ALBERT

Description: Cold-water coral ecosystems are considered hot-spots of biodiversity and biomass production and may be a regionally important contributor to carbonate production. The impact of these ecosystems on biogeochemical processes and carbonate preservation in associated sediments were studied at Røst Reef and Traenadjupet Reef, two modern (post-glacial) cold-water coral reefs on the Mid-Norwegian shelf. Sulfate and iron reduction as well as carbonate dissolution and precipitation were investigated by combining pore-water geochemical profiles, steady state modeling, as well as solid phase analyses and sulfate reduction rate measurements on gravity cores of up to 3.25 m length. Low extents of sulfate depletion and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) production, combined with sulfate reduction rates not exceeding 3 nmol S cm−3 d−1, suggested that overall anaerobic carbon mineralization in the sediments was low. These data showed that the coral fragment-bearing siliciclastic sediments were effectively decoupled from the productive pelagic ecosystem by the complex reef surface framework. Organic matter being mineralized by sulfate reduction was calculated to consist of 57% carbon bound in CH2O groups and 43% carbon in -CH2- groups. Methane concentrations were below 1 μM, and failed to support the hypothesis of a linkage between the distribution of cold-water coral reefs and the presence of hydrocarbon seepage. Reductive iron oxide dissolution linked to microbial sulfate reduction buffered the pore-water carbonate system and inhibited acid-driven coral skeleton dissolution. A large pool of reactive iron was available leading to the formation of iron sulfide minerals. Constant pore-water Ca2+, Mg2+ and Sr2+ concentrations in most cores and decreasing Ca2+ and Sr2+ concentrations with depth in core 23–18 GC indicated diagenetic carbonate precipitation. This was consistent with the excellent preservation of buried coral fragments.

Description: Silicon is one of the most important elements in the current age of the anthropocene. It has numerous industrial applications, and supports a high-tech multi-billion Euro industry. Silicon has a fascinating biological and geological cycle, interacting with other globally important biogeochemical cycles. In this review, we bring together both biological and geological aspects of the silicon cycle to provide a general, comprehensive review of the cycling of silicon in the environment. We hope this review will provide inspiration for researchers to study this fascinating element, as well as providing a background environmental context to those interested in silicon.

Description: The late stage of the North East Atlantic (NEA) spring bloom was investigated during June 2005 along a transect section from 45 to 66° N between 15 and 20° W in order to characterize the contribution of siliceous and calcareous phytoplankton groups and describe their distribution in relation to environmental factors. We measured several biogeochemical parameters such as nutrients, surface trace metals, algal pigments, biogenic silica (BSi), particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) or calcium carbonate, particulate organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus (POC, PON and POP, respectively), as well as transparent exopolymer particles (TEP). Results were compared with other studies undertaken in this area since the JGOFS NABE program. Characteristics of the spring bloom generally agreed well with the accepted scenario for the development of the autotrophic community. The NEA seasonal diatom bloom was in the late stages when we sampled the area and diatoms were constrained to the northern part of our transect, over the Icelandic Basin (IB) and Icelandic Shelf (IS). Coccolithophores dominated the phytoplankton community, with a large distribution over the Rockall-Hatton Plateau (RHP) and IB. The Porcupine Abyssal Plain (PAP) region at the southern end of our transect was the region with the lowest biomass, as demonstrated by very low Chla concentrations and a community dominated by picophytoplankton. Early depletion of dissolved silicic acid (DSi) and increased stratification of the surface layer most likely triggered the end of the diatom bloom, leading to coccolithophore dominance. The chronic Si deficiency observed in the NEA could be linked to moderate Fe limitation, which increases the efficiency of the Si pump. TEP closely mirrored the distribution of both biogenic silica at depth and prymnesiophytes in the surface layer suggesting the sedimentation of the diatom bloom in the form of aggregates, but the relative contribution of diatoms and coccolithophores to carbon export in this area still needs to be resolved.

Description: Dissolved and particulate metals (Ag, Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn) and nutrients (PO4, NO3, and H4SiO4) were measured in Todos Santos Bay (TSB) in August 2005. Two sources producing local gradients were identified: one from a dredge discharge area (DDA) and another south of the port and a creek. The average concentrations of dissolved Cd and Zn (1.3 and 15.6 nM, respectively) were higher by one order of magnitude than the surrounding Pacific waters, even during upwelling, and it is attributed to the presence of a widespread and long-lasting red tide coupled with some degree of local pollution. A clear spatial gradient (10 to 6 pM), from coast to offshore, of dissolved Ag was evident, indicating the influence of anthropogenic inputs. The particulate fraction of all metals, except Cu, showed a factor of ~3 decrease in concentrations from the DDA to the interior of the bay. The metal distributions were related to the bay’s circulation by means of a numerical model that shows a basically surface-wind-driven offshore current with subsurface compensation currents toward the coast. Additionally, the model shows strong vertical currents over the DDA. Principal component analysis revealed three possible processes that could be influencing the metal concentrations within TSB: anthropogenic inputs (Cd, Ag, and Co), biological proceses (NO3, Zn, and Cu), and upwelling and mixing (PO4, H4SiO4, Cd, and Ni). The most striking finding of this study was the extremely high Cd concentrations, which have been only reported in highly contaminated areas. As there was a strong red tide, it is hypothesized that the dinoflagellates are assimilating the Cd, which is rapidly remineralized and being concentrated on the stratified surface layers.

Description: The complement system has long been known to be a major element of innate immunity. Traditionally, it was regarded as the first line of defense against invading pathogens, leading to opsonization and phagocytosis or the direct lysis of microbes. However, from the second half of the twentieth century on, it became clear that complement is also intimately involved in the induction and “fine tuning” of adaptive B- and T-cell responses as well as lineage commitment. This growing recognition of the complement system’s multifunctional role in immunity is consistent with the recent paradigm that complement is also necessary for the successful contraction of an adaptive immune response. This review aims at giving a condensed overview of complement’s rise from a simple innate stop-and-go system to an essential and efficient participant in general immune homeostasis and acquired immunity.

Description: Jamaica Bay, NY, is a highly urbanized estuary within the boroughs of New York City conspicuously lacking published information on dissolved trace metal concentrations. The current study examines the distribution and cycling of trace metals in that embayment with data gathered during cruises in November 2004, April 2005, and June 2006. Most of the metal distributions (Fe, Zn, Co, Ag, Cu, Pb, Ni) in the water column are explained by the input of substantial volumes of treated wastewater effluent. However, several lines of evidence suggest that submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is also an important source of dissolved Fe, Zn, Co, Ni, and isotopically distinct stable Pb ratios (206Pb, 207Pb, 208Pb) in the Bay. Conversely, the recirculated seawater component of SGD is an apparent sink for dissolved Mo. This study provides the first measurements of dissolved trace metals in the Jamaica Bay water column and subterranean estuary and provides evidence for trace metal input due to SGD.

Description: A major role in regulation of global methane fluxes has been attributed to the process of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM), which is performed by consortia of methanotrophic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria. An important question remains how these energy limited, slow growing Microorganisms with generation times of 3–7 months respond to rapid natural variations in methane fluxes at cold seeps. We used an experimental flow-through column system filled with cold seep sediments naturally enriched in methanotrophic communities, to test their responses to short-term variations in methane and sulfate fluxes. At stable methane and sulfate concentrations of ∼2 mM and 28 mM, respectively, we measured constant rates of AOM and sulfate reduction (SR) for up to 160 days of incubation. When percolated with methane-free medium, the anaerobic methanotrophs ceased to produce sulfide. After a starvation phase of 40 days, the addition of methane restored former AOM and SR rates immediately. At methane concentrations between 0–2.3 mM we measured a linear correlation between methane availability, AOM and SR. At constant fluid flow velocities of 30 m yr−1, ca. 50% of the methane was consumed by the anaerobic methanotrophic (ANME) population at all concentrations tested. Reducing the sulfate concentration from 28 to 1 mM, a decrease in AOM and SR by 50% was observed, and 45% of the methane was consumed. Hence, the marine anaerobic methanotrophs(ANME) are capable of oxidizing substantial amounts of methane over a wide and variable range of fluxes of the reaction educts.

Description: The Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean with its adjacent Nansen and Amundsen Basins is a key region for the study of mantle melting and crustal generation at ultraslow spreading rates. We use free-air gravity anomalies in combination with seismic reflection and wide-angle data to compute 2-D crustal models for the Nansen and Amundsen Basins in the Arctic Ocean. Despite the permanent pack-ice cover two geophysical transects cross both entire basins. This means that the complete basin geometry of the world’s slowest spreading system can be analysed in detail for the first time. Applying standard densities for the sediments and oceanic crystalline crust, the gravity models reveal an unexpected heterogeneous mantle with densities of 3.30 × 103, 3.20 × 103 and 3.10 × 103 kg/m3 near the Gakkel Ridge. We interpret that the upper mantle heterogeneity mainly results from serpentinisation and thermal effects. The thickness of the oceanic crust is highly variable throughout both transects. Crustal thickness of less than 1 km dominates in the oldest parts of both basins, increasing to a maximum value of 6 km near the Gakkel Ridge. Along-axis heat flow is highly variable and heat flow amplitudes resemble those observed at fast or intermediate spreading ridges. Unexpectedly, high heat flow along the Amundsen transect exceeds predicted values from global cooling curves by more than 100%.

Description: Live-collected samples of four common reefbuilding coral genera (Acropora, Pocillopora, Goniastrea, Porites) from subtidal and intertidal settings of Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef, show extensive early marine diagenesis where parts of the coralla less than 3 years old contain abundant macro- and microborings and aragonite, high-Mg calcite, low-Mg calcite, and brucite cements. Many types of cement are associated directly with microendoliths and endobionts that inhabit parts of the corallum recently abandoned by coral polyps. The occurrence of cements that generally do not precipitate in normal shallow seawater (e.g., brucite, low-Mg calcite) highlights the importance of microenvironments in coral diagenesis. Cements precipitated in microenvironments may not reXect ambient seawater chemistry. Hence, geochemical sampling of these cements will contaminate trace-element and stable-isotope inventories used for palaeoclimate and dating analysis. Thus, great care must be taken in vetting samples for both bulk and microanalysis of geochemistry. Visual inspection using scanning electron microscopy may be required for vetting in many cases.

Description: Analysis of ten- and four-year datasets for the large, shallow, subtropical, and eutrophic Lakes Okeechobee (USA) and Taihu (China), respectively, suggest that resource-ratio explanations for cyanobacteria dominance may not apply to these two lakes. Datasets were examined to identify relationships between nutrient ratios [total nitrogen (TN):total phosphorus (TP) and ammonium (NH4+):oxidized N (NOx)] and phytoplankton community structure (as proportions of cyanobacteria and diatoms to total phytoplankton biomass). Datasets were pooled by sampling month, averaged lake-wide, and analyzed with linear regression. In Okeechobee, the cyanobacteria proportion increased and the diatom proportion decreased with increasing TN:TP. In Taihu, cyanobacteria decreased with increasing TN:TP, but the opposite trend observed for diatoms was marginally significant. Okeechobee cyanobacteria increased and diatoms decreased with increasing NH4+:NOx, but no significant relationships between phytoplankton and NH4+:NOx were observed in Taihu. Both lakes had significant relationships between phytoplankton community structure and total nutrients, but these relationships were the opposite of those expected. Relationships between phytoplankton community structure and water quality parameters from the previous month resulted in improved relationships, suggesting a predictive capability. Statistical analysis of the entire datasets (not pooled) supported these and additional relationships with other parameters, including temperature and water clarity.

Description: The relative importance of potential source and sink terms for bromoform (CHBr3) in the tropical Atlantic Ocean is investigated with a coupled physical-biogeochemical water column model. Bromoform production is either assumed to be linked to primary production or to phytoplankton losses; bromoform decay is treated as light dependent (photolysis), and in addition either vertically uniform, proportional to remineralisation or to nitrification. All experiments lead to the observed subsurface maximum of bromoform, corresponding to the subsurface phytoplankton biomass maximum. In the surface mixed layer, the concentration is set by entrainment from below, photolysis in the upper few meters and the outgassing to the atmosphere. The assumed bromoform production mechanism has only minor effects on the solution, but the various loss terms lead to significantly different bromoform concentrations below 200 m depth. The best agreement with observations is obtained when the bromoform decay is coupled to nitrification (parameterised by an inverse proportionality to the light field). Our model results reveal a pronounced seasonal cycle of bromoform outgassing, with a minimum in summer and a maximum in early winter, when the deepening surface mixed layer reaches down into the bromoform production layer

Description: The present study analyses the distribution of cephalopod paralarvae off the Portuguese coast. The effects of temporal and physical variables on Loligo vulgaris, Octopus vulgaris, sepiolid and ommastrephid abundances are analysed with generalized linear models. Their distribution patterns are discussed in relation to mesoscale features, including currents, thermal fronts and coastal upwelling cross-shelf transport, prevailing in the western Iberia upwelling system. Paralarvae of the neritic species occur during a considerably extended period of the year with two or three abundance peaks within the highly productive upwelling system of the western Portuguese coast and contrasting with the Gulf of Cadiz area. Temperature and upwelling were shown to be the most important variables in modulating seasonality and distribution of these paralarvae. The influence of the physical environment is particularly pronounced for the paralarvae of O. vulgaris, following distinct patterns according to the oceanography of the western Iberia and the Gulf of Cadiz systems. The paralarvae of oceanic species, which in many cases have their northern limit of distribution at these latitudes, were mainly found in the southern part of the sampling area. The distribution of these species indicates that the prevailing oceanographic features of the Gulf of Cadiz system, especially fronts, together with temperature act as boundaries to geographic dispersal, contributing to an area of high cephalopod biodiversity in the southern Portuguese waters.

Description: The published mean δ34S values of ore-related pyrites from orogenic gold deposits of the Eastern Goldfields Province, Yilgarn Craton lie between −4‰ and +4‰. As for orogenic gold deposits worldwide, most deposits have positive means and a restricted range of δ34S values, but some have negative means and wider ranges of δ34S values. Wall-rock carbonation and back-mixing of similar-source fluids with different fluid pathways can explain some of the more negative δ34S signatures. However, structural setting appears to be the most important factor controlling ore-fluid oxidation state and hence the distribution of δ34S values in gold-related pyrites. Shear-hosted deposits appear to have experienced fluid-dominated processes such as phase separation, whereas stockwork, vein-hosted or disseminated deposits formed under conditions of greater rock buffering. At Victory-Defiance, in particular, negative δ34S values are more common in gently dipping dilational structures, compared to more compressional steeply dipping structures. It appears most likely that fluid-pressure fluctuations during fault-valve cycles establish different fluid-flow regimes in structures with different orientations. Rapid fluid-pressure fluctuations in dilational structures during seismic activity can cause partitioning of reduced gas phases from the ore fluid during extreme phase separation and hence are an effective method of ore-fluid oxidation, leading to large, local fluctuations in oxidation state. It is thus not necessary to invoke mixing with oxidised magmatic fluids to explain δ34S signatures indicative of oxidation. In any case, available, robust geochronology in the Eastern Goldfields Province does not support the direct involvement of oxidised magmatic fluids from adjacent granitic intrusions in orogenic gold genesis. Thus, negative mean δ34S values and large variations in δ34S values of ore-related pyrites in world-class orogenic gold deposits are interpreted to result from multiple mechanisms of gold precipitation from a single, ubiquitous ore fluid in varying structural settings, rather than from the involvement of oxidised ore fluids from a different source. Such signatures are indicative, but not diagnostic, of anomalously large orogenic gold systems.

Description: The construction of S-wave velocity models of marine sediments down to hundreds of meters below the seafloor is important in a number of disciplines. One of the most significant trends in marine geophysics is to use interface waves to estimate shallow shear velocities which play an important role in determining the shallow crustal structure. In marine settings, the waves trapped near the fluid-solid interface are called Scholte waves, and this is the subject of the study. In 1998, there were experiments on the Ninetyeast Ridge (Central Indian Ocean) to study the shallow seismic structure at the drilled site. The data were acquired by both ocean bottom seismometer and ocean bottom hydrophone. A new type of seafloor implosion sources has been used in this experiment, which successfully excited fast and high frequency (> 500 Hz) body waves and slow, intermediate frequency (〈 20 Hz) Scholte waves. The fundamental and first higher mode Scholte waves have both been excited by the implosion source. Here, the Scholte waves are investigated with a full waveform modeling and a group velocity inversion approach. Shear wave velocities for the uppermost layers of the region are inferred and results from the different methods are compared. We find that the full waveform modeling is important to understand the intrinsic attenuation of the Scholte waves between 1 and 20 Hz. The modeling shows that the S-wave velocity varies from 195 to 350 m/s in the first 16 m of the uppermost layer. Depths levels of high S-wave impedance contrasts compare well to the layer depth derived from a P-wave analysis as well as from drilling data. As expected, the P- to S-wave velocity ratio is very high in the uppermost 16 m of the seafloor and the Poisson ratio is nearly 0.5. Depth levels of high S-wave impedance contrasts are comparable to the layer depth derived from drilling data.

Description: The sudden occurrence of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi has been reported recently from different regions of the Baltic Sea and it has been suggested that the species has invaded the whole basin. Here we provide the first set of quantitative data of seasonal diet composition and life history traits of M. leidyi and its predatory role in the pelagic ecosystem of the Western Baltic Sea. The size structure of the species appeared to be dominated by small size classes and only a few adults were as large as those reported in the native region of the species and in other invaded areas. We show that the species has a high preference for small-sized and slow swimming prey, mainly during the winter low temperature period. Barnacle nauplii appeared to be the main source of carbon for the over-wintering population of M. leidyi. A preference for copepods was only found during August when these prey contributed up to 20% of the gut composition. In summer, planula larvae of the jellyfish Aurelia aurita were the most abundant prey in the gut content (feeding rate of 621 ind. ctenophore−1day−1). We further found that at highest densities of the species, in summer, a significant predation on its larvae occurs, this being the major carbon source of adults. Overall, these results are discussed in the context of trade-offs M. leidyi faces in the new environment and adverse environmental conditions, which are likely forcing the species toward reduced sizes and also probably reducing its potential predatory impact in the Baltic Sea.

Description: The subtropical Indian Ocean along 32° S was for the first time simultaneously sampled in 2002 for inorganic carbon and transient tracers. The vertical distribution and inventory of anthropogenic carbon (CANT) from five different methods: four data-base methods (ΔC*, TrOCA, TTD and IPSL) and a simulation from the OCCAM model are compared and discussed along with the observed CFC-12 and CCl4 distributions. In the surface layer, where carbon-based methods are uncertain, TTD and OCCAM yield the same result (7±0.2 molC m−2), helping to specify the surface CANT inventory. Below the mixed-layer, the comparison suggests that CANT penetrates deeper and more uniformly into the Antarctic Intermediate Water layer limit than estimated from the much utilized ΔC* method. Significant CFC-12 and CCl4 values are detected in bottom waters, associated with Antarctic Bottom Water. In this layer, except for ΔC* and OCCAM, the other methods detect significant CANT values. Consequently, the lowest inventory is calculated using the ΔC* method (24±2 molC m−2) or OCCAM (24.4±2.8 molC m−2) while TrOCA, TTD, and IPSL lead to higher inventories (28.1±2.2, 28.9±2.3 and 30.8±2.5 molC m−2 respectively). Overall and despite the uncertainties each method is evaluated using its relationship with tracers and the knowledge about water masses in the subtropical Indian Ocean. Along 32° S our best estimate for the mean CANT specific inventory is 28±2 molC m−2. Comparison exercises for data-based CANT methods along with time-series or repeat sections analysis should help to identify strengths and caveats in the CANT methods and to better constrain model simulations.

Description: The relation between the Agulhas Current retroflection location and the magnitude of Agulhas leakage, the transport of water from the Indian to the Atlantic Ocean, is investigated in a high-resolution numerical ocean model. Sudden eastward retreats of the Agulhas Current retroflection loop are linearly related to the shedding of Agulhas rings, where larger retreats generate larger rings. Using numerical Lagrangian floats a 37 year time series of the magnitude of Agulhas leakage in the model is constructed. The time series exhibits large amounts of variability, both on weekly and annual time scales. A linear relation is found between the magnitude of Agulhas leakage and the location of the Agulhas Current retroflection, both binned to three month averages. In the relation, a more westward location of the Agulhas Current retroflection corresponds to an increased transport from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. When this relation is used in a linear regression and applied to almost 20 years of altimetry data, it yields a best estimate of the mean magnitude of Agulhas leakage of 13.2 Sv. The early retroflection of 2000, when Agulhas leakage was probably halved, can be identified using the regression.

Description: Knowledge of the spatial and temporal distribution of juvenile cod is essential to closing the life cycle in population dynamic models, and it is a prerequisite for the design of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) aiming at the protection of juveniles. In this study, we use a hydrodynamic model to examine the spatial distribution of eastern Baltic cod larvae and early juveniles. The transport patterns of the larvae spawned at the three major spawning grounds in the central Baltic Sea were investigated by drift model simulations for the period 1979–2004. We analysed potential habitats for their suitability for juvenile settlement, i.e. the change from pelagic to demersal life. The results revealed a clear dependence of the probability for successful settling on wind-induced drift of larval cod, which is controlled by the local atmospheric conditions over the Baltic Sea. Furthermore, we found evidence that the final destinations of juvenile cod drift routes are affected by decadal climate variability. Application of the methodology to MPA design is discussed, e.g. identifying the overlap of areas with a high probability of successful juvenile cod settlement and regions of high fishing effort in small-meshed fisheries targeting sprat and herring.

Description: NOD-like receptors (NLRs) exert pivotal roles in innate immunity as sensors of exogenous or endogenous cellular danger signals. The NLR protein family has a characteristic domain architecture comprising a central nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD), an N-terminal effector binding domain and C-terminal leucine-rich repeats (LRRs). Mutations in NLR genes are genetically associated with a number of chronic inflammatory diseases of barrier organs. In this chapter, we focus on the influence of NLR regulation and function in the complex pathophysiology of mucosal homeostasis. The understanding of NLR biology may guide our future understanding of how the interaction between the human genome and the metagenome of transient and resident microbiota precipitates into chronic inflammatory disorders, such as Crohn's disease or atopy.

Description: The accurate reconstruction of sea surface temperature (SST) history in climate-sensitive regions (e.g. tropical and polar oceans) became a challenging task in palaeoceanographic research. Biogenic shell carbonate SST proxies successfully developed for tropical regions often fail in cool water environments. Their major regional shortcomings and the cryptic diversity now found within the major high latitude proxy carrier Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sin.) highlight an urgent need to explore complementary SST proxies for these cool-water regions. Here we incorporate the genetic component into a calibration study of a new SST proxy for the high latitudes. We found that the calcium isotopic composition (δ44/40Ca) of calcite from genotyped net catches and core-top samples of the planktonic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sin.) is related to temperature and unaffected by genetic variations. The temperature sensitivity has been found to be 0.17 (±0.02)‰ per 1°C, highlighting its potential for downcore applications in open marine cool-water environments. Our results further indicate that in extreme polar environments, below a critical threshold temperature of 2.0 (±0.5)°C associated with salinities below 33.0 (±0.5)‰, a prominent shift in biomineralization affects the δ44/40Ca of genotyped and core-top N. pachyderma (sin.), becoming insensitive to temperature. These findings highlight the need of more systematic calibration studies on single planktonic foraminiferal species in order to unravel species-specific factors influencing the temperature sensitivity of Ca isotope fractionation and to validate the proxies' applicability.

Description: During the twentieth century sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean exhibited prominent multidecadal variations. The source of such variations has yet to be rigorously established—but the question of their impact on climate can be investigated. Here we report on a set of multimodel experiments to examine the impact of patterns of warming in the North Atlantic, and cooling in the South Atlantic, derived from observations, that is characteristic of the positive phase of the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO). The experiments were carried out with six atmospheric General Circulation Models (including two versions of one model), and a major goal was to assess the extent to which key climate impacts are consistent between the different models. The major climate impacts are found over North and South America, with the strongest impacts over land found over the United States and northern parts of South America. These responses appear to be driven by a combination of an off-equatorial Gill response to diabatic heating over the Caribbean due to increased rainfall within the region and a Northward shift in the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) due to the anomalous cross-equatorial SST gradient. The majority of the models show warmer US land temperatures and reduced Mean Sea Level Pressure during summer (JJA) in response to a warmer North Atlantic and a cooler South Atlantic, in line with observations. However the majority of models show no significant impact on US rainfall during summer. Over northern South America, all models show reduced rainfall in southern hemisphere winter (JJA), whilst in Summer (DJF) there is a generally an increase in rainfall. However, there is a large spread amongst the models in the magnitude of the rainfall anomalies over land. Away from the Americas, there are no consistent significant modelled responses. In particular there are no significant changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) over the North Atlantic and Europe in Winter (DJF). Additionally, the observed Sahel drying signal in African rainfall is not seen in the modelled responses. Suggesting that, in contrast to some studies, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation was not the primary driver of recent reductions in Sahel rainfall.

Description: The genes and intergenic regions of the amoCAB operon were analyzed to establish their potential as molecular markers for analyzing ammonia-oxidizing betaproteobacterial (beta-AOB) communities. Initially, sequence similarity for related taxa, evolutionary rates from linear regressions, and the presence of conserved and variable regions were analyzed for all available sequences of the complete amoCAB operon. The gene amoB showed the highest sequence variability of the three amo genes, suggesting that it might be a better molecular marker than the most frequently used amoA to resolve closely related AOB species. To test the suitability of using the amoCAB genes for community studies, a strategy involving nested PCR was employed. Primers to amplify the whole amoCAB operon and each individual gene were tested. The specificity of the products generated was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, cloning, and sequencing. The fragments obtained showed different grades of sequence identity to amoCAB sequences in the GenBank database. The nested PCR approach provides a possibility to increase the sensitivity of detection of amo genes in samples with low abundance of AOB. It also allows the amplification of the almost complete amoA gene, with about 300 bp more sequence information than the previous approaches. The coupled study of all three amo genes and the intergenic spacer regions that are under different selection pressure might allow a more detailed analysis of the evolutionary processes, which are responsible for the differentiation of AOB communities in different habitats.

Description: Semi Permeable Membrane Device (SPMD) was deployed on an experimental basis for five days inside an Environmental Chemistry Laboratory and two sites outside the building in Kiel, Germany to understand the time-averaged contaminant profiles and concentrations of PCBs. Multi Dimensional High Resolution Gas Chromatography-Electron Capture Detection technique and high resolution clean up techniques were employed to SPMD derived triolein samples. Air concentrations were derived from well established mass transfer coefficients or rate constants for PCBs in SPMD. PCBs profiles in indoor and outdoor samples were distinctly different, exemplified by a particle free clean-up laboratory facility where particle associated higher chlorinated congeners were absent. SPMDs revealed the ‘occupational hazard’ to workers inside the building from chemical contamination derived from both building materials and chemicals used in the laboratory. Finger printing technique using principle component analysis (PCA) revealed that PCB contamination was derived from German commercial PCB mixtures. SPMD derived air concentrations in outdoor samples resembled levels recorded by similar devices in Europe. Ultimately, a simple sampling technique in combination with high resolution analytical techniques demonstrated the uptake of more than 60 PCB congeners within a short period of time.

Description: Water column data of carbon and carbon relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from 188 previously non-publicly available cruises in the Arctic, Atlantic, and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged into a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). The data have been subject to rigorous quality control (QC) in order to ensure highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the parameters included were examined in order to quantify systematic biases in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Significant biases have been corrected for in the data products, i.e. the three merged files with measured, calculated and interpolated values for each of the three CARINA regions; the Arctic Mediterranean Seas (AMS), the Atlantic (ATL) and the Southern Ocean (SO). With the adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP (Key et al., 2004) and is suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation. The Arctic Mediterranean Seas include the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas, and the quality control was carried out separately in these two areas. This contribution provides an overview of the CARINA data from the Nordic Seas and summarises the findings of the QC of the salinity data. One cruise had salinity data that were of questionable quality, and these have been removed from the data product. An evaluation of the consistency of the quality controlled salinity data suggests that they are consistent to at least ±0.005.

Description: Lipid content, fatty acid composition, and feeding activity of the dominant Antarctic copepods, Calanoides acutus, Calanus propinquus, and Metridia gerlachei, were studied at a quasi-permanent station in the eastern Weddell Sea in December 2003. During 3 weeks of the spring phytoplankton development, total lipid levels of females and copepodite stages V (CVs) of C. acutus were almost doubled. Meanwhile, only a slight increase in total lipid content occurred in M. gerlachei, and no clear trend was observed in lipids of C. propinquus females. The pronounced increase of lipids in C. acutus was due to an accumulation of wax esters. The proportion of wax esters in the lipids of M. gerlachei was clearly lower, while triacylglycerols played a more important role. In C. propinquus, triacylglycerols were the only neutral lipid class. There were no pronounced changes in the feeding activity of M. gerlachei, whereas the feeding activity of C. acutus had rapidly increased with the development of the phytoplankton bloom in December, which explains its rapid lipid accumulation. The combination of gut content and fatty acid trophic marker analyses showed that C. acutus was feeding predominantly on diatoms. The typical diatom fatty acid marker, 16:1(n-7), slightly decreased and the tracer for flagellates, 18:4(n-3), increased in females and CVs of C. acutus. This shift indicates the time, when the significance of flagellates started to increase. The three copepod species exhibited different patterns of lipid accumulation in relation to their trophic niches and different duration of their active phases. The investigations filled a crucial data gap in the seasonal lipid dynamics of dominant calanoid copepods in the Weddell Sea in December and support earlier hypotheses on their energetic adaptations and life cycle strategies.

Description: Advances in detector technology enable a new generation of infrared limb sounders to measure 2-D images of the atmosphere. A proposed limb cloud imager (LCI) mode will detect clouds with a spatial resolution unprecedented for limb sounding. For the inference of temperature and trace gas distributions, detector pixels of the LCI have to be combined into super-pixels which provide the required signal-to-noise and information content for the retrievals. This study examines the extent to which tropospheric coverage can be improved in comparison to limb sounding using a fixed field of view with the size of the super-pixels, as in conventional limb sounders. The study is based on cloud topographies derived from (a) IR brightness temperatures (BT) of geostationary weather satellites in conjunction with ECMWF temperature profiles and (b) ice and liquid water content data of the Consortium for Small-scale Modeling-Europe (COSMO-EU) of the German Weather Service. Limb cloud images are simulated by matching the cloud topography with the limb sounding line of sight (LOS). The analysis of the BT data shows that the reduction of the spatial sampling along the track has hardly any effect on the gain in information. The comparison between BT and COSMO-EU data identifies the strength of both data sets, which are the representation of the horizontal cloud extent for the BT data and the reproduction of the cloud amount for the COSMO-EU data. The results of the analysis of both data sets show the great advantage of the cloud imager. However, because both cloud data sets do not present the complete fine structure of the real cloud fields in the atmosphere it is assumed that the results tend to underestimate the increase in information. In conclusion, real measurements by such an instrument may result in an even higher benefit for tropospheric limb retrievals.

Description: Palytoxin (PTX), one of the most potent and chemically complex marine toxins, is predominantly found in zoanthid corals and sporadically in dinoflagellates. Its biosynthesis and metabolic pathways are largely unknown. However, the widespread occurrence of the toxin in phylogenetically distinct marine organisms is consistent with its production by microorganisms and subsequent accumulation in the food chain. To investigate a possible microbial origin, bacteria from two zoanthid corals (Palythoa caribaeorum, Zoanthus pulchellus) and one sponge (Neofibularia nolitangere) were isolated. More than 250 bacteria were screened for hemolysis using a newly developed PTX-screening assay of which 7% showed PTX-like hemolytic activity. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that these bacterial isolates belonged to strains of Bacillus cereus group (n = 11) as well as the genera Brevibacterium (n = 4) and Acinetobacter (n = 2). The results indicate the presence of Na+/K+-ATPase toxins and possibly PTX in hemolytic bacteria from P. caribaeorum.

Description: Continental shelf systems are highly dynamic sedimentary environments, where sediments from biogenic production as well as from terrigenous sources are redistributed in the shelf depositional system, and partly exported off the shelf to the slope and the deep sea. The Golfe d’Arguin (Mauritania, NW Africa) is dominated by such redistribution processes, involving clastic silt imported as dust from the Sahara desert and biogenic carbonates of marine origin. Indeed, surface-sediment grain size and mineralogy show a clear north–south partitioning of sediment type. Fine material is winnowed from the northern part of the gulf, and transported toward the southern part off the Banc d’Arguin, where coarse silt settles on the outer shelf and upper slope, at least down to 600 m water depth. Particles of the fine silt fraction, estimated in terms of eolian material collected aboard the research vessel, are thought to be exported further offshore as they correspond to grain sizes previously reported from adjacent deep-sea sediments. These findings suggest that the interpretation of dust records from the continental slope and rise off NW Africa must consider reworking and partitioning processes active on the Mauritanian shelf.

Description: The flux of materials to the deep sea is dominated by larger, organic-rich particles with sinking rates varying between a few meters and several hundred meters per day. Mineral ballast may regulate the transfer of organic matter and other components by determining the sinking rates, e.g. via particle density. We calculated particle sinking rates from mass flux patterns and alkenone measurements applying the results of sediment trap experiments from the Atlantic Ocean. We have indication for higher particle sinking rates in carbonate-dominated production systems when considering both regional and seasonal data. During a summer coccolithophorid bloom in the Cape Blanc coastal upwelling off Mauritania, particle sinking rates reached almost 570 m per day, most probably due the fast sedimentation of densely packed zooplankton fecal pellets, which transport high amounts of organic carbon associated with coccoliths to the deep ocean despite rather low production. During the recurring winter-spring blooms off NW Africa and in opal-rich production systems of the Southern Ocean, sinking rates of larger particles, most probably diatom aggregates, showed a tendency to lower values. However, there is no straightforward relationship between carbonate content and particle sinking rates. This could be due to the unknown composition of carbonate and/or the influence of particle size and shape on sinking rates. It also remains noticeable that the highest sinking rates occurred in dust-rich ocean regions off NW Africa, but this issue deserves further detailed field and laboratory investigations. We obtained increasing sinking rates with depth. By using a seven-compartment biogeochemical model, it was shown that the deep ocean organic carbon flux at a mesotrophic sediment trap site off Cape Blanc can be captured fairly well using seasonal variable particle sinking rates. Our model provides a total organic carbon flux of 0.29 Tg per year down to 3000 m off the NW African upwelling region between 5 and 35° N. Simple parameterisations of remineralisation and sinking rates in such models, however, limit their capability in reproducing the flux variation in the water column.

Description: We examine a statistical model for the description of the seasonal variation of extreme daily precipitation at 689 stations across the UK. The probability distribution for monthly maximum precipitation intensity is modelled with a generalised extreme-value distribution (GEV). Instead of modelling the distribution of precipitation maxima separately for every month, we propose an overall model with seasonally-varying location and scale parameters and a constant shape parameter. This model is tested against an augmented version with the shape parameter allowed to vary as well. Furthermore, we compare model adequacy for block length of one and two month and found no major improvements for the longer block-length. Based on this model, the 10 and 100-year return levels are calculated conditioned on the month of the year. The interpolation of return levels to a complete coverage of the UK allows for an identification of spatial patterns and their temporal evolution. These patterns suggest that different mechanisms for extreme precipitation are dominant in different regions of the UK.

Description: Otolith microchemistry is widely used as a tool to track individual migration pathways of diadromous fish under the assumption that the elemental composition of fish otoliths is directly influenced by the physicochemical properties of the surrounding water. Nevertheless, several endogenous factors are reported to affect element incorporation into fish otoliths and might lead to misinterpretations of migration studies. This study experimentally examined the influence of eight different diets on the microchemical composition of European eel (Anguilla anguilla) otoliths using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Seven natural prey types and one artificial diet were fed during 8 weeks in freshwater circuits. Results show for the first time that food has no significant influence on the incorporation of Na, Sr, Ba, Mg, Mn, Cu and Y into European eel otoliths. This indicates that the incorporation of elements usually chosen for migration studies is not affected by diet and that individual feeding behaviour of A. anguilla will not lead to any misinterpretation of migration pathways.

Description: Dynamics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic picophytoplankton were investigated over a 2-year time period using flow cytometry and combined with an in situ experiment in Lake Tahoe, USA to better characterize to which extent environmental factors control these communities. Pronounced seasonal patterns and clear temporal and spatial partitioning were observed between picocyanobacteria and picoeukaryotes. Picocyanobacteria dominated in the nutrient deficient upper water column during the stratified season, while picoeukaryotes reached maximum abundance during isothermal conditions and maintained high numbers in deep-water layers during the stratified season. Picocyanobacteria were more sensitive to high solar and UV radiation compared with picoeukaryotes, which were not affected by high solar radiation and nutrient enrichment stimulated their growth. The opposing response of these two populations is consistent with their vertical distribution: picocyanobacteria dominate below the 30% isolume and above the nitrocline depth, whereas picoeukaryotes increase in the vicinity of the nitrocline and thus increased nutrient concentration. This spatial separation of picophytoplankton groups along environmental gradients in Lake Tahoe is consistent with other deep-oligotrophic lakes and the marine environment, suggesting that these marine and freshwater organisms have similar ecophysiological requirements. These results highlight that the smallest photosynthetic communities show taxon-specific responses to mixing and resource availability, which affect the structure and dynamics of picophytoplankton.

Description: We present a study of Saharan dust export towards the tropical North Atlantic using the regional dust emission, transport and deposition model LM-MUSCAT. Horizontal and vertical distribution of dust optical thickness, concentration, and dry and wet deposition rates are used to describe seasonality of dust export and deposition towards the eastern Atlantic for three typical months in different seasons. Deposition rates strongly depend on the vertical dust distribution, which differs with seasons. Furthermore the contribution of dust originating from the Bodélé Depression to Saharan dust over the Atlantic is investigated. A maximum contribution of Bodélé dust transported towards the Cape Verde Islands is evident in winter when the Bodélé source area is most active and dominant with regard to activation frequency and dust emission. Limitations of using satellite retrievals to estimate dust deposition are highlighted.

Description: Low pO(2) values have been measured in the perivitelline fluids (PVF) of marine animal eggs on several occasions, especially towards the end of development, when embryonic oxygen consumption is at its peak and the egg case acts as a massive barrier to diffusion. Several authors have therefore suggested that oxygen availability is the key factor leading to hatching. However, there have been no measurements of PVF pCO(2) so far. This is surprising, as elevated pCO(2) could also constitute a major abiotic stressor for the developing embryo. As a first attempt to fill this gap in knowledge, we measured pO(2), pCO(2) and pH in the PVF of late cephalopod (Sepia officinalis) eggs. We found linear relationships between embryo wet mass and pO(2), pCO(2) and pH. pO(2) declined from 〉 12 kPa to less than 5 kPa, while pCO(2) increased from 0.13 to 0.41 kPa. In the absence of active accumulation of bicarbonate in the PVF, pH decreased from 7.7 to 7.2. Our study supports the idea that oxygen becomes limiting in cephalopod eggs towards the end of development; however, pCO(2) and pH shift to levels that have caused significant physiological disturbances in other marine ectothermic animals. Future research needs to address the physiological adaptations that enable the embryo to cope with the adverse abiotic conditions in their egg environment.

Description: Various cnidarians have adapted their life style to interstitial habitats of marine sediments. Recently, for the first time a hydroid was reported from the interstitial brine channel system of Arctic fast ice. Due to its derived features, the new genus and species Sympagohydra tuuli was introduced. Here we describe findings of S. tuuli in sea ice at several sites within the central Arctic Ocean. In our view the results of this study do not allow assignment of Sympagohydra to any known family and we, therefore, suggest the introduction of a new family Sympagohydridae which is placed within the hydrozoan subclass Hydroidolina, order Anthomedusae, suborder Capitata. A first detailed histological analysis of S. tuuli is presented. In vivo analysis of locomotion and reproduction revealed a remarkable convergent evolution in S. tuuli and distant meiobenthic relatives. Shared traits are a flagellated epidermis enabling the animals to glide within small interstices by means of flagellar beating as well as an internalised embryogenesis. In S. tuuli gametogenesis occurs in the absence of gonophores inbetween gastro- and epidermis clearly separated from the epidermis. Budding was observed as the vegetative mode of reproduction. Documentation of feeding behaviour identified copepod nauplii and rotifers as prey items and demonstrates a high trophical position of the hydroids within the sympagic food web. Occurrence of reproducing individuals and pronounced tolerances towards changing temperatures and salinities indicate S. tuuli as a truly sympagic species.

Description: Klyuchevskoy volcano, in Kamchatka’s subduction zone, is one of the most active arc volcanoes in the world and contains some of the highest δ18O values for olivines and basalts. We present an oxygen isotope and melt inclusion study of olivine phenocrysts in conjunction with major and trace element analyses of 14C- and tephrochronologically-dated tephra layers and lavas spanning the eruptive history of Klyuchevskoy. Whole-rock and groundmass analyses of tephra layers and lava samples demonstrate that both high-Mg (7–12.5 wt% MgO) and high-Al (17–19 wt% Al2O3, 3–6.5 wt% MgO) basalt and basaltic andesite erupted coevally from the central vent and flank cones. Individual and bulk olivine δ18O range from normal MORB values of 5.1‰ to values as high as 7.6‰. Likewise, tephra and lava matrix glass have high-δ18O values of 5.8–8.1‰. High-Al basalts dominate volumetrically in Klyuchevskoy’s volcanic record and are mostly high in δ18O. High-δ18O olivines and more normal-δ18O olivines occur in both high-Mg and high-Al samples. Most olivines in either high-Al or high-Mg basalts are not in oxygen isotopic equilibrium with their host glasses, and Δ18Oolivine–glass values are out of equilibrium by up to 1.5‰. Olivines are also out of Fe–Mg equilibrium with the host glasses, but to a lesser extent. Water concentrations in olivine-hosted melt inclusions from five tephra samples range from 0.4 to 7.1 wt%. Melt inclusion CO2 concentrations vary from below detection (〈50 ppm) to 1,900 ppm. These values indicate depths of crystallization up to ~17 km (5 kbar). The variable H2O and CO2 concentrations likely reflect crystallization of olivine and entrapment of inclusions in ascending and degassing magma. Oxygen isotope and Fe–Mg disequilibria together with melt inclusion data indicate that olivine was mixed and recycled between high-Al and high-Mg basaltic melts and cumulates, and Fe–Mg and δ18O re-equilibration processes were incomplete. Major and trace elements in the variably high-δ18O olivines suggest a peridotite source for the parental magmas. Voluminous, highest in the world with respect to δ18O, and hydrous basic volcanism in Klyuchevskoy and other Central Kamchatka depression volcanoes is explained by a model in which the ascending primitive melts that resulted from the hydrous melt fluxing of mantle wedge peridotite, interacted with the shallow high-δ18O lithospheric mantle that had been extensively hydrated during earlier times when it was part of the Kamchatka forearc. Following accretion of the Eastern Peninsula terrains several million years ago, a trench jump eastward caused the old forearc mantle to be beneath the presently active arc. Variable interaction of ascending flux-melting-derived melts with this older, high-δ18O lithospheric mantle has produced mafic parental magmas with a spectrum of δ18O values. Differentiation of the higher δ18O parental magmas has created the volumetrically dominant high-Al basalt series. Both basalt types incessantly rise and mix between themselves and with variable in δ18O cumulates within dynamic Klyuchevskoy magma plumbing system, causing biannual eruptions and heterogeneous magma products.

Description: Preselected cyanobacterial strains (available from culture collections and our own isolates), belonging primarily to the heterocystous cluster, were screened for inhibitors against butyrylcholinesterase. About one-half of the extracts exhibited inhibitory activity. Nostocarboline, the responsible metabolite in Nostoc 78–12A, was studied in more detail as an acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor. The compound showed potent activity against this enzyme (IC50 = 5.3 µM), and the Michaelis-Menten kinetics indicated a non-competitive component in the inhibitory mechanism. In addition, nostocarboline turned out to be a potent inhibitor of trypsin (IC50 = 2.8 µM), and thus is the first described cyanobacterial serine protease inhibitor of an alkaloid structure. The function of nostocarboline in aquatic ecosystems and its potential as a lead compound for the development of useful therapeutic AChE inhibitors is discussed.

Description: The aim of the work presented here was to detect BrO in the marine boundary layer over the Eastern North-Atlantic by Multi AXis-Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) of scattered sunlight. With this technique, information about the concentration and the vertical profile of trace gases in the atmosphere can be gained. BrO can be formed in the marine atmosphere by degradation of biogenic organohalogens or by oxidation of bromide in sea salt aerosol. BrO influences the chemistry in marine air in many ways, e.g. since it catalytically destroys ozone, changes the NO2/NO-ratio as well as the OH/HO2-ratio and oxidises DMS. However, the abundance and the significance of BrO in the marine atmosphere is not yet fully understood. We report on data collected during a ship cruise, which took place along the West African Coast in February 2007, within the framework of the Surface Ocean PRocesses in the ANthropocene project (SOPRAN). Tropospheric BrO could be detected during this cruise at peak mixing ratios of (10.2±3.7) ppt at an assumed layer height of 1 km on 18 February 2007. Furthermore, it was found that the mean BrO concentrations increased when cruising close to the African Coast suggesting that at least part of the BrO might have originated from there.

Description: This paper analyzes the relationship between deep sedimentary fluxes and ocean current vertical velocities in an offshore area of the Ionian Sea, the deepest basin of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Sediment trap data are collected at 500 m and 2800 m depth in two successive moorings covering the period September 1999–May 2001. A tight coupling is observed between the upper and deep traps and the estimated particle sinking rates are more than 200 m day−1. The current vertical velocity field is computed from a 1/16°×1/16° Ocean General Circulation Model simulation and from the wind stress curl. Current vertical velocities are larger and more variable than Ekman vertical velocities, yet the general patterns are alike. Current vertical velocities are generally smaller than 1 m day−1: we therefore exclude a direct effect of downward velocities in determining high sedimentation rates. However we find that upward velocities in the subsurface layers of the water column are positively correlated with deep particle fluxes. We thus hypothesize that upwelling would produce an increase in upper ocean nutrient levels – thus stimulating primary production and grazing – a few weeks before an enhanced vertical flux is found in the sediment traps. High particle sedimentation rates may be attained by means of rapidly sinking fecal pellets produced by gelatinous macro-zooplankton. Other sedimentation mechanisms, such as dust deposition, are also considered in explaining large pulses of deep particle fluxes. The fast sinking rates estimated in this study might be an evidence of the efficiency of the biological pump in sequestering organic carbon from the surface layers of the deep Eastern Mediterranean basins.

Description: The species diversity of the pelagic microcopepod family Oncaeidae collected with nets of 0.1-mm mesh size was studied at 6 stations along a west-to-east transect in the Mediterranean Sea down to a maximum depth of 1,000 m. A total of 27 species and two form variants have been identified, including three new records for the Mediterranean. In addition, about 20, as yet undescribed, new morphospecies were found (mainly from the genera Epicalymma and Triconia) which need to be examined further. The total number of identified oncaeid species was similar in the Western and Eastern Basins, but for some cooccurring sibling species, the estimated numerical dominance changed. The deep-sea fauna of Oncaeidae, studied at selected depth layers between 400 m and the near-bottom layer at 〉4,200 m depth in the eastern Mediterranean (Levantine Sea), showed rather constant species numbers down to ∼3,000 m depth. In the near-bottom layers, the diversity of oncaeids declined and species of Epicalymma strongly increased in numerical importance. The taxonomic status of all oncaeid species recorded earlier in the Mediterranean Sea is evaluated: 19 out of the 46 known valid oncaeid species are insufficiently described, and most of the taxonomically unresolved species (13 species) have originally been described from this area (type locality). The deficiencies in the species identification of oncaeids cast into doubt the allegedly cosmopolitan distribution of some species, in particular those of Mediterranean origin. The existing identification problems even of well-described oncaeid species are exemplified for the Oncaea mediacomplex, including O. media Giesbrecht, O. scottodicarloi Heron & Bradford-Grieve, and O. waldemari Bersano & Boxshall, which are often erroneously identified as a single species (O. media). The inadequacy in the species identification of Oncaeidae, in particular those from the Atlantic and Mediterranean, is mainly due to the lack of reliable identification keys for Oncaeidae in warm-temperate and/or tropical seas. Future efforts should be directed to the construction of identification keys that can be updated according to the latest taxonomic findings, which can be used by the non-expert as well as by the specialist. The adequate consideration of the numerous, as yet undescribed, microcopepod species in the world oceans, in particular the Oncaeidae, is a challenge for the study of the structure and function of plankton communities as well as for global biodiversity estimates.

Description: A compact, low-cost atmospheric pressure, chemical ionization mass spectrometer ("mini-CIMS") has been developed for continuous underway shipboard measurements of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in seawater. The instrument was used to analyze DMS in air equilibrated with flowing seawater across a porous Teflon membrane equilibrator. The equilibrated gas stream was diluted with air containing an isotopically-labeled internal standard. DMS is ionized at atmospheric pressure via proton transfer from water vapor, then declustered, mass filtered via quadrupole mass spectrometry, and detected with an electron multiplier. The instrument described here is based on a low-cost residual gas analyzer (Stanford Research Systems), which has been modified for use as a chemical ionization mass spectrometer. The mini-CIMS has a gas phase detection limit of 220 ppt DMS for a 1 min averaging time, which is roughly equivalent to a seawater DMS concentration of 0.1 nM DMS at 20°C. The mini-CIMS has the sensitivity, selectivity, and time response required for underway measurements of surface ocean DMS over the full range of oceanographic conditions. The simple, robust design and relatively low cost of the instrument are intended to facilitate use in process studies and surveys, with potential for long-term deployment on research vessels, ships of opportunity, and large buoys.

Description: The feeding selectivity and the growth and reproductive success of the copepod Acartia tonsa have been studied in mesocosms fertilized at different Si:N ratios (0-1.75:1) and, therefore, at different compositions of the phytoplankton communities. Phytoplankton composition showed a strong response to nutrient ratios, with diatoms comprising > 90% at Si:N ratios > 1:1 of total biomass as opposed to 〈 20% at the lowest ratio. A. tonsa strongly preferred feeding on motile prey (flagellates and ciliates) to feeding on diatoms. Nevertheless, diatoms comprised a substantial part of the diet at the highest Si:N ratios. A. tonsa egg production and the final (after 4 weeks) abundance of adults and copepodites showed no response to Si:N ratios while nauplii production slightly increased with Si:N ratios. It is concluded that the frequently reported deleterious effect of diatoms on copepod reproduction is rather unusual when copepods are confronted with a naturally diverse phytoplankton assemblage instead of clonal cultures in the laboratory.

Description: Spatial and temporal changes of the copepod community have been investigated and related to the environmental variability of the Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean). The period studied spans from 1994 to 1999 during which we analyzed the abundance and structure copepod variability over a cross-shore transect. Results showed a close link between hydrological changes and the variations of copepod abundance. The synchronous variability of copepods and hydrography indicated the rapid response of this zooplankton group to the inflow of cold and warm water masses coming through the study area. Cluster analysis revealed four main copepod assemblages that distinguished the coastal from the oceanic species and those species with different water masses preference. The copepod assemblage composed of Calanus helgolandicus, Clausocalanus arcuicornis, C. pergens, C. paululus, Calocalanus tenuis and Pleuromamma gracilis was associated with cool salty waters, whereas the assemblage formed by Temora stylifera, C. pavo, C. styliremis, Centropages bradyi and Acartia danae was related to warmer less saline Mediterranean waters. Moreover, it is suggested that changes in sea water temperature and salinity are linked to large-scale changes likely occurring at a basin scale, which is reflected in the Western Mediterranean mesoscale hydrographic changes. Therefore, it is stressed that changes in the Balearic copepod community can be used as potential tracers of the western Mediterranean water masses

Description: Precise U–Pb geochronology, Hf isotope compositions and trace element distributions in zircons are combined in the present study to define the timing and sources of the magmatism forming the Medet porphyry copper deposit, Bulgaria. ID-TIMS U–Pb-zircon dating demonstrates that ore-bearing magmatism extended for less than 1.12 Ma. As inferred from the field relationships, it started with the intrusion of a quartz-monzodiorite at 90.59 ± 0.29 Ma followed by granodiorite porphyries at 90.47 ± 0.30 and 90.27 ± 0.60 Ma and by crosscutting aplite dykes at 90.12 ± 0.36 Ma. These units were overprinted by potassic alteration and host economic copper-(Mo–Au) mineralization. The main magmatic–hydrothermal activity ceased after that, and a later quartz-granodiorite porphyry dyke, dated at 89.26 ± 0.32 Ma, only contains an uneconomic quartz–pyrite mineralization. Assimilation of Lower Paleozoic rocks with a mantle to mantle–crust signature is characteristic of the fertile magma in the Medet deposit, as defined by positive ɛ-Hf values of the inherited zircons. The positive Ce-anomalies and the higher Eu/Eu* ratios of the zircons in the mineralized Cretaceous rocks of Medet deposit argue for crystallization from a generally more oxidized magma compared to the later quartz-granodiorite porphyry dyke. A change in paleostress conditions occurred during the intrusion of the Medet pluton and its dykes. The initial stage reveals E–W extension associated with N–S compression, whereas the younger granodiorite dyke was emplaced during subsequent N–S extension. The large-scale switch of the extensional stress regime during the mineralization was favourable for ore deposition by channelling the fluids and increasing the effective permeability.

Description: Data on carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from previously non-publicly available cruise data sets in the Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged to a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). These data have gone through rigorous quality control (QC) procedures to assure the highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the measured parameters in the CARINA data base were objectively examined in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Systematic biases found in the data have been corrected in the data products, i.e. three merged data files with measured, calculated and interpolated data for each of the three CARINA regions; Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Out of a total of 188 cruise entries in the CARINA database, 98 were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and of these, 75 cruises report alkalinity values. Here we present details of the secondary QC on alkalinity for the Atlantic Ocean part of CARINA. Procedures of quality control, including crossover analysis between cruises and inversion analysis of all crossover data are briefly described. Adjustments were applied to the alkalinity values for 16 of the cruises in the Atlantic Ocean region. With these adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the World Hydrographic Program in the 1990s. Based on our analysis we estimate the internal accuracy of the CARINA-ATL alkalinity data to be 3.3 μmol kg−1. The CARINA data are now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation.

Description: We analyzed the seasonal variations of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi weekly collected since its first record in the western Baltic Sea in October 2006. The distribution pattern together with the seasonal dynamics and population outbreaks in late summer 2007 indicate recent successfully establishment of M. leidyi in this area. Seasonal changes showed two periods of high reproductive activity characterized by a population structure dominated by small size classes, followed by an increase of larger ones. These results further revealed that the bulk of the population remains in deep layers during the periods of low population density, whereas it appeared situated in upper layers during the proliferation of the species. We further emphasized the strength of the population outbreaks, which can reach abundances 〉10-fold higher in time periods shorter than a week. The predatory impact this species may have in pelagic ecosystems warns on the importance of its recent range of expansion.

Description: Intraplate volcanism was widespread and occurred continuously throughout the Cenozoic on the New Zealand micro-continent, Zealandia, forming two volcanic endmembers: (1) monogenetic volcanic fields; (2) composite shield volcanoes. The most prominent volcanic landforms on the South Island of New Zealand are the two composite shield volcanoes (Lyttelton and Akaroa) forming the Banks Peninsula. We present new Ar-40/Ar-39 age and geochemical (major and trace element and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf-O isotope) data for these Miocene endmembers of intraplate volcanism. Although volcanism persisted for similar to 7 Myr on Banks Peninsula, both shield volcanoes primarily formed over an similar to 1 Myr interval with small volumes of late-stage volcanism continuing for similar to 1 center dot 5 Myr after formation of the shields. Compared with normal Pacific mid-ocean ridge basalts (P-MORB), the low-silica (picritic to basanitic to alkali basaltic) Akaroa mafic volcanic rocks (9 center dot 4-6 center dot 8 Ma) have higher incompatible trace element concentrations and Sr and Pb isotope ratios but lower delta O-18 (4 center dot 6-4 center dot 9) and Nd and Hf isotope ratios than ocean island basalts (OIB) or high time-integrated U/Pb HIMU-type signatures, consistent with the presence of a hydrothermally altered recycled oceanic crustal component in their source. Elevated CaO, MnO and Cr contents in the HIMU-type low-silica lavas, however, point to a peridotitic rather than a pyroxenitic or eclogitic source. To explain the decoupling between major elements on the one hand and incompatible elements and isotopic compositions on the other, we propose that the upwelling asthenospheric source consists of carbonated eclogite in a peridotite matrix. Melts from carbonated eclogite generated at the base of the melt column metasomatized the surrounding peridotite before it crossed its solidus. Higher in the melt column the metasomatized peridotite melted to form the Akaroa low-silica melts. The older (12 center dot 3-10 center dot 4 Ma), high-silica (tholeiitic to alkali basaltic) Lyttelton mafic volcanic rocks have low CaO, MnO and Cr abundances suggesting that they were at least partially derived from a source with residual pyroxenite. They also have lower incompatible element abundances, higher fluid-mobile to fluid-immobile trace element ratios, higher delta O-18, and more radiogenic Sr but less radiogenic Pb-Nd-Hf isotopic compositions than the Akaroa volcanic rocks and display enriched (EMII-type) trace element and isotopic compositions. Mixing of asthenospheric (Akaroa-type) melts with lithospheric melts from pyroxenite formed during Mesozoic subduction along the Gondwana margin and crustal melts can explain the composition of the Lyttelton volcano basalts. Two successive lithospheric detachment/delamination events in the form of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities could have triggered the upwelling and related decompression melting leading to the formation of the Lyttelton (first, smaller detachment event) and Akaroa (second, more extensive detachment event) volcanoes.

Description: Here we present monthly, basin-wide maps of the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) for the North Atlantic on a 1° latitude by 1° longitude grid for years 2004 through 2006 inclusive. The maps have been computed using a neural network technique which reconstructs the non-linear relationships between three biogeochemical parameters and marine pCO2. A self organizing map (SOM) neural network has been trained using 389 000 triplets of the SeaWiFS-MODIS chlorophyll-a concentration, the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis sea surface temperature, and the FOAM mixed layer depth. The trained SOM was labelled with 137 000 underway pCO2 measurements collected in situ during 2004, 2005 and 2006 in the North Atlantic, spanning the range of 208 to 437 μatm. The root mean square error (RMSE) of the neural network fit to the data is 11.6 μatm, which equals to just above 3 per cent of an average pCO2 value in the in situ dataset. The seasonal pCO2 cycle as well as estimates of the interannual variability in the major biogeochemical provinces are presented and discussed. High resolution combined with basin-wide coverage makes the maps a useful tool for several applications such as the monitoring of basin-wide air-sea CO2 fluxes or improvement of seasonal and interannual marine CO2 cycles in future model predictions. The method itself is a valuable alternative to traditional statistical modelling techniques used in geosciences.

Description: Future ocean acidification has the potential to adversely affect many marine organisms. A growing body of evidence suggests that many species could suffer from reduced fertilization success, decreases in larval- and adult growth rates, reduced calcification rates, and even mortality when being exposed to near-future levels (year 2100 scenarios) of ocean acidification. Little research focus is currently placed on those organisms/taxa that might be less vulnerable to the anticipated changes in ocean chemistry; this is unfortunate, as the comparison of more vulnerable to more tolerant physiotypes could provide us with those physiological traits that are crucial for ecological success in a future ocean. Here, we attempt to summarize some ontogenetic and lifestyle traits that lead to an increased tolerance towards high environmental pCO2. In general, marine ectothermic metazoans with an extensive extracellular fluid volume may be less vulnerable to future acidification as their cells are already exposed to much higher pCO2 values (0.1 to 0.4 kPa, ca. 1000 to 3900 μatm) than those of unicellular organisms and gametes, for which the ocean (0.04 kPa, ca. 400 μatm) is the extracellular space. A doubling in environmental pCO2 therefore only represents a 10% change in extracellular pCO2 in some marine teleosts. High extracellular pCO2 values are to some degree related to high metabolic rates, as diffusion gradients need to be high in order to excrete an amount of CO2 that is directly proportional to the amount of O2 consumed. In active metazoans, such as teleost fish, cephalopods and many brachyuran crustaceans, exercise induced increases in metabolic rate require an efficient ion-regulatory machinery for CO2 excretion and acid-base regulation, especially when anaerobic metabolism is involved and metabolic protons leak into the extracellular space. These ion-transport systems, which are located in highly developed gill epithelia, form the basis for efficient compensation of pH disturbances during exposure to elevated environmental pCO2. Compensation of extracellular acid-base status in turn may be important in avoiding metabolic depression. So far, maintained "performance" at higher seawater pCO2 (〉0.3 to 0.6 kPa) has only been observed in adults/juveniles of active, high metabolic species with a powerful ion regulatory apparatus. However, while some of these taxa are adapted to cope with elevated pCO2 during their regular embryonic development, gametes, zygotes and early embryonic stages, which lack specialized ion-regulatory epithelia, may be the true bottleneck for ecological success – even of the more tolerant taxa. Our current understanding of which marine animal taxa will be affected adversely in their physiological and ecological fitness by projected scenarios of anthropogenic ocean acidification is quite incomplete. While a growing amount of empirical evidence from CO2 perturbation experiments suggests that several taxa might react quite sensitively to ocean acidification, others seem to be surprisingly tolerant. However, there is little mechanistic understanding on what physiological traits are responsible for the observed differential sensitivities (see reviews of Seibel and Walsh, 2003; Pörtner et al., 2004; Fabry et al., 2008; Pörtner, 2008). This leads us to the first very basic question of how to define general CO2 tolerance on the species level.

Description: Since the seminal paper of Redfield (1934), constant stoichiometric elemental ratios linking biotic carbon and nutrient fluxes are often assumed in marine biogeochemistry, and especially in coupled biogeochemical circulation models, to couple the global oxygen, carbon and nutrient cycles. However, when looking in more detail, some deviations from the classical Redfield stoichiometry have been reported, in particular with respect to remineralization of organic matter changing with depth or with ambient oxygen levels. We here compare the assumptions about the stoichiometry of organic matter and its remineralization that are used explicitly and implicitly in common biogeochemical ocean models. We find that the implicit assumptions made about the hydrogen content of organic matter can lead to inconsistencies in the modeled remineralization and denitrification stoichiometries. It is suggested that future marine biogeochemical models explicitly state the chemical composition assumed for the organic matter, including its oxygen and hydrogen content.

Description: Data on carbon and carbon-relevant hydrographic and hydrochemical parameters from previously non-publicly available cruise data sets in the Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean have been retrieved and merged to a new database: CARINA (CARbon IN the Atlantic). These data have gone through rigorous quality control (QC) procedures to assure the highest possible quality and consistency. The data for most of the measured parameters in the CARINA data base were objectively examined in order to quantify systematic differences in the reported values, i.e. secondary quality control. Systematic biases found in the data have been corrected in the data products, i.e. three merged data files with measured, calculated and interpolated data for each of the three CARINA regions; Arctic Mediterranean Seas, Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Out of a total of 188 cruise entries in the CARINA database, 98 were conducted in the Atlantic Ocean and of these 84 cruises report nitrate values, 79 silicate, and 78 phosphate. Here we present details of the secondary QC for nutrients for the Atlantic Ocean part of CARINA. Procedures of quality control, including crossover analysis between cruises and inversion analysis of all crossover data are briefly described. Adjustments were applied to the nutrient values for 43 of the cruises in the Atlantic Ocean region. With these adjustments the CARINA database is consistent both internally as well as with GLODAP data, an oceanographic data set based on the World Hydrographic Program in the 1990s (Key et al., 2004). Based on our analysis we estimate the internal accuracy of the CARINA-ATL nutrient data to be: nitrate 1.5%; phosphate 2.6%; silicate 3.1%. The CARINA data are now suitable for accurate assessments of, for example, oceanic carbon inventories and uptake rates and for model validation.

Description: Four Paraeuchaeta species and three aetideids were frequently encountered along 51°30′S in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. Paraeuchaeta antarctica was most abundant close to the Antarctic Polar Front. Within the genera Paraeuchaeta and Gaetanus, congeners usually partitioned the water column. Euchaetidae had high lipid (≤37% dry mass, DM in adult females) and wax ester contents (≤22% DM). Fatty acid composition of Paraeuchaeta spp. was dominated by monounsaturated moieties, especially 16:1(n-7) and 18:1(n-9), while fatty alcohols were mainly saturated. Surprisingly, only the bathypelagic P. barbata contained moderate amounts of 20:1(n-9) and 22:1(n-11) fatty acids (≤14%) and high levels of the respective fatty alcohols (≤50%), generally considered trophic biomarkers for calanid copepods as prey. Thus, herbivorous calanid copepods seem to be a readily available prey source at bathypelagic depths, indicating that their seasonal vertical migration provides a “trophic shortcut” from primary production at the surface to the interior of the ocean. Aetideidae also contained substantial levels of total lipid (14–36% DM), but wax esters contributed only up to 12% DM in copepodite stages C5 of Gaetanus spp., whereas other stages of Gaetanus and Aetideopsis minor only contained ≤6% DM of wax esters. The fatty acid compositions of Aetideidae were more balanced with 16:0, 18:1(n-9), 20:5(n-3), and 22:6(n-3) as important components, indicating a generally omnivorous feeding behaviour.

Description: Bacteria associated with the marine macroalga Laminaria saccharina, collected from the Kiel Fjord (Baltic Sea, Germany), were isolated and tested for antimicrobial activity. From a total of 210 isolates, 103 strains inhibited the growth of at least one microorganism from the test panel including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as a yeast. Most common profiles were the inhibition of Bacillus subtilis only (30%), B. subtilis and Staphylococcus lentus (25%), and B. subtilis, S. lentus, and Candida albicans (11%). In summary, the antibiotic-active isolates covered 15 different activity patterns suggesting various modes of action. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities >99%, 45 phylotypes were defined, which were classified into 21 genera belonging to Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that four isolates possibly represent novel species or even genera. In conclusion, L. saccharina represents a promising source for the isolation of new bacterial taxa and antimicrobially active bacteria.

Description: Highly accurate and precise measurements of marine carbon components are required in the study of the marine carbon cycle, particularly when investigating the causes for its variability from seasonal to interannual timescales. This is especially true in the investigation of the consequences of anthropogenic influences. The analysis of any marine carbon component requires elaborate instrumentation, most of which is currently used onboard ships, either in manual or automated mode. Technological developments result in more and more instruments that have sufficient long-term reliability so that they can be deployed on commercial ships, surface moorings, and buoys, whilst the great technological and operational challenges mean that only few sensors have been developed that can be used for sub-surface in situ measurements on floats, robots, or gliders. There is a special need for autonomous instruments and sensors that are able to measure a combination of different components, in order to increase the spatial and temporal coverage of marine carbon data. This paper describes analytical techniques used for the measurement of the marine dissolved carbon components, both inorganic and organic: the fugacity of CO2, total dissolved inorganic carbon, pH, alkalinity, and dissolved organic carbon. By pointing out advantages, disadvantages, and/or challenges of the techniques employed in the analysis of each component, we aim to aid non-carbon marine scientists, sensor developers and technologists, in the decision of which challenges to address in further development.

Description: The sensitivity of oceanic CO2 uptake to alterations in the marine biological carbon pump, such as brought about by natural or purposeful ocean fertilization, has repeatedly been investigated by studies employing numerical biogeochemical ocean models. It is shown here that the results of such ocean-centered studies are very sensitive to the assumption made about the response of the carbon reservoirs on the atmospheric side of the sea surface. Assumptions made include prescribed atmospheric pCO2, an interactive atmospheric CO2 pool exchanging carbon with the ocean but not with the terrestrial biosphere, and an interactive atmosphere that exchanges carbon with both oceanic and terrestrial carbon pools. The impact of these assumptions on simulated annual to millennial oceanic carbon uptake is investigated for a hypothetical increase in the C:N ratio of the biological pump and for an idealized enhancement of phytoplankton growth. Compared to simulations with interactive atmosphere, using prescribed atmospheric pCO2 overestimates the sensitivity of the oceanic CO2 uptake to changes in the biological pump, by about 2%, 25%, 100%, and 〉500% on annual, decadal, centennial, and millennial timescales, respectively. The smaller efficiency of the oceanic carbon uptake under an interactive atmosphere is due to the back flux of CO2 that occurs when atmospheric CO2 is reduced. Adding an interactive terrestrial carbon pool to the atmosphere-ocean model system has a small effect on annual timescales, but increases the simulated fertilization-induced oceanic carbon uptake by about 4%, 50%, and 100% on decadal, centennial, and millennial timescales, respectively, for pCO2 sensitivities of the terrestrial carbon storage in the middle range of the C4MIP models (Friedlingstein et al., 2006). For such sensitivities, a substantial fraction of oceanic carbon uptake induced by natural or purposeful ocean fertilization originates, on timescales longer than decades, not from the atmosphere but from the terrestrial biosphere.

Description: The oncaeid genus Epicalymma comprises small copepod species usually living at meso- and bathypelagic depth layers in oceanic areas. The genus had previously been assumed to be absent from the Red Sea, due to the unusually high deep-sea temperatures and salinities in this area. In the present account a new species, Epicalymma bulbosa, is described from the Red Sea, which appears to be the only representative of the genus in the region. The new species is the smallest Epicalymma species so far recorded, with a total body length of ∼0.32 and ∼0.29 mm in the female and male, respectively. Apart from its small size, it differs from all known Epicalymma species by an extremely long exopodal seta on P5 in both sexes, and by a free exopod segment of P5 and a very long and basally swollen spinule on the syncoxa of the maxilliped in the female. In contrast to other Epicalymma species, which are distributed between 500 and 〉2500 m depth, the new species occurred much shallower (100–750 m) in the Red Sea, which may be interpretated as an avoidance mechanism of the unfavourable environmental conditions in the deep Red Sea. The taxonomic status of the new species within the genus Epicalymma is discussed and the few available ecological data on Epicalymma species in the world ocean are summarized.

Description: Monomethylamine (MA), dimethylamine (DMA) and diethylamine (DEA) were detected at non-negligible concentrations in sub-micrometer particles at the Cap Verde Atmospheric Observatory (CVAO) located on the island of São Vicente in Cape Verde during algal blooms in 2007. The concentrations of these amines in five stage impactor samples ranged from 0–30 pg m−3 for MA, 130–360 pg m−3 for DMA and 5–110 pg m−3 for DEA during the spring bloom in May 2007 and 2–520 pg m−3 for MA, 100–1400 pg m−3 for DMA and 90–760 pg m−3 for DEA during an unexpected winter algal bloom in December 2007. Anomalously high Saharan dust deposition and intensive ocean layer deepening were found at the Atmospheric Observatory and the associated Ocean Observatory during algal bloom periods. The highest amine concentrations in fine particles (impactor stage 2, 0.14–0.42 μm) indicate that amines are likely taken up from the gas phase into the acidic sub-micrometer particles. The contribution of amines to the organic carbon (OC) content ranged from 0.2–2.5% C in the winter months, indicating the importance of this class of compounds to the carbon cycle in the marine environment. Furthermore, aliphatic amines originating from marine biological sources likely contribute significantly to the nitrogen content in the marine atmosphere. The average contribution of the amines to the detected nitrogen species in sub-micrometer particles can be non-negligible, especially in the winter months (0.1% N–1.5% N in the sum of nitrate, ammonium and amines). This indicates that these smaller aliphatic amines can be important for the carbon and the nitrogen cycles in the remote marine environment.

Description: The surface ocean absorbs large quantities of the CO2 emitted to the atmosphere from human activities. As this CO2 dissolves in seawater, it reacts to form carbonic acid. While this phenomenon, called ocean acidification, has been found to adversely affect many calcifying organisms, some photosynthetic organisms appear to benefit from increasing [CO2]. Among these is the cyanobacterium Trichodesmium, a predominant diazotroph (nitrogen-fixing) in large parts of the oligotrophic oceans, which responded with increased carbon and nitrogen fixation at elevated pCO2. With the mechanism underlying this CO2 stimulation still unknown, the question arises whether this is a common response of diazotrophic cyanobacteria. In this study we therefore investigate the physiological response of Nodularia spumigena, a heterocystous bloom-forming diazotroph of the Baltic Sea, to CO2-induced changes in seawater carbonate chemistry. N. spumigena reacted to seawater acidification/carbonation with reduced cell division rates and nitrogen fixation rates, accompanied by significant changes in carbon and phosphorus quota and elemental composition of the formed biomass. Possible explanations for the contrasting physiological responses of Nodularia compared to Trichodesmium may be found in the different ecological strategies of non-heterocystous (Trichodesmium) and heterocystous (Nodularia) cyanobacteria.

Description: Daily timeseries of the meridional overturning circulation (MOC) estimated from the UK/US RAPID/MOCHA array at 26.5° N in the Atlantic are used to evaluate the MOC as simulated in two global circulation models: (I) an 8-member ensemble of the coupled climate model ECHAM5/MPI-OM, and (II) the ECCO-GODAE state estimate. In ECHAM5/MPI-OM, we find that the observed and simulated MOC have a similar variability and time-mean within the 99% confidence interval. In ECCO-GODAE, we find that the observed and simulated MOC show a significant correlation within the 99% confidence interval. To investigate the contribution of the different transport components, the MOC is decomposed into Florida Current, Ekman and mid-ocean transports. In both models, the mid-ocean transport is closely approximated by the residual of the MOC minus Florida Current and Ekman transports. As the models conserve volume by definition, future comparisons of the RAPID/MOCHA mid-ocean transport should be done against the residual transport in the models. The similarity in the variance and the correlation between the RAPID/MOCHA, and respectively ECHAM5/MPI-OM and ECCO-GODAE MOC estimates at 26.5° N is encouraging in the context of estimating (natural) variability in climate simulations and its use in climate change signal-to-noise detection analyses. Enhanced confidence in simulated hydrographic and transport variability will require longer observational time series.

Description: Offshore south central Chile (35° S–42° S), the morphology of the lowermost continental slope and trench floor witnesses a voluminous submarine mass-wasting event. The blocky slide body deposited in the Chile Trench at 73°46´ W 35°35´ S was targeted for study during RRS JAMES COOK Cruise JC23 and termed Reloca Slide. Its size of about 24 km3, its steep and high headscarp, the spatial distribution of slide deposits and the cohesive nature of major slide blocks make it interesting to address the issue of tsunami generation. We have obtained seismic reflection data that partly reveal the internal structure of the slide body. Gravity core samples were retrieved that will allow the slide to be dated and linked to the history of sedimentation and slope stability along this particular segment of the Chilean convergent margin. At present we assume a Holocene age for the sliding event.

Description: The ENVISAT validation programme for the atmospheric instruments MIPAS, SCIAMACHY and GOMOS is based on a number of balloon-borne, aircraft, satellite and ground-based correlative measurements. In particular the activities of validation scientists were coordinated by ESA within the ENVISAT Stratospheric Aircraft and Balloon Campaign or ESABC. As part of a series of similar papers on other species [this issue] and in parallel to the contribution of the individual validation teams, the present paper provides a synthesis of comparisons performed between MIPAS CH4 and N2O profiles produced by the current ESA operational software (Instrument Processing Facility version 4.61 or IPF v4.61, full resolution MIPAS data covering the period 9 July 2002 to 26 March 2004) and correlative measurements obtained from balloon and aircraft experiments as well as from satellite sensors or from ground-based instruments. In the middle stratosphere, no significant bias is observed between MIPAS and correlative measurements, and MIPAS is providing a very consistent and global picture of the distribution of CH4 and N2O in this region. In average, the MIPAS CH4 values show a small positive bias in the lower stratosphere of about 5%. A similar situation is observed for N2O with a positive bias of 4%. In the lower stratosphere/upper troposphere (UT/LS) the individual used MIPAS data version 4.61 still exhibits some unphysical oscillations in individual CH4 and N2O profiles caused by the processing algorithm (with almost no regularization). Taking these problems into account, the MIPAS CH4 and N2O profiles are behaving as expected from the internal error estimation of IPF v4.61 and the estimated errors of the correlative measurements.

Description: A one-dimensional model of Fe speciation and biogeochemistry, coupled with the General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM) and a NPZD-type ecosystem model, is applied for the Tropical Eastern North Atlantic Time-Series Observatory (TENATSO) site. Among diverse processes affecting Fe speciation, this study is focusing on investigating the role of dust particles in removing dissolved iron (DFe) by a more complex description of particle aggregation and sinking, and explaining the abundance of organic Fe-binding ligands by modelling their origin and fate. The vertical distribution of different particle classes in the model shows high sensitivity to changing aggregation rates. Using the aggregation rates from the sensitivity study in this work, modelled particle fluxes are close to observations, with dust particles dominating near the surface and aggregates deeper in the water column. POC export at 1000 m is a little higher than regional sediment trap measurements, suggesting further improvement of modelling particle aggregation, sinking or remineralisation. Modelled strong ligands have a high abundance near the surface and decline rapidly below the deep chlorophyll maximum, showing qualitative similarity to observations. Without production of strong ligands, phytoplankton concentration falls to 0 within the first 2 years in the model integration, caused by strong Fe-limitation. A nudging of total weak ligands towards a constant value is required for reproducing the observed nutrient-like profiles, assuming a decay time of 7 years for weak ligands. This indicates that weak ligands have a longer decay time and therefore cannot be modelled adequately in a one-dimensional model. The modelled DFe profile is strongly influenced by particle concentration and vertical distribution, because the most important removal of DFe in deeper waters is colloid formation and aggregation. Redissolution of particulate iron is required to reproduce an observed DFe profile at TENATSO site. Assuming colloidal iron is mainly composed of inorganic colloids, the modelled colloidal to soluble iron ratio is lower that observations, indicating the importance of organic colloids.

Description: Whereas the predominance of El Nio Southern Oscillation (ENSO) mode in the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) variability is well established, no such consensus seems to have been reached by climate scientists regarding the Indian Ocean. While a number of researchers think that the Indian Ocean SST variability is dominated by an active dipolar-type mode of variability, similar to ENSO, others suggest that the variability is mostly passive and behaves like an autocorrelated noise. For example, it is suggested recently that the Indian Ocean SST variability is consistent with the null hypothesis of a homogeneous diffusion process. However, the existence of the basin-wide warming trend represents a deviation from a homogeneous diffusion process, which needs to be considered. An efficient way of detrending, based on differencing, is introduced and applied to the Hadley Centre ice and SST. The filtered SST anomalies over the basin (23.5N-29.5S, 30.5E-119.5E) are then analysed and found to be inconsistent with the null hypothesis on intraseasonal and interannual timescales. The same differencing method is then applied to the smaller tropical Indian Ocean domain. This smaller domain is also inconsistent with the null hypothesis on intraseasonal and interannual timescales. In particular, it is found that the leading mode of variability yields the Indian Ocean dipole, and departs significantly from the null hypothesis only in the autumn season.

Description: The Rapid instrument array across the Atlantic Ocean along 26 degrees N provides unprecedented monitoring of the basin-scale circulation. A unique feature of the Rapid array is the combination of full-depth moorings with instruments measuring temperature, salinity, pressure time series at many depths with co-located bottom pressure measurements so that dynamic pressure can be measured from surface to bottom. Bottom pressure measurements show a zonally uniform rise (and fall) of bottom pressure of 0.015 dbar on a 5 to 10 day time scale, suggesting that the Atlantic basin is filling and draining on a short time scale. After removing the zonally uniform bottom pressure fluctuations, bottom pressure variations at 4000 m depth against the western boundary compensate instantaneously for baroclinic fluctuations in the strength and structure of the deep western boundary current so there is no basin-scale mass imbalance resulting from variations in the deep western boundary current. After removing the mass compensating bottom pressure, residual bottom pressure fluctuations at the western boundary just east of the Bahamas balance variations in Gulf Stream transport. Again the compensation appears to be especially confined close to the western boundary. Thus, fluctuations in either Gulf Stream or deep western boundary current transports are compensated in a depth independent (barotropic) manner very close to the continental slope off the Bahamas. In contrast, compensation for variations in wind-driven surface Ekman transport appears to involve fluctuations in both western basin and eastern basin bottom pressures, though the bottom pressure difference fluctuations appear to be a factor of 3 too large, perhaps due to an inability to resolve small bottom pressure fluctuations after removal of larger zonal average, baroclinic, and Gulf Stream pressure components. For 4 tall moorings where time series dynamic height (geostrophic pressure) profiles can be estimated from sea surface to ocean bottom and bottom pressure can be added, there is no general correlation between surface dynamic height and bottom pressure. Dynamic height on each mooring is strongly correlated with sea surface height from satellite observations and the variability in both dynamic height and satellite sea surface height decrease sharply as the western boundary is approached.

Description: Iron chemistry measurements were conducted during summer 2007 at two distinct locations in the Baltic Sea (Gotland Deep and Landsort Deep) to evaluate the role of iron for cyanobacterial bloom development in these estuarine waters. Depth profiles of Fe(II) were measured by chemiluminescent flow injection analysis (CL-FIA). Up to 0.9 nmol Fe(II) L−1 were detected in light penetrated surface waters, which constitutes up to 20% to the dissolved Fe pool. This bioavailable iron source is a major contributor to the Fe requirements of Baltic Sea phytoplankton and apparently plays a major role for cyanobacterial bloom development during our study. Measured Fe(II) half life times in oxygenated water exceed predicted values and indicate organic Fe(II) complexation. Potential sources for Fe(II) ligands, including rainwater, are discussed. Fe(II) concentrations of up to 1.44 nmol L−1 were detected at water depths below the euphotic zone, but above the oxic anoxic interface. Mixed layer depths after strong wind events are not deep enough in summer time to penetrate the oxic-anoxic boundary layer. However, Fe(II) from anoxic bottom water may enter the sub-oxic zone via diapycnal mixing and diffusion.

Description: A thermobarometric and petrologic study of basanites erupted from young volcanic cones along the submarine portions of the three El Hierro rift zones (NE-Rift, NW-Rift and S-Ridge) has been performed to reconstruct magma plumbing and storage beneath the island. Mineral-melt thermobarometry applied to naturally quenched glass and clinopyroxene rims yields pressures ranging from 350 to 1070 MPa with about 80% of the calculated pressures being in the range of 600–800 MPa. This corresponds to a depth range of 19–26 km, implying that the main level of final crystal fractionation is within the uppermost mantle. No systematic dependence between sample locality and fractionation pressures could be observed. Olivine and clinopyroxene crystals in the rocks are complexly zoned and have, on an inter-sample as well as on an intra-sample scale, highly variable core and rim compositions. This can best be explained by mixing of multiply saturated (olivine, magnetite, clinopyroxene, ilmenite), moderately evolved magmas with more mafic magmas being either only saturated with olivine + spinel or with olivine + spinel + clinopyroxene. The inter-sample differences indicate derivation from small, isolated magma chambers which have undergone distinct fractionation and mixing histories. This is in contrast to oceanic intraplate volcanoes situated on plumes with high melt supply rates, e.g. Kilauea Volcano (Hawaii), where magma is mainly transported through a central conduit system and stored in a shallow magma chamber prior to injection into the rift zones. The plumbing system beneath El Hierro rather resembles the magma storage systems beneath, e.g. Madeira or La Palma, indicating that small, intermittent magma chambers might be a common feature of oceanic islands fed by plumes with relatively low fluxes, which results in only limited and periodic magma supply.

Description: The Fontana Lapilli deposit was erupted in the late Pleistocene from a vent, or multiple vents, located near Masaya volcano (Nicaragua) and is the product of one of the largest basaltic Plinian eruptions studied so far. This eruption evolved from an initial sequence of fluctuating fountain-like events and moderately explosive pulses to a sustained Plinian episode depositing fall beds of highly vesicular basaltic-andesite scoria (SiO2 〉 53 wt%). Samples show unimodal grain size distribution and a moderate sorting that are uniform in time. The juvenile component predominates (〉 96 wt%) and consists of vesicular clasts with both sub-angular and fluidal, elongated shapes. We obtain a maximum plume height of 32 km and an associated mass eruption rate of 1.4 × 108 kg s−1 for the Plinian phase. Estimates of erupted volume are strongly sensitive to the technique used for the calculation and to the distribution of field data. Our best estimate for the erupted volume of the majority of the climactic Plinian phase is between 2.9 and 3.8 km3 and was obtained by applying a power-law fitting technique with different integration limits. The estimated eruption duration varies between 4 and 6 h. Marine-core data confirm that the tephra thinning is better fitted by a power-law than by an exponential trend.

Description: Harzburgitic xenoliths cut by pyroxenite veins from Avachinsky volcano, Kamchatka, are derived from the sub-arc mantle and record element transfer from the slab to the arc. Olivine and orthopyroxene in the harzburgites have Li isotopic compositions (δ7Li = +2.8 to +5.6) comparable to estimates of the upper mantle (δ7Li ~ +4 ± 2). The pyroxenite veins, which represent modal metasomatism and may therefore provide information about the metasomatic agent, have mantle-normalized trace element characteristics that suggest overprinting of their mantle source by an aqueous, slab-derived fluid. These include relative enrichments of Pb over Ce, U over Th and Sr over Nd. Li is enriched relative to the HREE, and ortho- and clinopyroxene from the veins are in Li elemental and isotopic equilibrium with each other and the surrounding harzburgite. Vein samples (δ7Li = +3.0 to +5.0) do not record a significant slab-derived δ7Li signature. These observations can be reconciled if slab Li diffusively re-equilibrates in the mantle wedge. Modeling demonstrates that Li equilibration of small (1–2 cm width) veins or melt conduits is achieved at mantle wedge temperatures within 101–105 years. We conclude that strongly fractionated Li isotopic signatures cannot be sustained for long periods in the sub-arc mantle, at least at shallow (〈70 km) depths.

Description: The Mediterranean Sea is located in a crossroad of mid-latitude and subtropical climatic modes that enhance contrasting environmental conditions over both latitudinal and longitudinal ranges. Here, we show that the large-scale environmental forcing is reflected in the basin scale trends of the adult population of the calanoid copepod Centropages typicus. The species is distributed over the whole Mediterranean basin, and maximal abundances were found in the north-western basin associated to oceanic fronts, and in the Adriatic Sea associated to shallow and semi enclosed waters. The peak of main abundances of C. typicus correlates with the latitudinal temperature gradient and the highest seasonal abundances occurred in spring within the 14-18A degrees C temperature window. Such thermal cline may define the latitudinal geographic region where C. typicus seasonally dominates the > 200 mu m-sized spring copepod community in the Mediterranean Sea. The approach used here is generally applicable to investigate the large-scale spatial patterns of other planktonic organisms and to identify favourable environmental windows for population development.

Description: New geochemical data from the Cocos Plate constrain the composition of the input into the Central American subduction zone and demonstrate the extent of influence of the Galapagos Hotspot on the Cocos Plate. Samples include sediments and basalts from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1256 outboard of Nicaragua, gabbroic sills from ODP Sites 1039 and 1040, tholeiitic glasses from the Fisher Ridge off northwest Costa Rica, and basalts from the Galapagos Hotspot Track outboard of Central Costa Rica. Site 1256 basalts range from normal to enriched MORB in incompatible elements and have Pb and Nd isotopic compositions within the East Pacific Rise MORB field. The sediments have similar Pb-206/Pb-204 and only slightly more radiogenic Pb-207/Pb-204 and Pb-208/Pb-204 isotope ratios than the basalts. Altered samples from the subducting Galapagos Hotspot Track have similar Nd and Pb isotopic compositions to fresh Galapagos samples but have significantly higher Sr isotopic composition, indicating that the subduction input will have a distinct geochemical signature from Galapagos-type mantle material that may be present in the wedge beneath Costa Rica. Gabbroic sills from Sites 1039 and 1040 in East Pacific Rise (EPR) crust show evidence for influence of the Galapagos Hotspot similar to 100 km beyond the morphological hotspot track

Description: Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) through human activities and invasion of anthropogenic CO2 into the surface ocean alters the seawater carbonate chemistry, increasing CO2 and bicarbonate (HCO3−) at the expense of carbonate ion (CO32−) concentrations. This redistribution in the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) pool decreases pH and carbonate saturation state (Ω). Several components of the carbonate system are considered potential key variables influencing for instance calcium carbonate precipitation in marine calcifiers such as coccolithophores, foraminifera, corals, mollusks and echinoderms. Unravelling the sensitivities of marine organisms and ecosystems to CO2 induced ocean acidification (OA) requires well-controlled experimental setups and accurate carbonate system manipulations. Here we describe and analyse the chemical changes involved in the two basic approaches for carbonate chemistry manipulation, i.e. changing DIC at constant total alkalinity (TA) and changing TA at constant DIC. Furthermore, we briefly introduce several methods to experimentally manipulate DIC and TA. Finally, we examine responses obtained with both approaches using published results for the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi. We conclude that under most experimental conditions in the context of ocean acidification DIC and TA manipulations yield similar changes in all parameters of the carbonate system, which implies direct comparability of data obtained with the two basic approaches for CO2 perturbation.

Description: Air/sea fluxes of dimethylsulfide (DMS) were measured by eddy correlation over the Eastern South Pacific Ocean during January 2006. The cruise track extended from Manzanillo, Mexico, along 110° W, to Punta Arenas, Chile. Bulk air and surface ocean DMS levels were also measured and gas transfer coefficients (kDMS) were computed. Air and seawater DMS measurements were made using chemical ionization mass spectrometry (API-CIMS) and a gas/liquid membrane equilibrator. Mean surface seawater DMS concentrations were 3.8±2.2 nM and atmospheric mixing ratios were 340±370 ppt. The air/sea flux of DMS was uniformly out of the ocean, with an average value of 12±15 μmol m‑2 d‑1. Sea surface concentration and flux were highest around 15° S, in a region influenced by shelf waters and lowest around 25° S, in low chlorophyll gyre waters. The DMS gas transfer coefficient exhibited a linear wind speed-dependence over the wind speed range of 1 to 9 m s‑1. This relationship is compared with previously measured estimates of k from DMS, CO2, and dual tracer data from the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, and with the NOAA/COARE gas transfer model. The model generated slope of k vs. wind speed is at the low end of those observed in previous DMS field studies.

Description: In the CARINA (Carbon dioxide in the Atlantic Ocean) project, a new dataset with many previously unpublished hydrographic data from the Atlantic, Arctic and Southern Ocean was assembled and subjected to careful quality control (QC) procedures. Here, we present the dissolved oxygen measurements in the Atlantic region of the dataset and describe in detail the secondary QC procedures that aim to ensure that the data are internally consistent. This is achieved by a cross-over analysis, i.e. the comparison of deep ocean data at places that were sampled by different cruises at different times. Initial adjustments to the individual cruises were then determined by an inverse procedure that computes a set of adjustments that requires the minimum amount of adjustment and at the same time reduces the offsets in an optimal manner. The initial adjustments were then reviewed by the CARINA members, and only those that passed the following two criteria were adopted: (i) the region is not subject to substantial temporal variability, and (ii) the adjustment must be based on at least three stations from each cruise. No adjustment was recommended for cruises that did not fit these criteria. The final CARINA-Oxygen dataset has 103414 oxygen samples from 9491 stations obtained during 98 cruises covering three decades. The sampling density of the oxygen data is particularly good in the North Atlantic north of about 40° N especially after 1987. In contrast, the sample density in the South Atlantic is much lower. Some cruises appear to have poor data quality, and were subsequently omitted from the adjusted dataset. Of the data included in the adjusted dataset, 20% were adjusted with a mean adjustment of 2%. Due to the achieved internal consistency, the resulting product is well suited to produce an improved climatology or to study long-term changes in the oxygen content of the ocean. However, the adjusted dataset is not necessarily better suited than the unadjusted data to address questions that require a high level of accuracy, such as the computation of the saturation state.

Description: Environmentally induced change appears to be impacting the recruitment of North Sea herring (Clupea harengus). Despite simultaneously having a large adult population, historically low exploitation, and Marine Stewardship Council accreditation (implying sustainability), there have been an unprecedented 6 sequential years of poor juvenile production (recruitment). Analysis suggests that the poor recruitment arises during the larval overwintering phase, with recent survival rates greatly reduced. Contemporary warming of the North Sea has caused significant changes in the plankton community, and a recently identified regime shift around 2000 shows close temporal agreement with the reduced larval survival. It is, therefore, possible that we are observing the first consequences of this planktonic change for higher trophic levels. There is no indication of a recovery in recruitment in the short term. Fishing mortality is currently outside the agreed management plan, and forecasts show a high risk of the stock moving outside safe biological limits soon, potentially precipitating another collapse of the stock. However, bringing the realized fishing mortality back in line with the management plan would likely alleviate the problem. This illustrates again that recruitment is influenced by more than just spawning-stock biomass, and that changes in other factors can be of equal, or even greater, importance. In such dynamically changing environments, recent management success does not necessarily guarantee future sustainability.

Description: The detection of cloudiness is investigated by means of partial and total cloud amount estimations from pyrgeometer radiation measurements and visible all-sky imager observations. The measurements have been performed in Westerland, a seaside resort on the North Sea island of Sylt, Germany, during summer 2005. An improvement to previous studies on this subject resulting in the first time partial cloud amounts (PCAs), defined as cloud amounts without high clouds calculated from longwave downward radiation (LDR) according to the APCADA algorithm (Dürr and Philipona, 2004), are validated against both human observations from the National Meteorological Servive DWD at the nearby airport of Sylt and digital all-sky imaging. The aim is to establish the APCADA scheme at a coastal midlatitude site for longterm observations of cloud cover and to quantify errors resulting from the different methods of detecting cloudiness. Differences between the resulting total cloud amounts (TCAs), defined as cloud amount for all-cloud situations, derived from the camera images and from human observations are within ±1 octa in 72% and within ±2 octa in 85% of the cases. Compared to human observations, PCA measurements, according to APCADA, underestimate the observed cloud cover in 47% of all cases and the differences are within ±1 octa in 60% and ±2 octa in 74% of all cases. Since high cirrus clouds can not be derived from LDR, separate comparisons for all cases without high clouds have been performed showing an agreement within ±1(2) octa in 73(90)% for PCA and also for camera-derived TCA. For this coastal mid-latitude site under investigation, we find similar though slightly smaller agreements to human observations as reported by Dürr and Philipona (2004). Though limited to daytime, the cloud cover retrievals from the sky imager are not really affected by cirrus clouds and provide a more reliable cloud climatology for all-cloud conditions than APCADA.

Description: Requirements for understanding the relationships between ocean color and suspended and dissolved materials within the water column, and a rapidly emerging photonics and materials technology base for performing optical based analytical techniques have generated a diverse offering of commercial sensors and research prototypes that perform optical measurements in water. Through inversion, these tools are now being used to determine a diverse set of related biogeochemical and physical parameters. Techniques engaged include measurement of the solar radiance distribution, absorption, scattering, stimulated fluorescence, flow cytometry, and various spectroscopy methods. Selective membranes and other techniques for material isolation further enhance specificity, leading to sensors for measurement of dissolved oxygen, methane, carbon dioxide, common nutrients and a variety of other parameters. Scientists are using these measurements to infer information related to an increasing set of parameters and wide range of applications over relevant scales in space and time.

Description: We propose that the exploitation of the bioactive properties of secondary metabolites (SMs) by animals can provide a “treatment” against various challenges that perturb homeostasis in animals. The unified theoretical framework for the exploitation of SMs by animals is based on a synthesis of research from a wide range of fields and although it is focused on providing generalized predictions for herbivores that exploit SMs of plants, predictions can be applied to understand the exploitation of SMs by many animals. In this review, we argue that the probability of SM exploitation is determined by the relative difference between the cost of a homeostatic challenge and the toxicity of the SM and we provide various predictions that can be made when considering behavior under a homeostatic perspective. The notion that animals experience and respond to costly challenges by exploiting therapeutic SMs provides a relatively novel perspective to explain foraging behavior in herbivores, specifically, and behavior of animals in general. We provide evidence that animals can exploit the biological activity of SMs to mitigate the costs of infection by parasites, enhance reproduction, moderate thermoregulation, avoid predation, and increase alertness. We stress that a better understanding of animal behavior requires that ecologists look beyond their biases that SMs elicit punishment and consider a broader view of avoidance or selection of SMs relative to the homeostatic state. Finally, we explain how understanding exploitation of SMs by animals could be applied to advance practices of animal management and lead to discovery of new drugs.

Description: The abundance and depth distribution of metazoans 〉20 μm were investigated at seven stations across the Southern Indian Ocean (SIO), October–November 2006. Copepod nauplii, copepodites and larvaceans dominated the metazooplankton community. Copepodites were most abundant within Agulhas Current and Southern Ocean waters, decreasing toward subtropical/tropical areas, whereas larvaceans showed the inverse pattern. The fraction 〈200 μm contained the majority of the zooplankton enumerated, including 81, 23 and 93% of the larvacean, copepodite and nauplii abundances, respectively. The relative abundance of larvaceans compared with copepodites increased from 7 to 44% from South Africa towards Australia. Peak copepodite biomass was observed off South Africa, while larvacean biomass was 〈1% of the copepodite biomass there, increasing to 6% in tropical waters. Both copepodite and nauplii biomass were positively correlated to total Chl a (P 〈 0.0001), larvacean biomass was only significantly related to temperature (P = 0.0213). Despite their low biomass, larvacean production was estimated to exceed the copepod production up to five times. It appears that the abundance and role of larvaceans in the SIO has been severely underestimated in previous studies; thus future investigations into the fate of organic matter will remain incomplete if this group is not adequately considered.

Description: The Gakkel Ridge in the Arctic Ocean with its adjacent Nansen and Amundsen Basins is a key region for the study of mantle melting and crustal generation at ultraslow spreading rates. We use free-air gravity anomalies in combination with seismic reflection and wide-angle data to compute 2-D crustal models for the Nansen and Amundsen Basins in the Arctic Ocean. Despite the permanent pack-ice cover two geophysical transects cross both entire basins. This means that the complete basin geometry of the world’s slowest spreading system can be analysed in detail for the first time. Applying standard densities for the sediments and oceanic crystalline crust, the gravity models reveal an unexpected heterogeneous mantle with densities of 3.30 × 103, 3.20 × 103 and 3.10 × 103 kg/m3 near the Gakkel Ridge. We interpret that the upper mantle heterogeneity mainly results from serpentinisation and thermal effects. The thickness of the oceanic crust is highly variable throughout both transects. Crustal thickness of less than 1 km dominates in the oldest parts of both basins, increasing to a maximum value of 6 km near the Gakkel Ridge. Along-axis heat flow is highly variable and heat flow amplitudes resemble those observed at fast or intermediate spreading ridges. Unexpectedly, high heat flow along the Amundsen transect exceeds predicted values from global cooling curves by more than 100%.

Description: Newly isolated strains Bacillus sp. FME 1 and FME 2 were evaluated for the cellulolytic enzymes production during submerged fermentation (SmF) of different substrates including rice husk, Whatman filter paper and cellulose powder CF 11. Extracellular enzyme assays for CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase were examined up to 8 days of submerged fermentation. Among the three substrates, rice husk was the most suitable substrate for higher production of cellulolytic enzymes. Maximum titers of 100, 45, and 3.5 U/mL in respect of CMCase, FPase and β-glucosidase in Bacillus sp. FME 2 were recovered as against 45, 12, and 0.39 U/mL in Bacillus sp. FME 1 respectively, at their respective peak time intervals. Bacillus sp. FME 2 was found to produce higher cellulolytic enzyme activities than Bacillus sp. FME 1.

Description: To determine whether stable isotope measurements of body feathers can be used to investigate the isotopic niche of moulting (inter-nesting) adult seabirds, we examined the stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopic composition of body feathers of breeding wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) from Crozet Islands, southern Indian Ocean. First we showed that the isotopic composition of body feathers was not significantly different from that of wing feathers, being thus a safe alternative to flight feathers whose collection impairs the birds’ flying ability. Second, we looked at the variances in δ13C and δ15N values resulting from the isotopic measurement of a single feather, four different feathers, and a pool of four feathers per bird, to delineate the best isotopic analytical procedure. A two-step protocol is proposed that allows investigating both the intra- and inter-individual components of the niche width of the species. In a first step, isotopic measurements on a single feather per bird are used to define isotopic specialist from isotopic generalist populations. In a second step and for generalist populations only, measurements on additional (three) feathers per bird are used to delineate type A from type B isotopic generalists (Bearhop et al. in J Anim Ecol 73:1007–1012, 2004). Third, from a biological point of view, our data showed different moulting isotopic niches for adult males and females, and also within female wandering albatrosses. Since the isotopic composition of body feathers in this species reflects that of wing feathers, our results suggest that, after validation, body feathers have the potential for investigating the foraging ecology of other Procellariiforms and seabirds during the poorly known inter-nesting period.

Description: A new species of squid, Kondakovia nigmatullini, is described based on two specimens from sub-Antarctic waters of the Southwest Atlantic. The new species is characterised by short, broad, rhombic fins, long rostrum of the gladius (~13% ML); very weak development or absence of longitudinal ridges on the mantle surface; some reticulate folds on mantle surface; 23–27 club hooks; subequal funnel/mantle components of the locking apparatus, and a tricuspid rachidian, with small lateral cusps.

Description: A major role in global methane fluxes has been attributed to the process of anaerobic oxidation of methane, which is performed by consortia of methanotrophic archaea and sulfate reducing bacteria. An important question remains how these very slow growing microorganisms with generation times of 3–7 months respond to natural variations in methane fluxes at cold seeps. Here, we used an experimental flow-through column system filled with cold seep sediments naturally enriched in methanotrophic communities, to test their response to short-term variations in methane and sulfate fluxes. At stable methane and sulfate concentrations of ~2 mM and 28 mM, respectively, we measured constant rates of anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) and sulfide production (SR) for up to 160 days of incubation. When percolated with methane-free medium, the anaerobic methanotrophs ceased to oxidize methane and to produce sulfide. After a starvation phase of 40 days, the addition of methane restored former AOM and SR rates immediately. At methane concentrations between 0–2.3 mM we measured a linear correlation between methane availability, AOM and SR. At constant fluid flow rates of 30 m yr−1, ca. 50% of the methane was consumed by the ANME population at all concentrations tested. Reducing the sulfate concentration from 28 to 1 mM, a decrease in AOM and SR by 35% was observed. Hence, the marine anaerobic methanotrophs (ANME) are capable to consume substantial amounts of methane rising from the subsurface seabed to the hydrosphere over a wide range of fluxes of methane and sulfate.

Description: In order to assess the fidelity of coral Sr/Ca for quantitative reconstructions of sea surface temperature variations, we have generated three monthly Sr/Ca time series from Porites corals from the lagoon of Peros Banhos (71°E, 5°S, Chagos Archipelago). We find that all three coral Sr/Ca time series are well correlated with instrumental records of sea surface temperature (SST) and air temperature. However, the intrinsic variance of the single-core Sr/Ca time series differs from core to core, limiting their use for quantitative estimates of past temperature variations. Averaging the single-core data improves the correlation with instrumental temperature (r 〉 0.7) and allows accurate estimates of interannual temperature variations (~0.35°C or better). All Sr/Ca time series indicate a shift towards warmer temperatures in the mid-1970s, which coincides with the most recent regime shift in the Pacific Ocean. However, the magnitude of the warming inferred from coral Sr/Ca differs from core to core and ranges from 0.26 to 0.75°C. The composite Sr/Ca record from Peros Banhos clearly captures the major climatic signals in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, i.e. the El Niño–southern oscillation and the Pacific decadal oscillation. Moreover, composite Sr/Ca is highly correlated with tropical mean temperatures (r = 0.7), suggesting that coral Sr/Ca time series from the tropical Indian Ocean will contribute to multi-proxy reconstructions of tropical mean temperatures.

Description: Carbonate precipitates recovered from 2,000 m water depth at the Dolgovskoy Mound (Shatsky Ridge, north eastern Black Sea) were studied using mineralogical, geochemical and lipid biomarker analyses. The carbonates differ in shape from simple pavements to cavernous structures with thick microbial mats attached to their lower side and within cavities. Low δ13C values measured on carbonates (−41 to −32‰ V-PDB) and extracted lipid biomarkers indicate that anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) played a crucial role in precipitating these carbonates. The internal structure of the carbonates is dominated by finely laminated coccolith ooze and homogeneous clay layers, both cemented by micritic high-magnesium calcite (HMC), and pure, botryoidal, yellowish low-magnesium calcite (LMC) grown in direct contact to microbial mats. δ18O measurements suggest that the authigenic HMC precipitated in equilibrium with the Black Sea bottom water while the yellowish LMC rims have been growing in slightly 18O-depleted interstitial water. Although precipitated under significantly different environmental conditions, especially with respect to methane availability, all analysed carbonate samples show lipid patterns that are typical for ANME-1 dominated AOM consortia, in the case of the HMC samples with significant contributions of allochthonous components of marine and terrestrial origin, reflecting the hemipelagic nature of the primary sediment.

Description: Amphipods living at the underside of Arctic sea ice are exposed to varying salinities due to freezing and melting, and have to cope with the resulting osmotic stress. Extracellular osmotic and ionic regulation at different salinities, thermal hysteresis, and supercooling points (SCPs) were studied in the under-ice amphipod Apherusa glacialis. The species is euryhaline, capable to regulate hyperosmotically at salinities S R 〈 30 g/kg, and osmoconforms at salinities S R ≥ 30 g/kg. Hyperosmotic regulation is an adaptation to thrive in low-salinity meltwater below the ice. Conforming to the ambient salinity during freezing reduces the risk of internal ice formation. Thermal hysteresis was not observed in the haemolymph of A. glacialis. The SCP of the species was −7.8 ± 1.9°C. Several ions were specifically downregulated ([Mg2+], [SO4 2−]), or upregulated ([K+], [Ca2+]) in comparison to the medium. Strong downregulation of [Mg2+], is probably necessary to avoid an anaesthetic effect at low temperatures.

Description: Ponta de São Lourenço is the deeply eroded eastern end of Madeira’s east–west trending rift zone, located near the geometric intersection of the Madeira rift axis with that of the Desertas Islands to the southeast. It dominantly consists of basaltic pyroclastic deposits from Strombolian and phreatomagmatic eruptions, lava flows, and a dike swarm. Main differences compared to highly productive rift zones such as in Hawai’i are a lower dike intensity (50–60 dikes/km) and the lack of a shallow magma reservoir or summit caldera. 40Ar/39Ar age determinations show that volcanic activity at Ponta de São Lourenço lasted from 〉5.2 to 4 Ma (early Madeira rift phase) and from 2.4 to 0.9 Ma (late Madeira rift phase), with a hiatus dividing the stratigraphy into lower and upper units. Toward the east, the distribution of eruptive centers becomes diffuse, and the rift axis bends to parallel the Desertas ridge. The bending may have resulted from mutual gravitational influence of the Madeira and Desertas volcanic edifices. We propose that Ponta de São Lourenço represents a type example for the interior of a fading rift arm on oceanic volcanoes, with modern analogues being the terminations of the rift zones at La Palma and El Hierro (Canary Islands). There is no evidence for Ponta de São Lourenço representing a former central volcano that interconnected and fed the Madeira and Desertas rifts. Our results suggest a subdivision of volcanic rift zones into (1) a highly productive endmember characterized by a central volcano with a shallow magma chamber feeding one or more rift arms, and (2) a less productive endmember characterized by rifts fed from deep-seated magma reservoirs rather than from a central volcano, as is the case for Ponta de São Lourenço.

Description: The coastal ocean is a crucial link between land, the open ocean and the atmosphere. The shallowness of the water column permits close interactions between the sedimentary, aquatic and atmospheric compartments, which otherwise are decoupled at long time scales (≅ 1000 yr) in the open oceans. Despite the prominent role of the coastal oceans in absorbing atmospheric CO2 and transferring it into the deep oceans via the continental shelf pump, the underlying mechanisms remain only partly understood. Evaluating observations from the North Sea, a NW European shelf sea, we provide evidence that anaerobic degradation of organic matter, fuelled from land and ocean, generates total alkalinity (AT) and increases the CO2 buffer capacity of seawater. At both the basin wide and annual scales anaerobic AT generation in the North Sea's tidal mud flat area irreversibly facilitates 7–10%, or taking into consideration benthic denitrification in the North Sea, 20–25% of the North Sea's overall CO2 uptake. At the global scale, anaerobic AT generation could be accountable for as much as 60% of the uptake of CO2 in shelf and marginal seas, making this process, the anaerobic pump, a key player in the biological carbon pump. Under future high CO2 conditions oceanic CO2 storage via the anaerobic pump may even gain further relevance because of stimulated ocean productivity.

Description: The eastern Baltic cod stock collapsed as a consequence of climate-driven adverse hydrographic conditions and overfishing and has remained at historically low levels. Spatio-temporal fishing closures [Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)] have been implemented since 1995, to protect and restore the spawning stock. However, no signs of recovery have been observed yet, either suggesting that MPAs are an inappropriate management measure or pointing towards suboptimal closure design. We used the spatially explicit fishery simulation model ISIS-Fish to evaluate proposed and implemented fishery closures, combining an age-structured population module with a multifleet exploitation module and a management module in a single model environment. The model is parameterized based on (i) the large amount of biological knowledge available for cod and (ii) an analysis of existing spatially disaggregated fishery data. As the population dynamics of eastern Baltic cod depend strongly on the climate-driven hydrographic regime, we considered two production regimes of the stock. MPAs were only effective for stock recovery when they reduced overall fishing effort. The performance of MPAs needs to be evaluated relative to environmental regimes, especially for stocks facing strong environmental variability.