ALBERT

Description: Coral reef resilience depends on the balance between carbonate precipitation, leading to reef growth, and carbonate degradation, for example, through bioerosion. Changes in environmental conditions are likely to affect the two processes differently, thereby shifting the balance between reef growth and degradation. In cold-water corals estimates of accretion-erosion processes in their natural habitat are scarce and solely live coral growth rates were studied with regard to future environmental changes in the laboratory so far, limiting our ability to assess the potential of cold-water coral reef ecosystems to cope with environmental changes. In the present study, growth rates of the two predominant colour morphotypes of live Lophelia pertusa as well as bioerosion rates of dead coral framework were assessed in different environmental settings in Norwegian cold-water coral reefs in a 1-year in situ experiment. Net growth (in weight gain and linear extension) of live L. pertusa was in the lower range of previous estimates and did not significantly differ between inshore (fjord) and offshore (open shelf) habitats. However, slightly higher net growth rates were obtained inshore. Bioerosion rates were significantly higher on-reef in the fjord compared to off-reef deployments in- and offshore. Besides, on-reef coral fragments yielded a broader range of individual growth and bioerosion rates, indicating higher turnover in live reef structures than off-reef with regard to accretion–bioerosion processes. Moreover, if the higher variation in growth rates represents a greater variance in (genetic) adaptations to natural environmental variability in the fjord, inshore reefs could possibly benefit under future ocean change compared to offshore reefs. Although not significantly different due to high variances between replicates, growth rates of orange branches were consistently higher at all sites, while mortality was statistically significantly lower, potentially indicating higher stress-resistance than the less pigmented white phenotype. Comparing the here measured rates of net accretion of live corals (regardless of colour morphotype) with net erosion of dead coral framework gives a first estimate of the dimensions of both processes in natural cold-water coral habitats, indicating that calcium carbonate loss through bioerosion amounts to one fifth to one sixth of the production rates by coral calcification (disregarding accretion processes of other organisms and proportion of live and dead coral framework in a reef). With regard to likely accelerating bioerosion and diminishing growth rates of corals under ocean acidification, the balance of reef accretion and degradation may be shifted towards higher biogenic dissolution in the future.

Description: Recent studies on the impacts of ocean acidification on pelagic communities have identified changes in carbon to nutrient dynamics with related shifts in elemental stoichiometry. In principle, mesocosm experiments provide the opportunity of determining temporal dynamics of all relevant carbon and nutrient pools and, thus, calculating elemental budgets. In practice, attempts to budget mesocosm enclosures are often hampered by uncertainties in some of the measured pools and fluxes, in particular due to uncertainties in constraining air–sea gas exchange, particle sinking, and wall growth. In an Arctic mesocosm study on ocean acidification applying KOSMOS (Kiel Off-Shore Mesocosms for future Ocean Simulation), all relevant element pools and fluxes of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were measured, using an improved experimental design intended to narrow down the mentioned uncertainties. Water-column concentrations of particulate and dissolved organic and inorganic matter were determined daily. New approaches for quantitative estimates of material sinking to the bottom of the mesocosms and gas exchange in 48 h temporal resolution as well as estimates of wall growth were developed to close the gaps in element budgets. However, losses elements from the budgets into a sum of insufficiently determined pools were detected, and are principally unavoidable in mesocosm investigation. The comparison of variability patterns of all single measured datasets revealed analytic precision to be the main issue in determination of budgets. Uncertainties in dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen (DON) and particulate organic phosphorus (POP) were much higher than the summed error in determination of the same elements in all other pools. With estimates provided for all other major elemental pools, mass balance calculations could be used to infer the temporal development of DOC, DON and POP pools. Future elevated pCO2 was found to enhance net autotrophic community carbon uptake in two of the three experimental phases but did not significantly affect particle elemental composition. Enhanced carbon consumption appears to result in accumulation of dissolved organic carbon under nutrient-recycling summer conditions. This carbon over-consumption effect becomes evident from mass balance calculations, but was too small to be resolved by direct measurements of dissolved organic matter. Faster nutrient uptake by comparatively small algae at high CO2 after nutrient addition resulted in reduced production rates under future ocean CO2 conditions at the end of the experiment. This CO2 mediated shift towards smaller phytoplankton and enhanced cycling of dissolved matter restricted the development of larger phytoplankton, thus pushing the system towards a retention type food chain with overall negative effects on export potential.

Description: Rates of dinitrogen (N2) fixation and primary production were measured during two 9 day transect cruises in the Baltic proper in June–July of 1998 and 1999. Assuming that the early phase of the bloom of cyanobacteria lasted a month, total rates of N2 fixation contributed 15 mmol N m−2 (1998) and 33 mmol N m−2 (1999) to new production (sensu Dugdale and Goering, 1967). This constitutes 12–26% more new N than other annual estimates (mid July–mid October) from the same region. The between-station variability observed in both total N2 fixation and primary productivity greatly emphasizes the need for multiple stations and seasonal sampling strategies in biogeochemical studies of the Baltic Sea. The majority of new N from N2 fixation was contributed by filamentous cyanobacteria. On average, cyanobacterial cells 〉20 µm were able to supply a major part of their N requirements for growth by N2 fixation in both 1998 (73%) and 1999 (81%). The between-station variability was high however, and ranged from 28–150% of N needed to meet the rate of C incorporation by primary production. The molar C:N rate incorporation ratio (C:NRATE) in filamentous cyanobacterial cells was variable (range 7–28) and the average almost twice as high as the Redfield ratio (6.6) in both years. Since the molar C:N mass ratio (C:NMASS) in filamentous cyanobacterial cells was generally lower than C:NRATE at a number of stations, we suggest that the diazotrophs incorporated excess C on a short term basis (carbohydrate ballasting and buoyancy regulation), released nitrogen or utilized other regenerated sources of N nutrients. Measured rates of total N2 fixation contributed only a minor fraction of 13% (range 4–24) in 1998 and 18% (range 2–45) in 1999 to the amount of N needed for the community primary production. An average of 9 and 15% of total N2 fixation was found in cells 〈5 µm. Since cells 〈5 µm did not show any detectable rates of N2 fixation, the 15N-enrichment could be attributed to regenerated incorporation of dissolved organic N (DON) and ammonium generated from larger diazotroph cyanobacteria. Therefore, N excretion from filamentous cyanobacteria may significantly contribute to the pool of regenerated nutrients used by the non-diazotroph community in summer. Higher average concentrations of regenerated N (ammonium) coincided with higher rates of N2 fixation found during the 1999 transect and a higher level of 15N-enrichment in cells 〈5 µm. A variable but significant fraction of total N2 fixation (1–10%) could be attributed to diazotrophy in cells between 5–20 µm.

Description: As a result of the raising CO2-emissions and the resultant ocean acidification (decreasing pH and carbonate ion concentration), the impact on marine organism that build their skeletons and protective shells with calcium carbonate (e.g., mollusks, sea urchins, coccolithophorids, and stony corals) becomes more and more detrimental. In the last few years, many experiments with tropical reef building corals have shown, that a lowering of the carbonate ion concentration significantly reduces calcification rates and therefore growth (e.g., Gattuso et al. 1999; Langdon et al. 2000, 2003; Marubini et al. 2001, 2002). In the middle of this century, many tropical coral reefs may well erode faster than they can rebuild. Cold-water corals are living in an environment (high geographical latitude, cold and deep waters) already close to a critical carbonate ion concentration below calcium carbonate dissolves. Actual projections indicate that about 70% of the currently known Lophelia reef structures will be in serious danger until the end of the century (Guinotte et al. 2006). Therefore L. pertusa was cultured at GEOMAR to determine its long-term response to ocean acidification. Our work has revealed that – unexpectedly and controversially to the majority of warm-water corals – this species is potentially able to cope with elevated concentrations of CO2. Whereas short-term (1 week) high CO2 exposure resulted in a decline of calcification by 26-29 % for a pH decrease of 0.1 units and net dissolution of calcium carbonate, L. pertusa was capable to acclimate to acidified conditions in long-term (6 months) incubations, leading to slightly enhanced rates of calcification (Form & Riebesell, 2012). But all these studies were carried out in the laboratory under controlled conditions without considering natural variability and ecosystem interactions with the associated fauna. Moreover, only very little is known about the nutrition (food sources and quantity) of cold-water corals in their natural habitat. In a multifactorial laboratory study during BIOACID phase II we could show that food availability is one of the key drivers that promote the capability of these organisms to withstand environmental pressures such as alterations in the carbonate chemistry and temperature (Büscher, Form & Riebesell, in prep.). To take into account the influences of natural fluctuations and interactions (e.g. bioerosion), we aim to merge in-situ results from the two research cruises POS455 and POS473 with laboratory experimental studies for a comprehensive understanding of likely ecosystem responses under past, present and future environmental conditions.

Description: Recent studies on the impacts of ocean acidification on pelagic communities demonstrated changes in carbon to nutrient dynamics with related shifts in elemental stoichiometry. In principle mesocosm experiments provide the opportunity of determining the temporal dynamics of all relevant carbon and nutrient pools and performing elemental budgets. In practice, attempts to budget mesocosm enclosures are often hampered by uncertainties in some of the measured pools and fluxes, in particular due to air/sea exchange, particle sinking, and wall growth. In an Arctic mesocosm study on ocean acidification using KOSMOS (Kiel Off-Shore Mesocosm facility for future Ocean Simulation) all relevant element pools and fluxes of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus were measured, using an improved experimental design intended to narrow down some of those uncertainties. Water column concentrations of particulate and dissolved organic and inorganic constituents were determined daily. New approaches for quantitative estimates of material sinking to the bottom of the msocosms and gas exchange in 48 h temporal resolution, as well as estimates of wall growth were obtained to close the gaps in element budgets. Element pools, fluxes and their stoichiometry at selected days of the experiment will be presented and critically examined with regard to achieving closed budgets.

Description: Bacterial productivity and biomass are thought to be limited by dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in much of the world’s oceans. However, the mixed layer of oligotrophic oceans is often depleted in dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphate, raising the possibility that macronutrients may also limit heterotrophic bacterial growth. We used nutrient bioassay experiments to determine whether inorganic nutrients (N, P, Fe) and/or DOC could limit bacterial productivity and biomass in the central North Atlantic during the spring of 2004 (Mar–Apr). We observed that both heterotrophic bacterial productivity and biomass were co-limited by N and P in the oligotrophic North Atlantic, and additions of labile DOC (glucose) provided no stimulation unless N and P were also added. Flow cytometry results indicated that only a small subset of large cells high in nucleic acid content were responsible for the increased productivity in the combined NP amendments. In contrast, nutrient additions elicited no net change on the dominant component of the bacterial population, composed of small cells with relatively low nucleic acid content. In the combined NP treatments the relative increase in bacterial production was greater than that measured when phytoplankton productivity was relieved of nitrogen limitation. These results suggest that N and P co-limitation in the bacterial community results in increased competition between the heterotrophic and autotrophic components of the surface communities in the Central North Atlantic Ocean, and potentially impacts the cycling of organic matter by the bacterioplankton.

Description: Elevated concentrations of dioxins in ancient ball clay from the Mississippi Embayment suggest natural formation of dioxins in the environment. Evidence for such natural formation in ball clay derives from unique congener profiles in undisturbed ancient clay deposits and from the lack of other anthropogenic contaminants. Here we present novel evidence of natural formation of dioxins based on congener-specific carbon isotopic analysis of octachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (OCDD) in ball clays from the USA and Japan. The analyses were performed using a combination of double-column high performance liquid chromatography clean-up and two-dimensional gas chromatography–isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Elevated concentrations of OCDD found in ball clays from the USA and Japan were isotopically distinguished from the anthropogenic source materials (fly ash and pentachlorophenol) and environmental samples (sediment and soil). The isotopic signatures and the occurrence of OCDD in ancient ball clays deposited in the Tertiary Era provide evidence for the in situ formation of dioxins.