Stable isotope ratios of a oyster Hyotissa hyotis from the northern Red Sea

This study explores the giant oyster Hyotissa hyotis as a novel environmental archive in tropical reef environments of the Indo-Pacific. The species is a typical accessory component in coral reefs, can reach sizes of tens of centimetres, and dates back to the Late Pleistocene. Here, a 70.2-mm-long oxygen and carbon isotope transect through the shell of a specimen collected at Safaga Bay, northern Red Sea, in May 1996, is presented. The transect runs perpendicularly to the foliate and vesicular layers of the inner ostracum near the ligament area of the oyster. The measured d18O and d13C records show sinusoidal fluctuations, which are independent of shell microstructure. The d13C fluctuations exhibit the same wavelength as the d18O fluctuations but are phase shifted. The d18O record reflects the sea surface temperature variations from 1957 until 1996, possibly additionally influenced by the local evaporation. Due to locally enhanced evaporation in the semi-enclosed Safaga Bay, the d18Oseawater value is estimated at 2.17 per mil, i.e., 0.3-0.8 per mil higher than published open surface water d18O values (1.36-1.85 per mil) from the region. The mean water temperature deviates by only 0.4°C from the expected value, and the minimum and maximum values are 0.5°C lower and 2.9°C higher, respectively. When comparing the mean monthly values, however, the sea surface temperature discrepancy between reconstructed and global grid datasets is always <1.0°C. The d13C signal is weakly negatively correlated with regional chlorophyll a concentration and with the sunshine duration, which may reflect changes in the bivalve's respiration. The study emphasises the palaeogeographic context in isotope studies based on fossils, because coastal embayments might not reflect open-water oceanographic conditions.

Exploring the applicability of biological and socioeconomic tools in developing EAFM plans for data absent areas : Spinner dolphin EAFM for Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka

Acknowledgements University of Aberdeen, UK and Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystems (BOBLME) project are acknowledged for partial funding of this research.

Global distributions of diazotrophs abundance and biomass - Depth integrated values computed from a collection of source datasets - Contribution to the MAREDAT World Ocean Atlas of Plankton Functional Types

The MAREDAT atlas covers 11 types of plankton, ranging in size from bacteria to jellyfish. Together, these plankton groups determine the health and productivity of the global ocean and play a vital role in the global carbon cycle. Working within a uniform and consistent spatial and depth grid (map) of the global ocean, the researchers compiled thousands and tens of thousands of data points to identify regions of plankton abundance and scarcity as well as areas of data abundance and scarcity. At many of the grid points, the MAREDAT team accomplished the difficult conversion from abundance (numbers of organisms) to biomass (carbon mass of organisms). The MAREDAT atlas provides an unprecedented global data set for ecological and biochemical analysis and modeling as well as a clear mandate for compiling additional existing data and for focusing future data gathering efforts on key groups in key areas of the ocean. The present data set presents depth integrated values of diazotrophs abundance and biomass, computed from a collection of source data sets.

Composition of free lipids in bottom sediments in the tropical West Pacific and South Atlantic

Contents of free lipids in the upper layers of slightly siliceous diatomaceous oozes from the South Atlantic and of calcareous foraminiferal oozes, of coral sediments and of red clays from the western tropical Pacific amount varies from 0.014 to 0.057% of dry sediment. Their content is inversely proportional to total content of organic matter. Relative content of low-polar compounds in total amount of lipids and content of hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and sterols in the composition of these compounds can serve as an index of degree of transformation of organic matter in sediment because these compounds are resistant to various degree to microbial and hydrolytic decomposition and, consequently, are selectively preserved under conditions of biodegradation of organic compounds during oxydation-reduction processes.

(Table 2) Age determination of sediment cores MD95-2002 and MD03-2692

We have compiled results obtained from four high sedimentation rate hemipelagic sequences from the Celtic sector of the NW European margin (NE Atlantic) to investigate the paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic evolution of the area over the last few climatic cycles. We focus on periods characteristic of deglacial transitions. We adopt a multiproxy sedimentological, geochemical, and micropaleontological approach, applying a sampling resolution down to ten microns for specific intervals. The investigation demonstrates the relationships between the Bay of Biscay hydrography and the glacial/deglacial history of both the proximal British-Irish Ice Sheet (BIIS) and the western European continent. We identify recurrent phases of laminae deposition concurrent with major BIIS deglacial episodes in all the studied cores. Evidence for abrupt freshwater discharges into the open ocean highlights the influence of such events at a regional scale. We discuss their impact at a global scale considering the present and past key location of the Bay of Biscay versus the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).

(Table S1) Stable oxygen isotopic values and Mg/Ca ratios of Globigerinoides ruber w from sediment core AAS9_21

Variations in sea surface temperature (SST), d18O of sea water (?18Ow), and salinity were reconstructed for the past 68 ka using a sediment core (AAS9/21) from the eastern Arabian Sea (EAS) in order to understand the changes in evaporation and precipitation associated with the monsoon system. The Mg/Ca-derived SST record varies by ~4°C; it shows that marine isotope stage (MIS) 4 was warmer than MIS 3, that the Last Glacial Maximum was 4°C cooler than the present, and that there was a 2°C increase within the Holocene. MIS 4 records higher d18Ow and salinity values than MIS 2, suggesting variable flow of low-salinity Bay of Bengal flow into the EAS during glacial periods. The transition from MIS 4 to MIS 3 was marked with a conspicuous shift from higher to lower d18Ow values, which reflects a decrease in the evaporation-precipitation budget in the EAS, perhaps due to the strengthening of southwest monsoon. Monsoon reconstructions based on d18Ow reveal that monsoon-driven precipitation was higher during MIS 3 and MIS 1 and was lower during MIS 2 and MIS 4. This is consistent with earlier monsoon reconstructions based on upwelling indices from the western Arabian Sea. However, the amplitude of monsoon fluctuations derived through upwelling indices and d18Ow varies significantly, which may indicate spatial variability of monsoon rainfall.

Survey of past, present pollutants via sediment cores analysis in the coastal trend of Caspian Sea

This is especially well supported by down core variation Zn concentration. As Caspian Sea water intrudes into the Bay, it may be concluded that some part of pollution has sea origin. The geochemical index (Igeo) was reformulated for the area of study using chemical partitioning as well as Pb-210 results. The newly developed geochemical index is indicative of low to medium pollution intensity in the Bay of Gorgan. Thus, any additional pollution into the area of study may leave adverse effects on the aquatic ecology of Bay of Gorgan. Further, lithogenous and non-lithogenous inputs of metals into the Bay were assessed. For this purpose and through chemical partitioning, association of metals with different sedimentary phases was determined. The overall results show that about 114th total metal concentration have been added into the Bay of Gorgan through human activities.

The impact and compensation of offshore wind farm development: Analysing the institutional discourse from a french case study

In France, the public acceptability of marine renewable energies and their impacts on ecosystem services (ES) involves questions about compensation for stakeholders, who may perceive some of their activities and interests to be modified. This paper seeks to understand how impacts on ES are perceived by institutional stakeholders and what is expected in terms of compensation. It also seeks to identify the communities of practice affected. We focus our study on the planned offshore wind farm in the bay of Saint-Brieuc. Our results show that institutional discourse is heterogeneous, depending on sensitivities, interests, and who or what the stakeholders surveyed represent or defend. Stakeholders' discourse can be interpreted on various gradients of perception. Six distinct communities of practice have been identified, based on the impacts perceived by institutional stakeholders. Lastly, we show that the community of practice seems to be a proper level at which to study perceptions and assess the no-net-loss goal.

Two “pillars” of cold-water coral reefs along Atlantic European margins: Prevalent association of Madrepora oculata with Lophelia pertusa, from reef to colony scale

The scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa has been the focus of deep-sea research since the recognition of the vast extent of coral reefs in North Atlantic waters two decades ago, long after their existence was mentioned by fishermen. These reefs where shown to provide habitat, concentrate biomass and act as feeding or nursery grounds for many species, including those targeted by commercial fisheries. Thus, the attention given to this cold-water coral (CWC) species from researchers and the wider public has increased. Consequently, new research programs triggered research to determine the full extent of the corals geographic distribution and ecological dynamics of “Lophelia reefs”. The present study is based on a systematic standardised sampling design to analyse the distribution and coverage of CWC reefs along European margins from the Bay of Biscay to Iceland. Based on Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) image analysis, we report an almost systematic occurrence of Madrepora oculata in association with L. pertusa with similar abundances of both species within explored reefs, despite a tendency of increased abundance of L. pertusa compared to M. oculata toward higher latitudes. This systematic association occasionally reached the colony scale, with “twin” colonies of both species often observed growing next to each other when isolated structures were occurring off-reefs. Finally, several “false chimaera” were observed within reefs, confirming that colonial structures can be “coral bushes” formed by an accumulation of multiple colonies even at the inter-specific scale, with no need for self-recognition mechanisms. Thus, we underline the importance of the hitherto underexplored M. oculata in the Eastern Atlantic, re-establishing a more balanced view that both species and their yet unknown interactions are required to better elucidate the ecology, dynamics and fate of European CWC reefs in a changing environment.

Intraseasonal variability of mixed layer depth in the tropical Indian Ocean

In this paper, we use an observational dataset built from Argo in situ profiles to describe the main large-scale patterns of intraseasonal mixed layer depth (MLD) variations in the Indian Ocean. An eddy permitting (0.25A degrees) regional ocean model that generally agrees well with those observed estimates is then used to investigate the mechanisms that drive MLD intraseasonal variations and to assess their potential impact on the related SST response. During summer, intraseasonal MLD variations in the Bay of Bengal and eastern equatorial Indian Ocean primarily respond to active/break convective phases of the summer monsoon. In the southern Arabian Sea, summer MLD variations are largely driven by seemingly-independent intraseasonal fluctuations of the Findlater jet intensity. During winter, the Madden-Julian Oscillation drives most of the intraseasonal MLD variability in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean. Large winter MLD signals in northern Arabian Sea can, on the other hand, be related to advection of continental temperature anomalies from the northern end of the basin. In all the aforementioned regions, peak-to-peak MLD variations usually reach 10 m, but can exceed 20 m for the largest events. Buoyancy flux and wind stirring contribute to intraseasonal MLD fluctuations in roughly equal proportions, except for the Northern Arabian Sea in winter, where buoyancy fluxes dominate. A simple slab ocean analysis finally suggests that the impact of these MLD fluctuations on intraseasonal sea surface temperature variability is probably rather weak, because of the compensating effects of thermal capacity and sunlight penetration: a thin mixed-layer is more efficiently warmed at the surface by heat fluxes but loses more solar flux through its lower base.

A review on systematic and taxonomic of the Persian Gulf fish species, based on geographical distribution pattern and habitat diversity, using by GIS

During the period from 2011 - 2015 with the aim of this study was to systematically review and in particular the revised classification of the Persian Gulf (and the Strait of Hormuz) and to obtain new information about the final confirmed list of fish species of Iranian waters of the Persian Gulf (and Hormuz Strait), samples of museums, surveys and sampling, and comparative study of all available sources and documentation was done. Classification systematic of sharks and batoids and bony fishes. Based on the results, the final list of approved fish of the Persian Gulf (including the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman border region) are 907 species in 157 families, of which 93 species of fish with 28 cartilaginous families (including 18 families with 60 species and 10 families with 34 species of shark and batoids); and 129 families with 814 species of bony fishes are. The presence of 11 new family with only one representative species in the area include Veliferidae, Zeidae, Sebastidae, Stomiidae, Dalatiidae, Zanclidae, Pempheridae, Lophiidae Kuhliidae, Etmoptridae and Chlorophthalmidae also recently introduced and approved. The two families based Creediidae Clinidae and their larvae samples for newly identified area. 62 families with mono-species and 25 families with more than 10 species are present including Gobiidae (53), Carangide (48), Labride (41), Blenniidae (34), Apogonidae (32) and Lutjanidae (31) of bony fishes, Carcharhinidae (26) of sharks and Dasyatidae (12) in terms of number of species of batoids most families to have their data partitioning. Also, 13 species as well as endemic species introduced the Persian Gulf and have been approved in terms of geographical expansion of the Persian Gulf are unique to the area.Two species of the family Poeciliidae and Cyprinodontidae have species of fresh water to the brackish coastal habitats have found a way;in addition to 11 types of families Carcharhinidae, Clupeidae, Chanidae, Gobidae, Mugilidae, Sparidae also as a species, with a focus on freshwater river basins in the south of the country have been found. In this study, it was found that out of 907 species have been reported from the study area, 294 species (32.4 %) to benthic habitats (Benthic habitats) and 613 species (67.6 %) in pelagic habitats (Pelagic habitats) belong. Coral reefs and rocky habitats in the range of benthic fish (129 species - 14.3 %) and reef associated fishes in the range of pelagic fishes (432 species – 47.8 %), the highest number and percentage of habitat diversity (Species habitats) have been allocated. As well as fish habitats with sea grass and algae beds in benthic habitat (17 species- 1.9 %) and pelagic - Oceanic (Open sea) in the whole pelagic fish (30 species – 3.3 %), the lowest number and percentage of habitat diversity into account. From the perspective of animal geography (Zoogeography) and habitat overlaps and similarities (Habitat overlapping) fish fauna of the Persian Gulf compared with other similar seas (tropical and subtropical, and warm temperate) in the Indian Ocean area - calm on the surface, based on the presence of certain species that the fish fauna of the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea and the Bay of Bengal (East Arabian Sea) compared to other regions in the Indian Ocean (Pacific) is closer (about 50%), and the Mediterranean (East area) and The Hawaiian Islands have the lowest overlap and similarity of habitat and species (about 10%).