ALBERT

Description: In this study a radiocarbon-dated pollen record from Lake Billyakh (65°17'N, 126°47'E; 340 m a.s.l.) in the Verkhoyansk Mountains was used to reconstruct vegetation and climate change since about 15 kyr BP (1 kyr=1000 cal. yr). The pollen record and pollen-based biome reconstruction suggest that open cool steppe and grass and sedge tundra communities with Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Artemisia, Chenopodiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Selaginella rupestris dominated the area from 15 to 13.5 kyr BP. On the other hand, the constant presence of Larix pollen in quantities comparable to today's values points to the constant presence of boreal deciduous conifer trees in the regional vegetation during the last glaciation. A major spread of shrub tundra communities, including birch (Betula sect. Nanae), alder (Duschekia fruticosa) and willow (Salix) species, is dated to 13.5-12.7 kyr BP, indicating a noticeable increase in precipitation toward the end of the last glaciation, particularly during the Allerød Interstadial. Between 12.7 and 11.4 kyr BP pollen percentages of herbaceous taxa rapidly increased, whereas shrub taxa percentages decreased, suggesting strengthening of the steppe communities associated with the relatively cold and dry Younger Dryas Stadial. However, the pollen data in hand indicate that Younger Dryas climate was less severe than the climate during the earlier interval from 15 to 13.5 kyr BP. The onset of the Holocene is marked in the pollen record by the highest values of shrub and lowest values of herbaceous taxa, suggesting a return of warmer and wetter conditions after 11.4 kyr BP. Percentages of tree taxa increase gradually and reach maximum values after 7 kyr BP, reflecting the spread of boreal cold deciduous and taiga forests in the region. An interval between 7 and 2 kyr BP is noticeable for the highest percentages of Scots spine (Pinus subgen. Diploxylon), spruce (Picea) and fir (Abies) pollen, indicating mid-Holocene spread of boreal forest communities in response to climate amelioration and degradation of the permafrost layer.

Description: Marine Organismen sind einem ständigen Besiedlungsdruck durch Mikroorganismen, Algensporen und Larvenstadien sessiler Invertebraten ausgesetzt. Weil die Gegenwart von Epibionten die Interaktionen zwischen Substratorganismus (Basibiont) und Umwelt stark beeinflusst, müssen Basibionten auf den Besiedlungsdruck reagieren. Natürliche Verteidigungssysteme mariner Organismen gegen Aufwuchs müssen auf die verschiedensten Taxa potentieller Besiedler, die eine große Bandbreite an Empfindlichkeiten besitzen, abzielen. Aus diesem Grunde sind diese Abwehrsysteme hoch komplex, und bestehen meist aus einer Kombination mechanischer, chemischer, physikalischer und ökologischer Mechanismen, die gleichzeitig oder abwechselnd die Anheftung und das Wachstum von Bakterien, Algen und Wirbellosen beeinflussen. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht die natürlichen Antifoulingmechanismen der Mytiliden generell und speziell von Mytilus edulis durch die Entkopplung potentieller mechanischer und chemischer Verteidigungsmechanismen. Des Weiteren wurde untersucht, ob eine dieser Verteidigungskomponenten, die Mikrotopographie, sich durch regionale Optimierung auszeichnet. Letztere wurde im Hinblick auf die hochinvasiven Mytiliden ausgewählt, da ein universeller, in den verschiedensten biogeographischen Regionen wirksamer Verteidigungsmechanismus die Invasion in neue Habitate erleichtern würde. Die Ergebnisse aller Experimente unterstützen nachdrücklich das Konzept eines multiplen Ver-teidigungssystems bei der Miesmuschel Mytilus edulis. Ich konnte zeigen, dass die Oberflächenmikrostruktur Besiedlung durch Makrofouler abwehrt, während die Oberflächenchemie die Besiedlung durch Mikrofouler behindert. Daher stehen mindestens zwei Verteidigungsmechanismen mit dem Periostracum in Zusammenhang. Diese beiden Mechanismen könnten durch kumulative Filtration im Muschelbett und säubernde Bewegungen des Muschelfußes an der Schalenoberfläche noch unterstützt werden. Eine regionale Optimierung der Oberflächenmikrostruktur konnte jedoch nicht nachgewiesen werden.

Description: Within the framework of this thesis the investigation of methanogenesis and secondary degradation processes of methane in two distinctly different marine environments has been carried out. These two environments were (i) the gassy shallow-marine sediments of the Arkona Basin, western Baltic Sea and (ii) the hydrothermal submarine fluid/gas exhalations at hotspot volcanoes of the central South Pacific. Based on the results of geochemical, sedimentological and seismic investigations as well as geochemical modelling it was possible to reconstruct the occurrence, distribution, genesis and degradation processes of methane in these two environments. Particularly, the analyses of the molecular composition of the hydrocarbons extracted from the fluid/pore water in combination with the stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic signal enabled deductions regarding the methane formation processes in the respective working areas. In the central Arkona Basin an area of about 1500 km2 shows acoustic turbidity of the seismic signal in ~1.5 m depth in the surface sediments. This acoustic turbidity is an indication of free gas in post-glacial surface sediments which may reach about 12 m thickness in the basin centre. These sediments are characterised by a conspicuously high organic carbon content (ca. 5-8 %) and a clayey-silty structure. The degradation of organic matter produces anaerobic conditions in near surface sediments and in about 1 m sediment depth, below the sulphate reduction zone, it results in the accumulation of methane. The stable carbon and hydrogen isotopic results of all gas samples from the post-glacial sediment layer confirm bacterial methane production via CO2 reduction. Solely, the d13C-CH4 values of ~-40‰ of the upper few centimetres of the surface sediments indicate oxidised methane. The late- and post-glacial clay (reddish/brown and grey) that is located beneath the organic-rich sediments, however, shows rather low methane concentrations within the pore-water and the concentration profile as well as the d13C-CH4 values point to diffusion of gas from the surface sediments in to the clay. Overall, the measured methane concentrations in pore-water show distinct differences in methane concentration from trace concentrations at the northern rim of the basin to the point of methane saturation in the central basin. The increase in CH4 concentration is generally accompanied by an increasing thickness of organic-rich surface sediments. Based on the concentrations of organic carbon, methane, and sulphate and the average sedimentation rate a numerical model was developed to characterise sulphate reduction, anaerobic oxidationof methane and methane production. The model results show that a sediment thickness of 3.5 m has to be achieved to obtain CH4 production rates that enable the accumulation of methane in the sediments. Furthermore, it could be shown that a sufficient amount of methane required to cause oversaturation and gas bubble formation can not be generated until a sediment thickness of 5-6 m is reached. This minimum sediment thickness established by the geochemical model correlates nicely with the sediment thickness at which the seismic readings show acoustic turbidity. During research cruises Sonne 65 (1989) and Polynaut (1999) methane analyses were conducted on water column and fluid samples above submarine volcanoes of the Pitcairn, Austral, and Society island chains, central South Pacific. Weak hydrothermal activity was determined at hotspot volcanoes Bounty and Teahitia in 1999. The 1999 results, in comparison with methane results from 1998, point to a rather calm exhalation activity of the hotspot volcanoes. The higher methane concentrations determined in the water column in 1998 could be attributed to the eruption of the Macdonald seamount that occurred at that time. The importance of bacterial methane production by CO2 reduction, also for hot exhalations of submarine volcanoes, could be described the first time by means of the 13C/12C and D/H isotope ratios of methane. At the Bounty seamount the stable isotopic values of methane from the fluids refer to an almost 100% bacterial production of methane at about 88°C. An amount of about 50% bacterially produced methane besides the abiogenic produced methane could be determined at Macdonald seamount.

Description: The results of this study show that close boats (〈100 m) affect the behaviour of bottlenose dolphins more strongly than boats further away (〉100 m). Close boats induced a decrease of feeding, resting and social behaviour. The proportions of high-speed swimming and slow swimming increased. In the presence of close boats, dolphins were observed 6 times more frequently to leap and 3.6 times more frequently to tail-slap than under control conditions – an indication of disturbance. Dolphins responded to close boats with evasive manoeuvres similar to techniques used for avoiding predators. With more than two close boats, animals swam approx. 37% faster than without close boats. An energy consumption of 2.93 W kg-1 was calculated. This corresponds to a daily energy demand of 50.6 MJ per dolphin with 200 kg body weight. With boats at close range, the mean power requirement of dolphins was around 15.4% higher than during controls. With close boats, dolphins used a third of their energy budget to avoid boats by swimming at high speed. In the light of these findings, recommendations for dolphin-watching guidelines are given.

Description: Three stand-alone geochemical box models have been developed to simulate globally coupled biogeochemical cycles. These models reflect the evolution of the participating biotic and abiotic constituents in marine and terrestrial environments, including the lower atmosphere. The single models focus on the calculation of: 1) the chemical evolution of seawater, 2) the atmospheric methane concentration, and 3) the concentration of oxygen in surface and deep ocean water over the entire Phanerozoic (570 Ma). The models are driven by geological and evolutionary forcings and are controlled by proxy data. Internal feedback is provided by model outputs serving as input to other model components. The Phanerozoic biogeochemical evolution of seawater (dissolved inorganic carbon, alkalinity, nutrients, and oxygen), its isotope sulfur and carbon composition, as well as the atmospheric partial pressures of oxygen (pO2), carbon dioxide (pCO2), and methane (pCH4) are calculated by standard runs of the individual models.

Description: Die kombinierte molekularbiologische und morphometrische Analyse der benthischen rotaliiden Foraminiferen-Art Planulina wuellerstorfi in der östlichen Grönlandsee war Ziel der Untersuchung. Es handelt sich bei dieser Foraminiferen-Spezies um eine für paläozeanographische Rekonstruktionen wichtige Art; daher ist es von zentraler Bedeutung, die Phylogenie dieser Art aufzuklären. Die östliche Grönlandsee ist durch ihre besonderen hydrographischen Verhältnisse als geeignetes Untersuchungsgebiet anzusehen, da Planulina wuellerstorfi als epibenthischer Suspensionsfiltrierer angepasst an erhöhte laterale Bodenströmungen lebt. Es konnte erstmals ein zusammenhängender Datensatz von SSU rDNA Sequenzen von Planulina wuellerstorfi von verschiedenen Stationen in der östlichen Grönlandsee erhalten werden. Auch wurden erstmalig SSU rDNA Sequenzen anderer benthischer rotaliider Tiefsee-Foraminiferen (Cribrostomoides sp., Oridorsalis umbonatus, Triloculina sp.) erhalten. Es zeigten sich Sequenzvariabilitäten innerhalb der Cibicides/Cibicidoides/Planulina-Gruppe. Zwei verschiedene Sequenz-Typen konnten identifiziert werden. Die morphometrische Analyse klassifizierte beide Sequenz-Typen als Planulina wuellerstorfi, zeigte aber signifikante Unterschiede zwischen Typ 1 und Typ 2. Der kombinierte molekularbiologische und morphometrische Ansatz liefert somit Hinweise auf das Vorliegen kryptischer Speziation innerhalb von Planulina wuellerstorfi.

Description: Large volumes of mainly felsic volcanic ashes have been repeatedly released during explosive volcanic eruptions along the Central American Volcanic Arc. These ashes are found as up to several centimetres thick ash layers in marine sediments offshore Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Since volcanic ashes constitute such a major fraction of slope sediments and subducted deep sea sediments off Nicaragua and Costa Rica its alteration is significantly affecting the chemical signatures of sediments and pore waters. New results of mafic and felsic glass alteration were derived from extensive field investigations of marine tephra. deposits and diagenetic processes in related pore waters as well as laboratory dissolution experiments.