Oceanography during TYDEMAN cruise DCM (DeepChlorMax) to the Equatorial Atlantic

The cruise with RV Tydeman was devoted to study permanently stratified plankton systems in the (sub)tropical ocean, which are characterised by a deep chlorophyll peak between 80 and 150 m. To minimise lateral effects by horizontal transport of nutrients and organic matter from river outflow and upwelling regions, stations were selected in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean between the continents of America and Africa. (5 - 35° N and 50 - 15° W). Here the vertical distributions of light and nutrients control the abundance and growth of autotrophic algae in the thermically stratified water column. This phytoplankton is numerically dominated by the prokaryotic picoplankters Synechococcus spp. and Prochlorococcus spp., which are smaller than 2 ?m. The productivity of the 100 to 150 m deep euphotic zone can be high, because a high heterotrophic/autotrophic biomass ratio induces a rapid regeneration of nutrients and inorganic carbon. Primary grazers are mainly micro-organisms such as heterotrophic nannoflagellates and ciliates, which feed on the small algae and on bacteria. Heterotrophic bacteria can outnumber the autotrophic algae, because their number is related to the substrate pools of dissolved and particulate dead organic matter. These DOC and detritus pools reach equilibrium at a concentration, where the rate of their production (proportional to algal biomass) equals their mineralisation and sinking rate (proportional to the concentration and weight of POC and detritus). At a relatively low value of the weight-specific loss rates, the equilibrium concentration of these carbon pools and their load of bacteria can be high. The bacterial productivity is proportional to the mineralisation rate, which in a steady state can never be higher than the rate of primary production. Hence the ratio in turnover rate of bacteria and autotrophs tends to be reciprocally proportional to their biomass ratio.

Plankton abundance and feeding characteristics of Thysanoessa raschii from Godthabsfjord, Greenland

Despite being a key zooplankton group, knowledge on krill biology from the Arctic is inadequate. The present study examine the functional biology and evaluate the trophic role of krill in the Godthabsfjord (64°N, 51°W) SW Greenland, through a combination of fieldwork and laboratory experiments. Krill biomass was highest in the middle fjord and inner fjord, whereas no krill was found offshore. The dominating species Thysanoessa raschii revealed a type III functional response when fed with the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii. At food saturation, T. raschii exhibited a daily ration of 1% body C/d. Furthermore, T. raschii was capable of exploiting plankton cells from 5 to 400 µm, covering several trophic levels of the pelagic food web. The calculated grazing impact by T. raschii on the fjord plankton community was negligible. However, the schooling and migratory behaviour of krill will concentrate and elevate the grazing in specific areas of the euphotic zone.

Age models and stabile isotope ratios from SO35 cores

Stable isotope measurements on the planktonic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber (white) have been carried out on a number of selected deep-seas sediment cores from the South Lau and Norlh Fiji Basins. The d18O-curves show good correlation with the inter-ocean oraphic correlation composite d18O-record of the standard reference section (Prell et al. 1986), which, in combination with the chronostratigraphic classifications of Herterich & Sarnthein (1984, modified) and Imbrie et al. 1984), allows a detailed dating of the sedimentary sequences. The deepest layers in core no. 119 (southern Lau Basin) could be assigned to Isotope Stage 24. Measurements made on bulk carbonate in two cores show a much higher glacial-interglacial amplitude, allowing the general identification of the conventional oxygen isotope stages. The d13C-values of the benthic foraminifer Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi show progressively lighter values northwards reflecting an increasing contribution of the isotopically lighter CO2 from the remineralisation of organic matter during the general northward movement of the deep water masses. Cyclicities in the sedimentation rates were observed in core nos. 117 and 119 (both southern Lau Basin) where the interglacials exhibit higher levels than the glacials. Calculated new or export paleoproductivity show that the glacials had higher productivity in the euphotic zone. From the oxygen isotope stratigraphy, the five ash layers in core nos. 117 and 119 could be dated as about 530 ka B.P. in Stage 14, 695 ka B.P. in Stage 18, 775 ka B.P. in Stage 21, 790 ka B.P. and 825 ka B.P. in Stage 22. Carbonate dissolution occurred during stages 5, 8 and 10 to 12.

(Table 2) Concentration of phytoplankton pigments in Adventfjorden in spring and summer of 1997

The study was carried out from April 30 until July 13 of 1997 in Adventfjorden (Spitsbergen). Formation of a less saline and warmer surface water (~1 m thick) caused by melting of the ice was observed in the fjord during the first days of May. In summer the less saline surface layer was about 3 m thick. Euphotic depth measured under the ice sheet reached 12 m, whereas load of mineral matter brought with riverine discharge in summer (content of total particulate matter in the fjord reached 1.66 kg/m**2) dramatically reduced euphotic zone depth to 0.35 m. By pigment measurement three phases of phytoplankton development in Adventfjorden were distinguished: (1) spring bloom that has started under fast ice and reached maximum in the mid of May, (2) stagnation period in June, (3) increase of pigment concentration in July, what could indicate start of the next algae bloom. Analyses of chlorophylls and carotenoids revealed that diatoms (chl c, fucoxanthin), and green algae (chl b, lutein) dominated phytoplankton community in the fjord. Moreover, presence of peridinin indicates presence of Dinophyta and alloxanthin - occurence of Cryptophyta. In May and June 1997 phytoplankton appeared mainly in the surface of water, while in July, as a result of inflow of turbulent riverine waters into Adventfjorden, algae cells were pushed down and the highest numbers were observed at depth ~20 m. Great phaeopigments to chl a ratio (= 0.54) found in fjord seston in June and July probably shows strong impact of zooplankton grazing on phytoplankton development. High contribution of chlorophyllide a in porphyrin a poll in samples collected under fast ice (chlorophyllide a / chl a ratio = 0.18) reflects the final stage of algal communitie succession in ice, just before spring ice melt and release of biota to oceanic water. Chlorophyllide a content during summer was minor or not detectable, demonstrating that diatom cells were in good physiological condition. High chl a allomer / chl a ratio (average = 0.11 for the period investigated) confirms high oxygen concentration in environment of Adventfjorden.

Phytol and phytyldiol concentrations at DYFAMED time series station and sediment trap

Particulate samples from the water column were collected monthly from depths of 5-150 m, between May 1996 and March 1997, in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Ligurian Sea) as part of the DYFAMED project within the French JGOFS program. These samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry for their phytol and 3-methylidene-3,7,11-trimethylhexadecan-1,2-diol (phytyldiol) content. The corresponding Chlorophyll Phytyl side chain Photodegradation Index, molar ratio of phytyldiol to phytol, was calculated and the mean amount of chlorophyll photodegraded within the euphotic zone estimated. Seasonal differences in the chlorophyll photodegradation process appear in the one-year study. The chlorophyll appeared more photodegraded in the surface water (generally more than 40% photodegraded at 5-10 m) than at the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) (40-50 m) observed in the summer stratified waters (about 20% photodegraded). This difference was attributed to the healthy state of the phytoplankton community (coincidence with the highest primary production levels) and to the lower intensity of irradiance at the DCM level. On the other hand, the bulk of the detrital chlorophyll (chlorophyll associated with phytodetritus, phaeopigments) undergoes photodegradation before it sinks out of the photic zone. However, in January (winter mixed water) the pigments exported towards the sea floor were less photodegraded. This is thought to result from a shorter period of residence of the pigments in the photic zone due to vertical convection and grazing activity of macrozooplankton (salps), which are producers of rapid sinking fecal pellets.

Fecal pellets flux at DYFAMED sediment traps

Because zooplankton feces represent a potentially important transport pathway of surface-derived organic carbon in the ocean, we must understand the patterns of fecal pellet abundance and carbon mobilization over a variety of spatial and temporal scales. To assess depth-specific water column variations of fecal pellets on a seasonal scale, vertical fluxes of zooplankton fecal pellets were quantified and their contribution to mass and particulate carbon were computed during 1990 at 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 m depths in the open northwestern Mediterranean Sea as part of the French-JGOFS DYFAMED Program. Depth-averaged daily fecal pellet flux was temporally variable, ranging from 3.04 * 10**4 pellets m**2/d in May to a low of 6.98 * 10**2 pellets m**2/d in September. The peak flux accounted for 50% of the integrated annual flux of fecal pellets and 62% of pellet carbon during only two months in mid-spring (April and May). Highest numerical fluxes were encountered at 1000 m, suggesting fecal pellet generation well below the euphotic zone. However, there was a trend toward lower pellet carbon with increasing depth, suggesting bacterial degradation or in situ repackaging as pellets sink through the water column. At 500 m, both the lowest pellet numerical abundance and carbon flux were evident during the spring peak. Combined with data indicating that numerical and carbon fluxes are dominated at 500 m by a distinct type of pellet found uniquely at this depth, these trends suggest the presence of an undescribed mid-water macro-zooplankton or micro-nekton community. Fecal pellet carbon flux was highest at 200 m and varied with depth independently of overall particulate carbon, which was greatest at 500 m. Morphologically distinct types of pellets dominated the numerical and carbon fluxes. Small elliptical and spherical pellets accounted for 88% of the numerical flux, while larger cylindrical pellets, although relatively rare (<10%), accounted for almost 40% of the overall pellet carbon flux. Cylindrical pellets dominated the pellet carbon flux at all depths except 500 m, where a large subtype of elliptical pellet, found only at that depth, was responsible for the majority of pellet carbon flux. Overall during 1990, fecal pellets were responsible for a depth-integrated annual average flux of 1.03 mgC/m**2/d, representing 18% of the total carbon flux. The proportion of vertical carbon flux attributed to fecal pellets varied from 3 to 35%, with higher values occurring during periods when the water column was vertically mixed. Especially during these times, fecal pellets are a critical conveyor of carbon to the deep sea in this region.