Distinct activity phases during the recent geologic history of a Gulf of Mexico mud volcano

Laser line scan imaging and chirp sub-bottom profiling were used to detail the morphology of a submarine mud volcano and brine-filled crater at 652 m water depth in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The mud volcano has a relief of 6 m and a basal diameter of about 80 m. The feature comprises a central, brine-filled crater (253 m²) surrounded by a continuous bed of methanotrophic mussels (Bathymodiolus childressi) covering 434 m² and a patchy bed covering an additional 214 m² of the periphery. The brine pool was mostly <2 m deep, but there were two holes of >28 m and 12 m deep, respectively at the northern end of the pool which emitted continual streams of small clear bubbles. Sub-bottom profiles indicated three distinct strata beneath the present surface of the mud volcano. Integration of 17 profiles shows that the mud volcano has been built in at least three successive stages: the lowest stage deposited 35,400 m³, while the middle and upper stages deposited 7700 and 20,400 m³, respectively. Piston cores were taken at the northern edge of the mussel bed and a site ∼100 m southwest of the pool. Mussel and lucinid shells were recovered from the closer core, lucinid shells from the distant core. A mussel shell from 3.4 m sub-bottom had a Δ¹⁴C age of 16.2 ka. Mixture of modern carbon with “carbon dead” reservoir material would produce actual ages ∼2 ka less than the radiocarbon ages.     

Reproduction in the sea pen Funiculina quadrangularis (Anthozoa: Pennatulacea) from the west coast of Scotland

The sea pen Funiculina quadrangularis (Pallas, 1766) is a species of conservation concern in Scottish coastal waters, due to its restricted geographical distribution and high sensitivity to demersal fishing activities. Reproduction in F. quadrangularis was investigated in a population located in southern Loch Linnhe, west Scotland. This was accomplished through the analysis of trends in oocyte size-frequency distribution and relative fecundity over a 12-month period. Funiculina quadrangularis is dioecious and the study population exhibited a sex ratio of 1:1. Oogenesis in female F. quadrangularis is characterised by the maintenance of a large pool of asynchronously developing oocytes throughout the year, of which a small proportion (<10%) mature with increasing sychronicity and are spawned in midwinter. The reasons for this distinct pattern of oogenesis and winter spawning remain unclear, although the potential influence of environmental cues and the role of endogenous factors in relation to this sea pen's deep-sea habit are discussed. Whilst the duration of oogenesis is prolonged (>12 months), it is proposed that spawning is a brief and synchronous annual event. Relative fecundity is high and is independent of colony size, varying between approximately 500–2000 oocytes per 1 cm rachial midsection. This measure of fecundity exhibited pronounced seasonality and was significantly lower during the post-spawning winter months. Total fecundity in F. quadrangularis is considered to be high; although a small proportion of the total number of oocytes is spawned annually, this is compensated for by large colony size. Funiculina quadrangularis produces large oocytes (>800 μm), indicative of the production of lecithotrophic larvae.     

Phytoplankton production characteristics in the Eastern Atlantic and Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean in October–November 2004

Production parameters of surface phytoplankton were measured along three transects: La Manche-Cape Town (I); Cape Town-54°S (II); 0°-49°W (along 54°S) (III). The Canary upwelling waters were most productive along transect I, where the surface chlorophyll a (Chl ₀) and the surface primary production (PP ₀) were as high as 4.3 mg/m³ and 173 mg C/m³ per day, respectively. Mosaic patterns in the distribution of these parameters were recorded in the northeastern regions of the South Subtropical Anticyclonic Gyre (Chl ₀ = 0.03–0.35 mg/m³; PP ₀ = 1.6–12.6 mg C/m³ per day). Along transect II, the average twofold southward increase in Chl ₀ (from 0.2 to 0.4 mg/m³) and the concurrent decline of the phytoplankton assimilation activity ( AN ₀) resulted in deviations from typical latitudinal changes inPP ₀. At most sites, PP ₀ values varied between 6 and 15 mg C/m³ per day. Negligible changes in Chl ₀ (0.36–0.85 mg/m³), PP ₀ (8–19 mg C/m³ per day), and AN ₀ (0.7–1.6 mg C/mg chl a per hour) were registered for the oceanic waters along transect III. Along all the transects, PP ₀ depended on Chl ₀ to a greater extent than AN ₀. The values of the latter parameter were largely determined by the water temperature and showed a slight correlation with the insolation. Along transect II, the integrated primary production (PP _int) and the layer-integrated chlorophyll a in the upper 200 m (Chl _0–200) generally varied from 180 to 360 mg C/m² per day and from 30 to 70 mg/m², respectively. In the Polar Front region, an increase in Chl _0–200, PP _int, Chl ₀, and PP ₀ up to respective values of 190 mg/m², 520 mg C/m² per day, 1.2 mg/m³, and 32 mg C/m³ per day was observed. A comparison of the water column (0–100 m) stability with the vertical distribution of the primary production and chlorophyll content along transect II implies that the thick (>100 m) upper mixed layer (UML) formed in response to the strong water cooling and wind forcing was largely responsible for the limited primary production in the Subantarctic and Antarctic regions. The large UML thickness resulted in an intense removal of plant cells from the photosynthetic layer and light starvation of a significant (up to 60%) part of the phytoplankton community.     

Statistical structure of the large-scale fields of temperature and salinity in the Black Sea

In order to reconstruct the large-scale temperature and salinity fields by the method of optimal interpolation of the archival data, we compute the correlation functions and analyze the space and time variations of the statistical structure of the fields. On the sea surface, the thermohaline fields are spatially inhomogeneous. Thus, the correlation functions are anisotropic in the region of the northwest shelf and close to isotropic in the inner parts of the sea. The values of correlation length vary from season to season. In the layer of pycnocline, the temperature and salinity fields are anisotropic. In the zonal direction, the correlation length is 2–3 times greater than in the meridional direction. The indicated anisotropy becomes stronger in the winter season and weaker in the summer season as a consequence of the seasonal variability of large-scale circulation. We study the dependence of the error of reconstruction of the fields by the method of optimal interpolation on the form of approximation of the correlation functions with regard for anisotropy. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, pp. 51–65, January–February, 2008.     

Onshore sandbar migration at Tairua Beach (New Zealand): Numerical simulations and field measurements

We observed the onshore migration (3.5 m/day) of a nearshore sandbar at Tairua Beach, New Zealand during 4 days of low-energy wave conditions. The morphological observations, together with concurrent measurements of waves and suspended sediment concentrations, were used to test a coupled, wave-averaged, cross-shore model. Because of the coarse bed material and the relatively low-energy conditions, the contribution of the suspended transport to the total transport was predicted and observed to be negligible. The model predicted the bar to move onshore because of the feedback between near-bed wave skewness, bedload, and the sandbar under weakly to non-breaking conditions at high tide. The predicted bathymetric evolution contrasts, however, with the observations that the bar migrated onshore predominantly at low tide. Also, the model flattened the bar, while in the observations the sandbar retained its steep landward-facing flank. A comparison between available observations and numerical simulations suggests that onshore propagating surf zone bores in very shallow water (< 0.25 m) may have been responsible for most of the observed bar behaviour. These processes are missing from the applied model and, given that the observed conditions can be considered typical of very shallow sandbars, highlight a priority for further field study and model development. The possibility that the excess water transported by the bores across the bar was channelled alongshore to near-by rip-channels further implies that traditional cross-shore measures to judge the applicability of a cross-shore morphodynamic model may be misleading.     

Seasonal evolution of the mediterranean water propagation in the north Atlantic

The Climatic variability of the seasonal water exchange in the Strait of Gibraltar and the spatial structure of the tongue of the Mediterranean Waters (MW) in the Atlantic Ocean are studied. The analysis is based on the results of a numerical experiment using a 3D ocean circulation model developed at the Institute of Computational Mathematics (ICM RAS) with a resolution of the dataset over the latitude and longitude equal to 0.25 degree. The seasonal evolution of the salinity and density fields is calculated in the North Atlantic (from 20 °S, including the Mediterranean Sea) and in the Arctic Ocean (including the Bering Sea). The comparison of the model estimates with the results of field observations demonstrated good agreement. The transport of the MW into the Atlantic is close to the observed data (during the year, it varies from 1.8 Sv in the winter to 0.9 Sv in the summer). The complex pattern of the currents in the region of the MW spreading is confirmed. The alternating character of the saline MW tongue at the 1000-m level is shown for the first time. It is found that the zones of maximum salinities in the open part of the ocean coincide with the main trajectories of migration of MW lenses and the regions of their decomposition.     

Pteropods in Southern Ocean ecosystems

To date, little research has been carried out on pelagic gastropod molluscs (pteropods) in Southern Ocean ecosystems. However, recent predictions are that, due to acidification resulting from a business as usual approach to CO₂ emissions (IS92a), Southern Ocean surface waters may begin to become uninhabitable for aragonite shelled thecosome pteropods by 2050. To gain insight into the potential impact that this would have on Southern Ocean ecosystems, we have here synthesized available data on pteropod distributions and densities, assessed current knowledge of pteropod ecology, and highlighted knowledge gaps and directions for future research on this zooplankton group.Six species of pteropod are typical of the Southern Ocean south of the Sub-Tropical Convergence, including the four Thecosomes Limacina helicina antarctica, Limacina retroversa australis, Clio pyramidata, and Clio piatkowskii, and two Gymnosomes Clione limacina antarctica and Spongiobranchaea australis. Limacina retroversa australis dominated pteropod densities north of the Polar Front (PF), averaging 60 ind m⁻³ (max = 800 ind m⁻³) and 11% of total zooplankton at the Prince Edward Islands. South of the PF L. helicina antarctica predominated, averaging 165 ind m⁻³ (max = 2681 ind m⁻³) and up to >35% of total zooplankton at South Georgia, and up to 1397 ind m⁻³ and 63% of total zooplankton in the Ross Sea. Combined pteropods contributed <5% to total zooplankton in the Lazarev Sea, but 15% (max = 93%) to macrozooplankton in the East Antarctic. In addition to regional density distributions we have synthesized data on vertical distributions, seasonal cycles, and inter-annual density variation.Trophically, gymnosome are specialist predators on thecosomes, while thecosomes are considered predominantly herbivorous, capturing food with a mucous web. The ingestion rates of L. retroversa australis are in the upper range for sub-Antarctic mesozooplankton (31.2-4196.9 ng pig ind⁻¹ d⁻¹), while those of L. helicina antarctica and C. pyramidata are in the upper range for all Southern Ocean zooplankton, in the latter species reaching 27,757 ng pig ind⁻¹ d⁻¹ and >40% of community grazing impact. Further research is required to quantify diet selectivity, the effect of phytoplankton composition on growth and reproductive success, and the role of carnivory in thecosomes.Life histories are a significant knowledge gap for Southern Ocean pteropods, a single study having been completed for L. retroversa australis, making population studies a priority for this group. Pteropods appear to be important in biogeochemical cycling, thecosome shells contributing >50% to carbonate flux in the deep ocean south of the PF. Pteropods may also contribute significantly to organic carbon flux through the production of fast sinking faecal pellets and mucous flocs, and rapid sinking of dead animals ballasted by their aragonite shells. Quantification of these contributions requires data on mucous web production rates, egestion rates, assimilation efficiencies, metabolic rates, and faecal pellet morphology for application to sediment trap studies.Based on the available data, pteropods are regionally significant components of the Southern Ocean pelagic ecosystem. However, there is an urgent need for focused research on this group in order to quantify how a decline in pteropod densities may impact on Southern Ocean ecosystems.     

Response of Nereis diversicolor population (Polychaeta,Nereididae) to the pollution impact – Authie and Seine estuaries (France)

A survey within the French National Programme of Ecotoxicology was carried out in 2002, 2003 and 2004 to study the response of Nereis diversicolor populations (Polychaeta, Nereididae) to the impact of pollution in the Authie estuary (non-contaminated site) and in the Seine estuary (contaminated site). In the period studied, the density varied from 672 ind. m⁻² to 3584 ind. m⁻² in the Authie estuary and from 80 ind. m⁻² to 920 ind. m⁻² in the Seine estuary. Biomass varied from 3.94 g m⁻² (dry weight) in February 2004 to 38.0 g m⁻² in August 2003 in the Authie estuary and from 3.4 g m⁻² in February 2002 to 0.6 g m⁻² in February 2004 in the Seine estuary. Density and biomass of the populations of N. diversicolor were consistently lower in the Seine estuary than in the Authie estuary. Size frequency histograms permit the analysis of the cohorts as well as the elaboration of the growth curves. For the individuals from the Authie estuary, the relation between dry weight (DW) and length L3 (prostomium, peristomium and chaetiger 1) was DW = 4.2205 L3^2.9832. For those from the Seine estuary, the relation between dry weight and L3 was DW = 0.4697e^1.7209L3. The individuals of N. diversicolor should belong to eight cohorts in Authie estuary (two cohorts each year) instead of six cohorts for those from the Seine estuary. These differences can be attributed to the effect of pollution on the population of N. diversicolor.     

Analysis of threshold and incipient conditions for sediment movement

Prediction of threshold conditions and incipient motion is the essential issue for the study of sediment transport. This work compares existing empirical threshold curves proposed for Shields diagram, a method based on the concept of probability of sediment movement, and an empirical method based on movability number. These methods are used to predict the incipient motion conditions for experimental runs taken from various studies. Most of the experimental data, used in this work, have not been used before in derivation of alternative formulations for Shields diagram and other methods. The empirical threshold curves based on the Shields entrainment function was the least successful at predicting the measured incipient motion conditions, while the use of the movability number gives good predictions of critical shear velocity compared with experimental data.     

Large bio-geographical shifts in the north-eastern Atlantic Ocean: From the subpolar gyre, via plankton, to blue whiting and pilot whales

Pronounced changes in fauna, extending from the English Channel in the south to the Barents Sea in the north-east and off Greenland in the north-west, have occurred in the late 1920s, the late 1960s and again in the late 1990s. We attribute these events to exchanges of subarctic and subtropical water masses in the north-eastern North Atlantic Ocean, associated with changes in the strength and extent of the subpolar gyre. These exchanges lead to variations in the influence exerted by the subarctic or Lusitanian biomes on the intermediate faunistic zone in the north-eastern Atlantic. This strong and persistent bottom-up bio-physical link is demonstrated using a numerical ocean general circulation model and data on four trophically connected levels in the food chain – phytoplankton, zooplankton, blue whiting, and pilot whales. The plankton data give a unique basin-scale depiction of these changes, and a long pilot whale record from the Faroe Islands offers an exceptional temporal perspective over three centuries. Recent advances in simulating the dynamics of the subpolar gyre suggests a potential for predicting the distribution of the main faunistic zones in the north-eastern Atlantic a few years into the future, which might facilitate a more rational management of the commercially important fisheries in this region.