Seasonal Variations of Plankton Food Web Structure in the Coastal Water off Usujiri Southwestern Hokkaido,Japan

The planktonic food web structure in the subarctic coastal water off Usujiri south-western Hokkaido, Japan was investigated from June 1997 to June 1999, based on seasonal biomass data of pico- (<2 µm), nano- (2–10 µm), micro- (10–200 µm) and mesoplankton (>200 µm), and path analysis using the structural equation model (SEM). In spring, microphytoplankton predominated due to diatom bloom, while pico- and nanophytoplankton predominated in the other seasons, except November and December 1997. The seasonal change in size distribution of heterotrophic plankton was almost similar to that of phytoplankton, and mesozooplankton biomass was high in spring. The path analyses suggest that the main channel in the microbial food web could vary according to phytoplankton size composition, indicating not only the classical food chain (microphytoplankton - copepods) but also the indirect route (microphytoplankton - naked dinoflagellates - copepods).     

Seasonal variations of water system distribution and flow patterns in the southern sea area of Hokkaido,Japan

Hydrographic data and composite current velocity data (ADCP and GEK) were used to examine the seasonal variations of upper-ocean flow in the southern sea area of Hokkaido, which includes the “off-Doto” and “Hidaka Bay” areas separated by Cape Erimo. During the heating season (April–September), the outflow of the Tsugaru Warm Current (TWC) from the Tsugaru Strait first extends north-eastward, and then one branch of TWC turns to the west along the shelf slope after it approaches the Hidaka Shelf. The main flow of TWC evolves continuously, extending eastward as far as the area off Cape Erimo. In the late cooling season (January–March), part of the Oyashio enters Hidaka Bay along the shallower part of the shelf slope through the area off Cape Erimo, replacing almost all of the TWC water, and hence the TWC devolves. It is suggested that the bottom-controlled barotropic flow of the Oyashio, which may be caused by the small density difference between the Oyashio and the TWC waters and the southward migration of main front of TWC, permits the Oyashio water to intrude along the Hidaka shelf slope.     

Satellite-derived measurements of spatial and temporal chlorophyll-a variability in Funka Bay, southwestern Hokkaido, Japan

Chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration has an important economic effect in coastal and marine environments on fisheries resources and marine aquaculture development. Monthly climatologies the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) derived chl-a from February 1998 to August 2004 around Funka Bay were used to investigate the spatial and temporal variability of chl-a concentrations. SeaWiFS-derived suspended sediment, MODIS derived sea surface temperature (SST), solar radiation and wind data were also analyzed. Results showed two distinct chlorophyll blooms in spring and autumn. Chl-a concentrations were relatively low (<0.3 mg m⁻³) in the bay during summer, with high concentrations occurring along the coast, particularly near Yakumo and Shiraoi. In spring, chl-a concentrations increased, and a large (>2 mg m⁻³) phytoplankton bloom occurred. The spatial and temporal patterns were further confirmed by empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. About 83.94% of the variability could be explained by the first three modes. The first chl-a mode (77.93% of the total variance) explained the general seasonal cycle and quantified interannual variability in the bay. The spring condition was explained by the second mode (3.89% of the total variance), while the third mode (2.12% of the total variance) was associated with autumn condition. Local forcing such as the timing of intrusion of Oyashio water, wind condition and surface heating are the mechanisms that controlled the spatial and temporal variations of chlorophyll concentrations. Moreover, the variation of chlorophyll concentration along the coast seemed to be influenced by suspended sediment caused by resuspension or river discharge.     

Dynamics of fatty acids in newly biosynthesized phytoplankton cells and seston during a spring bloom off the west coast of Hokkaido Island, Japan

¹³C uptake experiments were carried out at a station off the west coast of Hokkaido Island, Japan, during the period between late winter and spring bloom in 1997. The composition of newly biosynthesized particulate fatty acids was determined using a ¹³C tracer and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (¹³C GC/MS), and compared with that of particulate matter (seston). Two fatty acid compositional ratios revealed that diatoms biomass (16:1(n−7)/16:0, ∑C₁₆/∑C₁₈) were strikingly high in new cells compared with seston on 17 April, coinciding with the dominance of fucoxanthin. In this study, the Polyunsaturation Index (a measure of the percentage of C₁₆ fatty acids that are polyunsaturated) in new cells is generally close to that in seston, while there was a notable discrepancy between new cells and seston in surface (10 m) waters on 17 April. This large difference between new cells and seston is ascribed to: (1) an increase of newly synthesized storage lipids (mainly 16:0 and 16:1) induced by nitrogen limitation in the top 10 m of the water column; (2) an addition of earlier synthesized phytoplankton cells (high Polyunsaturation Index at logarithmic growth stage) and non-phytoplankton components (detritus and bacteria and zooplankton) into seston. The highest Polyunsaturation Index of C₁₆ fatty acids in seston (33%) occurred at 100 m water depth. This may be caused by “settling planktonic aggregates” or “diatom resting spores”. In the present study, it is reasonable to suggest that the Polyunsaturation Index of C₁₆ fatty acids can be a useful indicator for the ecophysiological state of marine diatom populations.     

Seasonal Changes in Nitrogen, Free Amino Acids, and C/N Ratio in Mediterranean Seagrasses

Abstract. Seasonal changes in nitrogen, free amino acids, and carbon were investigated in the three Mediterranean seagrasses Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa , and Zostera noltii. Leaves, rhizomes, roots, as well as dead plant material were analysed separately. Highest N-concentrations were obtained in the winter months, regardless of species or plant part. In contrast to the other two species, the N-content in Posidonia was higher in the rhizomes than in the leaves.
In the investigated species, marked differences in the free amino acid (FAA) composition were detected between species: Proline, lacking in Posidonia , was the main component in Cymodocea. In Posidonia , FAA decreased from 320umol g^-1 (dry wt) in leaf sheaths to 1.5 umol g^-1 (dry wt) in the leaf tips. The function of proline as a possible storage and/or stress metabolite is discussed.
High C/N values in dead P. oceanica and C. nodosa rhizomes as well as in P. oceanica wrack seem to be related to considerable resistance to decomposition. Low C/N ratios did not increase in detached C. nodosa and Z. noltii leaves, which began to decompose shortly after detachment from the plants.     

Standing stocks and production rates of phytoplankton and abundance of bacteria in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Standing stocks and production rates of phytoplankton and abundance of bacteria were investigated at 39 stations in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan during four crulses in October 1993, January, April and June 1994. Primary productivity was measured by the¹³C tracer method. Photosynthetic rate varied from 0.41 to 32.1 μgC/1/h with an average value of 4.67 μgC/l/h. Annual primary production was estimated to be 218 gC/m²/year. Annual primary production in this study was 1.8 times as high as the values which were previously reported at same area. The reason for the disagreement between our primary production value and previous values is not thought to be due to the difference of methods used for measuring primary production or the different Chl.a concentrations but to the method of estimating the primary production in the euphotic zone from thein vitro measurements. The distribution of bacterial cells in surface seawater was examined during the same cruises. Bacterial cell density ranged from 0.32 to 3.4×10⁶ cells/ml. The density was relatively high in the eutrophic regions of Hiroshima Bay and Osaka Bay In addition, a high density of bacteria was also observed in an area within Suo Nada where Chl.a was relatively low. The disparity between Chla and bacterial density in Suo Nada suggests that bacterial abundance can be controlled by the availability of substrates other than phytoplankton exudate.     

Changes in the abundance and composition of picophytoplankton in relation to the occurrence of a Kyucho and a bottom intrusion in the Bungo Channel,Japan

The Bungo Channel in southwestern Japan receives both warm, called Kyucho, and cold deep-water intrusions (bottom intrusion) from the Pacific Ocean. Abundances of Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and eukaryotic picophytoplankton were monitored from 18 July to 17 August 2001 to clarify whether advected picophytoplankton from the Pacific Ocean can grow in the channel or not. Synechococcus cells were further discriminated into low- and high-PUB types according to their fluorescence property in flow cytometry. From 18 to 25 July, the water temperature decreased by 3 °C at a 5-m depth at all stations, indicating the occurrence of a bottom intrusion. From 25 July to 4 August, a Kyucho occurred and the water temperature rapidly increased. From 4 to 17 August, a bottom intrusion and a Kyucho both occurred twice, although the intensities were smaller than those occurring until 4 August. From 18 to 30 July, the abundance of both Prochlorococcus and a high-PUB type of Synechococcus drastically decreased because of a bottom intrusion; however, the abundances rapidly increased due to the advection by a Kyucho. These advected cells increased from 4 to 17 August in the channel and Kitanada Bay. Changes in the abundance of low-PUB type of Synechococcus and eukaryotic picophytoplankton were less noticeable than those in the abundance of Prochlorococcus and high-PUB type. The present study demonstrated that oceanic picophytoplankton advected by the Kyucho could grow in the channel. However, abundances of low-PUB type and eukaryotic picophytoplankton increased higher than those of Prochlorococcus and high-PUB type did. Thus, these oceanic phytoplankters will be excluded when Kyucho does not occur for a long time. The co-occurrence of various types of picophytoplankton found in the channel is probably achieved by both Kyucho event and their growth capability in the channel.