Spatial distribution patterns of phytoplankton biomass and primary productivity in six coral atolls in the central South China Sea

Coral Reefs - Nutrients’ concentration, phytoplankton biomass, and primary productivity were investigated in six coral atolls in the central South China Sea during the southwest monsoon in...     

Spatial distribution of phytoplankton productivity in the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica

To date, no direct measurements of primary production were taken in the Amundsen Sea, which is one of the highest primary productivity regions in the Antarctic. Phytoplankton carbon and nitrogen uptake experiments were conducted at 16 selected stations using a ¹³C–¹⁵N dual isotope tracer technique. We found no statistically significant depletions of major inorganic nutrients (nitrate?+?nitrite, ammonium, and silicate) although the concentrations of these nutrients were markedly reduced in the surface layer of the polynya stations where large celled phytoplankton (>20?μm) predominated (ca. 64?%). The average chl-a concentration was significantly higher at polynya stations than at non-polynya stations (p?<?0.01). Average daily carbon and nitrogen uptake rates by phytoplankton at polynya stations were 2.2?g?C?m^?2?day^?1 (SD?=?±1.4?g?C?m^?2?day^?1) and 0.9?g?N?m^?2?day^?1 (SD?=?±0.2?g?N?m^?2?day^?1), respectively, about 5–10 times higher than those at non-polynya stations. These ranges are as high as those in the Ross Sea, which has the highest productivity among polynyas in the Antarctic Ocean. The unique productivity patterns in the Amundsen Sea are likely due to differences in iron limitation, phytoplankton productivity, the timing of phytoplankton growing season, or a combination of these factors.     

Regional and temporal variation of Oithona spp. biomass, stage structure and productivity in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic

Oithona spp. standing stock and production is considered relativelystable in space and time as a result of continuous breeding,low metabolism, reduced predation mortality and the abilityof these small cyclopoids to exploit microbial food webs moreefficiently than larger copepods. However, through a reviewof the published literature, we show that Oithona spp. biomasscan vary widely both over the year and with latitude. Thus,the present study set out to investigate the basin scale variabilityin biomass, stage structure and reproduction of Oithona spp.in relation to changes in hydrographic, physico-chemical andbiological parameters encountered during three cruises conductedbetween April and November 2002 in the Irminger Sea, North Atlantic.Here we found that Oithona spp. biomass varied significantlywith temperature and with dinoflagellates biomass concentration.On the other hand, Oithona similis egg production rates increasedwith both ciliates and dinoflagellates concentrations, ratherthan with temperature. The inverse relationship we found betweenOithona spp. naupliar recruitment with Calanus spp. and fishlarvae abundance suggests that predation pressure may contributeto control the spatial variation in the stage structure andbiomass of Oithona spp. and that the nauplii of this genus mayserve as a food source for other planktonic organisms priorto the spring phytoplankton bloom.     

Spatial and temporal variations in salt marsh microorganisms of the Wadden Sea

Salt marshes exist at the interface of the marine and the terrestrial system. Shore height differences and associated variations in inundation frequency result in altered abiotic conditions, plant communities, and resource input into the belowground system. These factors result in three unique zones, the upper salt marsh (USM), the lower salt marsh (LSM), and the pioneer zone (PZ). Marine detritus, such as micro‐ and macroalgae, is typically flushed into the PZ daily, with storm surges moving both salt marsh detritus and marine detritus into higher salt marsh zones. Microbial assemblages are essential for the decomposition of organic matter and have been shown to sensitively respond to changes in abiotic conditions such as oxygen supply and salinity. However, temporal and spatial dynamics of microbial communities of Wadden Sea salt marshes received little attention. We investigated the dynamics of soil microbial communities across horizontal (USM, LSM, and PZ), vertical (0–5 and 5–10‐cm sediment depth), and temporal (spring, summer, and autumn) scales in the Wadden Sea salt marsh of the European North Atlantic coast using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis. Our results show strong spatial dynamics both among salt marsh zones and between sediment depths, but temporal dynamics to be only minor. Despite varying in space and time, PLFA markers indicated that bacteria generally were the dominant microbial group across salt marsh zones and seasons, however, their dominance was most pronounced in the USM, whereas fungal biomass peaked in the LSM and algal biomass in the PZ. Only algal markers and the stress marker monounsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio responded to seasonality. Overall, therefore, the results indicate remarkable temporal stability of salt marsh microbial communities despite strong variability in abiotic factors.     

Spatial and temporal variations in chitinolytic gene expression and bacterial biomass production during chitin degradation

Growth of the chitin-degrading marine bacterium S91 on solid surfaces under oligotrophic conditions was accompanied by the displacement of a large fraction of the surface-derived bacterial production into the flowing bulk aqueous phase, irrespective of the value of the surface as a nutrient source. Over a 200-h period of surface colonization, 97 and 75% of the bacterial biomass generated on biodegradable chitin and a nonnutritional silicon surface, respectively, detached to become part of the free-living population in the bulk aqueous phase. Specific surface-associated growth rates that included the cells that subsequently detached from the substrata varied depending on the nutritional value of the substratum and during the period of surface colonization. Specific growth rates of 3.79 and 2.83 day(-1) were obtained when cells first began to proliferate on a pure chitin film and a silicon surface, respectively. Later, when cell densities on the surface and detached cells as CFU in the bulk aqueous phase achieved a quasi-steady state, specific growth rates decreased to 1.08 and 0.79 day(-1) on the chitin and silicon surfaces, respectively. Virtually all of the cells that detached from either the chitin or the silicon surfaces and the majority of cells associated with the chitin surface over the 200-h period of surface colonization displayed no detectable expression of the chitin-degrading genes chiA and chiB. Cells displaying high levels of chiA-chiB expression were detected only on the chitin surface and then only clustered in discrete areas of the surface. Surface-associated, differential gene expression and displacement of bacterial production from surfaces represent adaptations at the population level that promote efficient utilization of limited resources and dispersal of progeny to maximize access to new sources of energy and maintenance of the population.     

Influence of Myriophyllum spicatum L. on the species composition,biomass and primary productivity of phytoplankton

Myriophyllum spicatum L. in enclosures initially increased phytoplankton productivity per unit biomass relative to enclosures from which it was absent. Phytoflagellates prevailed during the entire season in the presence of M spicatum, while desmids were dominant in the other communities.     

Spatial and temporal variation of photosynthetic parameters in natural phytoplankton assemblages in the Beaufort Sea, Canadian Arctic

During summer 2008, as part of the Circumpolar Flaw Lead system study, we measured phytoplankton photosynthetic parameters to understand regional patterns in primary productivity, including the degree and timescale of photoacclimation and how variability in environmental conditions influences this response. Photosynthesis–irradiance measurements were taken at 15 sites primarily from the depth of the subsurface chlorophyll a (Chl a) maximum (SCM) within the Beaufort Sea flaw lead polynya. The physiological response of phytoplankton to a range of light levels was used to assess maximum rates of carbon (C) fixation (P _m^*), photosynthetic efficiency (α ^*), photoacclimation (E _k), and photoinhibition (β ^*). SCM samples taken along a transect from under ice into open water exhibited a >3-fold increase in α ^* and P _m^*, showing these parameters can vary substantially over relatively small spatial scales, primarily in response to changes in the ambient light field. Algae were able to maintain relatively high rates of C fixation despite low light at the SCM, particularly in the large (>5 μm) size fraction at open water sites. This may substantially impact biogenic C drawdown if species composition shifts in response to future climate change. Our results suggest that phytoplankton in this region are well acclimated to existing environmental conditions, including sea ice cover, low light, and nutrient pulses. Furthermore, this photoacclimatory response can be rapid and keep pace with a developing SCM, as phytoplankton maintain photosynthetic rates and efficiencies in a narrow “shade-acclimated” range.     

Seasonal variations in physiological parameters of phytoplankton across the North Atlantic

Variations in the shapes of the action and absorption spectra,and the physiological parameters of phytoplankton [^B, the biomass(B)-specific initial slope of the photosynthesis-irradiancecurve; the plateau of the curve; _m), themaximum quantum yield of photosynthesis], were studied. Datawere collected in the North Atlantic in five biogeochemicalprovinces for two seasons: in fall of 1992 and spring of 1993.Further, some nine independent variables were tested for theirability to predict the physiological parameters, using linearregression analyses. It was found that the parameters were morevariable between seasons than between provinces, although thedifferences in the spectral shapes between provinces were significant.It was also shown that several independent variables (aloneor in combination) were able to predict a significant fractionof the total variance in the parameters. However, the correlationbetween variables and parameters differed unsystematically bothbetween provinces and seasons. The results suggest that predictinga parameter from an independent variable would have to be carriedout at a province level: the relationship changed or disappearedwhen data from two or more provinces were pooled.     

2000—2015年西南地区土地利用与植被覆盖的时空变化

西南地区是我国重要的生态资源区和生态脆弱区,在国家“绿水青山”战略发展中具有重要地位。本研究基于1 km空间分辨率的土地利用数据集,结合土地利用转移矩阵,定量分析2000—2015年间西南地区土地利用变化特征及其驱动力。并基于MODIS遥感植被指数,利用像元二分模型计算西南地区植被覆盖度,分析归一化植被指数(NDVI)和植被覆盖度的变化规律。结果表明: 研究期间,西南地区的主要地类是林地、农田和草地。建设用地面积增加5874 km²,增长率为55.8%;农田面积减少最多,下降6211 km²,其次是草地,减少2099 km²。2000—2015年间,西南地区建设用地的转入面积最多,主要由农田(贡献率68.2%)、林地(贡献率19.2%)和草地(贡献率13.1%)转化而来,转化的区域多靠近城区。农田的转出面积和转出率分别为7079 km²和2.2%,占所有转出类型面积的46.0%。林地多由草地(贡献率61.8%)转化而来,转化区域多分布在贵州中南部和云南西部等地。全区NDVI和植被覆盖度均呈显著增加趋势,说明研究区整体呈变绿趋势。其中,自然植被和农田的NDVI均显著增长,建设用地扩张地区的NDVI下降,说明自然植被和农田主导了该地区植被变化。通过残差分析发现,气候变化和人类活动对研究区变绿趋势的贡献显著。     

Spatial,temporal, and storm runoff-related variations in phytoplankton community structure in a small,suburban reservoir

Phytoplankton abundance and community structure were determined routinely over an annual period and intensively during two storm-runoff events in a small suburban reservoir in northern Virginia, U.S.A. Traditional graphical techniques and a multivariate approach (Principal Components Analysis) were used to demonstrate a seasonal pattern of phytoplankton succession with greens and blue-greens dominant in summer, diatoms and chrysophytes in spring and fall, and cryptophytes in winter. Spatial variations were minor over horizontal and vertical dimensions during spring mixis, but depth variations were substantial during summer stratification. Storm runoff had little effect on phytoplankton composition during the stable summer period, but was associated with a substantial perturbation in community structure during the spring to summer transition.     

Spatial and temporal variations of phytoplankton chlorophyll a and suspended particulate matter in Mayaguez Bay, Puerto Rico

Monthly measurements of chlorophyll a (Chl-a), suspended particulatematter (SPM), light penetration and salinity were taken fromMarch 1990 to February 1991. These parameters were sampled atthree different transects with respect to the Añasco,Yagüez and Guanajibo river discharge in Mayagüez Bay,off the western coast of Puerto Rico. A reduction in salinitiesoccurred at all stations from August to November, and correspondedwith high precipitation and large river discharge. Maximum Chl-avalues were registered at inshore stations during the rainyseason. Maximum values of SPM were recorded in October and November,the minimum values were found from March to June. The spatialcorrelation between Chl-a and SPM was significantly positivefor the entire study period, but the temporal relationship wasnot significant. The relationship between Chl-a and SPM mayreflect the relationship between nutrients and SPM, and thephysiological adaptations of phytoplankton to light intensity.     

Size-fractionated biomass and productivity of phytoplankton and particulate organic carbon in the southern ocean

During the austral summer of 1989/1990, surface samples were obtained of size-fractionated biomass, and the productivity of phytoplankton, its cell abundance, the composition of the dominant species, the concentration of particulate organic carbon (POC) and the related environmental surface parameters were measured in a large-scale survey primarily of the Atlantic and Indian Sectors. The results showed that the southern atlantic sector is the most fertile; chlorophylla (Chla) concentration averaged over 2 μg l⁻¹, average cell abundance was about 41.0 × 10³ cell l⁻¹, and average POC concentration was also the highest (>100 μg l⁻¹), but was lower in the Drake Passage and the southern Indian sector. The results for size-fractionated Chla showed that netplankton (>20 μm) in the South Atlantic Ocean, having abundant nutrients, accounted for the highest proportion (average 65%) of biomass. In the infertile South Indian Ocean, picoplankton (<2 μm) accounted for the highest proportion, averaging 47%. The results for size-fractionated productivity showed that the contribution of picoplankton to total productivity was the largest in the South Atlantic Ocean and Drake Passage, those of nanoplankton (2–20 μm) and netplankton being about equal. The relatively high photosynthesis assimilation number of picoplankton demonstrates their importance in the marine ecosystems of Antarctic water. In comparison with the Antarctic water, the subantarctic and subtropical waters are infertile.     

Spatial and temporal operation of the Scotia Sea ecosystem: a review of large-scale links in a krill centred food web

The Scotia Sea ecosystem is a major component of the circumpolar Southern Ocean system, where productivity and predator demand for prey are high. The eastward-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) and waters from the Weddell-Scotia Confluence dominate the physics of the Scotia Sea, leading to a strong advective flow, intense eddy activity and mixing. There is also strong seasonality, manifest by the changing irradiance and sea ice cover, which leads to shorter summers in the south. Summer phytoplankton blooms, which at times can cover an area of more than 0.5 million km2, probably result from the mixing of micronutrients into surface waters through the flow of the ACC over the Scotia Arc. This production is consumed by a range of species including Antarctic krill, which are the major prey item of large seabird and marine mammal populations. The flow of the ACC is steered north by the Scotia Arc, pushing polar water to lower latitudes, carrying with it krill during spring and summer, which subsidize food webs around South Georgia and the northern Scotia Arc. There is also marked interannual variability in winter sea ice distribution and sea surface temperatures that is linked to southern hemisphere-scale climate processes such as the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation. This variation affects regional primary and secondary production and influences biogeochemical cycles. It also affects krill population dynamics and dispersal, which in turn impacts higher trophic level predator foraging, breeding performance and population dynamics. The ecosystem has also been highly perturbed as a result of harvesting over the last two centuries and significant ecological changes have also occurred in response to rapid regional warming during the second half of the twentieth century. This combination of historical perturbation and rapid regional change highlights that the Scotia Sea ecosystem is likely to show significant change over the next two to three decades, which may result in major ecological shifts.     

Spatial/temporal variations in shrub thicket soil seed banks on an Atlantic Coast barrier island

Potential species replacement within low-diversity shrub thicket communities was investigated for a Virginia barrier island. Seed bank species composition was quantified in a glasshouse study using soil samples collected beneath closed Myrica cerifera thickets, as well as from thicket gaps. Samples were collected from productive and aging thickets, corresponding to differences in soil age. These data were compared to species presently occurring within the thickets and gaps. Seedbank species composition was not indicative of current community composition for either the intact thickets or the gaps. Seed banks resembled a more pioneer community. Thirteen families, 23 genera, and 25 species were identified from the seed bank beneath the M. cerifera thickets. Four species were woody. The within-gap seed bank included 19 families, 30 genera, and 34 species. Eight species were woody. The current community included 21 families, 33 genera, and 36 species beneath the intact thickets as well as within the thicket gaps. Eighteen species were woody. The species richness of gaps was more than three times that of intact thickets. For low-diversity shrub thickets, gaps enhance species richness.     

Spatial distribution of small phytoplankton composition in the Chukchi Sea

This study was conducted as part of the second Russian American long-term census of the Arctic in 2009 with sampling across the territorial of the Russian Federation in the Chukchi Sea since recent information regarding the standing stocks of pico- and nano-plankton is very limited. Using flow cytometry, small size fractions of the phytoplankton (<20 μm) obtained during the cruise were analyzed for the contributions of pico- and nano-eukaryotic phytoplankton and prokaryotic phytoplankton for the first time in the Chukchi Sea. The salinity and temperature in the southern part were significantly higher than those in the northern part of the Chukchi Sea. The abundance of Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus represented about 30 % of total small phytoplankton cells with their cell abundances reaching 295 and 590 cells ml^?1, respectively, although a significant portion (about 70 %) of the small phytoplankton community (<20 μm) was pico- and nano-eukaryotic plankton in the Chukchi Sea. Among different environmental factors, we found that temperature and NH₄ concentrations were significantly positively correlated with the abundance of total phytoplankton, pico- and nano-eukaryotes, Prochlorococcus, and Synechococcus. Projected higher water temperature and increase in NH₄ concentration condition in the Arctic Ocean as well as the Chukchi Sea could have fostered more small phytoplankton communities especially Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus.     

Spatial and temporal analyses of water quality and phytoplankton biomass in an urbanized versus a relatively pristine salt marsh estuary

The robust growth of coastal communities in the southeastern United States is putting unique pressures on estuarine resources. Urbanization of estuarine systems may alter ecosystem function and thus affect the spatial scale and magnitude of nutrient concentrations and primary production temporally and spatially. We examined the spatial and temporal patterns of nutrient and chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations in two shallow well-mixed estuaries, (1) a developed estuary, Murrells Inlet (MI), South Carolina, and (2) a relatively pristine estuary, North Inlet (NI), South Carolina. The summer chlorophyll a maximum in MI was characteristically higher than in NI, which may be indicative of eutrophication. Correlations between salinity and inorganic nutrients (N and P) suggest that nutrient import from upland sources may be more pronounced in MI during stochastic precipitation events. Although inorganic nutrient concentrations between the estuaries were similar overall, during a wet period, inorganic N concentration in MI was increased to a greater extent than in NI, while only minimal increases in inorganic P were observed in both estuaries. Chlorophyll a concentrations decreased from the dry to wet period. Geographic Information System (GIS) plots of intensive spatial sampling in MI indicated spatial gradients of nutrient concentrations within this estuary that appeared to be consistent over time. These observations were investigated in more detail using regression analyses to examine the influences of coastal dilution and nutrient sources on relationships between water quality constituents. Results indicate the importance of stochastic rain events in affecting the linkages of estuarine processes to upland runoff in the urbanized estuary, MI.     

Response of Sargasso Sea phytoplankton biomass, growth rates and primary production to seasonally varying physical forcing

The response of phytoplankton biomass, growth rates and primaryproduction to seasonally varying physical forcing was studiedat a station southeast of Bermuda over an 18 month period. Phytoplanktongrowth rates and primary production were measured using thepigment-labeling method, and phytoplankton biomass was calculatedfrom these measurements. Phytoplankton carbon biomass variedsystematically over the year. Highest values were observed duringthe winter and spring. Seasonal variations of chlorophyll (Chi)a in the surface layer could primarily be attributed to variationsin phytoplankton biomass and secondarily to photoacclimation.During the summer period, average values of carbon (C)/Chl ratios(g C g^–1 Chi) ranged from 160 at the surface to 33 atthe 1.6% light level, changes attributed to photoacclimationof the phytoplankton, consistent with the observation that phytoplanktonbiomass did not vary as a function of depth. Phytoplankton growthrates in the surface layer did not vary systematically overthe year, ranging from 0.15 to 0.45 day^–1, in spite ofseasonally varying concentrations of nitrate. Growth rates variedas a function of depth from average values of 0.3 day^–1in the surface layer to <0.1 day¹ at the 1.6% light level.Thus, the primary response of the phytoplankton community tonutrient enrichment during the winter period was an increasein phytoplankton biomass rather than an increase in growth rates.A simple nutrient-phyto-plankton-zooplankton model was usedto explore this phenomenon. The model demonstrated that theobserved response of the phytoplankton to nutrient enrichmentis only possible when phytoplankton growth is not severely limitedby nutrients.