Stable nitrogen isotope composition in sedimentary organic matter as a potential proxy of nitrogen sources for primary producers at a fringing coral reef

The stable nitrogen isotope ratio (δ ¹⁵N) in macroalgae is effectively used as a time-integrated bioindicator to record nitrogen sources for primary producers during their growing periods in aquatic ecosystems. However, the utility of this tool is limited because the occurrence of these organisms is often restricted in space and time. To investigate the potential of chemical composition in sedimentary organic matter (SOM) as a proxy for time-integrated environmental conditions, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) contents and their stable isotope ratios (δ ¹⁵N and δ ¹³C) were determined, and systematically cross-checked against corresponding values in macroalgae at the Shiraho fringing reef in Okinawa, Japan. Preliminary trials showed that δ ¹⁵N in SOM processed by the “wash-out method” for δ ¹³C analysis yielded similar δ ¹⁵N values to the bulk sediment, despite the loss of some SOM during the process. The amounts of organic matter and the ratio of the HCl-insoluble portion were variable within the reef, probably reflecting local vegetation and subsequent decomposition. The distribution of δ ¹⁵N and δ ¹³C in SOM showed similar trends to those of macroalgae, with mostly constant differences of 1.4‰ and −6.7‰, respectively. These differences throughout the reef appeared to be explained in terms of mixed contributions from macrophyte and epibenthic microalgae growing in different seasons and years, with their debris undergoing diagenetic alteration. Therefore, macroalgae and SOM δ-values can be used in a complementary manner, over various time scales, as indicators of the integrated effect of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) sources on coral reef ecosystems.     

Particle-Image Velocimetry Measurements of Separation and Re-attachment of Airflow over Two-Dimensional Hills with Various Slope Angles and Approach-Flow Characteristics

Airflow over two-dimensional hills was investigated in a wind tunnel using particle image velocimetry. We focus on the flow separation behaviour. A trapezoidal hill shape was used in most of the experimental runs, but the critical slope angle for flow separation was approximately the same as that established for smooth hill shapes. The re-attachment point of the separated flow became farther from the hill as the slope angle $\theta $ increased, reaching a saturation of about seven times the hill height for $\theta \gtrsim 60^\circ $ . Increasing the upwind surface roughness length was found to suppress flow separation. This tendency is analogous to the previous experimental results for turbulent boundary layers on flat plates. The boundary-layer thickness varied by the presence or absence of Counihan-type spires and a castellated fence at the test-section entrance had negligible effect on the flow separation.     

Environmental Factors Affecting the Occurrence and Production of the Spring Phytoplankton Bloom in Funka Bay, Japan

The concentration of nutrients was measured during the spring phytoplankton bloom in Funka Bay over a 5-year period (1988–92). During the winter mixing period, nutrient concentrations were similar in every year except in 1990 when a high concentration of silicate was observed. There was interannual variation in the onset of the bloom, presumably depending on the stability of the water column. The bloom developed in early March when the Oyashio water (OW), which has a lower density than the existing winter water, flowed into the bay and the pycnocline formed near the bottom of the euphotic zone. In this case, high chl a was found only in the euphotic zone and nutrient utilization was limited to this zone. In the year when the inflow of OW was not observed by April, the bloom took place at the end of March without strong stratification and high chl a was found in the whole water column, accompanied by a decrease in nutrients. Interannual differences were found not only at the beginning of the decrease, but also in the thickness of the layer which showed a decrease in nutrients. Primary production from the beginning to the end of the spring bloom was estimated from the nutrient budget before and after the spring bloom. The integrated production over the spring bloom period ranged from 25 to 73 g C m^-2, which accounts for 19–56% of the annual production in this bay. We found that the timing of the bloom was strongly dependent on the inflow of OW, but the amount of production was not clearly related to this timing.     

Vertical profiles of nitrous oxide and dissolved oxygen in marine sediments

The whole core squeezing method was used to simultaneously obtain profiles of nitrous oxide (N₂O), nitrogenous nutrients, and dissolved oxygen in sediments of Koaziro Bay, Japan (coastal water), the East China Sea (marginal sea), and the central Pacific Ocean (open ocean). In the spring of Koaziro Bay, subsurface peaks of interstitial N₂O (0.5–3.5 cm depth) were observed, at which concentrations were higher than in the overlying water. This was also true for nitrate (NO₃⁻) and nitrite (NO₂⁻) profiles, suggesting that the transport of oxic overlying water to the depth through faunal burrows induced in situ N₂O production depending on nitrification. In the summer of Koaziro Bay, sediment concentrations of N₂O, NO₃⁻ and NO₂⁻ were lower than in the overlying water. In most East China Sea sediments, both N₂O and NO₃⁻ decreased sharply in the top 0.5–2 cm oxic layer (oxygen: 15–130 μM), which may have indicated N₂O and NO₃⁻ consumption by denitrification at anoxic microsites. N₂O peaks at subsurface depth (0.5–6.5 cm) implied in situ production of N₂O and/or its supply from the overlying water through faunal burrows. However, the occurrence of the latter process was not confirmed by the profiles of other constituents. In the central Pacific Ocean, the accumulation of N₂O and NO₃⁻ in the sediments likely resulted from nitrification. Nitrous oxide fluxes from the sediments, calculated using its gradient at the sediment–water interface and the molecular diffusion coefficient, were −45 to 6.9 nmolN m⁻² h⁻¹ in Koaziro Bay in the spring, −29 to −21 nmolN m⁻² h⁻¹ in the summer, −46 to 37 nmolN m⁻² h⁻¹ in the East China Sea, 0.17 to 0.23 nmolN m⁻² h⁻¹ in the equatorial Pacific, and <±0.2 nmolN m⁻² h⁻¹ in the subtropical North Pacific, respectively.     

Basin-Scale Geographic Patterns of Bacterioplankton Biomass and Production in the Subarctic Pacific, July–September 1997

Bacterial biomass and production rate were measured in the surface (0–100 m) and mesopelagic layers (100–1,000 m) in the subarctic Pacific and the Bering Sea between July–September, 1997. Depth profiles were determined at stations occupied in oceanic domains including the subarctic gyres (western, Bering Sea, and Gulf of Alaska) and a boundary region south of the gyres. In the surface layer (0–100 m), both bacterial biomass and production were generally high in the western and Bering Sea gyres, with the tendency of decrease toward east. This geographic pattern was consistent with the dominant regime of phytoplankton biomass at the time of our survey. A significant portion of variation in bacterial production was explained by the concentration of chlorophyll a (r ² = 0.340, n = 60, P < 0.001) and, to the greater extent, by the concentration of semilabile total organic carbon (SL-TOC = TOC at a given depth—TOC at 1,000 m, r ² = 0.488, n = 59, P < 0.0001). Temperature significantly improved the regression model: temperature and chlorophyll jointly explained 60% of variation in bacterial production. These results support the hypothesis that bacteiral growth is largely regulated by the combination of temperature and the supply of dissolved organic carbon in subarctic surface waters. In the mesopelagic layer (100–1,000 m), the geographic pattern of bacterial production was strikingly different from the surface phytoplankton distribution: the production was high in the boundary region where the phytoplankton biomass was lowest. Bacterial growth appeared to be largely controlled by the supply of organic carbon, as indicated by the strong dependency of bacterial production on SL-TOC (r ² = 0.753, n = 75, P < 0.0001). The spatial uncoupling between surface phytoplankton and mesopelagic bacterial production suggests that the supply rate of labile dissolved organic carbon in the mesopelagic zone does not simply reflect the magnitude of the particulate organic carbon flux in the subarctic Pacific.     

A real-time observation network of ocean-bottom-seismometers deployed at the Sagami trough subduction zone,central Japan

We installed a real-time operating regional observation network of Ocean-Bottom-Seismometers, connected to an electro-optical fiber communication cable, at the Sagami trough subduction zone, just south of the Tokyo metropolitan area, central Japan. The network, called ETMC, has six seismic observation sites at approximately 20 km spacing. In addition, there are three tsunami observation sites along the ETMC network to monitor the propagation process of tsunamis around the Sagami trough region.The on-line data from the ETMC has been improving the detection capability of smaller-magnitude earthquakes even at areas close to the margin of the trough. The ETMC data analyzing system, which has a function of real-time digital filtering for each seismic channel, can read the arrival times of P- and S-waves precisely, constraining well the automatic on-line hypocenter locations. The network has been providing useful information regarding the bending and downgoing process of the Philippine sea plate at the Sagami trough subduction zone.The pressure sensors of the installed network have a detection capability of tsunami wave trains with an amplitude of less than 1 cm. For example, the sensors recorded the full time history of tsunami wave trains, with mm order resolution, originating from a tsunami earthquake with 5.7 M_W and the tsunami magnitude of 7.5 occurred near Tori Shima (Tori Is.) of the Izu-Bonin Is. arc on September 4, 1996. The maximum amplitude of the tsunami signals on the trough-floor was approximately 1 cm (P-P), in contrast with approximately 20 cm (0-P) at a coastal site on Izu-Oshima, near the trough. Also, the pressure sensors observed tsunamis due to a large tsunami earthquake (7.1 M_W) at the northern New Guinea, on July 17, 1998.     

Geochemical Changes in Spring Water Associated with the 2000 Eruption of the Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Water was sampled from eight springs and a lake in volcanic Miyakejima Island of Japan after the 2000 eruption. Major chemical and isotopic compositions of the water were analyzed. Significant increases of sulfate ion are observed in several springs where the thickness of ejecta exceeds 32 mm. A good relationship of Cl/S mole ratios between spring water and leachate of the ejecta is observed. Sulfur isotopic compositions of the spring water become close to that of leachate of the ejecta as time elapses after the eruption. Consequently the sources of the added sulfate ion in the spring water after the eruption are interpreted to be anhydrite and adhered sulfur of the ejecta.