Der Dogger am Espinazito-Pass, nebst einer Zusammenstellung der jetzigen Kenntnisse von der argentinischen Juraformation.

With: Gottsche, C. Ueber jurassische Versteinerungen aus der argentinischen Cordillere. [Cassel, 1878]

Ein Profil von den Ornaten-Schichten (Callovium-Dogger) bis zum unteren Korallenoolith (Oxfordium-Malm) im Grubenfeld Konrad , Salzgitter-Bleckenstedt (Ostniedersachsen)

Im Grubenfeld "Konrad" der Salzgitter-Erzbergbau AG bei Salzgitter-Bleckenstedt wurde ein 62 m mächtiges, von den Ornaten-Schichten (Mittel-Callovium, coronaten-Zone) bis an die Basis des Mittleren Korallenoolith (Mittel-Oxfordium, plicatilis-Zone oder Ober-Oxfordium, cautisnigrae-Zone) reichendes Profil aufgenommen und untersucht. Die Mächtigkeit der Heersumer Schichten beträgt nur 1,5 m, die des Unteren Korallenoolith ca. 60 m. Im Gegensatz zum nördlichen Teil des Gifhorner Troges (SEITZ 1950) ist die Mächtigkeit der Heersumer Schichten im südlichen Teil also erheblich geringer. Der Untere Korallenoolith ist in beiden Vorkommen etwa gleichmächtig entwickelt. Die Schichtlücke zwischen Mittel-Callovium und Unter-Oxfor- dium, die im untersuchten Profil nachgewiesen werden konnte, tritt auch am nördlichen Harzrand in der Grube "Hansa" (DENG- LER 1954) und im Wiehengebirge (LANGE 1971) auf. Offensichtlich ist sie jedoch nur lokal entwickelt, denn im Hildesheimer Jurazug (VINKEN 1974, 1975), im nördlichen Teil des Gifhorner Troges (SEITZ 1950) und am nördlichen Harzrand in unmittelbarer Nähe der Grube "Hansa" (s.o.) liegen lückenlose Profile vor. Daß diese Schichtlücken auch im Südteil des Gifhorner Troges auftreten, spricht für ein späteres Einsetzen der Trogtendenz in diesem Gebiet. Die untersuchten Schichten stimmen in ihren wesentlichen faziellen und petrographischen Merkmalen mit benachbarten Vorkommen überein. Die Zyklen im Unteren Korallenoolith werden als Ergebnis sich ablösender Transgressions- und Regressionsphasen gedeutet.

Stratigraphisch-Fazielle Untersuchungen an Dogger- und Malmzeitlichen Ablagerungen im Raum Wolfsburg (Ost-Niedersachsen)

Ziel der Arbeit ist es, ein genaueres Bild über Stratigraphie, Ablagerungsraum und Paläogeographie von Dogger und Malm des Raumes Wolfsburg zu erlangen. Dabei wurden u.a. zur Klärung insbesonders stratigraphischer Fragen Fossilien der neubestimmten Sammlung ROLKE herangezogen.

Untersuchungen zu biologischen Schadstoffeffekten bei Nordseefischen: Langzeitdaten zum Auftreten von Lebertumoren bei der Kliesche (Limanda limanda)

Data are presented on the spatial distribution and long-term temporal trends in the occurrence of neoplastic liver lesions of North Sea dab (Limanda limanda) in the period 1988 to 2001, obtained in the framework of the regular fish disease monitoring programme carried out by the German Federal Research Centre for Fishery. Highest prevalences consistently recorded in the first part of the period occurred in the German Bight, at the Dogger Bank and at sampling sites off Humber and Wash. In contrast, stations in the northern North Sea (e.g. in the Firth of Forth area) were always characterised by low prevalences. Particularly during the first years of observation, a clear and general decrease in prevalence could be observed, that was most pronounced in the hot spot areas German Bight and Dogger Bank compared to the Firth of Forth. Current data reveal that, due to the decrease, spatial differences between sampling sites are now much less obvious than at the beginning of the studies. Limited chemical data available suggest that the temporal decrease in prevalence of liver tumours and their precursor stages generally correspond with the decrease in organic contaminants in dab livers as well as in water and sediments. However, the spatial variation in prevalence recorded can not entirely be explained by contaminant levels. For instance, the prevalence was continuously low in the Firth of Forth area wheras the contaminant levels in dab were comparatively high. The opposite feature was observed at the Dogger Bank. Future studies will therefore address the role of other host- and site-specific factors potentially involved in the aetiology of the disease.

Mehr Nachwuchs bei Nutzfischarten der Nordsee, ausser beim Kabeljau

Ninety-one half-hour tows with the Grande Ouverture Verticale bottom trawl (GOV), 111 hydrographic stations and 100 catches with the Methot-Isaac-Kidd Net (MIK) were this years’ contribution of “Walther Herwig III” to the IBTS in various areas of the North Sea. Preliminary results indicate that especially haddock and, to some extent, whiting and Norway pout generated an ample 1999 yearclass. Indices for herring are also well above last years’ index whereas the cod indices indicate no substantial improvement of the stock. Largest concentrations of herring larvae were found in Moray Firth and west of the Dogger Bank/The Gut area. Temperatures of the North Sea were found to be above the long term means: 1 Centigrade on the open sea and up to 3 Centigrades in coastal areas. This years’ “WH III” IBTS activities at sea were considerably hampered by rough weather

Deutsche und internationale Bestandsuntersuchungen an Heringen mit hydroakustischen Methoden

The international hydroacoustic herring survey in the North Sea is carried out since the early eighties with Dutch, Scottish, Danish und Norwegian contribution. Since 1994 Germany also participates in this survey on a regular basis and has taken over a sector in the easter part between the Dogger Bank and the Danish coast. This area is known for the abundance of chiefly juvenile herring and sprat. During the 1995 cruise some 420000 t of herring were found here, most of them being juveniles of age group I. Analyses of plankton hauls showed that planktonic echos were not caused by juvenile herring, instead the echos were apparently produced by small pelagic gastropodes of the genus Spiratella.

Interpretación litoestratigráfica y paleogeográfica del Jurásico marino del este Cantabria-oeste de Vizcaya en base a diagrafías de sondeo y su correlación con series tipo

Este trabajo se centra en el estudio del Jurásico marino (Lías y Dogger) de un área de la parte central de La Cuenca Vasco-Cantábrica situada en el este de Cantabria y oeste de Vizcaya donde sus afloramientos son muy escasos pero se dispone de datos de sondeos de exploración petrolífera (Fig 1A y B), poniendo especial interés en la localización y distribución lateral de los niveles de rocas madre de hidrocarburos (black shales) y de potenciales almacenes (unidades carbonatadas fracturadas o dolomitizadas). La sucesión del Jurásico de la Cuenca Vasco-Cantábrica (CVC) está formada por dos unidades diferenciadas por edad y ambiente sedimentario. Por una parte tenemos los materiales del “Jurásico marino” (Robles et al., 1989) que representan la mayor parte de la sucesión (Lías y Dogger) y por otro lado, tenemos los materiales del “Jurásico continental” pertenecientes exclusivamente al Tithoniense Superior y que se engloban en las facies Purbeck que abarcan hasta el Berriasiense (Rat 1962).

North Atlantic and North Sea climate change: curl up, shut down, NAO and ocean colour

The strength of the North Atlantic Current (NAC) (based on sea-surface elevation sloped derived from altimeter data) is correlated with westerly winds (based on North Atlantic Oscillation [NAO] Index data over a nine year period [1992-2002] with 108 monthly values). The data time window includes the major change in climate forcing over the last 100 years (1995 to 1996). It is shown that the NAO Index can be used for early earning of system failure for the NAC. The correlation response or early warning time scale for western Europe and south England is six months. The decay scale for the NAC and Subtropical Gyre circulation is estimated as three years. Longer period altimeter elevation/circulation changes are discussed. The sea-surface temperature (SST) response of the North Sea to negative and positive NAO conditions is examined. The overall temperature response for the central North Sea to NAO index forcing, reflecting wind induced inflow, shelf circulation and local climate forcing, is similar to 5 months. In years with strong North Atlantic winter wind induced inflow, under marked NAO positive conditions, mean temperatures ( similar to 10.5 degree C) are about 1 degree C warmer than under negative conditions. In 1996 under extreme negative winter NAO conditions, the North Sea circulation stopped, conditions near the Dogger Bank became more continentally influenced and the winter (March) temperature fell to 3.1 degree C whereas in 1995 under NAO positive winter conditions the minimum temperature was 6.4 degree C (February). Seasonal advance of North Atlantic and North Sea temperature is derived in relation to temperature change. Temperature change and monthly NAO Index are discussed with respect to phytoplankton blooms, chlorophyll-a measurements, ocean colour data and the anomalous north-eastern Atlantic 2002 spring/summer bloom SeaWiFS chlorophyll concentrations.

An overview of plankton ecology in the North Sea

The purpose of this report is to give an overview of plankton ecology in the North Sea, and the processes that effect it, as derived from current research. The Sir Alister Hardy Foundation has extensive data for the North Sea area, and other sources have also been used to provide information for this report. Shortfalls in current research have also been highlighted. The information contained herein is to be contributed towards an information base for the Strategic Environmental Assessment. The North Sea is an extension of the North Atlantic that has an area of 574,980 km2. The deepest area is off the coast of Norway (660m), with a number of shallow areas, such as the Dogger Bank (15m). The North Sea represents a large source of hydrocarbons that have been exploited since the early 1970s. The aim of this study is to provide the Department of Trade and Industry with biological data on the planktonic community of the North Sea, as a contribution towards the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA 2). An overview of phyto- and zoo- plankton community composition, plankton blooms, Calanus, mero-, pico- and megaplankton, sensitivity to disturbance / contamination, phytodetritus and vertical fluxes and the resting stages of phytoplankton is made using the results of the survey database. Additional published literature has also been used, and gaps in available data have been highlighted. 1.3 The Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) survey provides a unique long-term dataset of plankton abundance in the North Atlantic and North Sea (Warner and Hays 1994). The survey has been running for almost 70 years, using ‘ships of opportunity’ to tow CPRs on regular, and incidental routes, sampling at a depth of 10 m. Each sample represents 18 km of tow and approximately 3 m3 of filtered seawater. Over 400 taxa of plankton are routinely identified by a team of taxonomists. The samples are also compared to colour charts to give an indication of ‘greenness’, which provides a visual index of chlorophyll value. CPRs have been towed for over 4 million nautical miles, accumulating almost 200,000 samples. The design of the CPR has remained virtually unchanged since sampling started, thus providing a consistency of sampling that provides good historical comparisons. By systematically monitoring the plankton over a period, changes in abundance and long term trends can be distinguished. From this baseline data, inferences can be made, particularly concerning climate change and potentialanthropogenic impacts.

A change in the zooplankton of the central North Sea (55 degree to 58 degree N): A possible consequence of changes in the benthos

The mesozooplankton taken in continuous plankton recorder samples from the Central North Sea has changed from being numerically dominated by holoplanktonic calanoid copepod species from 1958 to the late 1970s to a situation where pluteus larvae of echinoid and ophiuroid echinoderms have been more abundant than any single holoplanktonic species in the 1980s and early 1990s. The abundance of the echinoderm larvae as a proportion of the zooplankton taken in the samples has followed a continuous increasing trend over the Dogger Bank, but off the eastern coast of northern England and southern Scotland the increase did not become obvious until the 1980s. This trend is consistent with reported increases in abundance of the macrobenthos. It is proposed that changes in the benthos have influenced the composition of the plankton.

Spatial patterns and trends in abundance of larval sandeels in the North Sea: 1950-2005

Early recruitment indices based on larval fish data from the Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) have the potential to inform stock assessments of Ammodytes marinus in the North Sea. We evaluate whether the CPR data are reliable for sandeel larvae. Spatially, CPR larval data were comparable with catches by dedicated larval samplers (Gulf and bongo nets) during ICES coordinated surveys in 2004 and 2009. ICES data are also used to explore environmental influences on sandeel distributions. Temporally, CPR data correlate with larval data from plankton surveys off Stonehaven (1999–2005), with sandeel 0-group trawl data at the east Fair Isle ground (since 1984), and with recruitment data (since 1983) for the Dogger Banks stock assessment area. Therefore, CPR data may provide an early recruit index of relative abundance for the Dogger Banks assessment area, where the majority of the commercial catch of A. marinus is taken, and the Wee Bankie area that is particularly important for seabird foraging. While warm conditions may stimulate the production of sandeel larvae, their natural mortality is typically greater, in the Dogger Banks and Wadden Sea areas, when the larvae are hatched in warm years and/or with abundant 1-year-old sandeel that are likely to be cannibalistic.