Data compilation on the biological response to ocean acidification: environmental and experimental context of data sets and related literature

The exponential growth of studies on the biological response to ocean acidification over the last few decades has generated a large amount of data. To facilitate data comparison, a data compilation hosted at the data publisher PANGAEA was initiated in 2008 and is updated on a regular basis (doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.149999). By January 2015, a total of 581 data sets (over 4 000 000 data points) from 539 papers had been archived. Here we present the developments of this data compilation five years since its first description by Nisumaa et al. (2010). Most of study sites from which data archived are still in the Northern Hemisphere and the number of archived data from studies from the Southern Hemisphere and polar oceans are still relatively low. Data from 60 studies that investigated the response of a mix of organisms or natural communities were all added after 2010, indicating a welcomed shift from the study of individual organisms to communities and ecosystems. The initial imbalance of considerably more data archived on calcification and primary production than on other processes has improved. There is also a clear tendency towards more data archived from multifactorial studies after 2010. For easier and more effective access to ocean acidification data, the ocean acidification community is strongly encouraged to contribute to the data archiving effort, and help develop standard vocabularies describing the variables and define best practices for archiving ocean acidification data.

Sea-level control on the connection between shelf-edge deltas and the Bourcart canyon head (western Mediterranean) during the last glacial/interglacial cycle

A dense grid of high- and very high resolution seismic data, together with piston cores and borehole data providing time constraints, enables us to reconstruct the history of the Bourcart canyon head in the western Mediterranean Sea during the last glacial/interglacial cycle. The canyon fill is composed of confined channel–levee systems fed by a series of successively active shelf fluvial systems, originating from the west and north. Most of the preserved infill corresponds to the interval between Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and the early deglacial (19 cal ka BP). Its deposition was strongly controlled by a relative sea level that impacted the direct fluvial/canyon connection. During a period of around 100 kyr between MIS 6 and MIS 2, the canyon “prograded” by about 3 km. More precisely, several parasequences can be identified within the canyon fill. They correspond to forced-regressed parasequences (linked to punctuated sea-level falls) topped by a progradational-aggradational parasequence (linked to a hypothetical 19-ka meltwater pulse (MWP)). The bounding surfaces between forced-regressed parasequences are condensed intervals formed during intervals of relative sediment starvation due to flooding episodes. The meandering pattern of the axial incision visible within the canyon head, which can be traced landward up to the Agly paleo-river, is interpreted as the result of hyperpycnal flows initiated in the river mouth in a context of increased rainfall and mountain glacier flushing during the early deglacial.

Influence of the sea state on Mediterranean heavy precipitation: a case-study from HyMeX SOP1

Sea state can influence the turbulent air–sea exchanges, especially the momentum flux, by modifying the sea-surface roughness. The high-resolution non-hydrostatic convection-permitting model MESO-NH is used here to investigate the impact of a more realistic representation of the waves on heavy precipitation during the Intense Observation Period (IOP) 16a of the first HyMeX Special Observation Period (SOP1). Several quasi-stationary mesoscale convective systems developed over the western Mediterranean region, two of them over the sea, and resulted in heavy precipitation on the French and Italian coasts on 26 October 2012. Three different bulk parametrizations are tested in this study: a reference case (NOWAV) without any wave effect, a parametrization taking into account theoretical wave effects (WAV) and a last one with realistic wave characteristics from the MFWAM analyses (WAM). Using a realistic wave representation in WAM significantly increases the roughness length and the friction velocity with respect to NOWAV and WAV. The three MESO-NH sensitivity experiments of the IOP16a show that this surface-roughness increase in WAM generates higher momentum fluxes and directly impacts the low-level dynamics of the atmosphere, with a slowdown of the 10 m wind, when and where the wind speed exceeds 10 m s−1 and the sea state differs from the idealized one. The turbulent heat fluxes are not significantly influenced by the waves, these fluxes being controlled by the moisture content rather than by the wind speed in the simulations. Although the convective activity is globally well reproduced by all the simulations, the difference in the low-level dynamics of the atmosphere influences the localization of the simulated heavy precipitation. Objective evaluation of the daily rainfall amount and of the 10 m wind speed against the observations confirms the positive impact of the realistic wave representation on this simulation of heavy precipitation.

Determination of biodiversity and spatial and temporal distribution pattern of demersal fishes in the Oman Sea

In this project, have been studied to determine the appropriate model to spatial, temporal and diversity of demersal fishes in the Sea of Oman, including Trichiuridae, Nemipteridae, Haemulidae, Arridae, Synodontidae, Batoidfishes, Carangidae, Scianidae, Carchariniformes and Serranidae. This research became operational from catch data during 2003 to 2013 (in 2007, due to the lack of ship failed). Processing and calculations was evaluated by using the software Excel, SPSS, Arc GIS and table curve 3D highest biomass and abundance was showed in strata A and C and 10-30 m depth layers was showed the best condition biomass. In other words, highest biomass was showed in the eastern region in the Oman Sea than the central and western regions. Batoidfishes and Trichiuridae had the highest biomass .Depth factors was showed a significant correlation with the biomass. Scianidae, Serranidae and Haemulidae were showed a large decline. Synodontidae was showed a very large increase. The largest of Shannon index belong to central and western region of the Oman Sea. The highest Shannon index was showed 10-20 and 50-100 m, respectively. The Distribution maps based on the biomass was analyzed by using Arc GIS software. So that were identified in the first time in a ten-year period and carefully catch stations any economic of aquatic group. In conclusion, the depth can be found in the pattern of distribution, abundance and diversity of fish from away the beach so that follow specific pattern.

What can exploratory modelling tell us about the ecobiology of European sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ): a comprehensive overview

European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, is a highly valuable species in Europe, both for aquaculture in the Mediterranean Sea and for commercial and recreational fisheries in the North East Atlantic Ocean. Subjected to increasing fishing pressure, the wild population has recently experienced significant recruitment fluctuation as well as a northward extension of its distribution area in the North Sea. While the nature of the ecological and/or physiological processes involved remains unresolved, ontogenetic habitat shifts and adult site fidelity could increase the species’ vulnerability to climate change and overfishing. As managers look for expert information to propose management scenarios leading to sustainable exploitation, exploratory modelling appears to be a cost-efficient approach to enhance the understanding of recruitment dynamics and the spatio-temporal scales over which fish populations function. A conceptual modelling framework and its specific data requirements are discussed to tackle some sound ecological questions regarding this species. We consequently provide an updated review of current knowledge on bass population structure, biology and ecology. This paper will hence be particularly valuable to develop spatially-explicit models of European sea bass dynamics under environmental and anthropogenic forcing. Knowledge gaps requiring further research efforts are also reported.

Distribution pattern of Galeus atlanticus in the Alborán Sea (south western Mediterranean) and some sexual character comparison with Galeus melastomus

Galeus atlanticus is a small-sized deepwater catshark living on the slope bottom of the Alborán Sea. Given its external similarities with Galeus melastomus, both species are often confused, which makes G. atlanticus a very poorly understood species both in terms of catches and biological aspects. For this study, a total of 741 G. atlanticus specimens, caught during scientific surveys from 1997 to 2003, were analysed. The distributional patterns were described and the reproductive status estimated. Galeus atlanticus occurred throughout the Alborán Sea, between the Strait of Gibraltar and Cape Gata, including the slope of the Island of Alborán. Its bathymetric range extended from 330 to 790 m and no size depth trends have been observed. Mature specimens, both males and females, were caught in all seasons of the year. Size at first maturity was significantly different between sexes, with estimates of 32.9 cm for males and 36.9 cm for females. The differential growth of some secondary sexual characteristics, such as clasper length in males and oviducal gland diameter in females, were compared with those of G. melastomus.

Atlantic-Mediterranean and within-Mediterranean molecular variation in Coris julis (L. 1758) (Teleostei, Labridae)

Sequence variation in the mitochondrial control region was studied in the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis), a species with pronounced pelagic larval phase inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent coastal eastern Atlantic Ocean. A total of 309 specimens from 19 sampling sites were analysed with the aim of elucidating patterns of molecular variation between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean as well as within the Mediterranean Sea. Phylogeographic analyses revealed a pronounced structuring into a Mediterranean and an Atlantic group. Samples from a site at the Moroccan Mediterranean coast in the Alboran Sea showed intermediate frequencies of “Mediterranean” and “Atlantic” haplotypes. We recognised a departure from molecular neutrality and a star-like genealogy for samples from the Mediterranean Sea, which we propose to have happened due to a recent demographic expansion. The results are discussed in the light of previous studies on molecular variation in fish species between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and within the Mediterranean.

Atlantic-Mediterranean and within-Mediterranean molecular variation in Coris julis (L. 1758) (Teleostei, Labridae)

Sequence variation in the mitochondrial control region was studied in the Mediterranean rainbow wrasse (Coris julis), a species with pronounced pelagic larval phase inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea and the adjacent coastal eastern Atlantic Ocean. A total of 309 specimens from 19 sampling sites were analysed with the aim of elucidating patterns of molecular variation between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean as well as within the Mediterranean Sea. Phylogeographic analyses revealed a pronounced structuring into a Mediterranean and an Atlantic group. Samples from a site at the Moroccan Mediterranean coast in the Alboran Sea showed intermediate frequencies of “Mediterranean” and “Atlantic” haplotypes. We recognised a departure from molecular neutrality and a star-like genealogy for samples from the Mediterranean Sea, which we propose to have happened due to a recent demographic expansion. The results are discussed in the light of previous studies on molecular variation in fish species between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and within the Mediterranean.