Phytoplankton absorption and pigment adaptation of a red tide in the Benguela ecosystem

Phytoplankton absorption and pigment characteristics of a red tide were investigated in coastal waters of the southern Benguela. Diagnostic indices indicated that dinoflagellates were the dominant phytoplankton group, with diatoms and small flagellates being of secondary importance. Very high biomass was observed close to the coast where chlorophyll a concentrations of up to 117 mg m^–3 were measured. Both measured (a _ph) and reconstructed pigment absorption (a _pig) displayed an increasing trend with chlorophyll a, while the package effect index (Q^* _a) decreased, indicating increased packaging with an increase in biomass. Proportioning of the total pigment absorption between 400 and 700 nm revealed that chlorophyll a accounted for 39–65% of the absorption, while photosynthetic carotenoids (15–30%) and chlorophyll cs (15–30%) were also prominent in absorbing light for photosynthesis.     

牡蛎对浮游植物群落下行控制作用的围隔实验研究

牡蛎的滤食作用不但能控制浮游植物丰度,还能通过摄食选择性影响群落结构。通过在较高营养水体的围隔实验表明,牡蛎养殖在持续磷限制条件下,促使浮游植物群落由甲藻向小型硅藻优势转变。实验结束时对照组中浮游植物群落由扁压原甲藻主导,占总丰度的77%;而牡蛎养殖组新月柱鞘藻丰度占比达到93%。牡蛎养殖组中,甲藻去除速率随养殖密度增长,但是硅藻最终丰度在高密度牡蛎组最高。研究结果说明大量的贝类养殖能够提升小型链状硅藻的优势度,增加此类赤潮发生风险。     

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton diversity in the Coleroon coastal waters, southeast coast of India

The results of an investigation carried out during June 2005 to May 2007 on physico-chemical parameters,species composition and community structure of phytoplankton including Chlorophyll a(Chl-a) at the Coleroon coastal waters(Southeast coast of India) are reported.Air and surface water temperatures(°C) varied from 25.1 to 30.1 and from 24.5 to 28.5 respectively.Salinity values varied from 6 to 28.5 and the pH ranged between 7.0 and 8.3.Variation in dissolved oxygen content was from 3.1 to 7.5 mg/dm-3 while the light extinction coefficient values(LEC) ranged between 3.1 and 10.1 cm.The ranges of inorganic nutrients(μmol/dm-3) viz.,nitrate,nitrite,phosphate and silicate were 10.1-23.4,1.2-8.9,0.2-3.1 and 55-125,respectively.The ranges of Chlorophyll a(μg/dm-3) values was 2.0-7.5.Presently,124 phytoplankton species representing different classes viz:Bacillariophyceae(77),Dinophyceae(19),Cyanophyceae(15),Chlorophyceae(10) and Chrysophyceae(3) were recorded.The phytoplankton cell abundance varied from 0.290 to 111.662 cells/cm-3,with peak diversity(3.38 bits/ind.) during summer season.The maximum abundance was found during summer season coinciding with the stable hydrographical conditions.The seasonal distribution and abundance of phytoplankton are discussed in relation to hydrographical parameters.Canonical Correspondence Analysis(CCA) was applied in this paper for discriminating environmental factors having effect on phytoplankton community at species level.Coleroon coastal water is subjected to long term fluctuations in physico-chemical parameters depending upon the seasonal tidal amplitude and freshwater influx resulting in a continuous exchange of organic,inorganic,plant and animal matters.     

Paradigms for planktonic assemblages: 50 years of contributions from the Leigh Marine Laboratory,Northland, New Zealand

Abstract

Plankton includes the primary producers and consumers that are critical for healthy ecosystem function in the marine realm. My objective was to identify the major contributions of the Leigh Marine Laboratory to our broader understanding of planktonic assemblages. Significant contributions were made prior to 1990 on the ecology of larval fishes. From the 1990s the focus changed to the sensory biology of larval invertebrates and fishes, with a strong emphasis given to the role of reef sound in attracting potential settlers. Both early and post 1980s research has been highly influential in a paradigm shift away from passively drifting larvae that have little control over their fate. Important contributions have also been made on the dynamics of nutrient–phytoplankton interactions, larval development and aquaculture. Opportunities abound for future research on the dynamics of planktonic assemblages in shelf waters and in changing seas.     

Role of mean circulation,tides, and waves in the transport of bottom sediment on the New Zealand continental shelf

Evaluation of velocity data on water movements over the New Zealand continental shelf has revealed that the mean circulation by itself is too slow to induce transport of bottom sediments. Tides generally have higher velocities, but are still not the main transporting agent except in the tide‐dominated Cook and Foveaux. Straits. Waves have the potential to stir sediments on the inner and middle shelf (less than about 70 m deep) during annual storms, and probably down to 130 m depth during the maximum 25‐y storm.

For sediment transport to take place, energies of at least two of the major water movements would have to complement one another. Optimum conditions for transport probably occur during storm periods when wave‐suspended sediment is readily moved by tides and the mean circulation.

The direction of transport is mainly along the continental shelf and is largely in response to prevailing weather patterns coincident with the direction of the mean circulation and strongly reinforced by the appropriate phase of the tide.     

Northern Adriatic phytoplankton response to short Po River discharge pulses during summer stratified conditions

A 275‐km‐long transversel Northern Adriatic profile from the mouth of the Po River (Italian Adriatic coast) to the Kvarner region (Croatian coastal island area) was investigated in three successive case studies in August 2008, 2009 and 2010. The short Po River pulses in August result in the surface advection of riverine water, nutrients and phytoplankton from the western to the eastern side of the Adriatic. This surface spreading exhibits inter‐annual variability depending on the riverine discharge in the preceding period. The Po River discharge pulse in August 2010 in particular resulted in an extraordinary tongue‐like advection of riverine water, nutrients, and phytoplankton towards the Eastern Adriatic coast. The phenomenon was detected using both satellite imagery and classical oceanographic measurements. In the advective water, toxic dinoflagellates were most abundant in August 2010, when the influence of the Po was greatest.     

The application of multivariate statistical methods to phytoplankton counts from the Hauraki Gulf,New Zealand

The phytoplankton population from a station in the Jellicoe Channel area of the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, was fairly constant, in terms of total population and species composition, throughout the year. Correspondence analysis enabled us to identify 3 groups of species. The largest of these comprised the core species which were present most of the time and included some, such as the coccolithophores, with a strongly seasonal occurrence. The species in the second group were mainly large centric diatoms and appeared for short periods during the winter months, apparently brought in by incursions of oceanic water. The third group of species occurred between April 1970 and October 1971 when there was a period of unusually warm weather: the winds were lighter and more often blowing onshore and this perhaps led to warmer, less nutrient‐rich surface waters being brought into the Gulf.     

九寨沟国家级自然保护区长海夏季浮游植物群落结构及生态评价

高山湖泊对于全球气候变化及人类影响是一个极为敏感的参照系统.九寨沟国家级自然保护区长海作为一个独特的高山湖泊,研究其浮游植物群落结构及其与环境的关系,评估其水质现状及影响因素,有着重要的意义.本文于2014年7月对长海浮游植物群落结构进行了研究.全湖共布设12个采样点,并在中心采样点进行了垂直分层采样.本次调查共发现浮游植物6门38属63种,平均丰度为6.98×10⁵cells/L,平均生物量为0.31 mg/L.浮游植物的水平分布差异不大;在垂直分布上,浮游植物的丰度从表层0.5 m至水下50 m呈现先增加后减少的趋势,在20 m水深处达到最大.长海浮游植物的优势种是长海小环藻(Cyclotella changhai)和飞燕角甲藻(Ceratium hirundinella),长海小环藻数量较多,飞燕角甲藻生物量较大.长海浮游植物多样性指数较低,综合各类水质评价方法,可以得出九寨沟长海处于贫-中营养状态.     

Factors affecting clarity of freshwater lakes in Brandenburg, Germany

In the German State Brandenburg, water clarity and the concentrations of the water quality components chlorophyll a, seston and gelbstoff were measured in 27 lakes. Correlation analysis showed, that spectral beam attenuation at 662 and 514 nm was mainly dependent on changes in chlorophyll a concentrations. In the UV-channel at 360 nm, beam attenuation depended mostly on gelbstoff.

Multiple linear regression provided a direct model of beam attenuation at 514 nm with the inputs of inorganic seston, chlorophyll a and gelbstoff. The specific beam attenuation coefficients were comparable to other natural waters around the world. An inverse model is presented, from which gelbstoff and chlorophyll a could be predicted with some accuracy from the inputs of beam attenuation coefficients at 514 and 360 nm. However, it became obvious that biological variability put major constraints on the predictive capacity of both the direct and the inverse model.

Furthermore, we observed a good correspondence of Secchi depth and the inverse of beam attenuation at 514 nm. The predictions of Secchi depth and chlorophyll a concentration from the inverse model were assessed in perspective of using this instrument instead of laborious chemical analysis for future trophic status classification according to LAWA (Länderarbeitsgemeinschaft Wasser). Predictions of trophic status were principally good when using calibrated models, however, quality of classification critically depended on predictions of chlorophyll a.