Biological and ecological traits of marine species

This paper reviews the utility and availability of biological and ecological traits for marine species so as to prioritise the development of a world database on marine species traits. In addition, the ‘status’ of species for conservation, that is, whether they are introduced or invasive, of fishery or aquaculture interest, harmful, or used as an ecological indicator, were reviewed because these attributes are of particular interest to society. Whereas traits are an enduring characteristic of a species and/or population, a species status may vary geographically and over time. Criteria for selecting traits were that they could be applied to most taxa, were easily available, and their inclusion would result in new research and/or management applications. Numerical traits were favoured over categorical. Habitat was excluded as it can be derived from a selection of these traits. Ten traits were prioritized for inclusion in the most comprehensive open access database on marine species (World Register of Marine Species), namely taxonomic classification, environment, geography, depth, substratum, mobility, skeleton, diet, body size and reproduction. These traits and statuses are being added to the database and new use cases may further subdivide and expand upon them.

A guide to the assessment of heavy metal contamination in estuaries using biological indicators. Occasional Publication of the Marine Biological Association 4

The rationale behind the use of analyses of estuarine organisms to assess levels of heavy-metal contamination is described and compared with alternative methods such as the analysis of waters or sediments. Based on field observations in United Kingdom estuaries and on evidence from the literature, an assessment is made of the suitability of 17 species as the indicators of metals and metalloids including Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Se, Sn, Pb and Zn.

Characterisation of the South West European Marine Sites: Summary Report. Occasional Publication of the Marine Biological Association 14

The UK and EU have recently committed to an ecosystem-based approach to the management of our marine environment. In line with the requirements of the Habitats regulations, all consents likely to significantly affect Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are to be reviewed. As part of this process, 'site characterisation' is seen as an important first step towards the improved management of designated sites. This characterisation series, undertaken by the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom and funded by the Environment Agency and English Nature, sets out to determine the current status of designated marine sites in South West England, and how vulnerable (or robust) they are to contaminants (metals, organics, nutrients) and other anthropogenic pressures. Using published information and unpublished data-sets from regulatory agencies, conservation bodies and research institutes (particularly those of the PMPS*), evidence is compiled on the links between potentially harmful 'activities', environmental quality, and resultant biological consequences. This includes an evaluation of long-term change. The focus is the effect of water and sediment quality on the key interest features of European Marine sites in the South West of England, namely: - Fal and Helford cSAC (MBA Occasional Publication 8) - Plymouth Sound and Estuaries cSAC/ SPA (MBA Occasional Publication 9) - Exe Estuary SPA (MBA Occasional Publication 10) - Chesil and the Fleet cSAC/ SPA (MBA Occasional Publication 11) - Poole Harbour SPA (MBA Occasional Publication 12) - Severn Estuary pSAC/SPA (MBA Occasional Publication 13) Detailed analysis for each of these sites is provided individually. The summary report contains an overview of physical properties, uses and vulnerability for each of these sites, together with brief comparisons of pollution sources, chemical exposure (via sediment and water) and evidence of biological impact (from bioaccumulation to community-level response). Limitations of the data, and gaps in our understanding of these systems are highlighted and suggestions are put forward as to where future research and surveillance is most needed. Hopefully this may assist the statutory authorities in targeting future monitoring and remedial activities. * PMSP: Plymouth Marine Sciences Partnership, comprising the Marine Biological Association (MBA), University of Plymouth (UoP), the Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, and Plymouth Marine Laboratories (PML)

Molecular analysis of Continuous Plankton Recorder samples, an examination of echinoderm larvae in the North Sea

Analysis of the biological time series of plankton samples collected by the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) in the North Atlantic and North Sea has shown a regime shift in the plankton in this region. Both the distributions of planktonic organisms and their timing of occurrence in the seasonal cycle have changed and these changes appear to ref lect global warming. In the North Sea the planktonic larvae of echinoderms have shown a recent dramatic increase in both relative and absolute abundance and their seasonal peak of occurrence has advanced by 47 days. The identity of the echinoderm larvae involved in this change has, however, remained equivocal. The small size of many organisms like echinoderm larvae combined with incomplete taxonomic keys hinders their visual identification and their fragility often means that useful morphological features are damaged during sampling by the CPR. Here, using new molecular methods applied to CPR samples, we show that planktonic larvae of the benthic Echinocardium cordatum dominate the North Sea plankton. We argue that since this species benefits from mild winters and warmer waters their numerical increase in the plankton is consistent with recent climatic changes that appear to be affecting the wider ecology of this region.

English Channel towed sledge seabed images. Phase 2: Analysis of selected tow images

During the 1970s and 1980s, the late Dr Norman Holme undertook extensive towed sledge surveys in the English Channel and some in the Irish Sea. Only a minority of the resulting images were analysed and reported before his death in 1989 but logbooks, video and film material has been archived in the National Marine Biological Library (NMBL) in Plymouth. A study was therefore commissioned by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and as a part of the Mapping European Seabed Habitats (MESH) project to identify the value of the material archived and the procedure and cost to undertake further work (Phase 1 of the study reported here: Oakley & Hiscock, 2005). Some image analysis was undertaken as a part of Phase 1. Phase 2 (this report) was to further analyse selected images. Having determined in Phase 1 that only the 35 mm photographic transparencies provided sufficient clarity to identify species and biotopes, the tows selected for analysis were ones where 35mm images had been taken. The tows selected for analysis of images were mainly in the vicinity of Plymouth and especially along the area between Rame Head and the region of the Eddystone. The 35 mm films were viewed under a binocular microscope and the taxa that could be recognised recorded in note form. Twenty-five images were selected for inclusion in the report. Almost all of the images were of level sediment seabed. Where rocks were included, it was usually unplanned and the sled was hauled before being caught or damaged. The main biotopes or biotope complexes identified were: SS.SMU.CSaMu. Circalittoral sandy mud. Extensively present between the shore and the Eddystone Reef complex and at depths of about 48 to 52 m. At one site offshore of Plymouth Sound, the turret shell Turritella communis was abundant. In some areas, this biotope had dense anemones, Mesacmaea mitchelli and (more rarely) Cerianthus lloydii. Queen scallops, Aequipecten opercularis and king scallops, Pecten maximus, were sometimes present in small numbers. Hard substratum species such as hydroids, dead mens fingers Alcyonium digitatum and the cup coral Caryophyllia smithii occurred in a few places, probably attached to shells or stones beneath the surface. South of the spoil ground off Hilsea Point at 57m depth, the sediment was muddier but is still assigned to this biotope complex. It is notable that three small sea pens, most likely Virgularia mirabilis, were seen here. SS.SMx.CMx. Circalittoral mixed sediment. Further offshore but at about the same depth as SS.SMU.CSaMu occurred, coarse gravel with some silt was present. The sediment was characterised must conspicuously by small queen scallops, Aequipecten opercularis. Peculiarly, there were ‘bundles’ of the branching bryozoan Cellaria sp. – a species normally found attached to rock. It could not be seen whether these bundles of Cellaria had been brought-together by terebellid worms but it is notable that Cellaria is recorded in historical surveys. As with many other sediments, there were occasional brittle stars, Ophiocomina nigra and Ophiura ophiura. Where sediments were muddy, the burrowing anemone Mesacmaea mitchelli was common. Where pebbles or cobbles occurred, there were attached species such as Alcyonium digitatum, Caryophyllia smithii and the fleshy bryozoan Alcyonidium diaphanum. Undescribed biotope. Although most likely a part of SS.SMx.CMx, the biotope visually dominated by a terebellid worm believed to be Thelepus cincinnatua, is worth special attention as it may be an undescribed biotope. The biotope occurred about 22 nautical miles south of the latitude of the Eddystone and in depths in excess of 70 m. SS.SCS.CCS.Blan. Branchiostoma lanceolatum in circalittoral coarse sand with shell gravel at about 48m depth and less. This habitat was the ‘classic’ ‘Eddystone Shell Gravel’ which is sampled for Branchiostoma lanceolatum. However, no Branchiostoma lanceolatum could be seen. The gravel was almost entirely bare of epibiota. There were occasional rock outcrops or cobbles which had epibiota including encrusting calcareous algae, the sea fan Eunicella verrucosa, cup corals, Caryophyllia smithii, hydroids and a sea urchin Echinus esculentus. The variety of species visible on the surface is small and therefore identification to biotope not usually possible. Historical records from sampling surveys that used grabs and dredges at the end of the 19th century and early 20th century suggest similar species present then. Illustrations of some of the infaunal communities from work in the 1920’s is included in this report to provide a context to the epifaunal photographs.

English Channel towed sledge seabed images. Phase 1: scoping study and example analysis

During the 1970’s and 1980’s, the late Dr Norman Holme undertook extensive towed sledge surveys in the English Channel and some in the Irish Sea. Only a minority of the resulting images were analysed and reported before his death in 1989 but logbooks, video and film material has been archived in the National Marine Biological Library (NMBL) in Plymouth. A scoping study was therefore commissioned by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and as a part of the Mapping European Seabed Habitats (MESH) project to identify the value of the material archived and the procedure and cost to undertake further work. The results of the scoping study are: 1. NMBL archives hold 106 videotapes (reel-to-reel Sony HD format) and 59 video cassettes (including 15 from the Irish Sea) in VHS format together with 90 rolls of 35 mm colour transparency film (various lengths up to about 240 frames per film). These are stored in the Archive Room, either in a storage cabinet or in original film canisters. 2. Reel-to-reel material is extensive and had already been selectively copied to VHS cassettes. The cost of transferring it to an accepted ‘long-life’ medium (Betamax) would be approximately £15,000. It was not possible to view the tapes as a suitable machine was not located. The value of the tapes is uncertain but they are likely to become beyond salvation within one to two years. 3. Video cassette material is in good condition and is expected to remain so for several more years at least. Images viewed were generally of poor quality and the speed of tow often makes pictures blurred. No immediate action is required. 4. Colour transparency films are in good condition and the images are very clear. They provide the best source of information for mapping seabed biotopes. They should be scanned to digital format but inexpensive fast copying is problematic as there are no between-frame breaks between images and machines need to centre the image based on between-frame breaks. The minimum cost to scan all of the images commercially is approximately £6,000 and could be as much as £40,000 on some quotations. There is a further cost in coding and databasing each image and, all-in-all it would seem most economic to purchase a ‘continuous film’ scanner and undertake the work in-house. 5. Positional information in ships logs has been matched to films and to video tapes. Decca Chain co-ordinates recorded in the logbooks have been converted to latitude and longitude (degrees, minutes and seconds) and a further routine developed to convert to degrees and decimal degrees required for GIS mapping. However, it is unclear whether corrections to Decca positions were applied at the time the position was noted. Tow tracks have been mapped onto an electronic copy of a Hydrographic Office chart. 6. The positions of start and end of each tow were entered to a spread sheet so that they can be displayed on GIS or on a Hydrographic Office Chart backdrop. The cost of the Hydrographic Office chart backdrop at a scale of 1:75,000 for the whole area was £458 incl. VAT. 7. Viewing all of the video cassettes to note habitats and biological communities, even by an experienced marine biologist, would take at least in the order of 200 hours and is not recommended. English Channel towed sledge seabed images. Phase 1: scoping study and example analysis. 6 8. Once colour transparencies are scanned and indexed, viewing to identify seabed habitats and biological communities would probably take about 100 hours for an experienced marine biologist and is recommended. 9. It is expected that identifying biotopes along approximately 1 km lengths of each tow would be feasible although uncertainties about Decca co-ordinate corrections and exact positions of images most likely gives a ±250 m position error. More work to locate each image accurately and solve the Decca correction question would improve accuracy of image location. 10. Using codings (produced by Holme to identify different seabed types), and some viewing of video and transparency material, 10 biotopes have been identified, although more would be added as a result of full analysis. 11. Using the data available from the Holme archive, it is possible to populate various fields within the Marine Recorder database. The overall ‘survey’ will be ‘English Channel towed video sled survey’. The ‘events’ become the 104 tows. Each tow could be described as four samples, i.e. the start and end of the tow and two areas in the middle to give examples along the length of the tow. These samples would have their own latitude/longitude co-ordinates. The four samples would link to a GIS map. 12. Stills and video clips together with text information could be incorporated into a multimedia presentation, to demonstrate the range of level seabed types found along a part of the northern English Channel. More recent images taken during SCUBA diving of reef habitats in the same area as the towed sledge surveys could be added to the Holme images.

Biological controls on resuspension and the relationship between particle size and the Kolmogorov length scale in a shallow coastal sea

Measurements of suspended particle matter (SPM) and turbulence have been obtained over five tidal surveys during spring and summer 2010 at station L4 (5025 degrees N 04.22 degrees W, depth 50 m), in the Western English Channel. The relationship between turbulence intensity and bed stress is explored, with an in-line holographic imaging system evaluating the extent to which material is resuspended. Image analysis allows for the identification of SPM above a size threshold of 200 pm, capturing particle variability across tidal cycles and the two seasons. Dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy, which exceeds 10(-5) W kg(-1), yields maximum values of bed stress of between 0.17 and 0.20 N m(-2), frequently resulting in the resuspension of material from the bed. Resuspension is shown to promote aggregation of SPM into flocs, where the size of such particles is theoretically determined by the Kolmogorov microscale, l(k). During the spring surveys, flocs of a size larger than lk were observed, though this was not repeated during summer. It is proposed that the presence of gelatinous, biological material in spring allows flocculated particles to exceed l(k). This suggests that under specific circumstances, the limiting factor on the growth of flocculated SPM is not only turbulence, as previously thought, but the presence or absence of certain types of biological particle.