The Continuous Plankton Recorder: concepts and history, from Plankton Indicator to undulating recorders

Alister Hardy conceived the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey in the 1920s as a means of mapping near-surface plankton in space and time, interpreting the changing fortunes of the fisheries and relating plankton changes to hydrometeorology and climatic change. The seed he planted has grown to become the most extensive long-term survey of marine organisms in the world and the breadth of his vision becomes ever more apparent. The survey has now run for over 70 years and its value increases with every passing decade. Operating from ‘ships of opportunity’ the machines used are robust, reliable and easy to handle. Wherever possible, all the sampling and analytical methods have not been changed to maintain the consistency of the time series. Computerisation and the development of new statistical approaches have increased our ability to handle the large quantities of information generated and enhance the sensitivity of the data analyses. This overview, based on almost 900 papers, recounts the various phases in the history of the survey. It starts with the Indicator Survey (1921–1934), the deployment of the first CPR on the Discovery Expedition (1924–1927) and the early CPR survey in the North Sea (1931–1939). The survey reopened in 1946 after the Second World War and expanded across the North Atlantic to North America from 1959. Taxonomic studies were initiated and an emphasis was placed on patterns of distribution, which were seen to reflect the varying oceanographic conditions. The years 1968–1976 saw further expansion with operations even in the American Great Lakes, publication of a Plankton Atlas and initial evidence for a downward trend in plankton biomass. At about this time electronic instrumentation was attached to CPRs to make additional measurements and work was started on the development of a new generation of undulating Continuous Plankton and Environmental Recorders (CPERs). In 1976 the survey moved to Plymouth. Scientific priorities in the UK changed in the subsequent decade and funding became more difficult to secure even though some of the CPR papers being published at the time are now regarded as classics in plankton ecology. In 1988 the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) decided to close the survey. An international rescue operation led to the creation of the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science (SAHFOS) in 1990, which has continued with consortium funding from a number of countries, and from 1999 again included NERC. The scientific rationale of the survey has gained credibility as concern over climate change and other anthropogenic effects has grown and as the key role that plankton plays as an indicator of large-scale environmental conditions becomes ever more apparent. Recently, the survey became an integral component of the Global Ocean Observation System (GOOS) and expanded into the North Pacific. It plays a complementary role in many large international and multidisciplinary projects and is providing inspiration, advice and support to daughter surveys elsewhere in the world. At the start of a new millennium, Hardy’s vision from the 1920s is a powerful driving force not just in international biological oceanography, but in global environmental science.     

2000年夏季莱州湾生态环境要素的分布特征

论文依据 2 0 0 0年夏季 8月 2 9日至 9月 2日莱州湾的 1次综合性生态环境调查资料 ,给出了表、中、底 3层的平均温度、盐度、主要营养盐浓度及其比例和叶绿素 a浓度 ,分析了莱州湾的温盐结构、主要营养盐和叶绿素 a的分布特征。由于莱州湾的水深较浅 ,各要素的垂直分布都比较均匀。生态环境要素的水平分布表现为小清河口为高温、低盐、高营养盐和高叶绿素 a浓度区 ,小清河口东测的湾顶区域为高温、高盐、相对低的营养盐和叶绿素 a浓度区。此次观测到的盐度较 1997年以前有明显升高。莱州湾各层平均的 N/ P和 Si/ N分别为 16.73和 1.67,都比 1998～ 1999年渤海中部的值大 ,但 N/ P比 1992 ,1995和 1996年莱州湾的 N/ P明显偏低。叶绿素 a浓度与硅酸盐浓度之间有较好的相关关系 (α=0 .0 1) ,表、中、底 3层叶绿素 a浓度同硅酸盐浓度的线性相关系数分别为 :0 .5 4 ,0 .68和 0 .67     

Fine resolution 3D temperature fields off Kerguelen from instrumented penguins

The use of diving animals as autonomous vectors of oceanographic instruments is rapidly increasing, because this approach yields cost-efficient new information and can be used in previously poorly sampled areas. However, methods for analyzing the collected data are still under development. In particular, difficulties may arise from the heterogeneous data distribution linked to animals’ behavior. Here we show how raw temperature data collected by penguin-borne loggers were transformed to a regular gridded dataset that provided new information on the local circulation off Kerguelen. A total of 16 king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) were equipped with satellite-positioning transmitters and with temperature–time–depth recorders (TTDRs) to record dive depth and sea temperature. The penguins’ foraging trips recorded during five summers ranged from 140 to 600 km from the colony and 11,000 dives >100 m were recorded. Temperature measurements recorded during diving were used to produce detailed 3D temperature fields of the area (0–200 m). The data treatment included dive location, determination of the vertical profile for each dive, averaging and gridding of those profiles onto 0.1°×0.1° cells, and optimal interpolation in both the horizontal and vertical using an objective analysis. Horizontal fields of temperature at the surface and 100 m are presented, as well as a vertical section along the main foraging direction of the penguins. Compared to conventional temperature databases (Levitus World Ocean Atlas and historical stations available in the area), the 3D temperature fields collected from penguins are extremely finely resolved, by one order finer. Although TTDRs were less accurate than conventional instruments, such a high spatial resolution of penguin-derived data provided unprecedented detailed information on the upper level circulation pattern east of Kerguelen, as well as the iron-enrichment mechanism leading to a high primary production over the Kerguelen Plateau.     

Recorder-Dependent Temperature Error of Expendable Bathythermograph

The accuracy of temperature measurement by the expendable bathythermograph (XBT) is examined for five types of recorders by comparison with co-located CTD measurements and statistical analysis of temperature profiles including an isothermal layer. A positive temperature error increasing downward is occasionally detected for two types of Japanese recorder which have been commonly used among Japanese oceanographic institutions and marine observatories. This error resembles to that reported by Bailey et al. (1989) and Wright (1991) for a different type of recorders, although its cause is not clearly understood. The irregular occurrence of the error suggests that the problem is not solely due to the recorders but rather by some inconsistency of the whole measuring system including them, an XBT probe and sea water. The error is estimated to increase at a rate of O (0.1°C/100 m), and it could be close to 1°C at the deepest part of the profiles (760 m for Tsurumi T-7). This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Locomotor activity rhythm in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica elvers

Under artificial LD cycles(6,12,18 L),the elvers of Japanese eel,Anguilla japonica,showed a 24 h cycle of locomotor activity rhythm being most active at light transitions:the eels' activity rose to a primary peak after lights-off,followed by a quiescent period during which they buried into the shelters or lying motionlessly on sand for most of the time,and then reached a secondary peak before lights-on.Elvers could resynchronize their activity rhythm with a new photo cycle within 4 d.Moreover,their activity level at dark phase significantly increased as the light period was prolonged:higher activity levels during shorter dark period.However,the elvers did not display clearly the existence of a circadian rhythm under constant light or dark conditions.The timing of daily activity rhythm evidenced in the Japanese eels may occur through the action of the LD cycles with a weak participation of an endogenous circadian system.In all the LD cycles,over 99% of the activity occurred in the dark phase,indicating that the eels were always nocturnally active no matter what time of day it might be.Under 12 L conditions,the eels' activity level and the time outside sand were significantly elevated both at light and dark phases as temperature increased from 10~15 to 20~25 ℃.The activity rhythm pattern(i.e.,two peaks occurring around light transitions) did not apparently change among temperatures.However,in contrast with the primary activity peaks immediately after lights-off at 20 and 25 ℃,the timing of the primary peaks at 10 and 15 ℃ showed a latency of a few hours following lights-off,indicating the inhibiting effect of low temperature on the eels' activity.     

礁膜配子放散条件的研究

本文报道了礁膜配子的放散与温度、光照、比重的关系。结果表明，自然海区的礁膜在白天大量放散配子。配子放散的适宜温度为１９－２１℃；光照为２０００－５０００ｌｘ时能促进配子大量放散出来；配子放散的适宜比重为１．０５－１．０２５；这些研究结果将为礁膜人工育苗提供一些科学依据。     

不同水温对文昌鱼性腺发育的影响

研究表明，不同水温对文昌鱼性腺发育分化和成熟有十分显著的影响。１４℃对文昌鱼性腺发育没有显著的作用，２０和２５℃十分有利于性腺发育和成熟，经４０ｄ培养，出现一些雌、雄文昌鱼产卵和释精以及加速性腺发育。本文还讨论了水温促进性腺发育可能的机制。     

强壮箭虫对温度、盐度的耐受性研究

研究强壮箭虫对突变温度、突变盐度和渐变温度、渐变盐度的耐受性.结果表明:水温由15℃突变到1℃时,存活率为75%;水温由15℃突变为30℃时,存活率仅为5%.求得24h急性半致死温度上限为27.2℃.水温从20℃逐渐上升至25、30、35℃,存活率分别为85 %、10 %、0 %;水温从20℃逐渐下降至15、10、5℃,其存活率分别为 100 %、95 %和80 %.盐度从31突变为20、40,箭虫的存活率均为100%,随着盐度突变幅度的增大,强壮箭虫的存活率呈降低趋势.求得24h急性半致死盐度上限为45,24h急性半致死盐度下限为13.3.盐度逐渐从31上升到46、 52,其存活率由90%下降到0%;盐度逐渐从31降到13、6,其存活率由95%下降到0%.求得间隔12h半致死渐变盐度上限为48.7,半致死渐变盐度下限为9.3.根据实验结果,强壮箭虫应属喜冷广温种和近岸广盐种.     

西太平洋翁通-爪哇海台晚第四纪浮游有孔虫群与古温度变化

通过对翁通-爪哇海台ODP807站的浮游有孔虫进行定量分析,结合已有的氧、碳稳定同位素数据,揭示了晚第四纪赤道西太平洋表层海水温度及上部海水垂向结构的冰期／间冰期变化特征。研究表明,自530kaBP以来,西太平洋暖池区的表层海水温度(SST)和温跃层深度(DOT)都经历过显著的变化,其中年平均SST的冰期／间冰期变化幅度达4．2℃,DOT的波动范围更是超过100m,这进一步论证了西太平洋暖池的不稳定性。频谱分析还揭示出SST和DOT变化不仅具有典型的100ka冰期／间冰期旋回,还有热带地区特有的半岁差周期,说明研究区的古海洋学变化既有高纬驱动的作用,也有热带驱动的影响。