Seasonal Periodicity in Lacustrine Phytoplankton and the Theory of Ecological Succession

An attempt has been made to examine the extent to which seasonal periodicity of lacustrine phytoplankton corresponds to the general concepts of the theory of ecological succession. The study was carried out on an eutrophic lake (Aydat, France). As REYNOLDS (1980, 1984) suggests, the seasonal periodicity of phytoplankton is an autogenic succession which may be perturbed by allogenic physical processes that change the initial direction of the succession. Thus, in this lake, only spring succession of phytoplankton can be considered as a true succession, consistent with the theory of ecological succession in that it was a directional and predictable phenomenon leading to an increasing complexity of community.     

Composition and Seasonal Succession of Phytoplankton of Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov and the Downstream Reaches of the Don River under a Changing Climate

Inland Water Biology - The results of a study of phytoplankton in Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov and the downstream reaches of the Don River carried out in January–November 2017 are...     

Phytoplankton Succession in Recurrently Fluctuating Environments

Coastal marine systems are affected by seasonal variations in biogeochemical and physical processes, sometimes leading to alternating periods of reproductive growth limitation within an annual cycle. Transitions between these periods can be sudden or gradual. Human activities, such as reservoir construction and interbasin water transfers, influence these processes and can affect the type of transition between resource loading conditions. How such human activities might influence phytoplankton succession is largely unknown. Here, we employ a multispecies, multi-nutrient model to explore how nutrient loading switching mode might affect phytoplankton succession. The model is based on the Monod-relationship, predicting an instantaneous reproductive growth rate from ambient inorganic nutrient concentrations whereas the limiting nutrient at any given time was determined by Liebig’s Law of the Minimum. When these relationships are combined with population loss factors, such as hydraulic displacement of cells associated with inflows, a characterization of a species’ niche can be achieved through application of the R* conceptual model, thus enabling an ecological interpretation of modeling results. We found that the mode of reversal in resource supply concentrations had a profound effect. When resource supply reversals were sudden, as expected in systems influenced by pulsed inflows or wind-driven mixing events, phytoplankton were characterized by alternating succession dynamics, a phenomenon documented in inland water bodies of temperate latitudes. When resource supply reversals were gradual, as expected in systems influenced by seasonally developing wet and dry seasons, or annually occurring periods of upwelling, phytoplankton dynamics were characterized by mirror-image succession patterns. This phenomenon has not been reported previously in plankton systems but has been observed in some terrestrial plant systems. These findings suggest that a transition from alternating to “mirror-image” succession patterns might arise with continued coastal zone development, with crucial implications for ecosystems dependent on time-sensitive processes, e.g., spawning events and migration patterns.     

A Model-Based Study of Phytoplankton Condition Using Remote Sensing Data for the Western Kamchatka Shelf

Russian Journal of Marine Biology - A method for estimating the integral microalgae biomass beneath a unit surface was designed based on a mathematical model for phytoplankton vital function in the...     

Seasonal dynamics of phytoplankton in the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea

Seawater samples were collected biweekly from the northern Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, for Phytoplankton analysis during the period May 1998 to October 1999. Microscopic counts and HPLC methods were employed. Procaryotic and eucaryotic ultraplankton dominated throughout most of the year, with larger nano- and microplankton making up only 5% of the photosynthetic biomass. Moderate seasonal variations in the 0–125 m integrated Chl a contrasted with a pronounced seasonal succession of the major taxonomic groups, reflecting the changes in the density stratification of the water column: Prochlorococcus dominated during the stratified summer period and were almost absent in winter. Chlorophyceae and Cryptophyceae were dominant during winter mixing but scarce or absent during summer. Diatoms and Synechococcus showed sharp and moderate biomass peaks in late winter and spring respectively, but remained at only low Chl a levels for the rest of the year. Chrysophyceae, Prymnesiophyceae and the scarce Dinophyceae showed no clear seasonal distribution pattern. The implications of alternating procaryotic and eucaryote dominated algal communities for the Red Sea pelagic food web are discussed. Electronic Supplementary Material Electronic supplementary material is available for this article at and accessible for authorised users.     

Seasonal Mesophotic Coral Bleaching of Stylophora pistillata in the Northern Red Sea

Coral bleaching occurs when environmental stress induces breakdown of the coral-algae symbiosis and the host initiates algae expulsion. Two types of coral bleaching had been thoroughly discussed in the scientific literature; the first is primarily associated with mass coral bleaching events; the second is a seasonal loss of algae and/or pigments. Here, we describe a phenomenon that has been witnessed for repeated summers in the mesophotic zone (40–63 m) in the northern Red Sea: seasonal bleaching and recovery of several hermatypic coral species. In this study, we followed the recurring bleaching process of the common coral Stylophora pistillata. Bleaching occurred from April to September with a 66% decline in chlorophyll a concentration, while recovery began in October. Using aquarium and transplantation experiments, we explored environmental factors such as temperature, photon flux density and heterotrophic food availability. Our experiments and observations did not yield one single factor, alone, responsible for the seasonal bleaching. The dinoflagellate symbionts (of the genus Symbiodinium) in shallow (5 m) Stylophora pistillata were found to have a net photosynthetic rate of 56.98–92.19 µmol O₂ cm⁻² day⁻¹. However, those from mesophotic depth (60 m) during months when they are not bleached are net consumers of oxygen having a net photosynthetic rate between −12.86 - (−10.24) µmol O₂ cm⁻² day⁻¹. But during months when these mesophotic corals are partially-bleached, they yielded higher net production, between −2.83–0.76 µmol O₂ cm⁻² day⁻¹. This study opens research questions as to why mesophotic zooxanthellae are more successfully meeting the corals metabolic requirements when Chl a concentration decreases by over 60% during summer and early fall.     

Phytoplankton observations in the Eastern Caribbean Sea

A total of 88 taxa were noted in these samples, of which there were 44 diatoms, 41 pyrrhophyceans, 2 cyanophyceans and 1 silicoflagellate. Totals of 37 and 38 different phytoplankters were observed during cruises E46K-67-68 and E1-C-70, respectively, with 58 species noted in the extensive samplings of E 5013-68-69. A diatomaceaous flora predominated in each series of collections. The phytoflagellates were well represented, but in low numbers. The overall phytoplankton concentrations were low for each of the areas studied during these three January cruises. Even the preliminary data on the coccolithophore concentration does not indicate a major development at this time of the year. Generally, phytoplankton counts were lowest at stations most distant from the island complex and especially in the shallow waters that passed between the islands, directly from the north Atlantic into the Caribbean Sea. Results from the 1969 and 1970 collections west of the Lesser Antilles correspond closely to the findings reported by Hargraves et al. (1970). There was considerable diversity of phytoplankton species, but they were present in low numbers. They have related this condition to the low nutrient concentrations in the oceanic waters of the Lesser Antilles region.The writer thanks Duke University Marine Laboratory for the use of the facilities of the R/V EASTWARD on cruises E46K-67-68, E50D-68-69, and E1C-70, in the Cooperative Oceanographic Program supported through National Science Foundation grant G17669.     

Seasonal Variation in Aboveground Production and Radiation-use Efficiency of Temperate rangelands Estimated through Remote Sensing

Aboveground net primary production (ANPP) of grasslands varies spatially and temporally. Spectral information provided by remote sensors is a promising new tool that may be able to estimate ANPP in real time and at low cost. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate at a seasonal scale the relationship between ANPP and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), (b) to estimate seasonal variations in the coefficient of conversion of absorbed radiation into aboveground biomass (ε_a), and (c) to identify the environmental controls on such temporal changes. We used biomass-based field determinations of ANPP for two grassland sites in the Flooding Pampa, Argentina, and related them with NDVI data derived from the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) satellites using three different models. Results were compared with data obtained from the new Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor at an additional site. The first model was based solely on NDVI; the second was based on the amount of photosynthetically active radiation absorbed by the green vegetation (APAR_g), which was derived from NDVI and incoming photosynthetically active radiation (PAR); the third was based on APAR_g and ε_a, which was in turn estimated from climatic variables. NDVI explained between 63 and 93% of ANPP variation, depending on the site considered. Estimates of ANPP were not improved by considering the variation in incoming PAR. At both sites, ε_a varied seasonally (from 0.2 to 1.2 g DM/MJ) and was significantly associated with combinations of precipitation and temperature. Combining ε_a variations with APAR_g increased our ability to account for seasonal ANPP variations at both sites. Our results indicate that NDVI produces good, direct estimates of ANPP only if NDVI, PAR, and ε_a are correlated throughout the seasons. Thus, in most cases, seasonal variations of ε_a associated with temperature and precipitation must be taken into account to generate seasonal ANPP estimates with acceptable accuracy.     

Seasonal abundance and reproduction of clausocalanid copepods in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea)

Clausocalanid copepods dominate subtropical mesozooplanktoncommunities. Their life cycles, however, are generally unknown.Here, we follow the seasonal population development and reproductivebiology of Red Sea clausocalanids in the northern Gulf of Aqaba,between February 2002 and December 2003. Monthly vertical haulstaken with a Nansen net (200-µm mesh size) between 100m and the surface revealed four species, including a new record(Clausocalanus minor) for the area. Ctenocalanus vanus abundancespeaked during winter and spring, followed by Clausocalanus farranipeaking in spring and, additionally, in June 2003. In 2002,the abundance of Clausocalanus furcatus showed no distinct seasonaldevelopment of abundance, whereas in 2003, it reached high densitiesin January, July and November. Overall, C. vanus dominated theclausocalanid community during the first half of the year andC. furcatus during the second half of the year, whereas thepercentage of C. farrani remained fairly stable throughout bothyears. The correlation between the environmental parameters(temperature and chlorophyll a concentration) and the proportionof mature gonads was significant only between C. vanus and temperature.Incubation experiments showed that egg production rates variedbetween 0–3.3 and 1.8–9.2 eggs female^–1 day^–1in C. farrani and C. furcatus, respectively. Endoparasitismby dinoflagellates and the occurrence of intersexes were foundin all three species, with C. farrani being the most affected.     

Budget of Primary Production and Dinitrogen Fixation in a Highly Seasonal Red Sea Coral Reef

Biological dinitrogen (N₂) fixation (diazotrophy, BNF) relieves marine primary producers of nitrogen (N) limitation in a large part of the world oceans. N concentrations are particularly low in tropical regions where coral reefs are located, and N is therefore a key limiting nutrient for these productive ecosystems. In this context, the importance of diazotrophy for reef productivity is still not resolved, with studies up to now lacking organismal and seasonal resolution. Here, we present a budget of gross primary production (GPP) and BNF for a highly seasonal Red Sea fringing reef, based on ecophysiological and benthic cover measurements combined with geospatial analyses. Benthic GPP varied from 215 to 262 mmol C m^?2 reef d^?1, with hard corals making the largest contribution (41–76%). Diazotrophy was omnipresent in space and time, and benthic BNF varied from 0.16 to 0.92 mmol N m^?2 reef d^?1. Planktonic GPP and BNF rates were respectively approximately 60- and 20-fold lower than those of the benthos, emphasizing the importance of the benthic compartment in reef biogeochemical cycling. BNF showed higher sensitivity to seasonality than GPP, implying greater climatic control on reef BNF. Up to about 20% of net reef primary production could be supported by BNF during summer, suggesting a strong biogeochemical coupling between diazotrophy and the reef carbon cycle.     

Phytoplankton distribution in the Caspian Sea during March 2001

Phytoplankton abundance, biomass and species composition of the Caspian Sea were evaluated by using samples collected from the Iranian (southern Caspian Sea) and southern Kazakhstan (eastern Caspian Sea) surface waters in March 2001. A total of 45 taxa were found in the samples (20 diatoms, 17 dinoflagellates and 8 others). Abundance and biomass of diatoms were high at the eastern stations, while dinoflagellates were dominant in terms of both biomass and abundance in the southern region. Average abundance and biomass were 40 000 ± 35 000 cell l⁻¹ and 580 ± 690 μg l⁻¹. The mean biomass value found here for the Middle and southern Caspian Sea in March are difficult to compare with the past due to limited information, but seems higher than previously registered values. Higher chlorophyll values were also apparent from the SeaWIFS images in 2001 compared to those in 1998. This is suggested to be due to decreased grazing of phytoplankton by zooplankton which is voraciously preyed by the recent invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi.     

Opisthobranch molluscs of the Sudanese Red Sea

Eighteen opisthobranch species are described and illustrated from the Sudanese Red Sea, including seven new species, one new subspecies and three species for which this is the first Red Sea record. Eleven bullomorphs, four pleurobranchomorphs, four sacoglossans and four phyllidiid mudibranchs are now known from the Red Sea. There appears to be a high percentage of endemic species in the Red Sea. This is what one might expect, in view of the conditions of near isolation, low temperatures and high salinity that prevailed in this sea 13000 23000 years ago. Of the groups discussed in this paper, one Red Sea species has invaded the Mediterranean Sea, and one Mediterranean species has invaded the Red Sea, since the opening of the Suez Canal in 1867. Many Red Sea species are very colourful, in comparison to Mediterranean ones. This could perhaps be because Red Sea waters are cleaner, thereby favouring the evolution of greater precision in colour markings.     

Succession of sea-ice bacterial communities in the Baltic Sea fast ice

Coastal fast ice and underlying water of the northern Baltic Sea were sampled throughout the entire ice winter from January to late March in 2002 to study the succession of bacterial biomass, secondary production and community structure. Temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE) and sequencing of TGGE fragments were applied in the community structure analysis. Chlorophyll-a and composition of autotrophic and heterotrophic assemblages were also examined. Overall succession of ice organism assemblages consisted of a low-productive stage, the main algal bloom, and a heterotrophic post-bloom situation, as typical for the study area. The most important groups of organisms in ice in terms of biomass were dinoflagellates, plasticidic flagellates, rotifers and ciliates. Ice bacteria showed a specific succession not directly dependent on the overall succession events of ice organisms. Sequenced 16S rDNA fragments were mainly affiliated to α-, β-, and γ-proteobacterial phyla and Cytophaga–Flavobacterium–Bacteroides-group, and related to sequences from cold environments, also from the Baltic Sea. Temporal clustering of the TGGE fingerprints was stronger than spatial, although lower ice and underlying water communities always clustered together, pointing to the importance of ice maturity and ice–water interactions in shaping the bacterial communities.     

Phytoplankton of the Barents Sea - the end of a growth season

 Few phytoplankton investigations have been carried out at the end of the growth season, particularly in the Arctic. In the present study, we monitored the phytoplankton distribution in relation to environmental conditions in the Barents Sea in September 1988 and October 1987. An ice-edge bloom was found in September at 80° N in a stratified meltwater layer, lasting until new ice formation and southward advection of the ice cover commenced in the middle of the month. Phytoplankton populations in the marginal ice zone at this time were not nutrient limited, but biomass was probably reduced due to grazing by small copepods. Lower chl/C and chl/N ratios in the phytoplankton above the pycnocline than below in September indicated light-adapted populations. In October the particulate matter was rich in carbon, but had low chlorophyll content, indicating high levels of detritus. The hydrographic conditions in October differed greatly from those observed in September. The combination of freezing and mixing resulted in higher salinity and nutrient concentrations, and caused a homogeneous distribution, as well as reduction, of the phytoplankton stocks in the upper water column. During late October, low incoming radiation, combined with deep vertical mixing, resulted in light-limiting conditions for the algae, eventually stopping photosynthesis and terminating the growth season in the northern Barents Sea. Received: 1 March 1996/Accepted: 19 May 1996     

Stories Remote Sensing Images Can Tell: Integrating Remote Sensing Analysis with Ethnographic Research in the Study of Cultural Landscapes

Although remote sensing techniques have become important methodologies in geographical studies, their quantitative tradition and empirical strength have discouraged their use in ethnographically based research of cultural landscapes. Using Uxin Ju of Inner Mongolia in China as a case study, this paper, adopting the approach of mixed methods, explores the integration of remote sensing techniques with ethnographic research in the study of cultural landscapes. In particular, it examines how remote sensing techniques, combined with ethnographic methods, can contribute to the study of cultural change and human perceptions as they relate to the landscape. Remote sensing analysis offers additional stories about changes in the landscape–stories not told by interviewees, or stories that supplement the account of interviewees. These stories provide important insights into cultural change and culture–landscape relationships. Through this case study, I argue that remote sensing techniques can greatly enhance ethnographic research in the study of cultural landscapes.     

Seasonal Distribution of Phytoplankton in Yellowknife Bay,Great Slave Lake

The factors influencing the seasonal distribution of phytoplankton were determined between July 1975 and December 1977 in Yellowknife Bay, Great Slave Lake. The initiation of the spring bloom occurred during April of each year in response to changing light conditions and despite the 0 °C water temperatures. Although the plankton showed some fluctuations in density (100–400 mg/m³) during the summer, there was no vernal decrease in the size of the populations. The end of the growing season was characterized by a sharp drop in numbers near the end of October. Multiple regression analysis indicated that changes in the standing crop of the plankton during the summer were primarily related to temperature (r = 0.60) and the concentrations of NO₃–N (r=–0.74) and SiO₂ (r=–0.82). Changing light conditions probably had little effect on the population during the growing season. Chlamydomonas lapponica was dominant during April of each year. While the growth of this species caused a reduction in the concentrations of total phosphorus and NO₃–N, the level of SiO₂ remained constant and consequently diatoms (Asterionella formosa, Stephanodiscus astraea, Diatoma tenue var. elongatum and Melosira islandica) waxed rapidly during May. By the first of June, nutrient concentrations were low, thereby permitting the development of Dinobryon bavaricum and Dinobryon cylindricum. The extremely rapid decrease in the densities of common species during the fall was probably due to the rapid decline in temperature and light levels and the formation of ice on the bay.     

Impact of Microzooplankton and Copepods on the Growth of Phytoplankton in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Dilution and copepod addition incubations were conducted in the Yellow Sea (June) and the East China Sea (September) in 2003. Microzooplankton grazing rates were in the range of 0.37–0.83 d⁻¹ in most of the experiments (except at Station A3). Correspondingly, 31–50% of the chlorophyll a (Chl a) stock and 81–179% of the Chl a production was grazed by microzooplankton. At the end of 24 h copepod addition incubations, Chl a concentrations were higher in the copepod-added bottles than in the control bottles. The Chl a growth rate in the bottles showed good linear relationship with added copepod abundance. The presence of copepods could enhance the Chl a growth at a rate (Z) of 0.03–0.25 (on average 0.0691) d⁻¹ ind⁻¹ l. This study, therefore parallels many others, which show that microzooplankton are the main grazers of primary production in the sea, whereas copepods appear to have little direct role in controlling phytoplankton.