Characterisation of the dietary relationships of two sympatric hake species,Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus,in the northern Benguela region using fatty acid profiles

The two sympatric species of Cape hake, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus, have been the main targets of bottom-trawl fisheries off Namibia for several decades. The feeding ecology of these hakes has been studied mainly using stomach content analyses and thus there remain some gaps in our knowledge about food assimilated over the longer term. In this study, we used fatty acid (FA) profiles to characterise the dietary relationships of M. capensis and M. paradoxus. Muscle samples from hake (n=110) and their known prey (n=68) were collected during trawl surveys off Namibia during 2011. Significant differences between the neutral FA profiles of the hake populations were detected in December 2011 but not in January 2011, an indication of temporal variations in diet and resource partitioning. Comparisons of the neutral FAs in hake and the total FAs of potential prey showed no clear trophic connections, with the exception of flying squid Todarodes sagittatus, which had FA profiles very similar to those of M. paradoxus in December 2011. Our results highlight the complex and temporally shifting relationships that exist between hake and the large pool of prey available to them, and between the two hake species that overlap in their feeding habits and distribution within the highly productive Benguela Current region.     

Sub‐arctic Holocene climatic and oceanographic variability in Stjernsund,northern Norway: evidence from benthic foraminifera and stable isotopes

A high‐resolution record, covering 9.3–0.2 ka BP, from the sub‐arctic Stjernsund (70°N) was studied for benthic foraminiferal faunas and stable isotopes, revealing three informally named main phases during the Holocene. The Early‐ to Mid‐Holocene (9.3–5.0 ka BP) was characterized by the strong influence of the North Atlantic Current (NAC), which prevented the reflection of the Holocene Climatic Optimum (HCO) in the bottom‐water temperature. During the Mid‐Holocene Transition (5.0–2.5 ka BP), a turnover of benthic foraminiferal faunas occurred, Atlantic Water species decreased while Arctic‐Polar species increased, and the oxygen isotope record showed larger fluctuations. Those variations correspond to a period of global climate change, to spatially more heterogeneous benthic foraminiferal faunas in the Nordic Seas region, and to regionally diverging terrestrial temperatures. The Cool Late Holocene (2.5–0.2 ka BP) was characterized by increased abundances of Arctic‐Polar species and a steady cooling trend reflected in the oxygen isotopes. In this period, our record differs considerably from those on the SW Barents Sea shelf and locations farther south. Therefore, we argue that regional atmospheric cooling triggered the late Holocene cooling trend. Several cold episodes centred at ～8.3, ～7.8, ～6.5, ～4.9, ～3.9 and ～3.3 ka BP were identified from the benthic foraminiferal faunas and the δ¹⁸O record, which correlated with marine and atmospherically driven proxy records. This suggests that short‐term cold events may result from reduced heat advection via the NAC or from colder air temperatures.     

An assessment of the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on meiofaunal assemblages using microcosm bioassays

Microcosms were used to assess the impact of copper mine tailings disposal on the littoral meiofaunal assemblages of the Atacama region of northern Chile. The specific purpose was to establish a cause and effect relationship between the elevated copper concentrations and altered meiofaunal assemblages observed at the study sites. Meiofaunal assemblages were exposed to a series of copper concentrations to assess general toxicity, both densities and taxa diversities decreased with increasing copper. Natural coarse sediments were mixed with a tailings substitute to assess the physical impact of the tailings dumping on meiofaunal assemblages. Meiofaunal assemblage densities increased with increasing amounts of tailings substitute, entirely due to an increase in surface utilising foraminiferans. However, taxa diversities decreased as the interstitial spaces became blocked. Finally, the microcosms were used to conduct bioassays of sediments and seawaters from the impacted sites. The sediments from the impacted sites proved to be toxic resulting in reduced meiofaunal densities and taxa diversities. Seawater samples did not prove to be significantly toxic. The use of microcosms has allowed the effects of the physical and chemical components of tailings to be assessed individually, which was not possible in the field. Additionally, it allowed a cause and effect relationship to be established between elevated concentrations of porewater copper observed in the field and the reduced densities and taxa diversities of the meiofaunal assemblages observed at the same sites.     

Mixing and transport near the shallow-crested Rumble III seamount and the implications for plankton distribution

Vessel-based observations of water column structure and flow near a shallow-crested seamount are used to quantify the physical disturbance induced by that seamount. The implications of this disturbance on the ‘feeding hole’ hypothesis are then examined based on data from moored thermistors and acoustic current profilers, as well as vessel-based acoustic sounding-derived biomass estimates, currents, and conductivity-temperature-depth profiles from a 55 km square grid of stations around the crest. Mean currents in the region of 0.2 m s^?1 are comparable to observations from surface drifters whereas the semidiurnal tidal flow amplitude was one third of this. Thorpe Scale-based estimates of energy dissipation rate were in the range 10^?9 to 2.10^?8 W kg^?1 and vertical diffusivities K_z were in the range 10^?4 to 10^?3 m² s^?1. Turbulence levels were higher upstream of the seamount–likely due to the influence of nearby seamounts Rumble IV and V. There was no evidence of a Taylor Cap in the Rumble III velocity field. The sounder data provide some evidence of a feeding hole and analysis based on diffusivities suggests that this might persist downstream of the seamount for as much as 7 days.     

Effects of copper mine tailings disposal on littoral meiofaunal assemblages in the Atacama region of northern Chile

The effects of the disposal of copper mine tailings on the littoral meiofaunal assemblages of the Chañaral area of northern Chile were studied. Of the metals data collected, only in the case of copper was there a clear association with the tailings distribution in both the seawater and porewater samples, and it is assumed that the tailings on the beaches was the source of copper in the adjacent seawater. When compared to the reference sites, the meiofaunal assemblages at the impacted sites had significantly lower densities and taxa diversities; at the northern sites only the densities were lower. Otoplanid turbellarians were identified as characteristic of those beaches impacted by tailings. The combination of porewater copper and the amount of tailings present were identified as mostly responsible for the observed structure of the meiofaunal assemblages. It was also established that the variation in natural sediment grain size from beach to beach was not a significant factor in the observed differences in the meiofaunal assemblages. The two groups of meiofauna that proved to be most sensitive to the effects of tailings dumping were the foraminiferans and the harpacticoid copepods.     

The spatial variability of Amazonian soils under natural forest and pasture

Spatial variability of physical and chemical properties in Amazonian soils is evaluated on sites of natural rain forest and pastures of different age in the Amazon region. The sampling scheme was regionalized using transects of fifty points 3 m apart each. Variables analysed were: soil bulk density; resistance to penetration; soil water content; available water; pH and extractable ions such as Ca, K, Al, P and Zn. Geostatistical analyses show that most variables are space independent for the 3 m spacing used. Variances indicate a much lower variability of the measured properties in the forest as compared to pastures.     

Virtual organisation in the SIMDAT meteorological activity: a decentralised access control mechanism for distributed data

The EU funded SIMDAT project is aimed at applying generic grid technology for the solution of complex application problems in several representative fields including automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical and meteorology. To satisfy the requirements of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the WMO Information Systems (WIS), the partners in the meteorology activity within SIMDAT (ECMWF, Deutscher Wetterdienst, the UK Met office, EUMETSAT and Météo-France), have developed grid-enabled software that provides generic distributed access to distributed meteorological data repositories via web-based portals, through a series of nodes organized in a mesh network. However, granting access to such an infrastructure, especially considering its fully distributed nature, is a serious challenge and a risk to the security of the overall grid infrastructure. SIMDAT solves this problem by implementing a security model based on a decentralized fine-grained access control mechanism that federates data providers and security issues using the notion of “trust domains”. In this paper we highlight the main features of the SIMDAT grid application and describe its security model in detail.     

Copper bioavailability in a coastal environment of Northern Chile: comparison of bioassay and analytical speciation approaches

An integrated approach including chemical speciation analyses and microalgal bioassays was used to assess the impact of copper from copper mining on a coastal area in Northern Chile. Dissolved copper ranged from <1 microg l(-1) at reference sites to 48 microgl(-1) at sites close to the mine discharge. Dissolved copper at sites closest to the discharge always exceeded seawater complexing capacities determined by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV), and consequently labile copper was always detected (1-37 microg l(-1)). Agreement between ASV-labile copper and copper retained by cation exchange (ALSA) columns was excellent. Measured labile copper also accurately predicted bioavailable copper determined by growth inhibition of Nitzschia closterium and enzyme inhibition in Dunaliella tertiolecta. Seawater from Caleta La Lancha had the highest dissolved and labile copper and was the most toxic to micro-algal growth and enzyme activity. Previous studies at this site confirmed it had the lowest level of biodiversity, suggesting that copper may have both direct and indirect effects on these communities.     

Biodiversity of rocky intertidal benthic communities associated with copper mine tailing discharges in northern Chile

Copper mine tailings have been discharged around the city of Chanaral, in northern Chile, for more than 60 years. This report summarizes a 17-month long monitoring study of species richness and biodiversity at five intertidal sites around the point of the tailing discharge. Total dissolved copper in sites close to the point of discharge varied between 8.72 microg/l and 34.15 microg/l, showing that there has not been a significant reduction since 1994. However, species richness has increased, suggesting a possible recovery of the system. While diversity of sessile organisms correlates negatively with dissolved copper, diversity of mobile invertebrates did not correlate with the metal concentration. To explain the observed results we discuss the role of algal turf interference on the distribution of mobile invertebrates at reference sites, a top-down effect caused by the absence of carnivores at impacted sites, and an avoidance strategy by some species to reduce their contact with contaminated seawater.     

An assessment of the potential use of the nematode to copepod ratio in the monitoring of metals pollution. The Chañaral case

We discuss the use of the nematode to copepod ratio in relation to determining the extent of metals impact using the Cha?aral area of northern Chile, where the dumping of copper mine tailings has taken place for many years, as an example. Data were collected from 12 beaches in the area on eight occasions between January 1997 and October 1998. We find that the ratio is not a good predictor of pollution due to the generally low densities of meiofauna on impacted beaches and the absence of harpacticoid copepods from those beaches. We suggest that in the case of metal pollution the mean number of Harpacticoida per site may be a better indicator of impact stress. We rule out the use of the nematode to copepod ratio as an indicator in biomonitoring studies where metal enrichment is thought to occur.