MedFlux: Investigations of particle flux in the Twilight Zone

The MedFlux project was devised to determine and model relationships between organic matter and mineral ballasts of sinking particulate matter in the ocean. Specifically we investigated the ballast ratio hypothesis, tested various commonly used sampling and modeling techniques, and developed new technologies that would allow better characterization of particle biogeochemistry. Here we describe the rationale for the project, the biogeochemical provenance of the DYFAMED site, the international support structure, and highlights from the papers published here. Additional MedFlux papers can be accessed at the MedFlux web site (http://msrc.sunysb.edu/MedFlux/).     

Identification of CO2 disposal locations in an ocean general circulation model of the North Pacific

A basinwide ocean general circulation model of the North Pacific is used to identify which location is more efficient for ocean CO2 sequestration in the North Pacific. Four injection depths at each one of fifteen locations are chosen. In terms of effectiveness index (EI) and escape factor (EF), it is clear that the effectiveness increases with increasing latitude at the end of the 50 a injection period. Sitebysite differences in the EI can be over 9% for the 1 000 m injection depth in the western North Pacific at the end of 50 a of continuous injection. The difference is much larger for the 500 m injection. The difference decreases with increasing injection depth. However, the sitebysite difference is small for the injection in the eastern North Pacific. The sequestration is more efficient for the injection in the east than in the west. For the 500 m injection depth, the difference in effectiveness between the west and the east is over 10% at the end of 50 a injection period. The largest concentration of sequestered CO2 increases with increasing injection depth. For the injection in both the western and central North Pacific, the largest exchange flux always appears to be at about 42°N, 150°E, whereas for the injection in the eastern area the large flux appears to be in the equatorial region (120°W).     

pCO2 and carbon fluxes across sea-air interface in the Changjiang Estuary and Hangzhou Bay

Partial pressure of CO2(pCO2) was investigated in the Changjiang(Yangtze River) Estuary,Hangzhou Bay and their adjacent areas during a cruise in August 2004,China.The data show that pCO2 in surface waters of the studied area was higher than that in the atmosphere with only exception of a patch east of Zhoushan Archipelago.The pCO2 varied from 168 to 2 264 μatm,which fell in the low range compared with those of other estuaries in the world.The calculated sea-air CO2 fluxes decreased offshore and varied from -10.0 to 88.1 mmol m-2 d-1 in average of 24.4 ± 16.5 mmol m-2 d-1.Although the area studied was estimated only 2 × 104 km2,it emitted(5.9 ± 4.0) × 103 tons of carbon to the atmosphere every day.The estuaries and their plumes must be further studied for better understanding the role of coastal seas playing in the global oceanic carbon cycle.     

基于卫星遥感的南海海域POC浓度时空变化特征研究

海水中颗粒有机碳(POC)是海洋碳循环的基本变量,在海洋碳循环研究中起着关键作用。根据2003—2020年南海区域遥感数据反演的POC数据集,分析了南海海域POC浓度时空变化规律。研究结果表明:在整个研究区POC的年平均浓度变化范围为76.98~83.91 mg/m^(3);POC浓度分布呈现出近岸高、远海低,主要原因为南海近岸浅水海域POC浓度主要受陆源输入和沿岸流影响,远海区域内POC浓度主要受南海环流和水团控制。在季度上,第1—4季度POC浓度平均值为89.62,72.90,79.22,84.86 mg/m^(3);总体上POC浓度呈现出夏季低、冬季高的趋势,主要原因为南海受到冬季的东北季风和夏季的西南季风影响,影响到南海海水混合层的结构变化,浮游植物在冬季比夏季更为繁盛。在月尺度上,1月POC浓度平均值达到最高值;2—4月POC浓度平均值快速下降,5月POC浓度平均值达到最低值;6—12月POC浓度平均值开始缓慢上升。以上研究结论可为南海碳循环、政府碳达峰、碳中和及应对气候变化等提供决策依据。     

2006年秋季长江口及邻近海域微微型浮游生物的分布特征及环境影响因素

2006年10月在长江口及邻近海域采用流式细胞技术测定了微微型浮游生物:聚球藻Synechococcus、微微型光合真核生物(picoeukaryotes)和异养浮游细菌(heterotrophic bacteria)的丰度和碳生物量,研究了其生态分布特点,并分析了其与环境因子之间的关系.结果表明,聚球藻、微微型光合真...     

广东流沙湾5种贝类的δ~（13）C值和δ~（15）N值研究

广东流沙湾海水养殖业发达,尤其是贝类增养殖已成为当地的支柱产业.但近年来其养殖环境的恶化对贝类产品的安全输出造成了越来越严重的影响,利用稳定同位素技术研究贝类的新陈代谢过程可为贝类增养殖提供较先进的基础数据.本研究选取流沙湾的5种重要养殖贝类,对其肌肉组织、鳃、外套膜和内脏囊分别进行稳定碳、氮同位素测定分析.结果表明,贝类δ13C值的范围是-19.14‰～-15.11‰,δ15N值的范围是6.10‰～10.57‰.从大小、组织、种类三方面比较5种贝类的稳定碳氮同位素比值,可得出如下结论：同种贝类,大小不同,其δ13C、δ15N值大都随壳长、壳重的增大而减小,但翡翠贻贝（Pernaviridis）的δ13C值和墨西哥湾扇贝（Argopecten irradians concentricus）的δ15N值则相反,无论大、小组之间δ13C、δ15N值的变化是增大还是减小,幅度均不超过1.00‰;同种贝类,组织不同,其δ13C、δ15N的最小值均为内脏囊,δ13C的最大值不定,δ15N的最大值也是内脏囊;相同组织,不同贝类,其δ13C、δ15N值的大小排列顺序各不相同,无统一规律,但华贵栉孔扇贝（Chlamys nobilis）的δ13C值均小于墨西哥湾扇贝,而马氏珠母贝（Pinctada martensii）的δ15N值均小于企鹅珍珠贝（Pteria penguin）.由研究数据可推知流沙湾双壳贝类的物质与能量流动途径基本是由内脏囊到外套膜和鳃,最后到肌肉.     

Diel variation of benthic respiration in a coral reef sediment (Reunion Island,Indian Ocean)

Oxygen and total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) fluxes at the water–sediment interface were measured using benthic chambers to assess the short-term variations of community respiration (CR) in the back reef sediments of Reunion Island (Indian Ocean). Benthic CR had a daily cycle of minimal (6:00 AM) and maximal values (6:00 PM), showing increases of oxygen and DIC fluxes of 2.8- and 3.8-fold, respectively. Average CR values were observed at midday and midnight. The evolution of fluxes was positively related to oxygen concentration in ambient water, but not to temperature changes. In the study area, high daytime primary production augments the amount of energy available for community metabolism and increases benthic respiration. The benthic communities are therefore subjected to short-term variable environmental conditions with oxygen supersaturation during the day, and moderately hypoxic conditions at the end of the night.     

Annual Variation of Benthic Nutrient Fluxes in Shallow Coastal Waters (Gulf of Trieste, Northern Adriatic Sea)

Abstract. Benthic fluxes of dissolved N. Si and P nutrients, alkalinity, dissolved inorganic C (DIC), and O₂ from sediments in the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic, Italy) were measured monthly for 16 months, using laboratory incubated flux chambers at in siru temperatures in the dark. The annual average fluxes were: 02 = -19.3 ± 8.2, DIC = 13.7 ± 9.6, NO3 = -0.04 ± 0.16, NH4 = 0.3 ± 0.4. PO₄= 4.001 ± 0.01, Si = 0.9 ± 0.1 mmol m-² d^-1, with strong temporal fluctuations. The highest effluxes of all nutrients and DIC were observed in the summer. Small effluxes of DIC and NH4 and influxes of Si and PO4 were observed in late winter. Only NH₄ (ca. 50%) and Si (ca. 70%) fluxes were significantly correlated with temperature. This correlation suggests that the rate of downward input and the quality of sedimented organic matter (autochthonous and allochthonous) were superimposed on the temperature fluctuations. High DIC, NH₄ and Si effluxes observed in May 1993 during low temperature were due to the degradation of sedimentary organic matter produced by an early spring bloom of benthic microalgae which occurred about 6 weeks earlies while the autumn phytoplankton bloom was simultaneously reflected in enhanced benthic fluxes due to higher temperature. The role of benthic biological advection in this transport across the sediment-water interface, evaluated by comparison between measured benthic and calculated diffusive fluxes from nutrient pore water concentrations, was of minor importance. This is probably due to low infaunal activity throughout the year it was localized mostly in the narrow surficial layer. The annual average diffusive fluxes of NH4 and PO4 were higher than those measured, probably due to the presence of nitrificationdenitrifi-cation processes and redox-dependent chemical reactions at the oxic sediment-water interface, respectively. Only during bottom-water hypoxia in September 1993 did strong PO₄ effluxes prevail. Calculations based on the Redfield stoichiometry of oxic decomposition of organic N to NH4 and NO3, and differences between diffusive and measured NH₄ fluxes showed that denitrifkation averaged 0.8 mmol m^-2 d^-1. Significant correlations between NH₄ and PO₄ DIC and Si, and NH4 and Si fluxes suggested their parallel regeneration and utilization at the sediment-water interface. The nutrient fluxes observed were not significantly linked to O₂ consumption, suggesting also that anaerobic oxidation processes were important at the sediment-water interface in the gulf. The N, P and Si nutriqnts released from sediment pore waters are probably utilized in benthic microalgal and bottorn-hater primary production. This indicates that pelagic and benthic communities in the central part of the Gulf of Trieste function relatively independently of each other.     

浮游植物生物量研究 Ⅰ.浮游植物生物量细胞体积转化法

在海洋生态动力学研究过程中,采用浮游植物细胞数量来估算浮游植物丰度可以说是不够精确的,因为不同种的浮游植物细胞大小差别很大,只有浮游植物的生物量才能正确反映海洋生态系中的能量分布．本文以拟合浮游植物细胞相似体积方法,基于胶州湾生态动力学研究所获资料,计算了87种中国近海常见浮游植物的细胞体积、鲜重、碳含量、氮含量．