Management of a shallow temperate estuary to control eutrophication: The effect of hydrodynamics on the system’s nutrient loading

The Mondego estuary, a shallow warm-temperate intertidal system located on the west coast of Portugal, has for some decades been under severe ecological stress, mainly caused by eutrophication. Water circulation in this system was, until 1998, mainly dependent on tides and on the freshwater input of a small tributary artificially controlled by a sluice. After 1998, the sluice opening was effectively minimised to reduce the nutrient loading, and the system hydrodynamics improved due to engineering work in the upstream areas. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the mitigation measures implemented in 1998. Changes to the hydrodynamics of the system were assessed using precipitation and salinity data in relation to the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients, as well as the linkage between dissolved N:P ratios and the biological parameters (phytoplankton chlorophyll a concentrations, green macroalgal biomass and seagrass biomass). Two distinctive periods were compared, over a ten year period: from January 1993 to January 1997 and from January 1999 until January 2003. The effective reduction in the dissolved N:P atomic ratio from 37.7 to 13.2 after 1998 is a result of lowered ammonia, but not the oxidised forms of nitrogen (nitrate plus nitrite), or increased concentrations of dissolved inorganic phosphorus. Results suggest that the phytoplankton is not nutrient limited, yet maximum and mean biomass of green macroalgae was reduced by one order of magnitude after the mitigation measures. This suggests that besides lowering the water residence time of the system, macroalgal growth became nitrogen limited. In parallel to these changes the seagrass-covered area and biomass of Zostera noltii showed signs of recovery.     

Spatial variability in growth and reproduction of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) along the west European coast

The Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas was introduced in Europe for commercial purposes in the mid 1960s. It was initially thought that low winter temperatures would restrain this species' reproduction and settlement; however, its present distribution in areas where no introduction has taken place suggests that natural invasion and expansion has occurred. Along the European coast, wild populations of Pacific oysters are already found from northern Germany to southern Portugal. Whether C. gigas will continue to further expand through northern waters will depend on its physiological performance. In this study, the performance of wild oyster populations has been studied in terms of growth and reproduction at three stations: La Rochelle (France; 46°N), Yerseke (Oosterschelde estuary, The Netherlands, 51°N), and Texel (Wadden Sea estuary, The Netherlands, 53°N). The French population had the lowest somatic-shell mass ratio and an increase in maximum shell length, somatic and gonadal mass was observed from France to the Netherlands. In addition, mean oocyte diameter decreased significantly from south to north. The combination of increasing gonadal mass and decreasing oocyte volume suggests an increasing reproductive output in terms of egg numbers from France to The Netherlands. Differences in temperature between locations will at least be partly responsible for the observed patterns; however, other environmental factors (such as food availability, predation pressure, sediment type and/or seston concentration) cannot be excluded. Since smaller eggs (oocytes) are thought to have a longer development time, the environmental conditions along the Dutch coast may result in increased larval dispersal and possibly in further population expansion.     

Growth and reproduction of the bivalve Spisula subtruncata (da Costa) in Dutch coastal waters

The bivalve Spisula subtruncata is usually abundant in shallow coastal waters along the Dutch coast. However, its biomass has been decreasing since 1995. In order to assess whether reproductive failure may be the cause of the observed decline over the last decades, the energy investment in reproduction of a population of S. subtruncata from central Dutch coastal waters was studied. The population studied consisted of individuals of up to four years old. Shell length reached maximum values of around 32 mm and individual total body, somatic and gonadal ash-free dry mass reached maximum values of about 278 mg AFDM, 252 mg AFDM and 76 mg AFDM, respectively. A clear seasonal cycle in somatic and gonadal mass was observed. Somatic and gonadal mass indices increased in early spring and reached maximum values during summer, followed by a decrease to minimum values at the beginning of the following year. Spawning was in June–July and settlement of spat seems to have occurred in July–August. Mean oocyte diameter was 57.43 ± 0.03 μm, corresponding to a volume of 98972 μm³. These results suggested that reproductive failure was not the cause of the current population decline. Most likely, unsuccessful settlement of spat and/or severe predation during the first months of life were responsible for the observed patterns.     

Differential reproductive strategies of two bivalves in the Dutch Wadden Sea

Cerastoderma edule and Mya arenaria are two common bivalve species in European waters. Longevity and maximum size are much greater in the latter species. Because comparison of species life-history strategies states that a long life span (i.e. high annual survival) generally goes with lower fecundity, we hypothesise that reproductive output would be lower in M. arenaria than in C. edule. In the present paper, we studied the reproductive strategies of these two species in an intertidal and a subtidal area of the western Dutch Wadden Sea, by following seasonal changes in absolute and relative weights of somatic and gonadal tissues in these bivalves. Starting of spawning was similar in the two species, around May, except for intertidal M. arenaria, which initiated spawning in August. Individual energy investment in reproduction was similar for the two species but, unlike M. arenaria, C. edule spawned completely, releasing all energy of gonadal mass in the form of gametes. Mya arenaria used the gonad not only for reproduction but also for storage. In the intertidal area, we found a trade-off between longevity and reproduction, i.e. maximum reproductive output (expressed as a proportion of body mass) was higher in C. edule than in M. arenaria. However, since body size is larger and life span longer in M. arenaria than in C. edule, mean lifetime reproductive output per individual must be higher in the first than in the latter. Based on the differences in reproductive strategies of these two species, we hypothesise that the negative effects of warming climate on bivalve population dynamics in the Wadden Sea will be stronger in C. edule than in M. arenaria.     

近20年渤海叶绿素a浓度时空变化

浮游植物作为食物链的基础,对海洋生态系统具有重要作用。渤海作为我国最大的内海和重要渔业生物的产卵场、育幼场和索饵场,该区浮游植物研究具有重要意义。叶绿素a浓度是反映浮游植物生物量的重要指标。利用Google Earth Engine平台,对1997–2010年的宽视场海洋观测传感器(SeaWiFS)叶绿素a浓度数据和2002–2018年的水色卫星中分辨率成像光谱仪传感器(MODIS Aqua)叶绿素a浓度数据进行合并,并研究其时空变化特征。研究表明,近20年来,渤海全年叶绿素a浓度增加了14.1%,且增加显著。叶绿素a浓度在所有季节都呈现增加趋势;除11月外,其他各月都呈现稳定或增加趋势。从滦河入河口沿岸至渤海海峡的渤海中部,叶绿素a浓度增加较明显。同时也分析了海洋表面温度、风速和降水量数据。夏季渤海周边区域降水量和风速增加以及秋季海表温度的降低都有助于同季叶绿素a浓度的升高。渤海浮游植物可能受陆源营养物质输入影响较大。     

基于2002-2018年MODIS数据的黄海叶绿素a时空变化研究

浮游植物作为食物链的基础,对海洋生态系统具有重要影响。黄海作为我国重要的渔场,渔业资源面临枯竭的危险,因此对该区浮游植物进行研究具有重要意义。叶绿素a浓度是反映浮游植物生物量的重要指标。利用谷歌地球引擎平台对2002-2018年的MODIS Aqua叶绿素a浓度数据进行处理,并研究其时空分布与变化特征,然后结合区域气候、水文与地理特征以及海洋表面温度、风速、盐度、光合有效辐射和混合层厚度数据分析了其分布与变化的原因。研究发现:受陆源营养物质输入、近岸上升流以及黄海中央冷水团影响,叶绿素a浓度分布呈现由近岸向黄海中部递减特征;在季风、气候、水文的控制下,受风速、海洋表面温度、光合有效辐射、中央冷水团的影响,叶绿素a浓度的最大值出现在4月份,而最小值出现在6、7月份;受苏北沿岸海域海水污染和水体富营养化影响,沿岸海域盐度明显增加,海州湾叶绿素a浓度增速较大;影响黄海叶绿素a浓度变化的环境因子较复杂,除了部分月份存在显著的相关影响因子外,在全年和各季中不存在主导影响因子。     

Evolution of polycyclic alkanes in the Espirito Santo Basin

The distributions of polycyclic alkanes were monitored in a Neocomian sequence (well 1-ESS-34) from the Espirito Santo Basin, southeast Brazil. The profiles included, apart from regular hopanes, significant concentrations of 18α(H), 28,30-bisnorhopane and subordinate amounts of gammacerane. Sterane concentrations, normally with hopane/sterane <5, were compatible with other geochemical data indicating a predominantly planktonic/microbial source of the deposited organic matter. Sample maturities ranged from very immature to the onset of oil generation, allowing biomarker distributions to be followed along a broad maturation range. The ability of certain molecular ratios (e.g. C₂₇ 17α(H)/17β(H)hopanes) to reflect a maturity sequence with depth in the closely-spaced strata of the immature upper levels (Jiquiá Stage) showed the value of molecular techniques over classical geochemical methods (e.g. vitrinite reflectance) for the study of immature sequences. The presence in the oils of southern Espirito Santo of 28,30-bisnorhopane, gammacerane and methyl steranes in similar concentrations as in extracts of the deepest levels of the 1-ESS-34 well qualify the Jiquia Stage as the probable source rock of oils accumulated in the basin.