Biogeochemistry of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in the surface microlayer and subsurface water of the western North Atlantic during spring

Sixteen surface microlayer samples and corresponding subsurface water samples were collected in the western North Atlantic during April–May 2003 to study the distribution and cycling of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and the factors influencing them. In the surface microlayer, high concentrations of DMS appeared mostly in the samples containing high levels of chlorophyll a, and a significant correlation was found between DMS and chlorophyll a concentrations. In addition, microlayer DMS concentrations were correlated with microlayer DMSPd (dissolved) concentrations. DMSPd was found to be enriched in the microlayer with an average enrichment factor (EF) of 5.19. However, no microlayer enrichment of DMS was found for most samples collected. Interestingly, the DMS production rates in the microlayer were much higher than those in the subsurface water. Enhanced DMS production in the microlayer was likely due to the higher concentrations of DMSPd in the microlayer. A consistent pattern was observed in this study in which the concentrations of DMS, DMSPd, DMSPp (particulate) and chlorophyll a in the microlayer were closely related to their corresponding subsurface water concentrations, suggesting that these constituents in the microlayer were directly dependent on the transport from the bulk liquid below. Enhanced DMS production in the microlayer further reinforces the conclusion that the surface microlayer has greater biological activity relative to the underlying water.     

Factors determining the vertical profile of dimethylsulfide in the Sargasso Sea during summer

The major source of reduced sulfur in the remote marine atmosphere is the biogenic compound dimethylsulfide (DMS), which is ubiquitous in the world's oceans and released through food web interactions. Relevant fluxes and concentrations of DMS, its phytoplankton-produced precursor, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and related parameters were measured during an intensive Lagrangian field study in two mesoscale eddies in the Sargasso Sea during July–August 2004, a period characterized by high mixed-layer DMS and low chlorophyll—the so-called ‘DMS summer paradox’. We used a 1-D vertically variable DMS production model forced with output from a 1-D vertical mixing model to evaluate the extent to which the simulated vertical structure in DMS and DMSP was consistent with changes expected from field-determined rate measurements of individual processes, such as photolysis, microbial DMS and dissolved DMSP turnover, and air–sea gas exchange. Model numerical experiments and related parametric sensitivity analyses suggested that the vertical structure of the DMS profile in the upper 60 m was determined mainly by the interplay of the two depth-variable processes—vertical mixing and photolysis—and less by biological consumption of DMS. A key finding from the model calibration was the need to increase the DMS(P) algal exudation rate constant, which includes the effects of cell rupture due to grazing and cell lysis, to significantly higher values than previously used in other regions. This was consistent with the small algal cell size and therefore high surface area-to-volume ratio of the dominant DMSP-producing group—the picoeukaryotes.     

海水中痕量DMS和DMSP分析方法的研究

二甲基硫（DMS）是海洋排放的占优势地位的生源硫气体,其在大气中的氧化产物能够影响到环境酸化和世界的气候变化.因此, 测定海水中的DMS对于准确地评价其在全球硫循环所起的重要作用具有重要意义.本文中作者研究了海水中DMS的痕量分析技术.海水中的DMS首先采用气提-冷阱捕集技术进行预浓缩, 然后用带有火焰光度检测器的气相色谱（GC-FPD）进行分析.该方法的精确度在5%以内, 平均回收率为85.6% （82.8%-90.5%）, 最小检出限为0.15 ng S.β-二甲基巯基丙酸内盐（DMSP）的分析是通过将其在碱性溶液中分解成DMS来进行.作者采用此方法实测了黄海中DMS和DMSP的含量, 获得了理想的结果.     

Effects of salinity downshock on dimethylsulfide production

During time-series observations in Sagami Bay, Japan, the concentration of dissolved dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP_d), a precursor of dimethylsulfide (DMS), was negatively correlated with salinity. In the laboratory, low-salinity shock reduced DMS production rates of the natural bacterial community and induced rapid DMSP release from a dinophyte, Heterocapsa triquetra, suggesting that low-salinity shock reduced DMSP_d consumption but enhanced DMSP_d production, which agrees with the negative correlation between DMSP_d and salinity observed in Sagami bay. In addition, low-salinity shock did not affect DMSP lyase activity of H. triquetra. Low-salinity shock would increase the contribution from algae in DMS production, leading to an increase in potential DMS productivity in the environment.     

Seasonal variations of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in the sea-surface microlayer and subsurface water of Jiaozhou Bay and its adjacent area

The distributions of DMS and its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate, in both dissolved (DMSP_d) and particulate fractions (DMSP_p) were determined in the seasurface microlayer and corresponding subsurface water of the Jiaozhou Bay, China and its adjacent area in May and August 2006. The concentrations of all these components showed a clear seasonal variation, with higher concentrations occurring in summer. This can be mainly attributed to the higher phytoplankton biomass observed in summer. Simultaneously, the enrichment extents of DMSP_d and DMSP_p in the microlayer also exhibited seasonal changes, with higher values in spring and lower ones in summer. Higher water temperature and stronger radiant intensity in summer can enhance their solubility and photochemical reaction in the microlayer water, reducing their enrichment factors (the ratio of concentration in the microlayer to that in the corresponding subsurface water). A statistically significant relationship was found between the microlayer and subsurface water concentrations of DMS, DMSP and chlorophyll a, demonstrating that the biogenic materials in the microlayer come primarily from the underlying water. Moreover, our data show that the concentrations of DMSP_p and DMS were significantly correlated with the levels of chlorophyll a, indicating that phytoplankton biomass might play an important role in controlling the distributions of biogenic sulfurs in the study area. The ratios of DMS/chlorophyll a and DMSP_p/chlorophyll a varied little from spring to summer, suggesting that there was no obvious change in the proportion of DMSP producers in the phytoplankton community. The mean sea-to-air flux of DMS from the study area was estimated to be 5.70 μmol/(m²·d), which highlights the effects of human impacts on DMS emission.     

Oxygen dynamics in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre

Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the ocean is a tracer for most ocean biogeochemical processes including net community production and remineralization of organic matter which in turn constrains the biological carbon pump. Knowledge of oxygen dynamics in the North Atlantic Ocean is mainly derived from observations at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) site located in the western subtropical gyre which may skew our view of the biogeochemistry of the subtropical North Atlantic. This study presents and compares a 15 yr record of DO observations from ESTOC (European Station for Time-Series in the Ocean, Canary Islands) in the eastern subtropical North Atlantic with the 20 yr record at BATS. Our estimate for net community production of oxygen was 2.3±0.4 mol O₂ m⁻² yr⁻¹ and of oxygen consumption was −2.3±0.5 mol O₂ m⁻² yr⁻¹ at ESTOC, and 4 mol O₂ m⁻² yr⁻¹ and −4.4±1 mol m⁻² yr⁻¹ at BATS, respectively. These values were determined by analyzing the time-series using the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) method. These flux values agree with similar estimates from in-situ observational studies but are higher than those from modeling studies. The difference in net oxygen production rates supports previous observations of a lower carbon export in the eastern compared to the western subtropical Atlantic. The inter-annual analysis showed clear annual cycles at BATS whereas longer cycles of nearly 4 years were apparent at ESTOC. The DWT analysis showed trends in DO anomalies dominated by long-term perturbations at a basin scale for the consumption zones at both sites, whereas yearly cycles dominated the production zone at BATS. The long-term perturbations found are likely associated with ventilation of the main thermocline, affecting the consumption and production zones at ESTOC.     

Reconstruction of sea surface dimethylsulfide in the North Pacific during 1970s to 2000s

We proposed an empirical equation of sea surface dimethylsulfide (DMS, nM) using sea surface temperature (SST, K), sea surface nitrate (SSN, μM) and latitude (L, °N) to reconstruct the sea surface flux of DMS over the North Pacific between 25°N and 55°N: ln DMS = 0.06346 · SST − 0.1210 · SSN − 14.11 · cos(L) − 6.278 (R² = 0.63, p < 0.0001). Applying our algorithm to climatological hydrographic data in the North Pacific, we reconstructed the climatological distributions of DMS and its flux between 25 °N and 55 °N. DMS generally increased eastward and northward, and DMS in the northeastern region became to 2–5 times as large as that in the southwestern region. DMS in the later half of the year was 2–4 times as large as that in the first half of the year. Moreover, applying our algorithm to hydrographic time series datasets in the western North Pacific from 1971 to 2000, we found that DMS in the last three decades has shown linear increasing trends of 0.03 ± 0.01 nM year^− 1 in the subpolar region, and 0.01 ± 0.001 nM year^− 1 in the subtropical region, indicating that the annual flux of DMS from sea to air has increased by 1.9–4.8 μmol m^− 2 year^− 1. The linear increase was consistent with the annual rate of increase of 1% of the climatological averaged flux in the western North Pacific in the last three decades.     

胶州湾海水中DMS和DMSP的分布及其影响因素

为了解人为活动对二甲基硫(DMS)和二甲巯基丙酸(DMSP)生物生产的干扰,分别于2005年8月、11月对胶州湾海域进行采样。测定结果表明:胶州湾海水中8月DMS、DMSPd和DMSPp在次表层的平均含量分别为4.89,17.9和23.93nmol·L-1,在微表层中的平均含量分别为4.58,19.98和21.49nmol·L-1,11月DMS、DMSPd和DMSPp在次表层的平均含量分别为2.07,12.99和16.74nmol·L-1,在微表层中的平均含量分别为1.44,16.13和19.62nmol·L-1。DMS和DMSP的水平分布由于受到陆源输入的影响,呈现出自湾内向湾外递降的趋势。DMS和DMSP的含量夏季高于秋季。DMS和Chl-a在每个季节具有一定的相关性。DMS浓度的增加导致DMS通量增加。对海水微表层和次表层的研究表明,DMS和DMSPp并未在微表层中富集,而DMSPd有一定程度的富集。DMS,DMSP,Chl-a在海水微表层和次表层之间浓度分布的相关性体现了2层水体之间存在强烈的交换作用。     

Simple determination of dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) is a simple, sensitive and less destructive method for the determination of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in seawater. Combined with detection by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), the method had sufficient sensitivity (minimum detectable concentration of DMS was 0.05 nM), and practical levels of reproducibility (relative standard deviation ≤7%) and linearity (r ² > 0.995) over a wide concentration range (0.5 to 910 nM). The protocol developed was applied to a Sagami Bay water sample to determine concentrations of DMS and DMSP, and in situ DMSP-lyase activity.     

Adaptive model of plankton dynamics for the North Atlantic

Plankton ecosystems in the North Atlantic display strong regional and interannual variability in productivity and trophic structure, which cannot be captured by simple plankton models. Additional compartments subdividing functional groups can increase predictive power, but the high number of parameters tends to compromise portability and robustness of model predictions. An alternative strategy is to use property state variables, such as cell size, normally considered constant parameters in ecosystem models, to define the structure of functional groups in terms of both behaviour and response to physical forcing. This strategy may allow us to simulate realistically regional and temporal differences among plankton communities while keeping model complexity at a minimum.We fit a model of plankton and DOM dynamics globally and individually to observed climatologies at three diverse locations in the North Atlantic. Introducing additional property state variables is shown to improve the model fit both locally and globally, make the model more portable, and help identify model deficiencies. The zooplankton formulation exerts strong control on model performance. Our results suggest that the current paradigm on zooplankton allometric functional relationships might be at odds with observed plankton dynamics. Our parameter estimation resulted in more realistic estimates of parameters important for primary production than previous data assimilation studies.Property state variables generate complex emergent functional relationships, and might be used like tracers to differentiate between locally produced and advected biomass. The model results suggest that the observed temperature dependence of heterotrophic growth efficiency [Rivkin, R.B., Legendre, L., 2001. Biogenic carbon cycling in the upper ocean: effects of microbial respiration. Science 291 (5512) 2398-2400] could be an emergent relation due to intercorrelations among temperature, nutrient concentration and growth efficiency. A major advantage of using property state variables is that no additional parameters are required, such that differences in model performance can be directly related to model structure rather than parameter tuning.     

Plankton origin of particulate dimethylsulfoniopropionate in a Mediterranean oligotrophic coastal and shallow ecosystem

We report here dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) levels as a function of plankton communities and abiotic factors over a 12-month cycle in the Mediterranean oligotrophic coastal and shallow ecosystem of Niel Bay (N.W. Mediterranean Sea, France). Total particulate DMSP (DMSP_p) and DMS concentrations were highly seasonal, peaking during a spring (April) bloom at 8.9 nM and 73.9 nM, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between total DMSP_p concentration and the abundance or biomass of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum compressum (Spearman's rank correlation test: r = 0.704; p = 0.011). Similarly, DMS concentrations peaked during the development of blooms of P. compressum and Gymnodinium sp. There seemed to be a positive relationship between the chlorophyll a to pheopigment ratio and DMS concentrations, suggesting that DMS was released during phytoplankton growth. High DMS levels recorded in the shallow Niel Bay may also result from the activity of benthic macroalgae, and/or macrophytes such as Posidonia spp., or the resuspension of sulfur species accumulating in sediments. The fractionation of particulate DMSP into three size classes (>90 μm, 5–90 μm and 0.2–5 μm) revealed that 5–90 μm DMSP-containing particles made the greatest contribution to the total DMSP_p pool (annual mean contribution = 62%), with a maximal contribution in April (96%). This size class consisted mainly of dinoflagellates (annual mean contribution = 68%), with P. compressum and Gymnodinium sp. the predominant species, together accounting for up to 44% of the phytoplankton present. The positive correlation between DMSP concentration in the 5–90 μm size class and the abundance of P. compressum (Spearman's rank correlation test: r = 0.648; p = 0.023) suggests that this phytoplankton species would be the major DMSP producer in Niel Bay. The DMSP collected in the >90 μm fraction was principally associated with zooplankton organisms, dominated by copepods (nauplii and copepodites). DMSP_>90, not due to a specific zooplankton production, resulted from the phytoplankton cells ingested during grazing. The concomitant peaks of DMS concentration and zooplankton abundance suggest that zooplankton may play a role in releasing DMSP and/or DMS through sloppy feeding.     

Seasonal variations in dimethylsulfoniopropionate and dimethylsulfide concentrations in relation to the plankton community in the St. Lawrence Estuary

Weekly variations in total dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSPt) and dimethylsulfide (DMS) were investigated in relation to the phytoplankton assemblage from spring to fall 1994 at a coastal fixed station in the St. Lawrence Estuary. DMSPt and DMS concentrations showed a strong seasonality and were tightly coupled in time. Maximum concentrations of DMSPt and DMS were observed in July and August, during a period of warm water and low nutrient concentrations. Seasonal maxima of 365.4 nmol l⁻¹ for DMSPt and 14.2 nmol l⁻¹ for DMS in early August coincided with the presence of many phytoplankton species, such as Alexandrium tamarense, Dinophysis acuminata, Gymnodinium sp., Heterocapsa rotundata, Protoperidinium ovatum, Scrippsiella trochoidea, Chrysochromulina sp. (6 μm), Cryptomonas sp. (6 μm), a group of microflagellates smaller than 5 μm (mf < 5), many tintinnids, and Mesodinium rubrum. The abundance of mf < 5 followed the general trend of DMS concentrations. The temporal occurrence of high P. ovatum abundance and DMSPt concentrations suggests that this heterotrophic dinoflagellate can either synthesize DMSP or acquire it from DMSP-rich prey. The calculated sea-to-air DMS flux reached a maximum of 8.36 μmol ⁻² d⁻¹ on August 1. The estimated annual emission from the St. Lawrence Estuary is 77.2 tons of biogenic sulfur to the atmosphere.     

海洋中DMSP的研究进展

DMSP(dimethylsulfoniopropionate，β-二甲基巯基丙酸内盐)作为DMS(dimethylsulfide,二甲基硫)的前体，是1种重要的生源硫化物。根据其在海洋生态系统和生物地球化学循环中所起着的重要作用，作者综述了国内外海洋科学工作者十几年来在EMSP研究方面的进展。     

海水pH对颗石藻生长以及二甲基硫产生的影响

海洋酸化是目前海洋环境所面临的严峻问题之一,而钙化藻-颗石藻(Emiliania huxleyi)是大洋中二甲基硫(Dimethylsulfide,DMS)产生的主要藻种。本文初步研究了3种海水pH(8.1、7.9、7.7)对颗石藻生长、细胞直径以及DMS/DMSP(Dimethylsulfoniopropionate,二甲基巯基丙酸内盐)产生的影响。研究结果表明3种pH(8.1、7.9、7.7)条件下颗石藻的细胞密度、比生长率没有显著差异,颗石藻培养第10天的扫描电镜细胞形态以及藻细胞直径测定结果显示,pH=7.9和pH=7.7的颗石藻直径比pH=8.1的颗石藻直径显著降低;颗石藻DMS总量、单细胞DMS/单细胞DMSP产量在3种pH(8.1、7.9、7.7)中两两之间没有显著差异;而pH=7.7的DMSP总量显著低于pH=8.1的DMSP总量。Pearson相关分析结果表明,细胞分裂导致3种pH的单细胞DMSP含量与细胞密度、比生长率均呈负相关,3种pH的总DMS/总DMSP含量与细胞密度均呈正相关。CO2浓度升高引起的海洋酸化不仅导致pH降低,而且海水中的碳酸盐体系也会发生变化,因此本实验结果外推到现实环境时还要考虑碳酸盐体系变化对DMS产生的影响。     

Biogeochemical patterns in the Atlantic Inflow through the Strait of Gibraltar

The effects of tidal forcing on the biogeochemical patterns of surface water masses flowing through the Strait of Gibraltar are studied by monitoring the Atlantic Inflow (AI) during both spring and neap tides. Three main phenomena are defined depending on the strength of the outflowing phase predicted over the Camarinal Sill: non-wave events (a very frequent phenomenon during the whole year); type I Internal wave events (a very energetic event, occurring during spring tides); and type II Internal wave events (less intense, occurring during neap tides).During neap tides, a non-wave event comprising oligotrophic open-ocean water from the Gulf of Cádiz is the most frequent and clearly dominant flow through the Strait. In this tidal condition, the inflow of North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) provides the main nutrient input to the surface layer of the Alboran Sea, supplying almost 70% of total annual nitrate transport to the Mediterranean basin. A low percentage of active and large phytoplankton cells and low average concentrations of chlorophyll (0.3–0.4 mg m⁻³) are found in this tidal phase. Around 50% of total annual phytoplankton biomass transport into the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait presents these oligotrophic characteristics.In contrast, during spring tides, patches of water with high chlorophyll levels (0.7–1 mg m⁻³) arrive intermittently, and these are recorded concurrently with the passage of internal waves coming from the Camarinal Sill (type I internal wave events). When large internal waves are arrested over the Camarinal Sill this implies strong interfacial mixing and the probable concurrent injection of coastal waters into the main channel of the Strait. These processes result in a mixed water column in the AI and can account for around 30% of total annual nitrate transport into the Mediterranean basin. Associated with type I internal wave events there is a regular inflow of large and active phytoplankton cells, transported in waters with relatively high nutrient concentrations, which constitutes a significant supply of planktonic resources to the pelagic ecosystem of the Alboran Sea (almost 30% of total annual phytoplankton biomass transport).     

Assessment of excess nitrate development in the subtropical North Atlantic

Geochemical estimates of N₂ fixation in the North Atlantic often serve as a foundation for estimating global marine diazotrophy. Yet despite being well-studied, estimations of nitrogen fixation rates in this basin vary widely. Here we investigate the variability in published estimates of excess nitrogen accumulation rates in the main thermocline of the subtropical North Atlantic, testing the assumptions and choices made in the analyses. Employing one of these previously described methods, modified here with improved estimates of excess N spatial gradients and ventilation rates of the main thermocline, we determine a total excess N accumulation rate of 7.8 ± 1.7 × 10¹¹ mol N yr^− 1. Contributions to excess N development include atmospheric deposition of high N:P nutrients (adding excess N at a rate of 3.0 ± 0.9 × 10¹¹ mol N yr^− 1 for  38% of the total), high N:P dissolved organic matter advected into and mineralized in the main thermocline (adding excess N at 2.2 ± 1.1 × 10¹¹ mol N yr^− 1 for  28% of the total), and, calculated by mass balance of the excess N field, N₂ fixation (adding excess N at 2.6 ± 2.2 × 10¹¹ mol N yr^− 1 for  33% of the total). Assuming an N:P of 40 and this rate of excess N accumulation due to the process, N₂ fixation in the North Atlantic subtropical gyre is estimated at  4 × 10¹¹ mol N yr^− 1. This relatively low rate of N₂ fixation suggests that i) the rate of N₂ fixation in the North Atlantic is greatly overestimated in some previous analyses, ii) the main thermocline is not the primary repository of N fixed by diazotrophs, and/or iii) the N:P ratio of exported diazotrophic organic matter is much lower than generally assumed. It is this last possibility, and our uncertainty in the N:P ratios of exported material supporting excess N development, that greatly lessens our confidence in geochemical measures of N₂ fixation.     

Atmospheric transport and input of hydrocarbons to the subtropical North Atlantic

Seawater samples and airborne particulate material were collected in the subtropical North Atlantic during R.V. “Meteor” Cruise M60 (N34°47.2′W26°57.7′/N10°1.3′W32°58.3′). Hydrocarbon concentrations were estimated in the samples. For seawater the concentrations ranged from 0.2 μg to 3.5 μg dm⁻³. In the open ocean air the concentrations of the particulate hydrocarbon measured at 14m above sea level ranged from 2.8 ng to 133.1 ng m⁻³. A significant increase was observed during a Saharan dust outbreak. Comparison with aluminium concentrations in seawater and in the air suggests input of atmospheric hydrocarbons by dry deposition to be an important transportation pathway.     

The Canary Eddy Corridor: A major pathway for long-lived eddies in the subtropical North Atlantic

We report, from remote sensing and in situ observations, a new type of permanent structure in the eastern subtropical Atlantic Ocean, that we call the “Canary Eddy Corridor”. The phenomenon, is a zonal long-lived (>3 months) mesoscale eddy corridor, whose source is the flow perturbation of the Canary Current and the Trade Winds at the Canary Islands. The latitudinal range of the corridor spans 22°N–29°N and extends from the Canaries to at least 32ºW, near the mid-Atlantic. This is the main region of long-lived westward-propagating eddies in the subtropical northeast Atlantic. From a age-distribution study we observe that at least 10% of mesoscale eddies in this region are long-lived, with a dominance of anticyclones over cyclones. Another four westward-propagating eddy corridors were also detected: two small corridors north and south of the Azores Front; a small zonal corridor located near 31ºN, south of the island of Madeira; and a small corridor located near the Cape Blanc giant filament. The existence of these corridors may change, at least for the northeastern subtropical Atlantic, the general idea that mesoscale eddies are disorganized, ubiquitous structures in the ocean. The Canary Eddy Corridor constitutes a direct zonal pathway that conveys water mass- and biogeochemical properties offshore from the Canary Island/Northwest Africa upwelling system, and may be seen as a recurrent offshore pump of organic matter and carbon to the oligotrophic ocean interior. Estimates of volume and mass transport indicate that Canary Eddy Corridor westward transport is more than one-fourth of the southward transport of the Canary Current. The westward transport of kinetic energy by the eddies of the Canary Corridor is as important as the southward transport by the Canary Current. The total primary production related to the Corridor may be as high as the total primary production of the northwest Africa upwelling system for the same latitude range.     

Biological control of short-term variations in the concentration of DMSP and DMS during a Phaeocystis spring bloom

In the spring of 1995, short-term variations in the concentration of particulate and dissolved dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) and dimethylsulfide (DMS) were monitored in the western Wadden Sea, a shallow coastal region in open connection with the North Sea. Significant correlations were found between abundance of Phaeocystis globosa and particulate DMSP; concentrations increased rapidly from 100 to 1650 nM in the middle of April. Highest DMS concentrations were found during the initial phase of the exponential growth of the bloom. DMS production and loss rates of DMSP and DMS were estimated experimentally during various phases of the bloom. DMS production and consumption were roughly in balance, with production only slightly exceeding consumption at the start of the bloom. Rates of production and consumption were highest during the exponential growth phase of Phaeocystis and declined in the course of the bloom (from 300–375 to less than 5 nmol dm⁻³ d⁻¹). Demethylation of DMSP increased during the bloom (from 11 to 1300 nmol dm⁻³ d⁻¹); it accounted for up to 100% of the DMSP loss at the end of the bloom. The shift from DMSP cleavage to demethylation in the course of a Phaeocystis bloom implies that DMS concentrations are not necessarily highest at the peak or towards the end of blooms.     

紫外辐射对南极棕囊藻细胞DMSP合成和DMS释放率的影响

在不同紫外辐射波段下,南极棕囊藻(Phaeocystis antarctica)细胞的生长率、叶绿素a、细胞内DMSP含量和DMS释放量变化的测定结果表明;UV-B对南极棕囊藻细胞生长率和叶绿素a含量有抑制效应,UV-B还可加快DMSP分解成DMS和丙烯酸的分解速率,而UV-A对该藻细胞的DMSP合成有强烈的抑制效应。鉴于在每年春季极地海洋浮游植物繁殖期间,南极棕囊藻在南极海冰带海洋浮游植物种群结构中占有的优势地位,以及该藻是极地海洋浮游植物中DMS的主要释放者,推测南极“臭氧空洞”所增加的紫外辐射可能会对南极海域的DMS释放率产生一定的影响。