Physiology of diatom Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve photosynthetic extracellular release: evidence for a novel coupling between marine bacteria and phytoplankton

The photosynthesis of cellular materials by phytoplankton isaccompanied by release of organic molecules from the algal cellsinto the water. The patterns of carbon fixation in particulateand dissolved pools were investigated in Skeletonema costatumcultured under 12 h light/12 h dark cycles. The short-term production(1–15 min) of particulate organic carbon (POC) and extracellularorganic carbon (EOC) compounds was studied by measuring theuptake of ¹⁴C-labelled sodium bicarbonate and its subsequentincorporation and release into organic compounds. Slightly modifiedtraditional ¹⁴C radiotracer protocols were used, including separationby electrophoresis and thin-layer chromatography and detectionby autoradiography. Results indicated that there was a distinctdifference between radiolabelled compounds in the POC and EOCpools. Several metabolites found in the EOC pool were not presentin the POC pool, indicating the active release of these productsfrom the cells into the ambient water during short-term incubations,and indicating that inorganic carbon fixation pathways in marineautotrophs might be partly extracellular.     

Chemical Characteristics of Particulate, Colloidal, and Dissolved Organic Material in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park

The chemical relationships among particulate and colloidal organicmaterial and dissolved fulvic acid were examined in an alpine andsubalpine lake and two streams in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky MountainNational Park. The alpine lake, Sky Pond, had the lowest dissolved organiccarbon (DOC) (0.37 mgC/L), the highest particulate carbon (POC) (0.13mgC/L), and high algal biomass. The watershed of Sky Pond is primarilytalus slope, and DOC and POC may be autochthonous. Both Andrews Creekand Icy Brook gain DOC as they flow through wet sedge meadows. Thesubalpine lake, The Loch, receives additional organic material from thesurrounding forest and had a higher DOC (0.66 mgC/L). Elemental analysis,stable carbon isotopic compositon, and ¹³C-NMR characterizationshowed that: 1) particulate material had relatively high inorganic contentsand was heterogeneous in compositon, 2) colloidal material was primarilycarbohydrate material with a low inorganic content at all sites; and 3)dissolved fulvic acid varied in compositon among sites. The lowconcentration and carbohydrate-rich character of the colloidal materialsuggests that this fraction is labile to microbial degradation and may beturning over more rapidly than particulate fractions or dissolved fulvic acid.Fulvic acid from Andrews Creek had the lowest N content and aromaticity,whereas Sky Pond fulvic acid had a higher N content and lower aromaticitythan fulvic acid from The Loch. The UV-visible spectra of the fulvic acidsdemonstrate that variation in characteristics with sources of organic carboncan explain to some extent the observed non-linear relationship betweenUV-B extinction coefficients and DOC concentrations in lakes.     

Summertime primary production and carbon export in the southeastern Beaufort Sea during the low ice year of 2008

Following the extreme low ice year of 2007, primary production and the sinking export of particulate and gel-like organic material, using short-term particle interceptor traps deployed at 100 m, were measured in the southeastern Beaufort Sea during summer 2008. The combined influence of early ice retreat and coastal upwelling contributed to exceptionally high primary production (500 ± 312 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹, n = 7), dominated by large cells (>5 μm, 73% ± 15%, n = 7). However, except for one station located north of Cape Bathurst, the sinking export of particulate organic carbon (POC) was relatively low (range: 38–104 mg C m⁻² day⁻¹, n = 12) compared to other productive Arctic shelves. Estimates indicate that 80% ± 20% of the primary production was cycled through large copepods or the microbial food web. Exopolymeric substances were abundant in the sinking material but did not appear to accelerate POC sinking export. The use of isotopic signatures (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) and carbon/nitrogen ratios to identify sources of the sinking material was successful only at two stations with a strong marine or terrestrial signature, indicating the limitations of this approach in hydrographically and biologically complex Arctic coastal waters such as in the Beaufort Sea. At these two stations influenced by either coastal upwelling or erosion, the composition and magnitude of particulate sinking fluxes were markedly different from other stations visited during the study. These observations underscore the fundamental role of mesoscale circulation patterns and hydrodynamic singularities on the export of particulate organic material on Arctic shelves.     

Changes in particulate and dissolved organic matter in nutrient-enriched enclosures from an area influenced by mucilage: the northern Adriatic Sea

This study examined the partitioning of organic matter intoparticulate organic carbon (POC) and dissolved organic carbon(DOC) pools in nutrient-enriched enclosures containing naturalplankton from the Gulf of Trieste (northern Adriatic), an areaaffected by mucilage. The strategy of nutrient additions wasto introduce a pulse of new nutrients in concentrations thatmimic natural inputs and to survey community structure and organicmatter fluxes long enough so that plankton became nutrient-limited.Maximal bacterial biomass attained roughly double the initialvalue, while autotrophic carbon increased by nearly an orderof magnitude. The microflagellate-dominated community releasedmore DOC per unit biomass (5.5 ± 7.2 to 50.6 ±28.0 µg C µg Chl a^-1 day^-1 versus 3.4 ± 3.4to 10.8 ± 4.6 µg C µg Chl a^-1 day^-1 for diatom-dominatedphytoplankton), POC increase was modest (~300 µg C l^-1)and there was little change in DOC. Organic carbon partitioningduring two experiments in which diatoms prevailed was dominatedby POC (>800 µg C l^-1) in the exponential growth phasewith an increasing contribution of particulate carbohydratesthat paralleled gradual nutrient depletion. Transition to thestationary phase and the decay of autotrophic communities wereaccompanied by the net accumulation of a carbohydrate-rich DOC.     

The effect of microorganisms and seasonal factors on the isotopic composition of particulate organic carbon from the black sea

The isotopic composition of particulate organic carbon (POC) from the Black Sea deep-water zone was studied during a Russian-Swiss expedition in May 1998. POC from the upper part of the hydrogen sulfide zone (the C-layer) was found to be considerably enriched with the¹²C isotope, as compared to the POC of the oxycline and anaerobic zone. In the C-layer waters, the concurrent presence of dissolved oxygen and hydrogen sulfide and an increased rate of dark CO₂ fixation were recorded, suggesting that the change in the POC isotopic composition occurs at the expense of newly formed isotopically light organic matter of the biomass of autotrophic bacteria involved in the sulfur cycle. In the anaerobic waters below the C-layer, the organic matter of the biomass of autotrophs is consumed by the community of heterotrophic microorganisms; this results in weighting of the POC isotopic composition. Analysis of the data obtained and data available in the literature allows an inference to be made about the considerable seasonable variability of the POC δ¹³C value, which depends on the ratio of terrigenic and planktonogenic components in the particulate organic matter.     

Effect of microorganisms and seasonal factors on the isotope composition of organic carbon from Black Sea suspensions

The isotopic composition of particulate organic carbon (POC) from the Black Sea deep-water zone was studied during a Russian-Swiss expedition in May 1998. POC from the upper part of the hydrogen sulfide zone (the C-layer) was found to be considerably enriched with the 12C isotope, as compared to the POC of the oxycline and anaerobic zone. In the C-layer waters, the concurrent presence of dissolved oxygen and hydrogen sulfide and an increased rate of dark CO2 fixation were recorded, suggesting that the change in the POC isotopic composition occurs at the expense of newly formed isotopically light organic matter of the biomass of autotrophic bacteria involved in the sulfur cycle. In the anaerobic waters below the C-layer, the organic matter of the biomass of autotrophs is consumed by the community of heterotrophic microorganisms; this results in weighting of the POC isotopic composition. Analysis of the data obtained and data available in the literature allows an inference to be made about the considerable seasonable variability of the POC delta 13C value, which depends on the ratio of terrigenic and planktonogenic components in the particulate organic matter.     

Does Phaeocystis spp. contribute significantly to vertical export of organic carbon?

Phaeocystis spp. cell and colony mass fluxes and their contribution to the vertical particulate organic carbon (POC) export from a wide range of stations were quantified by short-term sediment traps. The compilation of available data, ranging from polar to sub-arctic and boreal regions, revealed that Phaeocystis colonial and single cells frequently are observed in shallow sediment traps at 30–50 m depth (average of 7 ± 11% of POC export). A strong vertical export decline between 40 m and 100 m diminished the contribution of Phaeocystis spp. cell carbon to vertical export of POC to only 3 ± 2% at 100 m depth, with two exceptions (deeper mixed stations). Estimates of potential corresponding mucus contribution increased the average Phaeocystis spp. contribution to <5% of POC export. The vertical flux attenuation efficiency is higher for Phaeocystis spp. than for diatoms. The overall contribution of Phaeocystis spp. to vertical carbon export based on direct investigations of vertical organic carbon export is small.     

Carbon Dynamics within Cyclonic Eddies: Insights from a Biomarker Study

It is generally assumed that episodic nutrient pulses by cyclonic eddies into surface waters support a significant fraction of the primary production in subtropical low-nutrient environments in the northern hemisphere. However, contradictory results related to the influence of eddies on particulate organic carbon (POC) export have been reported. As a step toward understanding the complex mechanisms that control export of material within eddies, we present here results from a sediment trap mooring deployed within the path of cyclonic eddies generated near the Canary Islands over a 1.5-year period. We find that, during summer and autumn (when surface stratification is stronger, eddies are more intense, and a relative enrichment in CaCO₃ forming organisms occurs), POC export to the deep ocean was 2–4 times higher than observed for the rest of the year. On the contrary, during winter and spring (when mixing is strongest and the seasonal phytoplankton bloom occurs), no significant enhancement of POC export associated with eddies was observed. Our biomarker results suggest that a large fraction of the material exported from surface waters during the late-winter bloom is either recycled in the mesopelagic zone or bypassed by migrant zooplankton to the deep scattering layer, where it would disaggregate to smaller particles or be excreted as dissolved organic carbon. Cyclonic eddies, however, would enhance carbon export below 1000 m depth during the summer stratification period, when eddies are more intense and frequent, highlighting the important role of eddies and their different biological communities on the regional carbon cycle.     

Organic carbon transport and C/N ratio variations in a large tropical river: Godavari as a case study,India

This study gives an insight into the source of organic carbon and nitrogen in the Godavari river and its tributaries, the yield of organic carbon from the catchment, seasonal variability in their concentration and the ultimate flux of organic and inorganic carbon into the Bay of Bengal. Particulate organic carbon/particulate organic nitrogen (POC/PON or C/N) ratios revealed that the dominant source of organic matter in the high season is from the soil (C/N = 8–14), while in the rest of the seasons, the river-derived (in situ) phytoplankton is the major source (C/N = l–8). Amount of organic materials carried from the lower catchment and flood plains to the oceans during the high season are 3 to 91 times higher than in the moderate and low seasons. Large-scale erosion and deforestation in the catchment has led to higher net yield of organic carbon in the Godavari catchment when compared to other major world rivers. The total flux of POC, and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from the Godavari river to the Bay of Bengal is estimated as 756 × 10⁹ and 2520 × 10⁹ g yr^–1, respectively. About 22% of POC is lost in the main channel because of oxidation of labile organic matter, entrapment of organic material behind dams/sedimentation along flood plains and river channel; the DIC fluxes as a function of alkalinity are conservative throughout the river channel. Finally, the C/N ratios (12) of the ultimate fluxes of particulate organic carbon suggest the dominance of refractory/stable soil organic matter that could eventually get buried in the coastal sediments on a geological time scale.     

Distribution and characterization of dissolved and particulate organic matter in Antarctic pack ice

Distribution and composition of organic matter were investigated in Antarctic pack ice in early spring and summer. Accumulation of organic compounds was observed with dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particulate organic carbon (POC) reaching 717 and 470 μM C, respectively and transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) up to 3,071 μg Xanthan gum equivalent l⁻¹. POC and TEP seemed to be influenced mainly by algae. Particulate saccharides accounted for 0.2–24.1% (mean, 7.8%) of POC. Dissolved total saccharides represented 0.4–29.6% (mean, 9.7%) of DOC, while dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) accounted for only 1% of DOC. Concentrations of TEP were positively correlated with those of saccharides. Monosaccharides (d-MCHO) dominated during winter–early spring, whereas dissolved polysaccharides did in spring–summer. DFAA were strongly correlated with d-MCHO, suggesting a similar pathway of production. The accumulation of monomers in winter is thought to result from limitation of bacterial activities rather than from the nature of the substrates.     

The role of faecal material in the particulate organic carbon flux in the northern Humboldt Current, Chile (23{degrees}S), before and during the 1997-1998 El Nino

Sedimentation rates of faecal material, phytoplankton and microzooplanktonand production rates of faecal material from crustaceans andpelagic tunicates were estimated during the austral summer andwinter 1997, and summer 1998, in the northern Humboldt Current(23°S, off Antofagasta, Chile). Sampling periods coveredpre-El Niño (January 1997) and El Niño 1997–98(July 1997 and January 1998). Samples were collected using floatingsediment traps deployed at 65, 100, 200 and 300 m depth in oceanicand coastal areas. Sedimentation rates during January 1997 were,on average, 152 ± 23 and 85 ± 57 mg C m^–2day^–1 at 65 and 300 m depth, respectively. During July,these rates averaged 93 ± 56 mg C m^–2 day^–1at 65 m depth and 35 ± 12 mg C m^–2 day^–1at 300 m depth, while in January 1998 they were 98 and 109 ±37 mg C m^–2 day^–1 at 65 and 200 m depth, respectively.Recognizable faecal material made up the bulk of the sedimentingmatter, accounting for 8 ± 5% (n = 14), 31 ± 26%(n = 16) and 8 ± 5% (n = 5) of the average total organiccarbon recorded from all sediment trap samples collected duringJanuary and July 1997 and January 1998, respectively. However,at300 m depth, the contribution of recognizable faecal materialto total sedimented organic carbon increased to 43 ±33% (n = 4) during July 1997. The remaining sedimenting particlesconsisted mainly of tintinnids, crustacean exuviae, heterotrophicdinoflagellates (both thecated and athecated) and diatom cells.During this study, we estimated that only a minor fraction (average± SD = 5 ± 8%) of the copepod faecal materialproduced within the photic zone sedimented down to 300 m depth,suggesting an efficient recycling within the overlaying watercolumn. On the other hand, an important fraction (47 ±30%) of the euphausiid faecal strings was collected in the 300m depth trap, suggesting that this material would enhance thedownward flux of particulate organic matter (POC). POC fluxesto 65 and 300 m depth traps were in the range of 4–20%and 3–8% of the estimated primary production during thewhole study period. It is postulated that the overall verticalflux of particulates and, in particular, faecal pellets wasdetermined by a combination of three factors. The first wasthe composition of the zooplankton assemblages in the studyarea. When the dominant group was calanoid copepods, their faecesseemed to contribute poorly to the vertical flux of particulates.On the other hand, when the dominant group was euphausiids,a significant proportion of their faecal material was collectedin the sediment trap located at 300 m depth. The second wasthe relatively high abundance of cyclopoid copepods from thegenera Oncaea, Corycaeus and Oithona, which are reported tofeed on aggregates of phytodetritus and faecal pellets producedby calanoid copepods, suggesting that they may act as a naturalfilter to sedimenting particulates. The third was the compositionand size spectrum of the phyto- and microzooplankton assemblageswhich are potential food sources for the meso- and macrozooplankton.These factors were partially modulated by both the 1997–1998El Niño and seasonality.     

Impact of sinking carbon flux on accumulation of deep-ocean carbon in the Northern Indian Ocean

The export of carbon through the biological pump from the surface to the deep ocean has a direct influence on the removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere. This is because the carbon is sequestered for only a few days to months in the surface while the carbon removed from the surface to deep waters takes hundreds of years to re-enter the atmosphere. The highest dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) is expected in the deep waters of the North Pacific due to longer age of waters. On contrary, the higher deep water DIC is found in the northern Indian Ocean than elsewhere in the World Oceans. The sinking fluxes of particulate organic (POC) and inorganic carbon (CaCO₃) are found to be the highest in the northern Indian Ocean. The rates of bacterial respiration, organic carbon regeneration and inorganic carbon dissolution are also found to be the highest in the northern Indian Ocean than elsewhere. A most efficient biological pump appears to be operating in the northern Indian Ocean that transports surface-derived organic/inorganic carbon to deeper layers where it is converted and stored for longer times in dissolved inorganic form.     

Carbon flow in a small turbid man-made impoundment

A shallow turbid man-made impoundment was studied intensively for five years. The carbon (C) budget indicated a well balanced system, where phytoplankton productivity and respiratory losses accounted for the major inputs and outputs. The carbon content was dominated by dissolved organic carbon, followed by detritus > fish > phytoplankton > bacteria > zooplankton > zoobenthos.From an analysis of a matrix flow model, three dominant components of C-flow in the system were identified, i.e. dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and fish. Phytoplankton and detritus were the important components of POC. The largest flow of C was through the largest pool, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), whilst the second largest flow was through the fifth largest pool, the phytoplankton. Phytoplankton was very important in determining the structure of the system, and variations in phytoplankton primary productivity influenced the entire system. This also applied to the input of organic material from macrophytes, but not to variations in the inflow and outflow of water from the impoundment.The input of detrital material from a littoral macrophyte community also markedly influenced the system. DOC was identified as a carbon buffer in the system, and differential flow occurred through this component upon variations in phytoplankton productivity.     

Is sedimentation of copepod faecal pellets determined by cyclopoids? Evidence from enclosed ecosystems

Vertical flux of faecal pellets was compared in 26 verticallystratified 27 m³ (diameter 2 m, depth 9.3 m) in situ seawaterenclosures deriving from four separate experiments on the Norwegianwest coast. Sediment traps were mounted in the non-mixed lowerlayer at 8 m depth. The zooplankton community composition wasnatural in three of the experiments, while manipulated to includefour concentrations of Calanus finmarchicus in one. Calanoidcopepods such as C. finmarchicus, Paracalanus spp., Pseudocalanusspp. and Microcalanus spp. dominated the zooplankton biomassin all mesocosms, except in eight of the enclosures where thecyclopoid copepod Oithona spp. occupied up to 40% of the biomass.Vertical flux of faecal pellet carbon (FPC) showed a significantnegative correlation with Oithona biomass. In order to determinethe retention potential of Oithona, measured sedimented faecalpellet carbon (FPC_sed) was compared with estimated maximum andminimum egestion rates. FPC_sed decreased with increased biomassof Oithona. When the contribution of Oithona to the total copepodbiomass was high, FPC_sed was reduced to a few per cent of themaximum calanoid egestion rate (E_max) and was significantlyless than the expected minimum calanoid egestion rate (E_min)in four of the mesocosms. On the other hand, FPC_sed increasedtowards E_max when the fraction of calanoid copepods increasedtowards 100% of the total copepod biomass. The results wereobtained in experiments characterized by an extensive rangeof physical and biological processes. We suggest that the biomassratio between pellet-producing (calanoids) and pellet-reworkingcopepods (Oithona) may be used to predict relative pellet retentionand/or sedimentation rates of calanoid faecal pellets in naturalplankton.     

Terrestrial subsidies to lake food webs: an experimental approach

Cross-ecosystem movements of material and energy are ubiquitous. Aquatic ecosystems typically receive material that also includes organic matter from the surrounding catchment. Terrestrial-derived (allochthonous) organic matter can enter aquatic ecosystems in dissolved or particulate form. Several studies have highlighted the importance of dissolved organic carbon to aquatic consumers, but less is known about allochthonous particulate organic carbon (POC). Similarly, most studies showing the effects of allochthonous organic carbon (OC) on aquatic consumers have investigated pelagic habitats; the effects of allochthonous OC on benthic communities are less well studied. Allochthonous inputs might further decrease primary production through light reduction, thereby potentially affecting autotrophic resource availability to consumers. Here, an enclosure experiment was carried out to test the importance of POC input and light availability on the resource use in a benthic food web of a clear-water lake. Corn starch (a C(4) plant) was used as a POC source due to its insoluble nature and its distinct carbon stable isotope value (δ(13)C). The starch carbon was closely dispersed over the bottom of the enclosures to study the fate of a POC source exclusively available to sediment biota. The addition of starch carbon resulted in a clear shift in the isotopic signature of surface-dwelling herbivorous and predatory invertebrates. Although the starch carbon was added solely to the sediment surface, the carbon originating from the starch reached zooplankton. We suggest that allochthonous POC can subsidize benthic food webs directly and can be further transferred to pelagic systems, thereby highlighting the importance of benthic pathways for pelagic habitats.     

Potential contribution that the copepod Neocalanus tonsus makes to downward carbon flux in the Southern Ocean

We estimate that Neocalanus tonsus makes a contribution to downwardscarbon flux of 1.7–9.3 g C m^–2 year^–1, insubantarctic waters, the Subtropical Front and waters immediatelyto the north, based on its ontogenetic vertical migration minusthe biomass of eggs, the products of which are returned to thesurface the following season. This flux is an order of magnitudegreater than that estimated (0.27 g C m^–2 year^–1)for vertical migration of large copepods in the North Atlantic.Over the total 55.6 x 10⁶ km² where N. tonsus is distributed,0.17 Gt C year^–1 are estimated to be lost annually tothe ocean interior. In subantarctic water, this loss represents1.4% of primary production and is 14% greater than the measuredsedimented particulate organic carbon (POC) at 300 m. Similarly,in subtropical water, carbon loss to the ocean interior fromN. tonsus seasonal migration is estimated to be 13% lower thanmeasured POC flux. Nevertheless, N. tonsus was never found intime-incremental sediment trap samples. We hypothesize thatthe apparently proportionally different role of downwards seasonalmigration of large copepods relative to sedimented POC in theNorth Atlantic compared with the subarctic North Pacific andSouthern Ocean arises because of a combination of differencesin the nutrient status of these oceans, differences in the rateof development of grazer populations in spring, and differencesin life history characteristics of large copepods. The fluxdue to the behaviour of N. tonsus in different parts of itsrange, put into the context of the estimated global-mean netflux of 1.7–3.7 g C m^–2 year^–1 taken up bythe ocean, may be a regionally significant amount. The summerdownward migration of N. tonsus, however, does not entirelyexplain the observed seasonal variation in regional measurementsof pCO₂ off New Zealand.     

不同土地利用类型下土壤活性有机碳库的变化

分析了中国科学院沈阳生态试验站不同土地利用类型长期定位试验土壤0～40cm活性有机碳含量,结果表明:0～20cm土层内荒地土壤有机碳、易氧化碳、微生物生物量碳、溶解性有机碳和轻组有机碳含量高于割草地和裸地,而割草地颗粒有机碳含量略高于荒地;在20～40cm土层,割草地土壤有机碳、易氧化碳和颗粒有机碳含量较高,而荒地微生物量碳、溶解性有机碳和轻组有机碳含量较高。不同土地利用类型土壤活性有机碳含量均随着土层加深而递减。土壤微生物量碳、溶解性有机碳和轻组有机碳的分配比例为荒地>割草地>裸地,易氧化碳和颗粒有机碳的分配比例为割草地>荒地>裸地。土壤活性有机碳的分配比例随土层加深而下降,但溶解性有机碳的分配比例变化趋势相反。     

The composition of particulate organic matter and biomass in the Peruvian upwelling region during ICANE 1977 (Nov. 14 - Dec. 2)

This paper presents the results of plankton studies in the Peruvianupwelling region off Chimbote from November - December, 1977,during the Investigación Cooperativa de la Anchovetay su Ecosistema (ICANE). Primary productivity, respiratory ETSactivity, composition of particulate organic matter, and microplanktoncell numbers were determined. Phytoplankton growth, and bacterialand ciliate carbon-uptake rates were computed from cell counts. Inshore waters were dominated by diatoms and were more productivethan offshore waters which were dominated by dinoflagellatesand ciliates. Particulate primary production averaged 5.26 ±5.24 g C m^–2d^–1, and the POC standing stock was7.75 ± 2.74 g C m^–2 for the euphotic layer of 7shelf stations. On the shelf, microplankton respiration rateswere higher in plankton populations dominated by dinoflagellatesand ciliates (47% of particulate primary production per 24 h)than those in diatom dominated populations (11%, respectively).The diatom populations, which were dominated by Chaetocerosspecies, varied in their ecophysiological properties (assimilationnumbers, proportion of water soluble carbohydrate, and protein/nitrogenratios). The relationships between these variations and growthconditions were investigated. A 40 h time-series station revealedpatchiness which was superimposed on physiological changes ofthe plankters. Bacterial numbers of 2 x 10⁶ cells/ml were foundin the euphotic layer corresponding to approximately 17 µgC/l bacterial biomass (or 6% of the POC standing stock). Ciliatebiomass (Lohmanniella oviformis was the dominating species)ranging from 2 to 9% of the POC standing stock were found evenin diatom dominated populations. From a rough carbon balancefor the euphotic layer it was deduced that in diatom dominatedpopulations, 36–77% of particulate primary productionwas potentially available to adult anchoveta grazing.     

How organic carbon derived from multiple sources contributes to carbon sequestration processes in a shallow coastal system?

Carbon captured by marine organisms helps sequester atmospheric CO₂, especially in shallow coastal ecosystems, where rates of primary production and burial of organic carbon (OC) from multiple sources are high. However, linkages between the dynamics of OC derived from multiple sources and carbon sequestration are poorly understood. We investigated the origin (terrestrial, phytobenthos derived, and phytoplankton derived) of particulate OC (POC) and dissolved OC (DOC) in the water column and sedimentary OC using elemental, isotopic, and optical signatures in Furen Lagoon, Japan. Based on these data analysis, we explored how OC from multiple sources contributes to sequestration via storage in sediments, water column sequestration, and air–sea CO₂ exchanges, and analyzed how the contributions vary with salinity in a shallow seagrass meadow as well. The relative contribution of terrestrial POC in the water column decreased with increasing salinity, whereas autochthonous POC increased in the salinity range 10–30. Phytoplankton‐derived POC dominated the water column POC (65–95%) within this salinity range; however, it was minor in the sediments (3–29%). In contrast, terrestrial and phytobenthos‐derived POC were relatively minor contributors in the water column but were major contributors in the sediments (49–78% and 19–36%, respectively), indicating that terrestrial and phytobenthos‐derived POC were selectively stored in the sediments. Autochthonous DOC, part of which can contribute to long‐term carbon sequestration in the water column, accounted for >25% of the total water column DOC pool in the salinity range 15–30. Autochthonous OC production decreased the concentration of dissolved inorganic carbon in the water column and thereby contributed to atmospheric CO₂ uptake, except in the low‐salinity zone. Our results indicate that shallow coastal ecosystems function not only as transition zones between land and ocean but also as carbon sequestration filters. They function at different timescales, depending on the salinity, and OC sources.     

Fluxes of diatoms in the Dona Paula Bay, west coast of India

Sediment traps were deployed at a station in the Dona PaulaBay to collect sedimenting particles at weekly intervals fromNovember to May during 1995–1997. Sedimented particleswere analysed for total diatom flux, chlorophyll a (Chl a) andparticulate organic carbon (POC). The highest diatom flux wasrecorded in April–May for both the years. Fluxes of diatomsvaried from0.6 x 10⁴ cells m^–2 day^–1 (November 1995)to 121.47 x 10⁴ cells m^–2 day^–1 (December 1996).In all, 19 diatom genera were identified in the sedimented material.Navicula, Nitzschia, Pleurosigma, Licmophora, Coscinodiscus,Rhizosolenia and Surirella were the most abundant genera inthe sedimented material throughout the sampling period. Meanflux of POC and diatom carbon was 251 and 0.39 mg C m^–2day^–1, respectively. The diatom carbon accounted for 0.15%of the POC flux. Mass flux of diatoms showed significant negativecorrelation with the concentration of nitrate and phosphate.This suggests that the nutrient concentration played an importantrole in influencing the sedimentation of diatoms at this coastalstation.