Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay,China V:Silicon deficit process

1 INTRODUCTION Land-sourced silicon are continuously input into the sea by rivers. After being assimilated by thousands of living organisms in the sea, silicon sinks with the marine living organisms to the sea bottom, showing a complete silicon transfer process. The study of this dynamic process need clarifying the characteristics of silicon in the sea, which plays an important role in phytoplankton growth, zoo-plankton graze and marine ecosystem. 2 SILICON BEING INDISPENSABLE N…     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China VI： The ecological variation process of the phytoplankton

1 INTRODUCTION In a marine area, temporal and special variation in phytoplankton growth is closely related with that of light, water temperature and nutrient. The key study in this paper is how environmental factors in- cluding light, water temperature an…     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China——Ⅶ： The complementary mechanism of the earth ecosystem

1 INTRODUCTION In marine waters, water temperature and nutrient Si control the temporal and spatial variation of the phytoplankton growth (Yang et al., 2006). The effect of nutrient Si and water temperature on the mecha- nism of phytoplankton growth has p…     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China——Ⅳ：Study on cross-bay transect from estuary to ocean

The authors analyzed the data collected in the Ecological Station Jiaozhou Bay from May 1991 to November 1994, including 12 seasonal investigations, to determine the characteristics, dynamic cycles and variation trends of the silicate in the bay. The results indicated that the rivers around Jiaozhou Bay provided abundant supply of silicate to the bay. The silicate concentration there depended on river flow variation. The horizontal variation of silicate concentration on the transect showed that the silicate concentration decreased with distance from shorelines. The vertical variation of it showed that silicate sank and deposited on the sea bottom by phytoplankton uptake and death, and zooplankton excretion. In this way, silicon would endlessly be transferred from terrestrial sources to the sea bottom. The silicon took up by phytoplankton and by other biogeochemical processes led to insufficient silicon supply for phytoplankton growth. In this paper, a 2D dynamic model of river flow versus silicate concentration was established by which silicate concentrations of 0.028–0.062 μmol/L in seawater was yielded by inputting certain seasonal unit river flows (m³/s), or in other words, the silicate supply rate; and when the unit river flow was set to zero, meaning no river input, the silicate concentrations were between 0.05–0.69 μmol/L in the bay. In terms of the silicate supply rate, Jiaozhou Bay was divided into three parts. The division shows a given river flow could generate several different silicon levels in corresponding regions, so as to the silicon-limitation levels to the phytoplankton in these regions. Another dynamic model of river flow versus primary production was set up by which the phytoplankton primary production of 5.21–15.55 (mgC/m²·d)/(m³/s) were obtained in our case at unit river flow values via silicate concentration or primary production conversion rate. Similarly, the values of primary production of 121.98–195.33 (mgC/m²·d) were achieved at zero unit river flow condition. A primary production conversion rate reflects the sensitivity to silicon depletion so as to different phytoplankton primary production and silicon requirements by different phytoplankton assemblages in different marine areas. In addition, the authors differentiated two equations (Eqs. 1 and 2) in the models to obtain the river flow variation that determines the silicate concentration variation, and in turn, the variation of primary production. These results proved further that nutrient silicon is a limiting factor for phytoplankton growth. This study was funded by NSFC (No. 40036010), and the Director's Fund of the Beihai Sea Monitoring Center, the State Oceanic Administration.     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China Ⅳ: Study on cross-bay transect from estuary to ocean

1 INTRODUCTION Terrestrial matter is continuously loaded into ocean by rivers and up taken by myriad organisms who would ultimately sink to the sea bottom, whichconstitutes a complete process of transferring terrestrial matter from land to sea. Among this dynamic process, diatoms are very important in theNo.1 YANG et al.: Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny 73material cycle. Phytoplankton is a prime mover in the conversion from inorganic matter to organic in marine…     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay,China Ⅷ: The variation of atmospheric carbon caused by both phytoplankton and human

Statistical analysis on data collected in the Jiaozhou Bay (Shandong, China) from May 1991 to February 1994 and those collected in Hawaii from March 1958 to December 2007 shows dynamic and cyclic changes in atmospheric carbon in the Northern Pacific Ocean (NPO), as well as the variation in space-time distribution of phytoplankton primary production and atmospheric carbon in the study regions. The study indicates that the human beings have imposed an important impact on the changing trends of the atmospheric carbon. Primary production in the Jiaozhou Bay presents a good example in this regard. In this paper, dynamic models of the atmospheric carbon in the NPO, the cyclic variations in the atmospheric carbon, and primary production in the Jiaozhou Bay are studied with simulation curves presented. A set of equations were established that able to calculate the rate and acceleration of increasing carbon discharged anthropologically into the atmosphere and the conversion rate of phytoplankton to atmospheric carbon. Our calculation shows that the amount of atmospheric carbon absorbed by one unit of primary production in the Jiaozhou Bay is (3.21–9.74)×10-9/(mgC·m-2d-1), and the amount of primary production consumed by a unit of atmospheric carbon is 102.66–311.52 (mgC·m-2d-1/10-6). Therefore, we consider that the variation of atmospheric carbon is a dynamic process controlled by the increase of carbon compound and its cyclic variation, and those from anthropologic discharge, and phytoplankton growth.     

Influence of Seawater Temperature on Phytoplankton Growth in Jiaozhou Bay, China

The phytoplankton reproduction capacity (PRC), as a new concept regarding chlorophyll-a and primary production (PP) is described. PRC is different from PP, carbon assimilation number (CAN) or photosynthetic rate ( P^B ) . PRC quantifies phytoplankton growth with a special consideration of the effect of seawater temperature. Observation data in Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China, collected from May 1991 to February 1994 were used to analyze the horizontal distribution and seasonal variation of the PRC in Jiaozhou Bay in order to determine the characteristics, dynamic cycles and trends of phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay; and to develop a corresponding dynamic model of seawater temperature vs. PRC. Simulation curves showed that seawater temperature has a dual function of limiting and enhancing PRC. PRC‘s periodicity and fluctuation are similar to those of the seawater temperature. Nutrient silicon in Jiaozhou Bay satisfies phytoplankton growth from June 7 to November 3. When nutrients N, P and Si satisfy the phytoplankton growth and solar irradiation is sufficient, the PRC would reflect the influence of seawater temperature on phytoplankton growth. Moreover, the result quantitatively explains the scenario of one-peak or two-peak phytoplankton reproduction in Jiaozhou Bay, and also quantitatively elucidates the internal mechanism of the one- or two-peak phytoplankton reproduction in the global marine areas.     

Examination of Silicate Limitation of Primary Production in Jiaozhou Bay,North China：Ⅲ.Judgment Method ,Rules and Uniqueness of Nutrient Limitation Among N,P,and Si

Analysis and comparison of Jiaozhou Bay data collected from May 1991 to February 1994 (12 seasonal investigations) provided by the Ecological Station of Jiaozhou Bay revealed the characteristic spatiotemporal variation of the ambient concentration Si∶DIN and Si∶16P ratios and the seasonal variation of Jiaozhou Bay Si∶DIN and Si∶16P ratios showing that the Si∶DIN ratios were <1 throughout the year in Jiaozhou Bay; and that the Si∶16P ratios were <1 throughout Jiaozhou Bay in spring, autumn and winter. The results proved that silicate limited phytoplankton growth in spring, autumn and winter in Jiaozhou Bay. Analysis of the Si∶DIN and Si∶P ratios showed that the nutrient Si has been limiting the growth of phytoplankton throughout the year in some Jiaozhou Bay waters; and that the silicate deficiency changed the phytoplankton assemblage structure. Analysis of discontinuous 1962 to 1998 nutrient data showed that there was no N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth in that period. The authors consider that the annual cyclic change of silicate limits phytoplankton growth in spring, autumn and winter every year in Jiaozhou Bay; and that in many Jiaozhou Bay waters where the phytoplankton as the predominant species need a great amount of silicate, analysis of the nutrients N or P limitation of phytoplankton growth relying only on the N and P nutrients and DIN∶P ratio could yield inaccurate conclusions. The results obtained by applying the rules of absolute and relative limitation fully support this view. The authors consider that the main function of nutrient silicon is to regulate and control the mechanism of the phytoplankton growth process in the ecological system in estuaries, bays and the sea. The authors consider that according to the evolution theory of Darwin, continuous environmental pressure gradually changes the phytoplankton assemblage's structure and the physiology of diatoms. Diatoms requiring a great deal of silicon either constantly decrease or reduce their requirement for silicon. This will cause a series of huge changes in the ecosystem so that the whole ecosystem requires continuous renewal, change and balancing. Human beings have to reduce marine pollution and enhance the capacity of continental sources to transport silicon to sustain the continuity and stability in the marine ecosystem. This study was funded by the NSFC (No. 40036010) and subsidized by Special Funds from the National Key Basic Research Program of P. R. China (G199990437), the Postdoctoral Foundation of Ocean University of Qingdao, the Director's Foundation of the Beihai Monitoring Center of the State Oceanic Administration and the Foundation of Shanghai Fisheries University.     

EXAMINATION OF SILICATE LIMITATION OF PRIMARY PRODUCTION IN JIAOZHOU BAY, CHINA——I. SILICATE BEING A LIMITING FACTOR OF PHYTOPLANKTON PRIMARY PRODUCTION

Jiaozhou Bay data collected from May 1991 to February 1994, in 12 seasonal investigations, and provided the authors by the Ecological Station of Jiaozhou Bay, were analyzed to determine the spatiotemporal variations in temperature, light, nutrients (NO3^--N, NO2^--N, NH4^ -N, SIO3^2--Si, PO4^3--P), phytoplankton, and primary production in Jiaozhou Bay. The results indicated that only silicate correlated well in time and space with, and had important effects on, the characteristics, dynamic cycles and trends of, primary production in Jiaozhou Bay. The authors developed a corresponding dynamic model of primary production and silicate and water temperature. Eq. ( 1 ) of the model shows that the primary production variation is controlled by the nutrient Si and affected by water temperature; that the main factor controlling the primary production is Si; that water temperature affects the composition of the structure of phytoplankton assemblage; that the different populations of the phytoplankton assemblage occupy different ecological niches for C, the apparent ratio of conversion of silicate in seawater into phytoplankton biomas and D, the coefficient of water temperature‘s effect on phytoplankton biomass. The authors researched the silicon source of Jiaozhou Bay, the biogeochemical sediment process of the silicon, the phytoplankton predominant species and the phytoplankton structure. The authors considered silicate a limiting factor of primary production in Jiaozhou Bay, whose decreasing concentration of silicate from terrestrial source is supposedly due to dilution by current and uptake by phytoplankton; quantified the silicate assimilated by phytoplankton, the intrinsic ratio of conversion of silicon into phytoplankton biomass, the proportion of silicate uptaken by phytoplankton and diluted by current; and found that the primary production of the phytoplankton is determined by the quantity of the silicate assimilated by them. The phenomenon of apparently high plant-nutrient concentTations but low phytoplankton biomass in some waters is reasonably explained in this paper.     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China VIII: The variation of atmospheric carbon caused by both phytoplankton and human

Statistical analysis on data collected in the Jiaozhou Bay (Shandong, China) from May 1991 to February 1994 and those collected in Hawaii from March 1958 to December 2007 shows dynamic and cyclic changes in atmospheric carbon in the Northern Pacific Ocean (NPO), as well as the variation in space-time distribution of phytoplankton primary production and atmospheric carbon in the study regions. The study indicates that the human beings have imposed an important impact on the changing trends of the atmospheric carbon. Primary production in the Jiaozhou Bay presents a good example in this regard. In this paper, dynamic models of the atmospheric carbon in the NPO, the cyclic variations in the atmospheric carbon, and primary production in the Jiaozhou Bay are studied with simulation curves presented. A set of equations were established that able to calculate the rate and acceleration of increasing carbon discharged anthropologically into the atmosphere and the conversion rate of phytoplankton to atmospheric carbon. Our calculation shows that the amount of atmospheric carbon absorbed by one unit of primary production in the Jiaozhou Bay is (3.21−9.74)×10⁻⁹/(mgC·m⁻²d⁻¹), and the amount of primary production consumed by a unit of atmospheric carbon is 102.66–311.52 (mgC·m⁻²d⁻¹/10⁻⁶). Therefore, we consider that the variation of atmospheric carbon is a dynamic process controlled by the increase of carbon compound and its cyclic variation, and those from anthropologic discharge, and phytoplankton growth.     

Examination of Silicate Limitation of Primary Production in Jiaozhou Bay,China Ⅱ.Critical Value and Time of Silicate Limitation and Satisfaction of the Phytoplankton Growth

Analysis and comparison of Jiaozhou Bay data collected from May 1991 to February 1994 revealed the spatiotemporal variations of the ambient Si(OH)₄:NO₃ (Si:N) concentration rations and the seasonal variations of (Si:N) ratios in Jiaozhou Bay and showed that the Si:N ratios were <1 throughout Jiaozhou Bay in spring, autumn, and winter. These results provide further evidence that silicate limits the growth of phytoplankton (i.e. diatoms) in spring, autumn and winter. Moreover, comparison of the spatiotemporal variations of the Si:N ratio and primary production in Jiaozhou Bay suggested their close relationship. The spatiotemporal pattern of dissolved silicate matched well that of primary production in Jiaozhou Bay. Along with the environmental change of Jiaozhou Bay in the last thirty years, the N and P concentrations tended to rise, whereas Si concentration showed cyclic seasonal variations. With the variation of nutrient Si limiting the primary production in mind, the authors found that the range of values of primary production is divided into three parts: the basic value of Si limited primary production, the extent of Si limited primary production and the critical value of Si limited primary production, which can be calculated for Jiaozhou Bay by Equations (1), (2) and (3), showing that the time of the critical value of Si limitation of phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay is around November 3 to November 13 in autumn; and that the time of the critical value of Si satisfaction of phytoplankton growth in Jiaozhou Bay is around May 22 to June 7 in spring. Moreover, the calculated critical value of Si satisfactory for phytoplankton growth is 2.15–0.76 μmol/L and the critical value of Si limitation of phytoplankton growth is 1.42–0.36 μmol/L; so that the time period of Si limitation of phytoplankton growth is around November 13 to May 22 in the next year; the time period of Si satisfactory for phytoplankton growth is around June 7 to November 3. This result also explains why critical values of nutrient silicon affect phytoplankton growth in spring and autumn are different in different waters of Jiaozhou Bay and also indicates how the silicate concentration affects the phytoplankton assemblage structure. The dilution of silicate concentration by seawater exchange affects the growth of phytoplankton so that the primary production of phytoplankton declines outside Jiaozhou Bay earlier than inside Jiaozhou Bay by one and half months. This study showed that Jiaozhou Bay phytoplankton badly need silicon and respond very sensitively and rapidly to the variation of silicon. This study was funded by NSFC (No. 40036010) and subsidized by Special Funds from National Key Basic Research Program of P. R. China (G19990437), the Postdoctoral Foundation of Ocean University of Qingdao, the Director's Foundation of the Beihai Monitoring Center of the State Oceanic Administration and the Foundation of Shanghai Fisheries University.