Effect of iron enrichment on the dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles in the western subarctic Pacific

Dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) was studied during the first in situ iron-enrichment experiment conducted in the western subarctic Pacific in July–August 2001, with the goal of evaluating the contribution of TEP to vertical flux as a result of increased primary production following iron enrichment in open ocean ecosystems. Subsequent to the enhancement of phytoplankton production, we observed increase in TEP concentration in the surface layer and sedimentation of organic matter beneath it. Vertical profiles of TEP, chlorophyll a (Chl a) and particulate organic carbon (POC) were obtained from six depths between 5 and 70 m, from a station each located inside and outside the enriched patch. TEP and total mass flux were estimated from the floating sediment traps deployed at 200 m depth. Chl a and TEP concentrations outside the patch varied from 0.2 to 1.9 μg L⁻¹ and 40–60 μg XG equiv. L⁻¹, respectively. Inside the patch, Chl a increased drastically from day 7 reaching the peak of 19.2 μg L⁻¹ on day 13, which coincided with the TEP peak of 189 μg XG equiv. L⁻¹. TEP flux in the sediment trap increased from 41 to 88 mg XG equiv. m⁻² d⁻¹, with 8–14% contribution of TEP to total mass flux. This forms the basic data set on ambient concentrations of TEP in the western subarctic Pacific, and evaluation of the effect of iron enrichment on TEP.     

Effects of tributyltin at concentrations below ambient levels in seawater on Caprella danilevskii (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae)

Hatched juveniles of Caprella danilevskii (Crustacea: Amphipoda) were exposed to one of two concentrations of tributyltin (TBT) (1.1 and 10.7 ng TBTL(-1)) for 49 d at 20 degrees C. These concentrations are near or below ambient levels in seawater. In both treatments and control, the survival rate was 100% at maturation, and >85% at the end of the experiments. Females reached maturation at 20 (median) to 21.5d at instar VII, and repeated spawning 4-5 times during the experiment. The total number of juveniles per female decreased significantly from 39.5 in the control to 24.5 and 17.5 in 1.1 ng L(-1) and 10.7 ng L(-1) treatments, respectively. An earlier study reported that as the TBT concentration in seawater increased from a 0-10 ng L(-1) regime to a 10-20 ng L(-1) regime, the number of stations where Caprella spp. could be collected decreased along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, of Japan. Thus, the present study indicates the possibility that the extremely low concentration of TBT measured in Japanese waters after 2000 lead to a reduction in reproductive success of Caprella spp.