Biphytane and stable carbon isotopic values of sugars and glycerol from ODP Hole 204-1245D and 201-1229A

The membrane lipids diglycosyl-glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (2G-GDGTs) in marine subsurface sediments are believed to originate from uncultivated benthic archaea, yet the production of 2G-GDGTs from subseafloor samples has not been demonstrated in vitro. In order to validate sedimentary biosynthesis of 2G-GDGTs, we performed a stable carbon isotope probing experiment on a subseafloor sample with six different 13C-labelled substrates (bicarbonate, methane, acetate, leucine, glucose and Spirulina platensis biomass). After 468 days of anoxic incubation, only glucose and S. platensis resulted in label uptake in lipid moieties of 2G-GDGTs, indicating incorporation of carbon from these organic substrates. The hydrophobic moieties of 2G-GDGTs showed minimal label incorporation, with up to 4 per mil 13C enrichment detected in crenarchaeol-derived tricyclic biphytane from the S. platensis-supplemented slurries. The 2G-GDGT-derived glucose or glycerol moieties also showed 13C incorporation (Dd13C = 18 - 38 per mil) in the incubations with glucose or S. platensis, consistent with a lipid salvage mechanism utilized by marine benthic archaea to produce new 2G-GDGTs. The production rates were nevertheless rather slow, even when labile organic matter was supplied. The 2G-GDGT turnover times of 1700 - 20 500 years were much longer than those estimated for subseafloor microbial communities, implying that sedimentary 2G-GDGTs as biomarkers of benthic archaea are cumulative records of past and present generations.

Environmental measurements from the Black Sea in Odessa region, Ukraine, July 2014

The Black Sea is the unique ecosystem with lots of geological, ecological and biological features. For full understanding of these systems it is very important to investigate and indentify the microbial communities, including how the environment shapes its genome. Despite the data obtained by different investigations about the certain groups of microorganisms, isolated as pure cultures on nutritive mediums the total microbial metagenome hasn't been analysed. During July 2014 the 9 sites along the coast in Odessa region were selected for sampling of surface marine water, isolation of total DNA and further sequence 16S rRNA analysis. The water sampling and filtration were accompanied by measurement of metadata for evaluation of how the environment influences the present microbial biodiversity.

Reefs shift from net accretion to net erosion along a natural environmental gradient

Coral reefs persist in an accretion-erosion balance and ocean acidification resulting from anthropogenic CO2 emissions threatens to shift this balance in favor of net reef erosion. Corals and calcifying algae, largely responsible for reef accretion, are vulnerable to environmental changes associated with ocean acidification, but the direct effects of lower pH on reef erosion has received less attention, particularly in the context of known drivers of bioerosion and natural variability. This study examines the balance between reef accretion and erosion along a well-characterized natural environmental gradient in Kane'ohe Bay, Hawai'i using experimental blocks of coral skeleton. Comparing before and after micro-computed tomography (µCT) scans to quantify net accretion and erosion, we show that, at the small spatial scale of this study (tens of meters), pH was a better predictor of the accretion-erosion balance than environmental drivers suggested by prior studies, including resource availability, temperature, distance from shore, or depth. In addition, this study highlights the fine-scale variation of pH in coastal systems and the importance of microhabitat variation for reef accretion and erosion processes. We demonstrate significant changes in both the mean and variance of pH on the order of meters, providing a local perspective on global increases in pCO2. Our findings suggest that increases in reef erosion, combined with expected decreases in calcification, will accelerate the shift of coral reefs to an erosion-dominated system in a high-CO2 world. This shift will make reefs increasingly susceptible to storm damage and sea-level rise, threatening the maintenance of the ecosystem services that coral reefs provide.

Environmental policy and knowledge. Copying with complexity through inclusive management

Scholars agree that governance of the public environment entails cooperation between science, policy and society. This requires the active role of public managers as catalysts of knowledge co-production, addressing participatory arenas in relation to knowledge integration and social learning. This paper deals with the question of whether public managers acknowledge and take on this task. A survey accessing Directors of Environmental Offices (EOs) of 64 municipalities was carried out in parallel for two regions - Tuscany (Italy) and Porto Alegre Metropolitan Region (Brazil). The survey data were analysed using the multiple correspondence method. Results showed that, regarding policy practices, EOs do not play the role of knowledge co-production catalysts, since when making environmental decisions they only use technical knowledge. We conclude that there is a gap between theory and practice, and identify some factors that may hinder local environmental managers in acting as catalyst of knowledge co-production, raising a further question for future research.

Seasonally aggregated values of dissolved inorganic phosphorus in soil solution of the Jena Experiment (Main Experiment, year 2006)

This data set contains measurements of inorganic phosphorus in samples of soil solution collected in 2006 from the main experiment plots of a large grassland biodiversity experiment (the Jena Experiment; see further details below) that have been aggregated to seasonal values. In the main experiment, 82 grassland plots of 20 x 20 m were established from a pool of 60 species belonging to four functional groups (grasses, legumes, tall and small herbs). In May 2002, varying numbers of plant species from this species pool were sown into the plots to create a gradient of plant species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 60 species) and functional richness (1, 2, 3, 4 functional groups). Plots were maintained by bi-annual weeding and mowing. Glass suction plates with a diameter of 12 cm, 1 cm thickness and a pore size of 1-1.6 µm (UMS GmbH, Munich, Germany) were installed in April 2002 in depths of 10, 20, 30 and 60 cm to collect soil solution. Manual soil matric potential measurements were used to regulate the vacuum system. Manual soil matric potential measurements were used to regulate the vacuum system. The sampling bottles were continuously evacuated to a negative pressure between 50 and 350 mbar, such that the suction pressure was about 50 mbar above the actual soil water tension. Thus, only the soil leachate was collected. Cumulative soil solution was sampled biweekly and analyzed for dissolved inorganic P (PO4P). Here volume-weighted mean values are provided as aggregated seasonal values (spring = March to May, summer = June to August, fall = September to November, winter = December to February) for 2006 in spring. To calculate these values, the sampled volume of soil solution is used as weight for P concentrations of the respective sampling date. Inorganic phosphorus concentrations in the soil solution were measured photometrically with a continuous flow analyzer (CFA Autoanalyzer [Bran&Luebbe, Norderstedt, Germany]). Ammonium molybdate catalyzed by antimony tartrate reacts in an acidic medium with phosphate and forms a phospho-molybdic acid complex. Ascorbic acid reduces this complex to an intensely blue-colored complex. As the molybdic complex forms under strongly acidic conditions, we could not exclude the hydrolysis of labile organic P compounds in our samples. Furthermore, the molybdate reaction is not sensitive for condensed phosphates. The detection limits of both TDP and PO4P were 0.04 mg P l-1 (Autoanalyzer, Bran&Luebbe).

Seasonally aggregated values of dissolved inorganic phosphorus in soil solution of the Jena Experiment (Main Experiment, year 2004)

This data set contains measurements of inorganic phosphorus in samples of soil solution collected in 2004 from the main experiment plots of a large grassland biodiversity experiment (the Jena Experiment; see further details below) that have been aggregated to seasonal values. In the main experiment, 82 grassland plots of 20 x 20 m were established from a pool of 60 species belonging to four functional groups (grasses, legumes, tall and small herbs). In May 2002, varying numbers of plant species from this species pool were sown into the plots to create a gradient of plant species richness (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 60 species) and functional richness (1, 2, 3, 4 functional groups). Plots were maintained by bi-annual weeding and mowing. Glass suction plates with a diameter of 12 cm, 1 cm thickness and a pore size of 1-1.6 µm (UMS GmbH, Munich, Germany) were installed in April 2002 in depths of 10, 20, 30 and 60 cm to collect soil solution. Manual soil matric potential measurements were used to regulate the vacuum system. Manual soil matric potential measurements were used to regulate the vacuum system. The sampling bottles were continuously evacuated to a negative pressure between 50 and 350 mbar, such that the suction pressure was about 50 mbar above the actual soil water tension. Thus, only the soil leachate was collected. Cumulative soil solution was sampled biweekly and analyzed for dissolved inorganic P (PO4P). Here volume-weighted mean values are provided as aggregated seasonal values (spring = March to May, summer = June to August, fall = September to November, winter = December to February) for 2004 in spring, fall, and winter. To calculate these values, the sampled volume of soil solution is used as weight for P concentrations of the respective sampling date. Inorganic phosphorus concentrations in the soil solution were measured photometrically with a continuous flow analyzer (for samples collected until spring 2004: CFA SAN++, Skalar [Breda, The Netherlands]; for samples collected later: CFA Autoanalyzer [Bran&Luebbe, Norderstedt, Germany]). Ammonium molybdate catalyzed by antimony tartrate reacts in an acidic medium with phosphate and forms a phospho-molybdic acid complex. Ascorbic acid reduces this complex to an intensely blue-colored complex. As the molybdic complex forms under strongly acidic conditions, we could not exclude the hydrolysis of labile organic P compounds in our samples. Furthermore, the molybdate reaction is not sensitive for condensed phosphates. The detection limits of both TDP and PO4P were 0.02 mg P l-1 (CFA, Skalar) and 0.04 mg P l-1 (Autoanalyzer, Bran&Luebbe).

Raster maps for 29 environmental variables in three geographical regions

Aim: Greater understanding of the processes underlying biological invasions is required to determine and predict invasion risk. Two subspecies of olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea and Olea europaea subsp. cuspidata) have been introduced into Australia from the Mediterranean Basin and southern Africa during the 19th century. Our aim was to determine to what extent the native environmental niches of these two olive subspecies explain the current spatial segregation of the subspecies in their non-native range. We also assessed whether niche shifts had occurred in the non-native range, and examined whether invasion was associated with increased or decreased occupancy of niche space in the non-native range relative to the native range. Location: South-eastern Australia, Mediterranean Basin and southern Africa. Methods: Ecological niche models (ENMs) were used to quantify the similarity of native and non-native realized niches. Niche shifts were characterized by the relative contribution of niche expansion, stability and contraction based on the relative occupancy of environmental space by the native and non-native populations. Results: Native ENMs indicated that the spatial segregation of the two subspecies in their non-native range was partly determined by differences in their native niches. However, we found that environmentally suitable niches were less occupied in the non-native range relative to the native range, indicating that niche shifts had occurred through a contraction of the native niches after invasion, for both subspecies. Main conclusions: The mapping of environmental factors associated with niche expansion, stability or contraction allowed us to identify areas of greater invasion risk. This study provides an example of successful invasions that are associated with niche shifts, illustrating that introduced plant species are sometimes readily able to establish in novel environments. In these situations the assumption of niche stasis during invasion, which is implicitly assumed by ENMs, may be unreasonable.

(Table 1) Activity of alkali phosphatase in suspended matter at 20°C and environmental temperatures, and recycling time of organic phosphorus in the Barents and Norwegian seas

Alkali phosphatase activity and hydrochemical structure of waters in the Barents and Norwegian seas were investigated. In a sea with the seasonal bioproduction cycle alkali phosphatase activity is also seasonal, rising with trophic level of waters. At the end of hydrological and biological winter activity is practically zero. Alkali phosphatase activity is especially important in summer, when plankton has consumed winter supply of phosphate in the euphotic layer and nutrient limitation of primary production begins. In summer production and destruction cycle, apparent time for recycling of phosphorus by phosphatase in suspended matter in the euphotic layer of the Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea averages from 7 to 30 hours.

Supplementary material: XRF core scanning data, CaCO3 values, foraminiferal carbon and oxygen isotope data, Mg/Ca data, clay mineralogy and helium isotope results

The Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM; ~56 Ma) is associated with abrupt climate change, carbon cycle perturbation, ocean acidification, as well as biogeographic shifts in marine and terrestrial biota that were largely reversed as the climatic transient waned. We report a clear exception to the behavior of the PETM as a reversing climatic transient in the eastern North Atlantic (Deep-Sea Drilling Project Site 401, Bay of Biscay) where the PETM initiates a greatly prolonged environmental change compared to other places on Earth where records exist. The observed environmental perturbation extended well past the d13C recovery phase and up to 650 kyr after the PETM onset according to our extraterrestrial 3He-based age-model. We observe a strong decoupling of planktic foraminiferal d18O and Mg/Ca values during the PETM d13C recovery phase, which in combination with results from helium isotopes and clay mineralogy, suggests that the PETM triggered a hydrologic change in western Europe that increased freshwater flux and the delivery of weathering products to the eastern North Atlantic. This state change persisted long after the carbon-cycle perturbation had stopped. We hypothesize that either long-lived continental drainage patterns were altered by enhanced hydrological cycling induced by the PETM, or alternatively that the climate system in the hinterland area of Site 401 was forced into a new climate state that was not easily reversed in the aftermath of the PETM.