 1992, especially on the Newfoundland shelf. In all regions, Calanus finmarchicus 5–6, Oithona spp. and Centropages hamatus abundance changed in association with variations in the NAO, although no common mechanism could be identified. C. finmarchicus 5–6 abundance decreased in the 1990s and increased after 2001, while the other two species showed the opposite pattern. Centropages typicus and M. lucens abundance on the Scotian shelf increased with rising temperature. This is attributed to increased production rates for the former and an increased influx of warm, M. lucens-rich, slope water on to the shelf for the latter. A comparison between ring net and CPR sampling on the Newfoundland shelf suggests that the Calanus 1–4 category is dominated by C. finmarchicus and that late stage C. glacialis and C. hyperboreus are grossly under-sampled compared to late stage C. finmarchicus.     

Relationships between particle-grazing zooplankton and vertical phytoplankton distributions on the Texas continental shelf

This study compares vertical distributions of Penilia avirostris and Temora turbinata with vertical distributions of chlorophyll a over short time periods at a station in the north-western Gulf of Mexico in the summer and early fall of 1978. In June and July 1978 chlorophyll a and turbidity increased below the thermocline. In September 1978 chlorophyll a was concentrated in the upper mixed layer while turbidity was greatest near the bottom.In June and July P. avirostris and copepodites of T. turbinata were concentrated within the subsurface chlorophyll a layer. Adult T. turbinata were more widely distributed than the copepodites in June but apparently migrated diurnally in July. In September, abundance of all animals generally decreased slightly with depth. This change in animal distribution reflected changes in biotic and abiotic varlables between this cruise and previous cruises. In all cruises, animal distributions were positively correlated with chlorophyll a suggesting that food was the primary influence on distributions of these animals.     

Ecohydrographic constraints on biodiversity and distribution of phytoplankton and zooplankton in coral reefs of the Red Sea,Saudi Arabia

An integral concept of ecological research is the constraint of biodiversity along latitudinal and environmental gradients. The Red Sea features a natural example of a latitudinal gradient of salinity, temperature and nutrient richness. Coral reefs along the Red Sea coasts are supported with allochthonous resources such as oceanic and neritic phytoplankton and zooplankton; however, relatively little is known about how the ecohydrography correlates with plankton biodiversity and abundance. In this article we present the biodiversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton in Red Sea coral reefs. Oceanographic data (temperature, salinity), water samples for nutrient analysis, particulate organic matter, phytoplankton and zooplankton, the latter with special reference to Copepoda (Crustacea), were collected at nine coral reefs over ~1500 km distance along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The trophic state of ambient waters [as indicated by chlorophyll a (Chl a)] changed from strong oligotrophy in the north to mesotrophy in the south and was associated with increasing biomasses of Bacillariophyceae, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus as indicated by pigment fingerprinting (CHEMTAX) and flow cytometry. Net‐phytoplankton microscopy revealed a Trichodesmium erythraeum (Cyanobacteria) bloom north of the Farasan Islands. Several potentially harmful algae, including Dinophysis miles and Gonyaulax spinifera (Dinophyceae), were encountered in larger numbers in the vicinity of the aquaculture facilities at Al Lith. Changes in zooplankton abundance were mainly correlated to the phytoplankton biomass following the latitudinal gradient. The largest zooplankton abundance was observed at the Farasan Archipelago, despite high abundances of copepodites, veligers (Gastropoda larvae) and Chaetognatha at Al Lith. Although the community composition changed over latitude, biodiversity indices of phytoplankton and zooplankton did not exhibit a systematic pattern. As this study constitutes the first current account of the plankton biodiversity in Red Sea coral reefs at a large spatial scale, the results will be informative for ecosystem‐based management along the coastline of Saudi Arabia.     

Seasonal dynamics and Trophic interactions of phytoplankton and zooplankton in the Vistula Lagoon of the Baltic Sea

The trophic relationships of the phytoplankton and zooplankton in the Vistula Lagoon in 2008?C2010 were investigated. In the current period, the lagoon is an eutrophic water body with summer blooms of blue-green algae. The trophic level of the Vistula Lagoon influences both the composition and quantitative characteristics of the communities of phytoplankton and zooplankton and the trophic relationships between them. In the analyzed period, the consumption of phytoplankton by the zooplankton on the average in the growing season was 28%, which is 1.5 times higher than in the late 1970s. The high grazing pressure of the zooplankton on the phytoplankton reduces its biomass, production, and the intensity of the blooming by the blue-green algae in the Vistula Lagoon.     

Size-differential feeding in Pinna nobilis L. (Mollusca: Bivalvia): Exploitation of detritus,phytoplankton and zooplankton

The endangered fan shell Pinna nobilis is a large bivalve mollusc (<120 cm shell length) endemic to the Mediterranean that lives one-third buried in soft substrata, generally in shallow coastal waters. We hypothesised that P. nobilis of different sizes would ingest different food sources, because small fan shells will inhale material from closer to the substratum than do large fan shells. We studied stomach contents and faeces of 18 fan shells, 6 small (mean 23.0 cm length), 6 medium-sized (mean 41.5 cm length) and 6 large (mean 62.7 cm length) living in a small area of a low-energy coastal detritic bottom characterised by mud, sand and macroalgae at Mali Ston Bay, Croatia. We found that all P. nobilis ingested copious quantities of undetermined detritus (probably at least 95% of ingested material), phytoplankton, micro and mesozooplankton and pollen grains. Large P. nobilis stomach contents showed a preponderance of water column calanoid copepods, while small fan shells had higher numbers of bivalve larvae. All fan shells took in high numbers of harpacticoid copepods that are benthonic, feeding on microbial communities of detritus and benthic vegetation. There was also a significant selection of phytoplankton species, some apparently occurring between inhalation and ingestion. The stomach contents of small P. nobilis had a higher organic matter content than either medium-sized or large fan shells; this indicated that small fan shells ingested detritus of higher organic content than did larger P. nobilis. As the faeces of all P. nobilis had similar organic matter content, this also indicates higher assimilation efficiencies in small fan shells. The demonstration of differential dietary selectivity by different sized animals has implications for future trophic studies of this endangered species. This study also provides the first demonstration of predation on zooplankton by P. nobilis.     

Spatial distribution and community structure of phytoplankton,ciliates and zooplankton coupled to environmental factors in the Sousse saltern (Sahel of Tunisia)

The composition and distribution of the main planktonic halophilic microorganisms were studied in 12 ponds of different salinity levels, ranging from 38 to 328, in the saltern of Sousse, Tunisia, in relation to environmental factors. Nutrient concentrations increased with decreasing salinity in the ponds. Phytoplankton, ciliate and zooplankton communities were very diverse and varied spatially in relation to salinity in the ponds and to nutrient availability. Phytoplankton were dominated by diatoms, followed by dinoflagellates, in primary ponds where salinities were <100, and by the Chlorophyceae and Cyanophyceae in ponds with higher salinity. Zooplankton were dominated by copepods in the ponds of lowest salinity and by the brine shrimp Artemia salina in the most saline ponds. Within the planktonic community as a whole, diatoms, Spirotrichaea and copepods (68.9%, 89.9% and 71.05%, respectively) dominated in the lower-salinity ponds whereas Chlorophyceae, heterotrichs and Artemia salina (49.19%, 50.4% and 90%, respectively) dominated in the ponds of higher salinity. Despite the considerable constraint imposed by salinity, other environmental factors such as temperature also play a role in regulating the planktonic communities.     

Abundance, distribution and patch formation of zooplankton

The goal of studies described here was to determine the responses of zooplankton taxa to phytoplankton patches which develop in and near intrusions of cold, nutrient-rich Gulf Stream water. To achieve this goal we determined the horizontal and vertical distributions of abundant mesozooplankton taxa on the south-eastern continental shelf of the USA between 29°30′ and 31°N. The study period was from June 23 to August 16, 1981. Highest concentrations of zooplankton usually occurred in and near patches of phytoplankton. Increased phytoplankton appeared to trigger the formation of patches of the calanoid copepod Temora turbinata and the cyclopoid copepods Oithona spp. and Oncaea spp. The patches of zooplankton had greater alongshore than cross-shelf dimensions. T. turbinata responded rapidly to increased concentrations of phytoplankton by reproducing and aggregating in and above intruded waters. Oithonidae which were often, but not always, abundant in phytoplankton patches eventually attained high concentrations over most of the middle and part of the inner shelf. Their concentration and that of Oncaeidae increased steadily. Oncaeidae were not abundant in recently upwelled waters, as was T. turbinata but reached high concentrations in older intrusions when the abundance of T. turbinata remained level or decreased slowly. Both cyclopoid taxa are thought to reproduce slowly (egg sacs) compared to T. turbinata. Another taxon, the doliolids, became abundant far more rapidly in intruded waters (by asexual reproduction) than did the other three taxa. Doliolids were the most opportunistic intrusion zooplankton form. They do not regularly occur in low abundance on the shelf, as do the three copepod taxa, but develop in pulses in regions where T. turbinata and Oncaea are not abundant. Of the four taxa studied the abundance of doliolids increased and decreased most rapidly, whereas Oithona and Oncaea increased slowly and did not decrease during the study period. T. turbinata and Oncaea were most abundant at 60% of all stations in the intruding water. Doliolids and Oithona on the other hand, were mostly in the thermocline and intrusion. Whereas phytoplankton patches, which developed in intrusions, were physically induced (PAFFENHÖFER and LEE, 1988), patches of zooplankton were biologically induced.     

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) removal by rotenone alters zooplankton and phytoplankton community composition in a shallow mesotrophic reservoir

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) are known to have effects on multiple trophic levels in New Zealand streams, but their impacts on lower trophic levels are less well understood within lentic systems. We examined the effects of brown trout removal using rotenone on zooplankton and phytoplankton community composition in the Upper Karori Reservoir, New Zealand. Significant shifts were observed in zooplankton and phytoplankton composition following removal of brown trout from the reservoir. Shifts in zooplankton community composition did not occur immediately following trout removal (February), but instead followed the likely timing of galaxiid spawning (July). The removal of brown trout likely resulted in reduced predation pressure on galaxiids. A major change occurred in the zooplankton community with the dominance shifting from larger crustaceans to smaller rotifers, indicating an increased predation pressure from the larval native galaxiid. A delayed response in zooplankton community composition change indicates rotenone was not the direct cause of this. A major shift in phytoplankton community composition occurred immediately following trout removal. This was not consistent with the trophic cascade hypothesis of reduced grazing pressure from larger zooplankton due to increased galaxiid predation as a result of brown trout removal.     

Study of zooplankton ecology in Zhejiang coastal upwelling system-Species distribution and diversity of zooplankton

The species distribution and diversity of zooplankton and the effects of hydrodynamic factors of Zhejiang coastal waters during the active period of upwelling are discussed.High dominance (low diversity), high biomass and short food chain were found in the landward margins of the central region of the upwelling. There were evident interactions between the distribution of zooplankton and the environmental factors. The expression of these interactions is that different ecotypes of zooplankton adapt to different hydrological situations. There is significant positive correlation between the diversity indices of zooplankton and the mean water temperature in the survey area. It is noted that the vertical distribution of Calanus sinicus indicates to a certain extent the colder water environment of the upwelling (Fig. 7, Table 2, Reference (Hargreaves, 1981).     

A hybrid spectral representation of phytoplankton growth and zooplankton response: The “control rod” model of plankton interaction

Phytoplankton species interact through competition for light and nutrients; they also interact through grazers they hold in common. Both interactions are expected to be size-dependent: smaller phytoplankton species will be at an advantage when nutrients are scarce due to surface/volume considerations, while species that are similar in size are more likely to be consumed by grazers held in common than are species that differ greatly in size. While phytoplankton competition for nutrients and light has been extensively characterized, size-based interaction through shared grazers has not been represented systematically. The latter situation is particularly unfortunate because small changes in community structure can give rise to large changes in ecosystem dynamics and, in inverse modeling, to large changes in estimated parameter values. A simple, systematic way to represent phytoplankton interaction through shared grazers, one resistant to unintended idiosyncrasy of model construction yet capable of representing scientifically justifiable idiosyncrasy, would aid greatly in the modeling process.Here I develop a model structure that allows systematic representation of plankton interaction. In this model, the zooplankton community is represented as a continuous size spectrum, while phytoplankton species can be represented individually. The mechanistic basis of the model is a shift in the zooplankton community from carnivory to omnivory to herbivory as phytoplankton density increases. I discuss two limiting approximations in some detail, and fit both to data from the IronEx II experiment. The first limiting case represents a community with no grazer-based interaction among phytoplankton species; this approximation illuminates the general structure of the model. In particular, the zooplankton spectrum can be viewed as the analog of a control rod in a nuclear reactor, which prevents (or fails to prevent) an exponential bloom of phytoplankton. A second, more complex limiting case allows more general interaction of phytoplankton species along a size axis. This latter case would be suitable for describing competition among species with distinct biogeochemical roles, or between species that cause harmful algal blooms and those that do not. The model structure as a whole is therefore simple enough to guide thinking, yet detailed enough to allow quantitative prediction.     

洋中脊-地幔柱、地幔柱-海沟与海沟-洋中脊相互作用

由热点假说的提出发展到静态地幔柱学说和动态地幔柱模式,到现在研究较多的大型火成岩省、脊-柱相互作用和脊-沟相互作用,海底构造研究取得了巨大进步。柱-脊相互作用可导致洋中脊的分段、跃迁与石化过程,反之,洋中脊的变化也可导致地幔柱的形态与直径等发生变化。洋中脊与地幔柱相遇可以出现不同的柱-脊相互作用。地幔柱除可以出现在离散型板块边缘外,还可以随板块迁移进入俯冲带,并出现柱-沟相互作用。地幔柱在俯冲带出现的位置不同,因而其对俯冲过程的影响和作用效果也相应不同,目前提出了6种地幔柱与海沟或俯冲带相互作用的可能模式。脊-柱相互作用和脊-沟相互作用对传统的板块俯冲作用过程是个重要突破。     

东山湾浮游植物的分布

福建东山湾浮游植物126种，其中硅藻106种，甲藻20种。按生态性质和分布特点，可分为广布种、暖水种和温带种。浮游植物平均细胞总量为998．88×104个／m3，年高峰出现于秋季11月，达3237．54×104个／m3，低谷发现于冬季2月，只有289×104个／m3，文中详细讨论了浮游植物的分布与海洋环境因素的关系。     

福建湄洲湾浮游植物的分布

本文根据1984年福建海岸带调查及1988年港湾志调查所获的样品资料,分析报道了湄洲湾海域浮游植物的种类组成、数量时空分布及其影响因子,文中共鉴定浮游植物127种,细胞总量分布为5月出现主高峰,8月为次高峰,2月为最低谷,其数量分布和季节变化与水温、盐度、海流和季风的影响密切相关。     

三沙湾浮游植物的分布

本文分析，鉴定了于１９９０年５，８，１１月和１９９１年２月，采自福建三沙湾的６４份样品。记录浮游植物１１５种，其中蓝藻１种，硅藻９７种，甲藻１７种。浮游植物细胞总量的年平均值为１７．５０×１＾４个／ｍ＾３，其年高峰出现于春季５月。达４３．８４×１０＾４个／ｍ＾３，低谷出现于冬季２月，仅１．１６×１０＾４个／ｍ＾３。     

基于浮游植物吸收光谱提取粒径参数

在南海北部、大亚湾及珠江口3个不同水体生物-光学数据的基础上, 研究了浮游植物粒径结构的变化特征, 建立了基于浮游植物吸收光谱提取的浮游植物粒径参数(S<f>)的混合光谱模型。南海海区不同的水体环境下浮游植物的粒级结构有着很大的差异: 在河口和沿岸水体小型浮游植物占优势, 在外海水体微微型浮游植物占优势。浮游植物粒径参数随小型浮游植物增多而减少, 随微微型浮游植物增多而增大。叶绿素a浓度从外海到沿岸逐渐增大, 浮游植物粒径参数随叶绿素a浓度的增大而减小, 它们之间呈幂函数关系。结果表明, 利用混合光谱模型得到的浮游植物粒径参数与南海海区不同水体的生物-光学特征(粒级结构Rpico和Rmicro、粒级指数SI、叶绿素a浓度)有一定的相关性。具体的相关性表示为: S<f>与粒级结构(Rpico和Rmicro)存在一定的关系, 与小型浮游植物和微微型浮游植物之间的线性相关系数分别是0.55和0.65; S<f>与浮游植物粒级指数(SI)有较好的线性关系, 相关系数是0.57; S<f>与叶绿素a浓度呈幂函数关系, 相关系数是0.64。这个混合光谱模型为从光学参数反演浮游植物种群的生态学信息提供了有效的手段, 同时又可用于分析浮游植物优势粒径结构对光学特性的影响。