Microzooplankton Grazing in the Southern Ocean: Implications for the Carbon Cycle

Abstract. Microzooplankton grazing and protozooplankton community structure was investigated in austral summer (Jan./Feb.) and winter (June/July) 1993 in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean during the SAAMES (South African Antarctic Marine Ecosystem Study) Il and III cruises. Grazing was estimated at 22 stations in summer and at 15 stations in winter by employing the sequential dilution technique. Nano-heterotrophic flagellates (< 20 μm) and ciliates (aloricate ciliates and tintinnids) dominated the protozooplankton assemblages along both transects. Densities in winter were, however, nearly an order of magnitude lower than in summer. Microzooplankton grazing removed between 0 and 28% (mean = 13.2%) of the initial phytoplankton stock in summer and, between 24 and 51 % of the initial stock (mean = 37.6%) in winter. The potential primary production removed during summer ranged between 0 and 46% (mean = 22.0%) compared with the winter range of 56–83% (mean = 67.2%). Size selectivity grazing experiments conducted during both studies suggest that microzooplankton preferentially graze on the nano- (20–2.0μm) and picophytoplankton (2.0–0.2μm) size fractions. These results have important implications for the efficiency of the carbon pump in the Southern Ocean. During summer when the larger cells dominate phytoplankton biomass, the bulk of the photosynthetically fixed carbon appears to be channelled to the meso- and macrozooplankton fractions. This results in a rapid transfer of organic carbon out of the zone of regeneration to the deep ocean via vertical migration and large faecal pellet production. During winter, however, an increase in the contribution of the smaller size fractions to total phytoplankton biomass results in a greater proportion of the photosynthetically fixed carbon being channelled to the microzooplankton fraction. The efficiency of the carbon pump is, therefore, reduced in that the transfer of carbon below the zone of regeneration is reduced as carbon is recycled mostly within the microbial loop in the upper mixed layer.     

Direction de croissance des eperons sur le front d''un recif barriere — L''exemple du Grand Recif de Tulear (Madagascar)

A study has been made of the orientation of the spurs of the outer front of a barrier coral-reef tract in the Bay of Tuléar on the southwest coast of Madagascar. All types of coral reef tracts are present: outer or barrier reefs, lagoon reefs and coral banks. The orientation of the spurs was studied as a function of the direction of the swell crests which are either parallel or oblique to the alignment of the reef front of the “Grand Récif” which extends over 18 km. When the swell is oblique, the spurs are not, as is generally held, perpendicular to the crests of the swell. The orientation of the spurs is a resultant direction between the direction of the swell orthogonals and the direction of the slope of the outer reef flat. From aerial photographs one can determine the directions of the spurs and of the slope of the outer reef flat. It is easy to obtain the direction of the crests of the swell and then to construct the wave diagram. The morphological aspects and the distribution of the deposits on the inner flat of the coral reef tract depend on the orientation of the swell.

Résumé

L'étude de l'orientation des éperons d'un front récifal externe a été réalisée dans la baie de Tuléar sur la côte sud-ouest de Madagascar. Dans ce secteur, tous les types d'édifices récifaux sont présents: récifs barrières externes, récifs de lagon et bancs coralliens. Nous avons étudié l'orientation des éperons en fonction de la direction de la houle qui est soit parallèle, soit oblique par rapport au front récifal du Grand Récif qui s'étend sur 18 km. Quand la houle est oblique, les éperons ne sont pas — comme on le dit généralement — perpendiculaires à la houle, mais leur orientation est une direction résultante entre la direction de propagation de la houle et celle de la pente du platier récifal au point considéré. Sur les photographies aériennes, on détermine la direction des éperons et celle de la pente. Une construction simple permet d'obtenir la direction de la crête des vagues et de construire le plan de vagues. Toute la morphologie et la répartition des dépôts du platier d'un édifice récifal sont sous la dépendance de l'orientation de la houle.     

Coupled dynamic analysis of a mini TLP: Comparison with measurements

The dynamically coupled interaction between the hull of a floating platform and its risers and tendons plays an important role in the global motions of the platform and the tension loads in the tendons and risers. This is an especially critical design issue in the frequency ranges outside the wave frequencies of significant energy content. This study examines the importance of this coupled dynamic interaction and the effectiveness of different approaches for their prediction. A numerical code, named COUPLE, has been developed for computing the motions and tensions pertaining to a moored floating structure positioned and restrained by its mooring/tendon and riser systems. In this study the experimentally measured motions of a mini-TLP are compared with those computed using COUPLE and alternative predictions based upon quasi-static analysis. The comparisons confirm that COUPLE is able to predict the dynamic interaction between the hull and its tendon and riser systems while the related quasi-static analysis fails. The comparisons also show that wave loads on the mini-TLP can be accurately predicted using the Morison equation provided that the wavelength of incident waves is much longer than the diameters of the columns and pontoons and that the wave kinematics used are sufficiently accurate. Although these findings are based upon the case of a mini-TLP, they are expected to be relevant to a wide range of floating or compliant deepwater structures.     

Fitting a predator–prey model to zooplankton time-series data in the Gironde estuary (France): Ecological significance of the parameters

The relationships between the seasonal fluctuations of the copepod Eurytemora affinis and the mysid Neomysis integer were studied from observed data and experimental results, using a predator–prey model in the oligo-mesohaline area of the Gironde estuary. Mean seasonal fluctuations of abundances were derived from long term data series collected from 1978 to 2003 for both species. In situ predator–prey experiments over a seasonal cycle were used to estimate the seasonal variation of the consumption rate of N. integer on E. affinis and to verify the order of magnitude of the biological parameters given by the model.Predator–prey experiments revealed a high seasonal variation in maximum consumption rates with a mean of 56 ± 9 ind. pred⁻¹ d⁻¹. Maximum consumption rates were always higher for adults than for juveniles of Neomysis integer. Recorded selectivities were higher on nauplii than on copepodids + adults of Eurytemora affinis, both for the juveniles and the adults of N. integer. Neomysis integer mainly fed on meroplanktonic larvae, when they were available in higher abundances, than E. affinis in their environment.Spring increases of abundance for Eurytemora affinis copepodids + adults seemed to be mainly controlled by temperature whereas its decreasing abundance in summer was more related to Neomysis integer predation, suggesting that summer fluctuations of E. affinis abundance are probably controlled by mysid predation at summer times. Using a Lotka–Volterra predator–prey model, the seasonal peak of abundance of the mysid N. integer was well reproduced considering a predation on copepodids + adults of E. affinis, and suggested a dependence between mysid and copepod seasonal variations. However, the seasonal peak amplitude could not be explained solely by a predation on copepodids + adults or on nauplii of the copepod. Thus, N. integer is probably dependent on the seasonal fluctuations of the copepod's abundance, complementing its diet with macrophytal detritus during periods of scarce food.     

Remarques comparatives sur quelques éléments sédimentologiques et paléogéographiques liés aux gisements de fer oolithiques du Djebel Ank (Tunisie) et de Lorraine (France)

Résumé Bien que de moindre intérêt économique, le gisement de fer oolithique du Djebel Ank se rapporte au type «Lorraine».Il s'agit d'une minéralisation localisée vers le littoral d'un sillon intracratonique, en marge du domaine géosynclinal et située, comme en Lorraine, dans une séquence lithologique négative, mais à lithofaciès détritiques en Lorraine, chimiques en Tunisie. On note aussi la localisation des grands gisements de phosphates dans les mêmes faisceaux stratigraphiques et dans les mêmes types de séquences que le gisement de fer du Djebel Ank, fer et phosphate présentant une radioactivité du même ordre et étant situés sur le même linéament.

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Although the Djebel Ank deposit is of less economic value, it may be correlated to «Lorraine» type. Mineralisation of Djebel Ank is found near the ancient shore line of a intracratonic trench on the border of geosynclinal area. The mineralisations both at Djebel Ank and Lorraine occur in a lithologic negative sequence, although the lithofacies are detridal in Lorraine and chemical in Tunisia. It is important to point out that phosphates and iron in Tunisia occur in the same stratigraphic series and in an identical type of lithologic sequence. Also iron ore is rich in phosphates. It is significant that the iron and phosphate contain same amount of radioactivities. Likewise, phosphate and iron in Tunisia are localized along a common «lineament».

     

Determination of Mercury in One Hundred and Sixteen Geological and Environmental Reference Materials Using a Direct Mercury Analyser

The mercury content of 116 reference materials (RMs) from ten international organisations was determined in this study, which focused on variability within and between batches of RMs. Direct mercury analysis (DMA) was applied to RMs having Hg contents between 1 and 6300 ng g^?1 and provided good precision and accuracy. Accuracy was demonstrated by the agreement of our results with certified values, while replicates were made to establish the precision. Low within‐batch variability was noted, with precision from 0.1 to 23% (n = 3–5) apparently depending on Hg content and homogeneity, whereas systematic offsets were detected among several batches. Thanks to the analysis of different batches; the homogeneity or heterogeneity of several RMs was shown, and thus, suitable RMs for quality control for Hg determinations could be recommended.