Early Diagenesis of Plant Pigments in Hudson River Sediments

Plant pigment concentrations were measured using high performance liquid chromatography in Hudson River sediments. Sedimentation rates and mixing characteristics were determined from depth profiles of the naturally occurring radionuclides ⁷Be, ²¹⁰Pb. Previous estimates of the mean-lives (1/λ) of plant pigments (chlorophylls a and b, fucoxanthin) from laboratory experiments, indicate a range of c. 20-40 days. However, in the field, we observed that these pigments decreased less rapidly with depth and penetrated deeper than ⁷Be (mean-life 77 days) in Hudson sediments 95% of the time. Assuming similar mixing processes for particles carrying ⁷Be and pigments, this indicates that pigment decay rates in the field are slower than the 0·013 day^-1 decay rate of ⁷Be, hence, more than 2-fold slower than the derived laboratory rates. We believe that high inputs of vascular plant detritus in the Hudson may increase the complexation of humic substances with pigments resulting in slower decay rates.While most pigments showed an exponential decrease with sediment depth, lutein concentrations generally increased with depth. This pattern of decay resistance is in agreement with laboratory experiments which show that lutein is the most decay resistant among dominant pigments. These data along with other studies demonstrate that the carotenoids lacking the 5,6-epoxide group (i.e., lutein) are more decay resistant than pigments that contain it (i.e., fucoxanthin).     

Benthic microalgal biomass in sediments of Onslow Bay, North Carolina

Sediment samples were collected at stations along cross-shelf transects in Onslow Bay, North Carolina, during two cruises in 1984 and 1985. Station depths ranged from 11 to 285 m. Sediment chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from 0·06 to 1·87 μg g⁻¹ sediment (mean, 0·55), or 2·6–62·0 mg m². Areal sediment chlorophyll a exceeded water column chlorophyll a a at 16 of 17 stations, especially at inshore and mid-shelf stations. Sediment ATP concentrations ranged from 0 to 0·67 μg g⁻¹ sediment (mean, 0·28). Values for both biomass indicators were lowest in the depth range including the shelf break (50–99 m). Organic carbon contents of the sediments were uniformly low across the shelf, averaging 0·159% by weight. Photography of the sediments revealed extensive patches of microalgae on the sediment surface.Our data suggest that viable benthic microalgae occur across the North Carolina continental shelf. The distribution of benthic macroflora on the North Carolina shelf indicates that sufficient light and nutrients are available to support primary production out to the shelf break. Frequent storm-induced perturbations do not favour settling of phytoplankton, an alternative explanation for the presence of microalgal pigments in the sediments. Therefore, we propose that a distinct, productive benthic microflora exists across the North Carolina continental shelf.     

Late Quaternary Palaeoenvironment of Spring Lake,Alberta, Canada

Palaeoenvironmental investigations based upon sediment cores taken from Spring Lake in the Peace River District of Alberta, Canada (latitude 55° 31 N; longitude 119° 35 W) show that the sedimentary record spans the Holocene period. Chemical and diatom changes coincide with regional climatic change since deglaciation (about 11 000 yr. B.P.). Calcite laminations in the basal 3 metres of the cores are evident, and were probably formed through elevated water temperature although photosynthetic removal of CO₂ undoubtedly contributed. The disappearance of the laminations, and concurrent decrease in calcite X-ray diffraction peaks ca. 5000 yr. B.P. may have been caused by a change from a partially meromictic to a dimictic lake as the climate changed. Benthic and alkaline diatoms dominate before 5000 yr. B.P., while the planktonic Stephanodiscus hantzschii dominated between 5100 and 4200 yr. B.P. probably owing to increased nutrient levels. From ca. 4200 yr. B.P. until the present, benthic Fragilaria spp. and more circumneutral diatoms were dominant. Palaeoproduction, as measured by chlorophyll derivates, was highest in the early developmental stages of the lake, decreased coinciding with a major disturbance of the sediments and lowered water levels, and then gradually increased again until present. Only during the earlier period of peak production does biogenic calcite formation appear more important than calcite deposition caused by high water temperatures.     

THE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS IN THE JIULONG RIVER ESTUARY AND WESTERN XIAMEN BAY

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＫｎｏｗｌｅｄｇｅｏｆｔｈｅｄｉｓｔｒｉｂｕｔｉｏｎａｎｄｃｏｍｐｏｓｉｔｉｏｎｏｆｔｈｅｃｈｌｏｒｏｐｈｙｌｌａｎｄｃａｒｏｔｅｎｏｉｄｐｉｇｍｅｎｔｓｉｎｃｏａｓｔａｌｍａｒｉｎｅｗａｔｅｒｓｐｒｏｖｉｄｅｓｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｏｎｔｈｅｐｈｙｔｏｐｌａｎｋｔｏｎｂｉｏｍａｓｓａｎｄａｌｓｏｏｎｉｔｓｃｈｅｍｏｔａｘｏｎ ｏｍｙ ,ｔｈｅｃｏｎｔｒｉｂｕｔｉｏｎｏｆｒｉｖｅｒｉｎｅｉｎｐｕｔｓ,ａｎｄｔｈｅｅａｒｌｙｄｅｇｒａｄａｔｉｏｎｒｏｕｔｅｓｏｃｃｕｒｒｉｎｇｉ…     

漳江口桐花树叶片光合色素含量和叶绿素荧光参数与盐度的关系

对生长在漳江口红树林湿地国家级自然保护区不同盐度环境中（FZ1：7.95-10.00;FZ2：11.10-15.25;FZ3：15.60-20.08;FZ4：20.58-23.54）优势红树植物桐花树的光合色素含量和叶绿素荧光特征进行了研究,结果表明盐度最低的样地FZ1比其他样地具有更高的叶绿素a、叶绿素b和胡萝卜素含量（p〈0.05）.Fv/Fm、Fv/F0和PIABS表现出同样的规律：FZ1、FZ2较高,尤其FZ1最高,与FZ3、FZ4有极显著水平差异（p〈0.01）.叶绿素荧光诱导动力学曲线（O-J-I-P）起始部分变化不大,其余部分均是FZ3比其他3个样地低.比活性参数ABS/CS、TRo/CS各样地间无显著差异;ETo/RC、RC/CSo是FZ3比其他样地下降,尤其是与FZ1、FZ2有极显著差异.DIo/CS则是FZ3比其他样地高,尤其是与FZ1、FZ2有极显著差异.这些结果表明,在保护区内盐度7.95‰-15.25‰环境中的桐花树叶片光合色素含量较高,光合器官对光能的吸收、转化和利用效率更高.     

西赤道太平洋暖池区光合色素分布及其对浮游植物群落的指示作用

利用光合色素的生物标志性可以在"纲"水平上表征浮游植物群落结构。依托大洋科学考察第20航次和21航次,通过对西赤道太平洋不同区域5个站位的HPLC藻类色素分析及CHEMTAX程序因子分析,获取了暖池区光合色素及浮游植物群落的垂直分布信息。结果显示在寡营养的暖池区,玉米黄素(Zeaxanthin)及乙二烯叶绿素a(DV Chl a)与叶绿素a浓度呈显著的正相关,浮游植物群落结构以蓝细菌、原绿球藻及定鞭金藻为优势藻纲,按对生物量的贡献率原绿球藻大于蓝细菌大于定鞭金藻的。蓝细菌和原绿球藻分布在真光层不同深度,而在营养盐丰富的次表层优势浮游藻类为定鞭金藻。     

Photosynthetic activity and antioxidative response of seagrass Thalassia hemprichii to trace metal stress

This study concerned the accumulation of trace metals in tissues of seagrass (Thalassia hemprichii) exposed to various concentrations of Zn²⁺+, Cd²⁺+, Pb²⁺+ and Cu²⁺+ for 10 d, and the effect of excessive metals on quantum yield (ΔF=F_m'), photosynthetic pigments and antioxidative enzymes like superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (POD) were also examined. Cadmium was the most highly accumulated metal. Meanwhile, high metals levels led to a remarkable breakdown of photosynthetic parameters. Especially, ΔF=F_m', chlorophyll and carotenoid were significantly low during prolonged Cu exposure. Besides, ΔF=F_m' was more severely depressed by Cu and Zn than Pb and Cd. However, T. hemprichii had positive response by increasing the activity of SOD and POD. The results indicate that T. hemprichii is the most sensitive to Cu, and the antioxidative protection mechanisms of T. hemprichii are more efficiently activated to avoid damage of Zn, Cd and Pb stress. Finally, due to the high Cd-accumulation and strong Cd-tolerance capacity, T. hemprichii can be used for phytoremediation in Cd-contaminated areas.     

北冰洋中心区表层淡化层的藻类色素组成

季节性海冰融化在北冰洋中心区表层形成淡水层,影响了浮游植物的类群。研究发现岩藻黄素（Fuco,指示硅藻）是冰芯底部检测到的主要光合色素,叶黄素（Lut）和叶绿素b （Chl b）（指示绿藻）是冰水界面浓度最高的类胡萝卜素。海冰底部硅藻占据了绝对的优势,但在冰水界面藻类类群转变了以绿藻为主的结构。冰下水中,浮游植物群落随着深度的增加,由绿藻为主快速转变为以硅藻为主,盐度可能是导致这种变化的原因。     

A record of hypolimnetic oxygen conditions in a temperate multi-depression lake from chemical evidence and chronomid remains

A multiproxy paleolimnological study of Douglas Lake, Michigan, was undertaken to elucidate the history of productivity and oxygen depletion in three basins of this multi-depression lake. Indicators investigated in three dated cores included chlorophyll a, Fe and Mn stratigraphy, and fossil chironomid assemblages. The coring sites were chosen to correspond to modern studies of oxygen depletion rates, and to determine if conclusions reached in these studies were supported by paleolimnological evidence. Stratigraphies of chlorophyll a, Fe and Mn indicate that two of the basins, South Fishtail Bay and Fairy Island, have been eutrophic and anoxic for a long period of time, predating European settlement. The third basin, Grapevine Point, has been consistently less productive, and had less severe oxygen depletion. Results of the chironomid analysis agree with these conclusions, including a change from mesotrophic to eutrophic indicator taxa in the Grapevine Point basin. All three cores show evidence of increasing trophic state in the most recent sediments, supporting some of the conclusions reached in the modern studies. It is also demonstrated that deforestation of the watershed had profound effects on littoral chironomid assemblages. Paleolimnological investigations also demonstrated the individual nature of the separate basins in Douglas Lake.     

Lake Redó ecosystem response to an increasing warming the Pyrenees during the twentieth century

The ecosystem response of Lake Redó (Central Pyrenees) to fluctuations in seasonal air temperature during the last two centuries was investigated by comparison of reconstructed air temperatures with the sediment record. Fine slicing allowed a resolution of 3–6 years according to the ²¹⁰Pb dating, although it was still difficult to easily investigate the response to air temperature forcing, since extreme fluctuations in temperature occur on interannual time-scales. However, the resolution was sufficient to show responses on decadal and century scales. An overall tendency to warming in mean annual temperature in the Central Pyrenees has been caused by summer and in particular by autumn increases. Many of the measured sediment variables apparently responded to these long term trends, but the significance of the relationships was highly conditioned by the structure of the data. The variables responding most on the finer time scales were the microfossils. For diatoms, chironomids and chrysophytes the main variability correlated to summer and to autumn temperatures. For two planktonic species, Fragilaria nanana and Cyclotella pseudostelligera, we found a link of their variability with temperature fluctuations in their growing months (September and October, respectively). This relationship appeared at a certain point during a general warming trend, indicating a threshold in the response. On the other hand, no significant changes in the dominant species could be linked to temperature, nor in any significant subgroup of the 180 diatom species present in the core. In contrast, for most chironomids (particularly Paratanytarsus austriacus, Heterotrissocladius marcidus and Micropsectra radialis) a negative relationship with summer temperature extended throughout the studied period. This response of the whole group gives chironomids a more robust role as indicators for recording temperature changes on long time-scales (e.g., through the Holocene) and for lake signal inter-comparison. Finally, our results indicated that, in all cases, there was a significant resilience to high frequency changes and hysteresis despite extreme fluctuations. Although we were dealing with organisms with one or many generations per year, their populations seemed to follow the decadal trends in air temperature.