Chemical studies on organic matter and carbon cycle in the ocean

Chemistry of organic materials of the suspended and sinking particles, and the evaluation of the particulate materials for the carbon cycle of the ocean are described in this paper. Organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) of the suspended particles collected from various areas of the North through South Pacific were determined with considerably high variabilities in their concentration. Higher values of the POC and PON were obtained in the surface water of the higher latitudinal areas of both northern and southern hemispheres and the equatorial Pacific, while the lower values of these organic elements were measured in the middle latitudinal areas of the Pacific. These facts clearly indicate that inorganic nutrients supply to the surface water layers from the underlying water is primarily determinative factor to govern the concentration of the POC and PON in the surface water layer. POC and PON concentrations in the intermediate through deep waters, however, are much less variable in time and space. Carbohydrates, free and combined amino acids and lipid materials were major organic constituents of the suspended particles. The organic composition of the particles was extensively variable in region, time and depth. Such change in the organic composition was mainly caused by the production and decay of the free and combined amino acids, lipid materials and water extractable carbohydrate. Sinking particle which has high sinking rate over 100 m day⁻¹ and can be collected only by sediment trap, also consists of carbohydrates, free and combined amino acids and lipid materials. A detailed analysis of the particle indicate that the sinking particle was much different from the suspended particle from the intermediate through deep waters in terms of the abundance of the biologically susceptible organic materials such as unsaturated hydrocarbon, fatty acid and water extractable carbohydrate often found in phytoplankton. These facts clearly indicate that the sinking particle plays an important role on the vertical transport of the biologically susceptible organic materials from the surface water to the deep water. Vertical flux of organic materials in various water depths was extensively measured in the North Pacific and Antarctic Ocean using the depth-series sediment trap system to collect the sinking particles from various depths of the waters. Regional and seasonal variabilities of the organic carbon flux at the various depths were obviously observed, however the attenuation rate of the organic carbon flux in the intermediate through deep water was not changed so much irrespective of the sampling time and region. The time-series sediment trap system was also using to determine the seasonal variation of the organic carbon flux. An average organic carbon flux at 1 km depth from this trap system was almost comparable to the amount of organic carbon degraded in the water deeper than 1 km depth, which was calculated from oxygen consumption rate of the deep water. Thus, it is clear that the sinking particle must play an important role in the carbon cycle of the deep water.     

Measurements of biomass and activity of neustonic microorganisms

Microlayer samples from a coastal marine area near Marseilles (France) collected in 1979 and 1980 have been analysed for POC, PON, chlorophyll a, ATP, cell counts, carbon fixation and in some cases for heterotrophic activity. Comparison of microlayer data with those of underlying water showed in most cases enrichment of organic matter and microorganisms in the surface microlayer. Carbon fixation values were comparable to those observed at 0·50 m except in the slicks, where phytoneustonic activity was higher than that of the underlying phytoplankton. Though total heterotrophic activity was higher in the surface film, the turnover time was not significantly different in both microlayer and underlying water. Our data show that enrichment is highly dependent on sea conditions; whenever slicks are present, the surface film seems to function like an eutrophic system, including active living material, although detritus is regularly present in large amounts.     

Particle flux through the Huanghai Sea cold water mass

Settling particulate matter （SPM） was collected by using sediment traps at four stations in a survey section from Qingdao to Cheju-do, across the Huanghai Sea cold water mass （HSCWM）, in August 2002. The sediment traps were planted in three layers： the upper layer of the thermocline （ULT） above the HSCWM, the lower layer of the thermocline （LLT）, and the bottom layer of water column （BL）. To determine the particle flux, the contents of organic carbon （POC）, organic nitrogen （PON）, total carbon （PC）, and total phosphorous （PP） in SPM were analyzed, and two flux models （Ⅰ and Ⅱ） were improved to calculate the resuspension ratio, with an assumption in Model Ⅰ that the vertical flux of SPM in the LLT equals the net vertical flux of SPM in the whole water column. An X value, i.e., the fraction of the resuspension flux originating from the surficial sediments nearby the sampling station, was deduced from Model Ⅰ to estimate the contribution of lateral currents to the total resuspension flux. The results showed that inorganic particles, fecal pellets, and miscellaneous aggregates were the major types of SPM in the HSCWM, and the contents of POC, PON, PC, and PP all decreased with water depth. A great deal of fecal pellets found in the LLT indicates that the main space producing biogenic SPM is the thermocline, and especially the LLT, where the C/N ratio is lower than that in the ULT. The resuspension ratios, 90%-96% among stations, imply strong impact ofresuspension on particle flux in the BL. These values were not significantly different between the two flux models, suggesting that the hypothesis in Model Ⅰ that the flux in the LLT equaling the net flux to the bottom is acceptable for shallow waters with stratification like the HSCWM. The POC export ratio from the HSCWM ranges from 35% to 68%. It benefits from the short sinking distance in shallow water. The upwelling in the HSCWM enhanced the POC flux through the water mass, and the lateral currents provides up to being greater than 50% ofresuspension flux in the BL according to evaluation of the X value.     

POC fluxes from euphotic zone estimated from 234Th deficiency in winter in the northwestern North Pacific Ocean

1IntroductionThefluxesofcarbon,nutrients,andassoci-atedelementsinvolvedinthebiogeochemicalcyclesoutoftheeuphoticzoneareimportantinthestudyofglobalCO2 change.Someworkershaveproposedthatatthesteadystatethefluxofparticulateorganiccarbonoutoftheeuphoticzoneequalsthenewproduction(EppleyandPe-terson,1979;Eppley,1989).Generallytwometh-odscanbeemployedtoobtainthefluxdata.Oneistousesedimenttrapsintheupperocean(<200m)orfloatingsedimenttraps.Thoughthesedimenttraptechnologyhasshowntobeuse-fulfortimeser…     

普里兹湾水体悬浮颗粒物天然15N

本文研究了南极普里兹湾海域悬浮颗粒物中的天然15N丰度,并就δ15N与POC、PON等生化要素之间的相关性进行了讨论,对δ15N含量分布特征的形成机制及其与物理、生物学过程的耦合进行了探讨,给出了南极普里兹湾悬浮颗粒物中的δ15N与POC、PON含量呈负相关关系;表层水中δ15N、POC和PON的分布和δ15N的垂直分布可能与涡流有关.     

2016年夏季黄、渤海颗粒有机碳的分布特征及影响因素

本文根据2016年6-7月黄、渤海航次获得的调查数据,分析了黄、渤海海域颗粒有机碳（POC）的浓度变化、空间分布特征并结合盐度、叶绿素a、POC/PON、POC/Chl a平面分布特征和相关性分析,探讨了黄、渤海海域POC的来源和影响因素。结果表明:2016年夏季渤海海域POC平均浓度（500.2±226.5）μg/L,北黄海POC平均浓度（358.2±101.5）μg/L,南黄海POC平均浓度（321.0±158.1）μg/L,渤海海域POC浓度高于黄海,整个海域POC浓度表层高于底层。POC的平面分布特征为近岸高,外海低。调查海域表层POC/PON均值为8.89,POC/Chl a均值为182.52;中层POC/PON均值为8.87,POC/Chl a均值为179.56;底层POC/PON均值为9.41,POC/Chl a均值为178.80。黄海海域浒苔衰败对POC/PON与POC/Chl a影响较大。相关性分析结果表明渤海海域盐度、总悬浮物和叶绿素a与POC存在显著的相关性,是影响POC分布的主要控制因素。南黄海除表层POC浓度与盐度、总悬浮物和叶绿素a浓度有很好的相关性外,中层和底层POC浓度与盐度、总悬浮物和叶绿素a浓度不存在显著的相关性。渤海海域POC主要受陆源和浮游植物共同影响,浮游植物是POC的主要贡献者,而黄海海域POC受长江冲淡水、黄海暖流、苏北沿岸流、生物活动和底层沉积物等多种因素影响,其中苏北近岸和青岛外海,有机碎屑为POC的主要贡献者。     

东海陆架典型断面颗粒态氨基酸的分布及控制因素分析

采用高效液相色谱法,通过现场调查对东海典型PN断面(文中为C断面)的颗粒态氨基酸(Particulate Amino Acids,PAA)进行了分析,并结合叶绿素a(Chla)、颗粒有机碳(POC)、颗粒有机氮(PON)及颗粒态氨基酸的构型特征(D和L型)等参数探讨了该区颗粒有机氮的来源和降解情况。结果表明,在长江口最大浑浊带,受咸淡水混合和生物现场生产双重作用影响,POC、PON以及PAA的总浓度均达到了极大值,其中,受再悬浮作用影响,底层水体中的有机物呈现高度降解的状态;近岸水华区域的颗粒态氨基酸则更多来源于现场生产,而且POC/Chla质量比值与降解因子DI值的负相关特征表明冲淡水向海洋输送的过程中,现场生产力对颗粒有机碳的贡献比重逐渐增大,悬浮颗粒物也变得越来越新鲜。值得关注的是,一些D型氨基酸[如D型天冬氨酸(D-Asp),D型丙氨酸(D-Ala)]与细菌生物量之间存在良好的正相关性,暗示颗粒态氨基酸在受到物理水团和生物现场生产作用控制的同时,还受控于微微型浮游生物以及异养细菌。     

Further investigations on why POC concentrations differ in samples collected by Niskin bottle and in situ pump

Particulate organic carbon (POC) concentrations measured in bottles are often higher than those measured by in situ pumps when samples are taken concurrently. In previous work, we suggested that differential collection of zooplankton might explain this systematic discrepancy in POC between these small volume (bottle) and large volume (in situ pump) techniques. We have now further quantified the carbon contributed by zooplankton collected in the >70-μm particulate fractions from both bottles and pumps at sites in the Mediterranean Sea and Long Island Sound. Our results show that zooplankton abundance and lipid concentrations from zooplankton are one order of magnitude higher in the bottles than in the pumps, supporting the idea that part of the pump–bottle difference is due to collection of more zooplankton by the bottles. Particle washout off the 70-μm mesh used in the in situ pump may cause loss of some particles as well. However, zooplankton in the >70-μm fraction from the bottles contributed only about 1–2 μM POC, which cannot explain the up to 20 μM POC differences observed in this study. Thus, the mechanisms leading to such a large POC difference are still unclear and need to be further investigated. POC concentrations measured using microquartz filters were similar to those using glass fiber filters, suggesting that filter types cannot explain the higher POC observed in bottles, where glass fiber filters are normally used. Furthermore, we investigated several different pump inlet designs to determine how these might affect the ability of pumps to collect and retain large (>70 μm) particles, including zooplankton. The comparison among different pump inlets suggests that inlet design affects the efficiency and retention of large particles and that a sealed filter holder with a narrow right-angle tubular opening is the most efficient at catching/retaining zooplankton.     

On the accuracy of upper ocean particulate organic carbon export fluxes estimated from 234Th/238U disequilibrium

An analysis of the ²³⁴Th method for determining the export flux of particulate organic carbon (P_POC) from the upper ocean using in situ pumps or water bottles shows that the accuracy of the method (the ratio of the experimental value of P_POC divided by the true POC flux, F_POC), defined as the p-ratio, is equal to the mean settling velocity of particulate ²³⁴Th divided by that of POC. Therefore, P_POC is equivalent to the true POC flux (F_POC) and the p-ratio is equal to unity if, and only if, POC and particulate ²³⁴Th have the same mean sinking velocities. A simple particle settling model is discussed that invokes Stokes’ Law settling velocities, volume:surface area (V:SA) fractionation of C:²³⁴Th and two assemblages of particles having different sizes and densities. The model is used to illustrate the ranges of parameter values that conform to values of the p-ratio sufficiently close to unity that the experimentally determined POC flux can be considered to be an accurate representation of the true POC flux.Despite the over-simplification of real systems implicit in the model, the results suggest that p-ratios<1, equivalent to an under-estimate of the POC flux, are representative of single particle settling regimes in which the larger particles dominate the vertical flux. This follows from the assumption that the ratio of C/²³⁴Th on particles is governed by the volume to surface area (V:SA) ratio of the particles. This results in a greater proportion of ²³⁴Th compared to C being associated with the smaller, more slowly settling particles and, as a result, normalization of the POC flux to the ²³⁴Th flux provides an under-estimate of the former quantity. However, when the smaller particle assemblage dominates the vertical flux, as could occur in open ocean regimes having high aeolian inputs of dense, rapidly settling, inorganic particles, then the p-ratio could exceed unity (p-ratio >1) resulting in an over-estimate of the POC flux using the ²³⁴Th method. High levels of flocculation associated with phytoplankton blooms in productive regions of the ocean are likely to produce p-ratios approaching unity, because flocs would tend to preserve the V:SA partitioning of the original particle size distribution and thereby minimize differences in the mean settling speeds of POC and particulate ²³⁴Th (Waite, A.W., Hill, P.S., 2006. Flocculation, phytoplankton and the accuracy of ²³⁴Th-based estimates of the vertical flux of particulate organic carbon in the sea. Marine Chemistry in press). Selective sampling of the large particle fraction using, for example, 53-μm screens can produce a more accurate estimate of the true POC flux, but may not entirely shift the p-ratio to a value of unity.     

Biogeochemical responses to late-winter storms in the Sargasso Sea,III—Estimates of export production using 234Th:238U disequilibria and sediment traps

Direct measurements of new production and carbon export in the subtropical North Atlantic Ocean appear to be too low when compared to geochemical-based estimates. It has been hypothesized that episodic inputs of new nutrients into surface water via the passage of mesoscale eddies or winter storms may resolve at least some of this discrepancy. Here, we investigated particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and biogenic silica (BSiO₂) export using a combination of water column ²³⁴Th:²³⁸U disequilibria and free-floating sediment traps during and immediately following two weather systems encountered in February and March 2004. While these storms resulted in a 2–4-fold increase in mixed layer NO₃ inventories, total chlorophyll a and an increase in diatom biomass, the systems were dominated by generally low ²³⁴Th:²³⁸U disequilibria, suggesting limited particle export. Several ²³⁴Th models were tested, with only those including non-steady state and vertical upwelling processes able to describe the observed ²³⁴Th activities. Although upwelling velocities were not measured directly in this study, the ²³⁴Th model suggests reasonable rates of 2.2–3.7 m d^?1.Given the uncertainties associated with ²³⁴Th derived particle export rates and sediment traps, both were used to provide a range in sinking particle fluxes from the upper ocean during the study. ²³⁴Th particle fluxes were determined applying the more commonly used steady state, one-dimensional model with element/²³⁴Th ratios measured in sediment traps. Export fluxes at 200 m ranged from 1.91±0.20 to 4.92±1.22 mmol C m^?2 d^?1, 0.25±0.08 to 0.54±0.09 mmol N m^?2 d^?1, and 0.22±0.04 to 0.50±0.06 mmol Si m^?2 d^?1. POC export efficiencies (Primary Production/Export) were not significantly different from the annual average or from time periods without storms, although absolute POC fluxes were elevated by 1–11%. This increase was not sufficient, however, to resolve the discrepancy between our observations and geochemical-based estimates of particle export. Comparison of PON export rates with simultaneous measurements of NO₃^? uptake derived new production rates suggest that only a fraction, <35%, of new production was exported as particles to deep waters during these events. Measured bSiO₂ export rates were more than a factor of two higher (p<0.01) than the annual average, with storm events contributing as much as 50% of annual bSiO₂ export in the Sargasso Sea. Furthermore it appears that 65–95% (average 86±14%) of the total POC export measured in this study was due to diatoms.Combined these results suggest that winter storms do not significantly increase POC and PON export to depth. Rather, these storms may play a role in the export of bSiO₂ to deep waters. Given the slower remineralization rates of bSiO₂ relative to POC and PON, this transport may, over time, slowly decrease water column silicate inventories, and further drive the Sargasso Sea towards increasing silica limitation. These storm events may further affect the quality of the POC and PON exported, given the large association of this material with diatoms during these periods.     

天津近岸浮游植物群落对海洋酸化和硝酸盐加富的响应

为了评估海洋酸化和富营养化耦合作用对近海浮游生态环境的影响,本研究以天津市近岸海域浮游植物群落的生物地球化学指标为研究对象,分别采用一次性及连续培养的方式模拟自然水华及稳态条件,探究其对二氧化碳(CO₂)和硝酸盐浓度变化及二者耦合作用的响应。实验条件设置如下:1)对照:二氧化碳分压p(CO₂)40.53 Pa、无硝酸盐添加;2)酸化:p(CO₂)101.3 Pa、无硝酸盐添加;3)加N:p(CO₂)40.53 Pa、添加硝酸盐50 μmol·L^–1;4)酸化加N:p(CO₂)101.3 Pa、添加硝酸盐50 μmol·L^–1。实验结果表明,硝酸盐加富比酸化更加显著地促进浮游植物群落总叶绿素(Chl a)生物量及颗粒有机碳(POC)和颗粒有机氮(PON)积累,酸化和加N使浮游植物群落粒径大小升高。连续培养实验表明,酸化和N加富对Chl a、生物硅(BSi)、PON浓度、PON与颗粒有机磷(POP)比值(N/P)、POC与BSi比值(C/BSi)及沉降速率有协同交互作用,对POP和POC浓度及POC与PON比值(C/N)有拮抗性交互作用。在一次性培养后,酸化显著降低了浮游植物群落的沉降速率;而在连续培养后,酸化和N加富使浮游植物群落沉降速率显著升高。这些结果表明酸化和N加富对与近岸浮游植物相关的生物地球化学循环及在不同生长阶段的种群碳沉降存在不同的潜在影响及交互效应。     

Relationship between sedimentation rates and benthic impact on Maërl beds derived from fish farming in the Mediterranean

The aim of this work was to study the dispersion of particulate wastes derived from marine fish farming and correlate the data with the impact on the seabed. Carbon and nutrients were correlated with the physico-chemical parameters of the sediment and the benthic community structure. The sedimentation rates in the benthic system were 1.09, 0.09 and 0.13 g m?2 day?1 for particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON) and total phosphorus (TP), respectively. TP was a reliable parameter for establishing the spatial extent of the fish farm particulate wastes. Fish farming was seen to influence not only physico-chemical and biological parameters but also the functioning of the ecosystem from a trophic point of view, particularly affecting the grazers and the balance among the trophic groups. POC, PON and TP sedimentation dynamics reflected the physico-chemical status of the sediment along the distance gradient studied, while their impact on the benthic community extended further. Therefore, the level of fish farm impact on the benthic community might be underestimated if it is assessed by merely taking into account data obtained from waste dispersion rates. The benthic habitat beneath the fish farm, Ma?rl bed, was seen to be very sensitive to aquaculture impact compared with other unvegetated benthic habitats, with an estimated POC-carrying capacity to maintain current diversity of 0.087 g C m?2 day?1 (only 36% greater than the basal POC input). Environmental protection agencies should define different aquaculture waste load thresholds for different benthic communities affected by finfish farming, according to their particular degree of sensitivity, in order to maintain natural ecosystem functions.     

Carbon to nitrogen (C:N) stoichiometry of the spring–summer phytoplankton bloom in the North Water Polynya (NOW)

The carbon to nitrogen (C:N) stoichiometry of phytoplankton production varied significantly during the spring–summer bloom in the North Water Polynya (NOW), from April through July 1998. The molar ratio of particulate organic carbon (POC) to nitrogen (PON) production by phytoplankton (ΔPOC:ΔPON) increased from 5.8 during April through early June to 8.9 in late June and July. The molar dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to nitrate+nitrite (NO₃) drawdown ratio (ΔDIC: ΔNO₃) increased from 6.7 in April and May, to 11.9 in June (no estimate for July because of ice melting). The discrepancy between ΔPOC:ΔPON and ΔDIC:ΔNO₃ was likely due to dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production. Increased ΔPOC:ΔPON of phytoplankton and surface water ΔDIC:ΔNO₃ throughout the phytoplankton blooms resulted from changes in physical properties of the upper water column, such as reduced thickness of the surface mixed layer that exposed phytoplankton to increased photosynthetically available radiation (PAR), accompanied by NO₃ depletion. This is expected to have significant effects on the cycling of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) in pelagic ecosystems, as the increased C:N ratio of organic matter decreases its quality as substrate for grazers and microbial communities. Based on ΔPOC:ΔPON, the ratio of POC to chlorophyll a (Chl) production (ΔPOC:ΔChl) and the relationship between Chl yields and NO₃ depletion, we estimate that 71±17% and 46±20% of the depleted NO₃ went to PON production in the euphotic zone over the polynya from April to early June, and late June to July, respectively. The remaining NO₃ was likely channelled to dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and heterotrophic bacteria, which were not returned to the dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) pool through recycling during the course of the study. Hence, the autotrophic production of organic N and its recycling by the microbial food web were not coupled temporally.     

Plankton dynamics and carbon flux in an area of upwelling off the coast of Morocco

A carbon flux study was carried out off the coast of Morocco, at 31°N, in a region characterized by the presence of a persistent cyclonic eddy. Two short-term (4 and 3 day) deployments of free-floating sediment traps were combined with water column sampling and rate process measurements as the ship followed the traps. For a period of 36 h between trap deployments, a hydrographic section was run along 31°30'N as part of a larger scale survey being carried out simultaneously on the R.V. A. von Humboldt. The first trap deployment was near the eastern margin of the eddy and the traps moved to the north and west in a frontal jet associated with its northern boundary. After the second deployment, which was at the recovery point of the first, the traps moved to the west and then to the southwest. Throughout the study, chlorophyll concentrations varied between 27 and 125 mg m⁻² (0–100 m), with highest concentrations in the upwelled water nearest the coast and in upwelled water generated within the cyclonic eddy. Particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) concentrations were relatively uniform (13.6±1.8 and 1.63±28 g m⁻² with phytoplankton carbon accounting for 16–85% of total POC. Bacterial carbon was 5% of total POC and mesozooplankton carbon concentrations were equivalent to 9% of total POC. Microzooplankton biomass was not assessed but POC:PON ratios in the water column were often high, suggesting there was sometimes a large detrital component in the POC. Primary production rates varied between 1.0 and 2.5 g C m⁻² day⁻¹. Bacterial consumption accounted for 50% of primary production. Metabolic rates suggested that copepods were ingesting more than 0.4 g C m⁻² day⁻¹. while filtration rates suggested that ingestion of phytoplankton carbon was only 0.2 g C m⁻²day⁻¹, even when phytoplankton constituted 85% of the POC. f-ratios (based on uptake rates for ¹⁵N-nitrate and ammonia) were between 0.1 and 0.4, and excretion by mesozooplankton could account for 40% of the daily ammonium uptake by phytoplankton. HPLC pigment analysis showed that when chlorophyll biomass was high, diatoms were dominant, whereas when it was low, small prymnesiophytes, chlorophytes and diatoms were all important. The composition of the fluoresecent pigments in material in the sediment traps indicated that intact phytoplankton and copepod faecal pellets were the main sources but the relative rates of sedimentation of pigment, POC and PON for the two trapping periods did not reflect differences that were observed in the overlying water column. This was likely to be the result of spatial heterogeneity and strong horizontal currents heterogeneity and strong horizontal currents within the euphotic zone. Thus, material collected at 100 m probably did not originate in the water column immediately overlying the traps and trapping efficiencies might also have been variable.     

Particle size of suspended matter in estuaries

Suspended matter usually flocculates into fragile flocs that break up during sampling and analysis. Coulter counter and pipette size analysis are therefore an indication of floc strength. Grain-size distributions (after removal of organic matter) give an indication of the relative amount of grains transported as flocs (as opposed to being transported as single particles).In situ size distributions of suspended matter (flocs) in the Scheldt and Rhine estuaries and the Gironde, as well as results from the Zaire River estuary, indicated that salt flocculation does not appear to be of importance for the formation ofin situ flocs. Also there is no clear relation with particle concentration. In estuaries probably no equilibrium between floc size and concentration is reached because of the rapid variations in turbulence and bottom shear. In the Zaire estuary a decrease in turbulence in the surface water results in flocs of the same size as differential settling over a depth of more than 100 meters.     

Seasonal variation of bottom turbidity layer in Etauchi Bay

The beam attenuation coefficient, organic carbon (POC) and organic nitrogen (PON) contents of suspended materials in Etauchi Bay, which has little inflow of river water as well as very weak tidal current (maximum speed: 6.5cm·sec⁻¹), were measured as a function of depth for all seasons to understand a seasonal variation of bottom turbidity layer. In spring and summer, the beam attenuation coefficient in bottom layer and POC and PON contents of suspended materials in the surface water layer increased with time, which brought the occurrence of the bottom turbidity layer. From autumn to winter, however, their concentrations became low and constant over the whole depth almost independent of time. As a result, the bottom turbidity layer disappeared in winter and beam attenuation coefficient became constant over the whole depth. From these results, it may be considered that the bottom turbidity layer was produced by phytodetritus brought from surface water layer, rather than by resuspension of bottom sediment in Etauchi Bay.     

Seasonal Changes in Quality and Quantity of Food Available for Benthic Suspension-feeders in the Golfo Marconi (North-western Mediterranean)

Suspended particulate matter was collected, from the water layer at 10 cm above the sediments, over a period of 13 months in the Golfo Marconi (Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean). Measurements of seston concentration as well as the elemental (particulate organic carbon and nitrogen; POC and PON, respectively) and biochemical composition (lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, DNA) of particulate organic matter were carried out to assess quality and quantity of food potentially available to benthic suspension-feeders. Particulate organic matter showed wide qualitative and quantitative variations during the sampling year. Seston concentrations and POC did not reflect the quantity and quality of the food available to benthic suspension-feeders. The biopolymeric fraction of particulate matter (C-BPF, i.e. the sum of lipid, protein and carbohydrate carbon) was mostly composed of phytoplankton (which accounted for about 60% of C-BPF). The ratio of C-BPF to POC was utilized as a measure of the fraction which had the potential to be more readily available to consumers. Suspended organic matter showed higher values of the C-BPF:POC ratio during spring, and lower values in summer and autumn–winter. Quantitative estimates of the energy content of the suspended particulate matter were obtained from its biochemical composition. Bacterial dynamics were significantly related to changes in phytoplankton biomass. Bacteria accounted for a significant fraction of the biopolymeric carbon pool (annual average about 15%) and of the total particulate DNA (21·5%), thus enhancing the nutritional value of the particulate organic matter. The results achieved in this study indicate that the biochemical composition of the particulate matter provides additional information on the origin, quality and characteristics of the seston more readily available to benthic suspension-feeders.     

Determination of particulate organic carbon (POC) in seawater: The relative methodological importance of artificial gains and losses in two glass-fiber-filter-based techniques

Particulate matter in aquatic systems is an important vehicle for the transport of particulate organic carbon (POC). Its accurate measurement is of central importance for the understanding of marine carbon cycling. Previous work has shown that GF/F-filter-based bottle-sample-derived concentration estimates of POC are generally close to or higher than large-volume in-situ-pump-derived values (and in some rare cases in subzero waters are up to two orders of magnitude higher). To further investigate this phenomenon, water samples from the surface and mid-water Northeast Atlantic and the Baltic Sea were analyzed. Our data support a bias of POC concentration estimates caused by adsorption of nitrogen-rich dissolved organic material onto GF/F filters. For surface-ocean samples the mass per unit area of exposed filter and composition of adsorbed material depended on the filtered volume. Amounts of adsorbed OC were enhanced in the surface ocean (typically 0.5 μmol cm^− 2 of exposed filter) as compared to the deep ocean (typically 0.2 μmol cm^− 2 of exposed filter). These dependencies should be taken into account for future POC methodologies. Bottle/pump differences of samples that were not corrected for adsorption were higher in the deep ocean than in the surface ocean. This discrepancy increased in summer. It is shown that POC concentration estimates that were not corrected for adsorption depend not only on the filtered volume, true POC concentration and mass of adsorbed OC, but also on the filter area. However, in all cases we studied, correction for adsorption was important, but not sufficient, to explain bottle/pump differences. Artificial formation of filterable particles and/or processes leading to filterable material being lost from and/or missed by sample-processing procedures must be considered. It can be deduced that the maximum amounts of POC and particulate organic nitrogen (PON) that can be artificially formed per liter of filtered ocean water are  3–4 μM OC (5–10% of dissolved OC) and  0.2–0.5 μM ON (2–10% of dissolved ON), respectively. The relative sensitivities of bottle and pump procedures, and of surface- and deep-ocean material, to artificial particle formation and the missing/losing of material are evaluated. As present procedures do not exist to correct for all possible biasing effects due to artificial particle formation and/or miss/loss of filterable material, uncertainties of filtration-based estimates of POC concentrations need further testing. The challenge now is to further constrain the magnitude of the biasing effects that add to the adsorption effect to reduce the uncertainties of estimates of POC concentrations, inventories and fluxes in the ocean.     

Vertical flux of biogenic matter during a Lagrangian study off the NW Spanish continental margin

Lagrangian experiments with short-term, drifting sediment traps were conducted during a cruise on RRS Charles Darwin to the NW coast of Spain to study the vertical flux and composition of settling biogenic matter. The cruise was split into two legs corresponding to (i) a period of increased production following an upwelling event on the continental shelf (3–10 August 1998) and (ii) an evolution of a cold water filament originating from the upwelled water off the shelf (14–19 August). The export of particulate organic carbon (POC) from the upper layer (0–60m) on the shelf was 90–240mgC.m⁻².d⁻¹ and off the shelf was 60–180mgC.m⁻².d⁻¹. Off shelf the POC flux at 200m was 50–60mg.m⁻².d⁻¹. A modest sedimentation of diatoms (15–30mgC.m⁻².d⁻¹) after the upwelling was associated with increased vertical flux of chlorophyll a (1.8–2.1mg.m⁻².d⁻¹) and a decrease of the POC:PON molar ratio of the settled material from 9 to 6.4. Most of the pico-, nano-, and microplankton in the settled material were flagellates; diatoms were significant during the on shelf and dinoflagellates during the off shelf leg. Off shelf, the exponential attenuation of POC flux indicated a strong retention capacity of the plankton community between 40 and 75m. POC:PON ratio of the settled particulate matter decreased with depth and the relative portion of flagellates increased, suggesting a novel, flagellate and aggregate mediated particulate flux in these waters. Export of POC from the euphotic layer comprised 14–26% of the integrated primary production per day during the on shelf leg and 25–42% during the off shelf leg, which characterises the importance of sedimentation in the organic carbon budget of these waters.     

Seasonal and spatial distribution of particulate organic matter (POM) in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

As part of the Western Arctic Shelf–Basin Interactions (SBI) project, the production and fate of organic carbon and nitrogen from the Chukchi and Beaufort Sea shelves were investigated during spring (5 May–15 June) and summer (15 July–25 August) cruises in 2002. Seasonal observations of suspended particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) and large-particle (>53 μm) size class suggest that there was a large accumulation of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) between spring and summer in the surface mixed layer due to high phytoplankton productivity. Considerable organic matter appeared to be transported from the shelf into the Arctic Ocean basin in an elevated POC and PON layer at the top of the upper halocline. Seasonal changes in the molar carbon:nitrogen (C:N) ratio of the suspended particulate organic matter (POM) pool reflect a change in the quality of the organic material that was present and presumably being exported to the sediment and to Arctic Ocean waters adjacent to the Chukchi and Beaufort Sea shelves. In spring, low particulate C:N ratios (<6; i.e., N rich) were observed in nitrate-replete surface waters. By the summer, localized high particulate C:N ratios (>9; i.e., N-poor) were observed in nitrate-depleted surface waters. Low POC and inorganic nutrient concentrations observed in the surface layer suggest that rates of primary, new and export production are low in the Canada Basin region of the Arctic Ocean.