Modelling phytoplankton succession on the Bering Sea shelf: role of climate influences and trophic interactions in generating Emiliania huxleyi blooms 1997–2000

Several years of continuous physical and biological anomalies have been affecting the Bering Sea shelf ecosystem starting from 1997. Such anomalies reached their peak in a striking visual phenomenon: the first appearance in the area of bright waters caused by massive blooms of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi (E. huxleyi). This study is intended to provide an insight into the mechanisms of phytoplankton succession in the south-eastern part of the shelf during such years and addresses the causes of E. huxleyi success by means of a 2-layer ecosystem model, field data and satellite-derived information. A number of potential hypotheses are delineated based on observations conducted in the area and on previous knowledge of E. huxleyi general ecology. Some of these hypotheses are then considered as causative factors and explored with the model. The unusual climatic conditions of 1997 resulted most notably in a particularly shallow mixed layer depth and high sea surface temperature (about 4 °C above climatological mean). Despite the fact that the model could not reproduce for E. huxleyi a clear non-bloom to bloom transition (pre- vs. post-1997), several tests suggest that this species was favoured by the shallow mixed layer depth in conjunction with a lack of photoinhibition. A top-down control by microzooplankton selectively grazing phytoplankton other than E. huxleyi appears to be responsible for the long persistence of the blooms. Interestingly, observations reveal that the high N:P ratio hypothesis, regarded as crucial in the formation of blooms of this species in previous studies, does not hold on the Bering Sea shelf.     

The effects of stock size and environmental variability on Cape hake recruitment in Namibia: an unsolved puzzle (a comment on Kainge et al. 2013)

Measuring and forecasting recruitment are central to the understanding and management of fish stocks. Kainge et al. (2013) studied the effect of spawning stock size and environmental fluctuations on the recruitment levels of the Cape hake Merluccius capensis in Namibia. However, their study contains some flaws that undermine the conclusion that Cape hake recruitment is under the influence of upwelling in summer. Until those flaws are properly addressed, this conclusion, in our view, should be treated with caution.     

Wavelet imaging cleaning method for atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes

We present a new method of image cleaning for imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The method is based on the utilization of wavelets to identify noise pixels in images of gamma-ray and hadronic induced air showers. This method selects more signal pixels with Cherenkov photons than traditional image processing techniques. In addition, the method is equally efficient at rejecting pixels with noise alone. The inclusion of more signal pixels in an image of an air shower allows for a more accurate reconstruction, especially at lower gamma-ray energies that produce low levels of light. We present the results of Monte Carlo simulations of gamma-ray and hadronic air showers which show improved angular resolution using this cleaning procedure. Data from the Whipple Observatory's 10-m telescope are utilized to show the efficacy of the method for extracting a gamma-ray signal from the background of hadronic generated images.     

Using an unbaited stationary video system to investigate the behaviour and interactions of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas under an aquaculture farm

Bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas are common along the coast of Reunion Island (South-West Indian Ocean) and were suspected to aggregate in the vicinity of an aquaculture farm in Saint-Paul Bay on the west coast. In order to understand the behaviour and interaction of bull sharks near aquaculture cages at Saint-Paul Bay, we deployed an experimental unbaited stationary video camera. From 175 hours of recording during daylight hours from March to April 2012, eight individual female bull sharks (seven adults and one immature) were identified based on their natural markings. These sharks were resighted between 3 and 45 times. Residency analysis revealed site attachment under the aquaculture cages for at least three individuals over the course of the study. Recorded behaviours included intraspecific social interactions such as synchronised swimming. Social interactions and relatively strong paired associations for two pairs of females suggest some level of sociality among bull sharks around Reunion Island. Overall, our results demonstrate the utility of unbaited video systems to monitor the behaviour of adult coastal sharks.     

Evapotranspiration and canopy characteristics of two lodgepole pine stands following mountain pine beetle attack

Over the past decade, British Columbia (BC), has experienced the largest mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreak on record. This study used the eddy‐covariance (EC) technique to examine the impact of the MPB attack on evapotranspiration (E) and associated canopy characteristics of two lodgepole pine stands with secondary structure (trees, saplings and seedlings surviving the attack) located in central BC. MPB‐06, an 85‐year‐old almost pure stand of pine trees, was first attacked in 2006, and by 2010, ~80% of the trees had been killed. MPB‐03, a 110‐year‐old stand with an overstory consisting of over 90% pine and a developed sub‐canopy, was first attacked in 2003 and by 2007 had > 95% pine canopy mortality. EC measurements began in August 2006 at MPB‐06 and in March 2007 at MPB‐03, and continued for four years. Annual total E ranged from 226 mm to 237 mm at MPB‐06, and from 280 to 297 mm at MPB‐03, showing relatively little year‐to‐year change at both sites over the four years. Increased E from the accelerated growth of the surviving vegetation (secondary structure, shrubs and herbs) compensated for reduction in E due to the death of the overstory. Monthly average daytime canopy conductance, the Priestley–Taylor (α), and the canopy–atmosphere decoupling coefficient (Ω) steadily increased during the growing season reaching approximate maximum values of 5 mm s^?1, 0.75 and 0.12, respectively. Potential evapotranspiration was approximated using a vapour pressure deficit‐dependent α obtained at high soil water content. Calculated water deficits indicated some water‐supply limitation to the surviving trees and understory at both sites. Rates of root zone drainage during the growing season were low relative to precipitation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Life cycle of chokka-squid Loligo reynaudii in South African waters

This short note summarises past and current knowledge of the life cycle of chokka-squid Loligo reynaudii d’Orbigny, 1845, in South African waters. Prior to approximately 2010, the chokka-squid stock was considered simple and uniform, with one paralarval pool, the drift of paralarvae westwards, one main nursery area and one main, long spawning migration of adult squid eastwards, back to the main spawning grounds. Based on new information, this life-history scheme has been revised. Genetically, the stock is uniform; however, morphologically, it comprises three main geographic groups. It is proposed that the differences between the groups originate from many different paralarval events and that short (not long) migrations dominate the life cycle.     

Mixing and transport near the shallow-crested Rumble III seamount and the implications for plankton distribution

Vessel-based observations of water column structure and flow near a shallow-crested seamount are used to quantify the physical disturbance induced by that seamount. The implications of this disturbance on the ‘feeding hole’ hypothesis are then examined based on data from moored thermistors and acoustic current profilers, as well as vessel-based acoustic sounding-derived biomass estimates, currents, and conductivity-temperature-depth profiles from a 55 km square grid of stations around the crest. Mean currents in the region of 0.2 m s^?1 are comparable to observations from surface drifters whereas the semidiurnal tidal flow amplitude was one third of this. Thorpe Scale-based estimates of energy dissipation rate were in the range 10^?9 to 2.10^?8 W kg^?1 and vertical diffusivities K_z were in the range 10^?4 to 10^?3 m² s^?1. Turbulence levels were higher upstream of the seamount–likely due to the influence of nearby seamounts Rumble IV and V. There was no evidence of a Taylor Cap in the Rumble III velocity field. The sounder data provide some evidence of a feeding hole and analysis based on diffusivities suggests that this might persist downstream of the seamount for as much as 7 days.