The short term (hourly scale) variability of heterotrophic prokaryote (HP) vertical distribution and respiratory activity, was investigated in the north-western (NW) Mediterranean Sea. HP vertical distribution was determined on board by flow cytometry analysis of seawater samples collected by series of CTD casts. Cell counts and viability were determined for all samples. HP respiratory rates were determined later in the laboratory from filtered seawater samples (23 dm3) from 300–1 150-m depth. The average cell viability was 94.8%±2.2% (n=240). There was no accumulation of dead cells, due to quick decay of damaged cells. In the epipelagic layer, three HP groups were distinguished, two (HNA1, HNA2) whose cells exhibited a high nucleic acid content and one (LNA) with low nucleic acid content cells. HNA2 was most populated at 50 m but not detected at 90 m and below, presumably aerobic anoxygenic photoheterotrophic bacteria (AAPs). The variability in HP abundance was mainly confined in the upper 80 m. A few secondary peaks of HP abundance were observed (80–150 m) in connection with abundance troughs in the surface layer. HP cells were continuously present in a wide layer around 500 m (mean 191×103 cells/cm3). Below this layer, HP abundance randomly exhibited peaks, coupled to respiratory rate peaks. The HP abundance and variability in the water column was suppressed during a strong wind event. The observed sporadic variability was tentatively interpreted through a pulsed carbon-export mechanism induced by the microorganism production of dissolved polysaccharides, followed by flocculation and rapid sinking. This mechanism would thus contribute to (i) preventing organic matter accumulation in the epipelagic layer, (ii) seeding the water column with live HP cells, and (iii) supplying the aphotic water column with fresh and labile organic matter. This important vertical flux mechanism needs further observations and modelling.
We used a new experimental device called PASS (PArticle Sinking Simulator) during MedFlux to simulate changes in in situ hydrostatic pressure that particles experience sinking from mesopelagic to bathypelagic depths. Particles, largely fecal pellets, were collected at 200 m using a settling velocity NetTrap (SV NetTrap) in Ligurian Sea in April 2006 and incubated in high-pressure bottles (HPBs) of the PASS system under both atmospheric and continuously increasing pressure conditions, simulating the pressure change experienced at a sinking rate of 200 m d−1. Chemical changes over time were evaluated by measuring particulate organic carbon (POC), carbohydrates, transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), amino acids, lipids, and chloropigments, as well as dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved carbohydrates. Microbial changes were evaluated microscopically, using diamidinophenylindole (DAPI) stain for total cell counts and catalyzed reporter deposition-fluorescence in situ hybridization (CARD-FISH) for phylogenetic distinctions. Concentrations (normalized to POC) of particulate chloropigments, carbohydrates and TEP decreased under both sets of incubation conditions, although less under the increasing pressure regime than under atmospheric conditions. By contrast, dissolved carbohydrates (normalized to DOC) were higher after incubation and significantly higher under atmospheric conditions, suggesting they were produced at the expense of the particulate fraction. POC-normalized particulate wax/steryl esters increased only under pressure, suggesting biochemical responses of prokaryotes to the increasing pressure regime. The prokaryotic community initially consisted of 43% Bacteria, 12% Crenarchaea and 11% Euryarchaea. After incubation, Bacteria dominated (90%) the prokaryote community in all cases, with γ-Proteobacteria comprising the greatest fraction, followed by the Cytophaga–Flavobacter cluster and α-Proteobacteria group. Using the PASS system, we obtained chemical and microbial evidence that degradation by prokaryotes associated with fecal pellets sinking through mesopelagic waters is limited by the increasing pressure they experience. 相似文献
The structure and the trophic interactions of the planktonic food web were investigated during summer 2004 in a coastal lagoon of south-western Mediterranean Sea. Biomasses of planktonic components as well as bacterial and phytoplankton production and grazing by microzooplankton were quantified at four stations (MA, MB, MJ and R) inside the lagoon. Station MA was impacted by urban discharge, station MB was influenced by industrial activity, station MJ was located in a shellfish farming sector, while station R represented the lagoon central area. Biomasses and production rates of bacteria (7–33 mg C m−3; 17.5–35 mg C m−3 d−1) and phytoplankton (80–299 mg C m−3; 34–210 mg C m−3 d−1) showed high values at station MJ, where substantial concentrations of nutrients (NO3− and Si(OH)4) were found. Microphytoplankton, which dominated the total algal biomass and production (>82%), were characterized by the proliferation of several chain-forming diatoms. Microzooplankton was mainly composed of dinoflagellates (Torodinium, Protoperidinium and Dinophysis) and aloricate (Lohmaniellea and Strombidium) and tintinnid (Tintinnopsis, Tintinnus, Favella and Eutintinnus) ciliates. Higher biomass of these protozoa (359 mg C m−3) was observed at station MB, where large tintinnids were encountered. Mesozooplankton mainly represented by Calanoida (Acartia, Temora, Calanus, Eucalanus, Paracalanus and Centropages) and Cyclopoida (Oithona) copepods, exhibited higher and lower biomasses at stations MA/MJ and MB, respectively. Bacterivory represented only 35% of bacterial production at stations MB and R, but higher fractions (65–70%) were observed at stations MA and MJ. Small heterotrophic flagellates and aloricate ciliates seemed to be the main controllers of bacteria. Pico- and nanophytoplankton represented a significant alternative carbon pool for micrograzers, which grazing represented 67–90% of pico- and nano-algal production in all stations. Microzooplankton has, however, a relatively low impact on microphytoplankton, as ≤45% of microalgal production was consumed in all stations. This implies that an important fraction of diatom production would be channelled by herbivorous meso-grazers to higher consumers at stations MA and MJ where copepods were numerous. Most of the microalgal production would, however, sink particularly at station MB where copepods were scare. These different trophic interactions suggest different food web structures between stations. A multivorous food web seemed to prevail in stations MJ and MA, whereas microbial web was dominant in the other stations. 相似文献
In New Caledonia, the occurrence of one of the World’s largest and best-exposed subduction/obduction complex is a key point
for the understanding of the geodynamic evolution of the whole Southwest Pacific region. Within the ophiolite, pre-and post-obduction
granitoids intrude the ultramafic allochthon and provide new time constraints for the understanding of obduction processes.
At 27.4 Ma, a new East-dipping subduction generated the active margin magmatism along the western coast of the island (Saint-Louis
massif). At 24.3 Ma, the eastward shift of the magma activity and slightly different geochemical features (Koum-Borindi massif)
was either related to the older slab break-off; or alternatively, due to the eastward migration of the mantle wedge following
the collision of the eastern margin of the Low Howe rise. Finally, the occurrence of a granulite-facies xenolith in the Koum-Borindi
massif with comparable 24.5 Ma U–Pb zircon age and isotopic features (initial εNd = 5.1) suggests that these evolved magmas were generated within the lithospheric mantle beneath a continental crust of normal
thickness. Geochronological evidence for continuous convergence during the Oligocene infers an East-dipping Eocene-Oligocene
subduction/obduction system to have existed in the Southwest Pacific from the d’Entrecasteaux zone to the North Island of
New Zealand. 相似文献
Land-use practices such as deforestation or agricultural management may affect regional climate, ecosystems and water resources.
The present study investigates the impact of surface heterogeneity on the behaviour of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL),
at a typical spatial scale of 1 km. Large-eddy simulations, using an interactive soil–vegetation–atmosphere surface scheme,
are performed to document the structure of the three-dimensional flow, as driven by buoyancy forces, over patchy terrain with
different surface characteristics (roughness, soil moisture, temperature) on each individual patch. The patchy terrain consists
of striped and chessboard patterns. The results show that the ABL strongly responds to the spatial configuration of surface
heterogeneities. The stripe configuration made of two patches with different soil moisture contents generates the development
of a quasi- two-dimensional inland breeze, whereas a three-dimensional divergent flow is induced by chessboard patterns. The
feedback of such small-scale atmospheric circulations on the surface fluxes appears to be highly non-linear. The surface sensible
and latent heat fluxes averaged over the 25-km2 domain may vary by 5% with respect to the patch arrangement. 相似文献