Estimation of pH optima and tolerances of diatoms in lake sediments by the methods of weighted averaging,least squares and maximum likelihood,and their use for the prediction of lake acidity

Ecological optima and tolerances with respect to autumn pH were estimated for 63 diatom taxa in 47 Finnish lakes. The methods used were weighted averaging (WA), least squares (LS) and maximum likelihood (ML), the two latter methods assuming the Gaussian response model.WA produces optimum estimates which are necessarily within the observed lake pH range, whereas there is no such restriction in ML and LS. When the most extreme estimates of ML and LS were excluded, a reasonably close agreement among the results of different estimation methods was observed. When the species with unrealistic optima were excluded, the tolerance estimates were also rather similar, although the ML estimates were systematically greater.The parameter estimates were used to predict the autumn pH of 34 other lakes by weighted averaging. The ML and LS estimates including the extreme optima produced inferior predictions. A good prediction was obtained, however, when prediction with these estimates was additionally scaled with inverse squared tolerances, or when the extreme values were removed (censored). Tolerance downweighting was perhaps more efficient, and when it was used, no additional improvement was gained by censoring. The WA estimates produced good predictions without any manipulations, but these predictions tended to be biased towards the centroid of the observed range of pH values.At best, the average bias in prediction, as measured by mean difference between predicted and observed pH, was 0.082 pH units and the standard deviation of the differences, measuring the average random prediction error, was 0.256 pH units.     

A late Pliocene diatom Ge/Si record from the Southeast Atlantic

As a result of both culture and sediment core studies, the ratio of germanium (Ge) to silicon (Si) in diatom shells has been proposed as a proxy for monitoring whole-ocean changes in seawater Ge/Si, a ratio affected by changes in continental weathering. However, because of the difficulties of extracting and cleaning diatom frustules from deep-sea sediments, only samples from highly pure diatom oozes in the Antarctic region have been previously analyzed. Here we present data on diatom Ge/Si ratios, (Ge/Si)_opal, for the time interval between 3.1 and 1.9 Ma from a mid-latitude, coastal upwelling area where significant terrigenous sediment input complicated the sample processing and analyses. In general, our (Ge/Si)_opal values show the same decreasing trend after 2.6 Ma than previously measured in Antarctic sediments (Shemesh et al., 1989. Paleoceanography 4, 221–231), but with a noisier background that may reflect the local imprint of proximal continental input superimposed upon global changes in the ocean reservoir. The time of initiation of large-scale North Hemisphere glaciation at 2.6 Ma is characterized by a declining pattern of diatom Ge/Si ratios, which could have resulted from a global increase in the input of riverine Si due to enhanced silica weathering and/or equatorward (northward) intrusions of subantarctic waters enriched in silica. High (Ge/Si)_opal ratios are associated with high opal contents from the same sediment samples and with warm climate as indicated by depleted benthic foraminiferal δ¹⁸O values from the North and Equatorial Atlantic. Cold periods signified by enriched benthic δ¹⁸O values, on the contrary, are associated with lower (Ge/Si)_opal ratios. We interpret diatom Ge/Si values to reflect the prevailing weathering state on the continents, with greater chemical weathering during warm and wet periods of the Pliocene and less during cooler and drier intervals.     

A high resolution proxy-climate record from an arctic lake with annually-laminated sediments on Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada

Sediments from a 3 ha lake (75 °34.34N, 89 °18.55W) from the coastal region of northern Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada, contain discrete laminations in the deepest part of the basin. The laminations are varves as indicated by the correspondence between counts and thickness measurements of the couplets and ²¹⁰Pb dating. A 14 cm core representing 150 years of sedimentation contained laminated couplets consisting of a lighter inorganic layer with a higher percentage of calcium and magnesium, alternating with fine darker bands, typically more cohesive, and comprising higher proportions of silica and carbon. A reddish oxidation zone with higher iron and aluminum frequently separates the laminations. The dark layer represents a biogenic component deposited in summer and is made cohesive by bacterial filaments among the other particles. The light inorganic layer represents clastic deposition from allochthonous sources. Deposition rates were relatively consistent through the core with an increase in varve thickness in the 1950s. Diatom concentrations in the sediments increased by two orders of magnitude in this century, with major increases in the 1920s and 1950s. The increase in varve thickness and diatom abundance coincides with an increase in summer melt percentage in an ice core from the Devon Island Ice Cap (Koerner, 1977). The relatively high sedimentation rate (0.15 cm yr^-1) coupled with the consistency of deposition makes this lake a significant indicator for recent climate changes of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.     

A preliminary investigation of siliceous microfossil succession in late Quaternary sediments from Lake Baikal, Siberia

Siliceous microfossil assemblage succession was analyzed in a 100 m sediment core from Lake Baikal, Siberia. The core was recovered from the lake's central basin at a water depth of 365 m. Microfossil abundance varied greatly within the intervals sampled, ranging from samples devoid of siliceous microfossils to samples with up to 3.49 × 10¹¹ microfossils g^-1 sediment. Fluctuations in abundance appear to reflect trends in the marine ¹⁸O record, with peak microfossil levels generally representing climate optima. Microfossil taxa present in sampled intervals changed considerably with core depth. Within each sample a small number of endemic diatom species dominated the assemblage. Changes in dominant endemic taxa between sampled intervals ranged from extirpation of some taxa, to shifts in quantitative abundance. Differences in microfossil composition and the association of variations in abundance with climate fluctuations suggest rapid speciation in response to major climatic excursions.     

Development of a diatom-based specific conductivity model for the glacio-isostatic lakes of Truelove Lowland: implications for paleoconductivity and paleoenvironmental reconstructions in Devon Island lakes, N.W.T., Canada

Diatoms are identified and enumerated from the surface sediments of 100 lakes of Truelove Lowland, Devon Island, N.W.T., Canada. These lakes range from large oligotrophic lakes, to small tundra ponds, to coastal marine lagoons which are diverse in terms of ionic concentration and composition. The relationship between diatoms and 15 limnological variables is examined using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). Specific conductivity is identified as the most important variable influencing the distribution of diatoms in the Truelove lakes. A Weighted Averaging (WA) calibration model is developed to predict diatom-inferred specific conductivity. The reliability of the model is tested by evaluating the correlation between observed and diatom-inferred values and determining the error of prediction by bootstrapping. The applicability of the predictive conductivity equation is demonstrated by reconstructing the paleoconductivity history of Fish Lake.     

Temporal and spatial trends of lake acidity in northern Sweden

Changes in lake-water pH, alkalinity and colour were inferred from diatoms in surface sediment samples and sediment samples from pre-industrial times from 118 northern Swedish lakes. This palaeolimnological study does not support the hypothesis that there is a large-scale modern acidification in the two northernmost counties of Sweden; pH had decreased significantly in eight lakes, while five had a significant increase. Partial least-squares regression of changes in water chemistry in relation to catchment characteristics was performed to evaluate the causes of the acidity status. Furthermore, temporal trends were assessed from long sediment cores from five acidic lakes. The results suggest that the presently acid lakes have faced a long-term acidification trend over several thousand years due to soil-forming processes and vegetation development. However, due to the acid sensitivity of the region, future acidification trends in northern Swedish lakes should be carefully observed and assessed.     

Colonisation of epilithic diatom population of the River Taff, South Wales, U.K.

1. A light and scanning electron microscopic study of the structure of epilithic diatom communities was carried out at two sites on the River Taff, South Wales, an upstream unpolluted site (Site 1) and a downstream polluted site (Site 2). 2. Community structure at the micro-scale revealed that, although communities at both sites were similar in terms of species present (similarity indices ranging between 0.44 and 0.96), they were very different with respect to their physical structure. 3. The traditional approach in studying epilithic diatom communities ignores information relating to community structure. The combination of light and scanning electron microscopy proved to be most useful for studying the epilithic diatom communities. 4. The examination of community succession on stone substrata showed that communities were highly dynamic on a weekly time scale, which suggests that the “age” of a substratum is a very important determinant of the attaching communities. A change from a prostate, two-dimensional community structure to an erect, three-dimensional community structure, and a shift from the dominance of epilithic diatoms to the dominance of epiphytic diatoms were noted. Such a change was more noticed at the polluted downstream site, possibly due to a higher rate of surface pre-conditioning and biofilm production at this site than at the unpolluted upstream site.     

云南45个湖泊硅藻-总磷转换函数及其定量重建评价

20世纪中期以来随着流域开发的增强,营养物质的流域输出与水体富集导致云南湖泊出现了持续的富营养化过程,对高原湖泊的生物群落构建和生态系统健康产生了重要影响。区域尺度上云南湖泊的现代监测时间较短(如<20年),无法为湖泊生态恢复提供可靠的营养水平背景值。因此,应用古湖沼学方法建立硅藻群落与营养水平指标的定量模型可为污染湖泊的富营养化历史重建与修复目标建立提供重要的定量分析手段。本文选取云南地区45个湖泊开展了表层沉积物硅藻群落的空间分布特征分析,结合湖泊水体的环境变量数据开展了影响硅藻群落构建的环境梯度识别,识别出水体总磷(TP)是驱动硅藻群落空间变化的关键环境因子(独立解释方差为4.54%,P<0.001)。进一步应用多元统计分析,建立了45个湖泊的表层沉积物硅藻与水体TP的转换函数。采用偏最小二乘加权平均回归(WA-PLS)方法建立的转换函数模型中,组分2的预测能力最强(R²_＿jack=0.465,RMSEP=0.396)。进一步结合星云湖沉积物硅藻群落的演替序列,定量重建了近百年来水体TP值的变化历史。重建结果与多年监测数据具...     

青藏高原东南缘高山湖泊藻类响应气候变化和大气沉降的长期特征

高山湖泊远离人类活动直接影响,通常具有面积小、寡营养、食物网单一等特点,对气候变化和营养输入具有较高的敏感性。我国青藏高原东南缘地区氮沉降通量较高、增温幅度显著,已有研究显示该地区可能受湖泊类型、流域特征等影响存在差异性的湖泊响应模式。本研究选择该区域位于树线以下、具有不同水深的3个小型湖泊(盖公错纳、沃迪错、碧沽天池)开展沉积物调查和对比研究,通过钻孔样品测年、理化特征和藻类(硅藻群落、藻类色素)等多指标分析,结合区域气候定量重建和氮沉降等数据收集,评价了过去300年来藻类演替模式的异同特征及湖泊水深的调节作用。结果显示,3个湖泊中硅藻的优势物种与群落组成差异明显。深水型湖泊盖公错纳(最大水深39.4 m)的硅藻群落以浮游种为主(占比达82%),优势种为眼斑小环藻(Pantocsekiolla ocellata)、科曼小环藻(Pantocsekiella comensis);深水型湖泊沃迪错(最大水深20.7 m)的硅藻群落中浮游种和底栖种约各占50%,优势种为眼斑小环藻(Pantocsekiella ocellata)、连结脆杆藻(Saurosira construens);浅水湖...     

海洋纹层硅藻席古海洋学与生物地球化学研究进展

海洋大型硅藻的勃发及其在海底的纹层硅藻席沉积代表大规模的有机碳和生物硅输出通量,该生物堆积事件或过程对海洋酸化和全球变暖产生负反馈,因而在气候变化中的地位不容小觑。本文在融入作者研究成果的基础上总结了国内外关于海洋纹层硅藻席的研究现状,认为大型硅藻勃发不能直接和上涌活动相关联,在热带海区一般与成层化相关,在亚热带海区总体上与锋面作用相关。大型硅藻勃发时,表层水不一定贫养,也可以是富养的,也不总是需要借助浮力下沉到营养跃层吸收营养物,可直接吸收海洋表层中的营养物(如风尘溶解来源的硅酸)。大型硅藻通过高的初级生产力吸收大气中的CO_2,尔后在海洋深部降解形成的CO_2在海洋成层化条件下以巨大"呼吸CO_2库"得以封存,代表促使冰期大气pCO_2降低的一种重要机制。海洋纹层硅藻席的保存环境由多种因素制约,可以是氧化的也可以是亚氧化的,因而对用纹层沉积物来指示缺氧底层水条件应持谨慎态度。另外,提出了解释大型硅藻勃发和硅藻席形成机制的新模式"风尘触发硅藻席沉积",极大地促进了硅藻席沉积成因谜团的解决。最后,指出了目前海洋纹层硅藻席研究中存在的问题并阐述了未来可以开展的研究方向。