Nitrogen isotopic discrimination by water column nitrification in a shallow coastal environment

Temporal changes in nitrogen isotopic composition (δ¹⁵N) of the NO₃ ⁻ pool in the water column below the pycnocline in Ise Bay, Japan were investigated to evaluate the effect of nitrification on the change in the δ¹⁵N in the water column. The δ¹⁵N of NO₃ ⁻ in the lower layers varied from −8.5‰ in May to +8.4‰ in July in response to the development of seasonal hypoxia and conversion from NH₄ ⁺ to NO₃ ⁻. The significantly ¹⁵N-depleted NO₃ ⁻ in May most likely arose from nitrification in the water column. The calculated apparent isotopic discrimination for water column nitrification (ɛ_nit = δ¹⁵N_substrate − δ¹⁵N_product) was 24.5‰, which lies within the range of previous laboratory-based estimates. Though prominent deficits of NO₃ ⁻ from hypoxic bottom waters due to denitrification were revealed in July, the isotopic discrimination of denitrification in the sediments was low (ɛ_denit = ∼1‰). δ¹⁵N_NO3 in the hypoxic lower layer mainly reflects the isotopic effect of water column nitrification, given that water column nitrification is not directly linked with sedimentary denitrification and the effect of sedimentary denitrification on the change in δ¹⁵N_NO3 is relatively small.     

Dissolved iron in the Australian sector of the Southern Ocean (CLIVAR SR3 section): Meridional and seasonal trends

We report measurements of dissolved iron (dFe, <0.4 μm) in seawater collected from the upper 300 m of the water column along the CLIVAR SR3 section south of Tasmania in March 1998 (between 42°S and 54°S) and November–December 2001 (between 47°S and 66°S). Results from both cruises indicate a general north-to-south decrease in mixed-layer dFe concentrations, from values as high as 0.76 nM in the Subtropical Front to uniformly low concentrations (<0.1 nM) between the Polar Front and the Antarctic continental shelf. Samples collected from the seasonal sea-ice zone in November–December 2001 provide no evidence of significant dFe inputs from the melting pack ice, which may explain the absence of pronounced ice-edge algal blooms in this sector of the Southern Ocean, as implied by satellite ocean-color images. Our data also allow us to infer changes in the dFe concentration of surface waters during the growing season. South of the Polar Front, a comparison of near-surface with subsurface (150 m depth) dFe concentrations in November–December 2001 suggests a net seasonal biological uptake of at least 0.14–0.18 nM dFe, of which 0.05–0.12 nM is depleted early in the growing season (before mid December). A comparison of our spring 2001 and fall 1998 data indicates a barely discernible seasonal depletion of dFe (0.03 nM) within the Polar Frontal Zone. Further north, most of our iron profiles do not exhibit near-surface depletions, and mixed-layer dFe concentrations are sometimes higher in samples from fall 1998 compared to spring 2001; here, the near-surface dFe distributions appear to be dominated by time-varying inputs of aerosol iron or advection of iron-rich subtropical waters from the north.     

Coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in Southern North Sea waters: Optical characterization and possible origin

The variability and origin of the Coloured Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) were studied in the Belgian coastal and adjacent areas including offshore waters and the Scheldt estuary, through the parameters: absorption at 375 nm, a_CDOM(375), and the slope of the absorption curve, S. a_CDOM(375) varied between 0.20 and 1.31 m⁻¹ and between 0.97 and 4.30 m⁻¹ in the marine area and Scheldt estuary, respectively. S fluctuated between 0.0101 and 0.0203 nm⁻¹ in the marine area and between 0.0167 and 0.0191 nm⁻¹ in the Scheldt estuary. The comparative analysis of a_CDOM(375) and S variations evidenced different origins of CDOM in the BCZ. The Scheldt estuarine waters showed decreasing a_CDOM(375) values with increasing salinity but constant S value of ∼0.018 nm⁻¹ suggesting a dominant terrestrial origin of CDOM. On the contrary, samples collected in the marine domain showed a narrow range of a_CDOM(375) but highly variable S suggesting the additional presence of autochthonous sources of CDOM. This source was evidenced based on the sorting of the marine offshore data according to the stage of the phytoplankton bloom when they were collected. A clear distinction was made between CDOM released during the growth stage characterized by high S (∼0.017 nm⁻¹) and low a_CDOM(375) and the decay phase characterized by low S (∼0.013 nm⁻¹) and high a_CDOM(375). This observation was supported by CDOM measurements performed on pure phytoplankton cultures which showed increased CDOM release along the wax and wane of the bloom but decreasing S. We concluded that the high variability of the CDOM signature in offshore waters is explained by the local biological production and processing of CDOM.     

Report of Prionospio complex (Annelida: Polychaeta: Spionidae) from China's waters, with description of a new species

Nine species of Prionospio complex are recorded from China’s waters, including one new species and six newly recorded species. Prionospio (Prionospio) pacifica sp. nov., is characterized by having first and forth pairs of branchiae pinnate, second and third pairs of apinnate, ventral crest on Setiger 9 and dorsal crests on Setigers 10—25. Apoprionospio kirrae (Wilson, 1990), Prionospio (Aquilaspio) convexa Imajima, 1990, Prionospio (Minuspio) multibranchiata Berkeley, 1927, Prionospio (Prionospio) bocki Sderstrm, 1920, Prionospio (Prionospio) dubia Maciolek, 1985 and Prionospio (Prionospio) paradisea Imajima, 1990 are recorded for the first time from China’s waters.     

Resolving physically and biologically driven suspended particulate matter dynamics in a tidal basin with a distribution-based model

Understanding suspended particulate matter (SPM) dynamics in coastal waters is crucial to assess changes in coastal sediment budgets and biogeochemical fluxes. SPM dynamics are subject to various physical and biological factors and processes such as, e.g. tidal currents and aggregation which can be enhanced by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that are produced by algae and bacteria. It is still unclear how the different factors and processes interact and together determine SPM dynamics. To unravel the interacting processes and factors, we propose a new distribution-based modeling approach. Based on the derivation of explicit equations for size distribution characteristics of SPM such as the average radius, we derived a model of reduced complexity characterized by low initialization and parameterization effort as well as low computational cost. The proposed 0D model includes the processes of aggregation and fragmentation due to shear, aggregation due to differential settling, deposition, resuspension and tidal exchange, and describes the evolution of the SPM concentration in the water column linked by the settling velocity to the change of the mass average radius of the aggregate distribution. A systematic parameter variation for critical bottom shear stress of erosion, the size of resuspended aggregates, the fractal dimension, the collision efficiency, and the aggregate strength has been performed and compared to observations in the back-barrier basin of Spiekeroog Island in the German Wadden Sea. This analysis confirms the hypothesis that in winter biological influences on SPM dynamics are smaller compared to summer. This is mainly reflected by a significant shift in the various parameters. We hence conclude that biological control mechanisms have a much more quantitative relevance for SPM dynamics than currently represented by state-of-the-art SPM transport models.     

闽东沿岸2004～2006年浮游植物生态特征研究

根据闽东海洋环境监测中心2004年-2006年阂东沿岸生态调查的资料,分析和研究了闽东沿岸浮游植物的生态特征．共鉴定出浮游植物的种类3个门39属共134种,其中硅藻门的种类占总种数的80％,为该调查海域主要门类．主要优势种是中肋骨条藻（Skeletonema costatum）、旋链角毛藻（Chaetoceros curvisetus）、尖刺拟菱形藻（Pseudo—nitzschia pungens）和丹麦细柱藻（Leptocylindrus danicus）等．浮游植物的丰度分布,呈现由调查海域东北侧向西南侧、由近岸向远岸减少的空间特征,夏季高、春季低的季节变化特点,并且有逐年减少的年际变化趋势．本调查海域浮游植物多样性指数较高,群落较稳定．     

利用TOPEX卫星高度计资料分析台湾岛周边海域巨浪和大风特征

卫星高度计实现了对全球性或区域性的海洋参量的实时监测,TOPEX卫星高度计提供了迄今为止时间序列最长、数据质量最高的全球海面风速和有效波高的同步观测资料。利用TOPEX卫星高度计资料,分析了有效波高4m以上的巨浪在台湾岛周边海域的时空分布特征,结果表明台湾岛周边海域巨浪的分布具有明显的季节特征。每年平均有效波高最大值大多数出现在夏季,春季是1a中有效波高最小的季节,而秋季和冬季是巨浪出现频率最高的季节。波高大于6m的巨浪大都出现在台湾岛东部及东北部海域,在南部海域出现较少。     

海南昌江沿岸海域石珊瑚的物种多样性及其分布

2009年3月,采用水下照相及摄像方法,对海南昌江沿岸海域的石珊瑚物种多样性、分布及覆盖度进行了调查.结合历史资料,共发现石珊瑚10科15属28种和1未定种.其中鹿角珊瑚属（Acropora）、角蜂巢珊瑚属（Favites）、叶状珊瑚属（Lobophyllia）等为优势类群,常见分布珊瑚种类有角孔珊瑚（Gonioporasp.）、标准蜂巢珊瑚（Favia speciosa）、五边角蜂巢珊瑚（Favites pentagona）、多孔鹿角珊瑚（Acropora millepora）、十字牡丹珊瑚（Pavona decussata）、伞房叶状珊瑚（Lobophyllia corymbosa）等.石珊瑚主要分布于海尾镇三联村以南海域,覆盖率最高为12%.本次调查在海南昌江沿岸海域记录的珊瑚种类数多于以前的记录,但少于海南南岸的三亚鹿回头,也少于北部的广西涠洲岛、广东徐闻、香港等海域,随着调查次数的增加,预计会有更多的种类被发现.该海域是北部湾珊瑚幼虫交流的中间过渡区,对珊瑚礁的保护与恢复具有重要意义.     

福建沿岸海域浒苔藻类的营养成分含量与食用安全

对福建沿岸海域浒苔（Enteromorpha）样品的主要组成成分、氨基酸、脂肪酸、矿物质含量的研究表明,浒苔属高膳食纤维（49．0％～59．1％）、高蛋白质（19．60％～38．24％）、低脂肪（0．20％～0．55％）的藻类．浒苔中17种氨基酸总量（Ctaa）与蛋白质含量的比值为74．1％～91．0％;其必需氨基酸含量（Ctaa）占C11从的35．4％～40．0％,CⅢ与非必需氨基酸含量（C。Ⅲ）之比为0．55～0．67,且呈味氨基酸的含量丰富（47．1％）,氨基酸组成均衡．浒苔油脂中脂肪酸组成丰富,n一3PUFA含量达油脂总量的20．0％～26．4％,其中含有EPA、DHA．浒苔中矿物质含量较高,尤其富含镁、钙、铁、锌、硒、钾等人体必需矿物元素．有害元素测定结果表明,中、低潮区浒苔的铅、汞、镉、砷含量均能够符合《无公害食品海藻》安全指标的限量要求,养殖区、高潮区部分浒苔的Pb含量超标．研究结果认为,在低污染海区生长的浒苔是一种高蛋白质、高膳食纤维、低脂肪、矿物元素丰富且安全的海洋食品．