Size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass in autumn of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River Estuary and its adjacent waters after the Three Gorges Dam construction

A cruise was undertaken from 3rd to 8th November 2004 in Changjiang(Yangtze) River Estuary and its adjacent waters to investigate the spatial biomass distribution and size composition of phytoplankton.Chlorophyll-a(Chl-a) concentration ranged 0.42-1.17 μg L-1 and 0.41-10.43 μg L-1 inside and outside the river mouth,with the mean value 0.73 μg L-1 and 1.86 μg L-1,respectively.Compared with the Chl-a concentration in summer of 2004,the mean value was much lower inside,and a little higher outside the river mouth.The maximal Chl-a was 10.43 μg L-1 at station 18(122.67°E,31.25°N),and the region of high Chl-a concentration was observed in the central survey area between 122.5°E and 123.0°E.In the stations located east of 122.5°E,Chl-a concentration was generally high in the upper layers above 5 m due to water stratification.In the survey area,the average Chl-a in sizes of >20 μm and <20 μm was 0.28 μg L-1 and 1.40 μg L-1,respectively.High Chl-a concentration of <20 μm size-fraction indicated that the nanophytoplankton and picophytoplankton contributed the most to the biomass of phytoplankton.Skeletonema costatum,Prorocentrum micans and Scrippsiella trochoidea were the dominant species in surface water.The spatial distribution of cell abundance of phytoplankton was patchy and did not agree well with that of Chl-a,as the cell abundance could not distinguish the differences in shape and size of phytoplankton cells.Nitrate and silicate behaved conservatively,but the former could probably be the limitation factor to algal biomass at offshore stations.The distribution of phosphate scattered considerably,and its relation to the phytoplankton biomass was complicated.

Variability of size-fractionated phytoplankton standing stock in the Amundsen Sea during summer

The size-fractionated composition of phytoplankton greatly influences the transfer efficiency of biomass in pelagic food chains and the biological carbon flux from surface waters to the deep sea.To better understand phytoplankton abundance and composition in polynya,ice zone,and open ocean regions of the Amundsen Sea Sector of the Southern Ocean(110°W-150°W),its size-fractionated distribution and vertical structure are reported for January to February 2020.Vertical integrated(0-200 m)chlorophyll(Chl)a concentrations within Amundsen polynya regions are significantly higher than those within ice zone(t test,p<0.01)and open ocean(t test,p<0.01)regions,averaging 372.3±189.0,146.2±152.1,and 49.0±20.8 mg·m^(−2),respectively.High Chl is associated with shallow mixed-layer depths and near-shelf regions,especially at the southern ends of 112°W and 145°W.Netplankton(>20μm)contribute 60%of the total Chl in Amundsen polynya and sea ice areas,and form subsurface chlorophyll maxima(SCM)above the pycnocline in the upper water column,probably because of diatom blooms.Net-,nano-,and picoplankton comprise 39%,32%,and 29%of total Chl in open ocean stations,respectively.The open-ocean SCM migrates deeper and is below the pycnocline.The Amundsen Sea SCM is moderately,positively correlated with the euphotic zone depth and moderately,negatively correlated with column-integrated net-and nanoplankton Chl.

Study on Different Size-fractionated Phytoplankton Assemblage Change in the Mesocosm Ecosystem

A algal bloom process had been simulated via field mesocosm experiment, and the change of phytoplankton assemblage of different sizes in different growing phases had been studied. Nutrients addition could promote the growth of phytoplankton In the mesocosm of Prorocentrum donghaiense （M1） and the mesocosm of natural waters （M2）, and the peaks of chlorophyll a were 112.79 mg/m and 235.60 mg/m, respectively. The restraining effect of nano-phytoplankton on pico-phytoplankton growth was stronger in M2 than in M1. When nutrients were abundant, the relative growth rate of diatom was higher than that of P. donghaiense, and they reached the peak quickly and then came to die out very fast. The decreasing of Si promoted diatom bloom to die out.

Studies on growth rate and grazing mortality rate by microzooplankton of size-fractionated phytoplankton in spring and summer in the Jiaozhou Bay,China

Dilution experiments were performed to examine the growth rate and grazing mortality rate of size-fractionated phytoplankton at three typical stations, inside and outside the bay, in the spring and summer of 2003 in the Jiaozhou Bay, China. In spring, the phytoplankton community structure was similar among the three stations, and was mainly composed of nanophytoplankton, such as, Skeletonema costatum and Cylindrotheca closterium. The structure became significantly different for the three stations in summer, when the dominant species at Stas A, B and C were Chaetoceros curvisetus, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima, C. affinis, C. debilis, Coscinodiscus oculus-iridis and Paralia sulcata respectively. Tintinnopsis beroidea and T. tsingtaoensis were the dominant species in spring, whereas the microzooplankton was apparently dominated by Strombidium sp. in summer. Pico- and nanophytoplankton had a relatively greater growth rate than microzooplankton both in spring and summer. The growth rate and grazing mortality rate were 0.18~0.44 and 0.12~1.47 d-1 for the total phytoplankton and 0.20~0.55 and 0.21~0.37 d-1 for nanophytoplankton in spring respectively. In summer, the growth rate and grazing mortality rate were 0.38~0.71 and 0.27~0.60 d-1 for the total phytoplankton and 0.11~1.18 and 0.41~0.72 d-1 for nano- and microphytoplankton respectively. The carbon flux consumed by microzooplankton per day was 7.68~39.81 mg/m3 in spring and 12.03~138.22 mg/m3 in summer respectively. Microzooplankton ingested 17.56%~92.19% of the phytoplankton standing stocks and 31.77%~467.88% of the potential primary productivity in spring; in contrast, they ingested 34.60%~83.04% of the phytoplankton standing stocks and 71.28%~98.80% of the potential primary productivity in summer. Pico- and nanophytoplankton appeared to have relatively greater rates of growth and grazing mortality than microphytoplankton during the experimental period. The grazing rate of microzooplankton in summer was a little bit greater than that in spring because of the relatively higher incubation temperature and different dominant microzooplankton species. Microzooplankton preferred ingesting nanophytoplankton to microphytoplankton in spring, while they preferred ingesting picophytoplankton to nanophytoplankton and microphytoplankton in summer. Compared with the results of dilution experiments performed in various waters worldwide, the results are in the middle range.

Response of size-fractionated phytoplankton to environmental factors near the Changjiang Estuary

Size-based partitioning of phytoplankton is a useful tool for monitoring key phytoplankton traits, and it provides a better understanding of phytoplankton dynamics. Our aim is to determine the variation in the different size classes of phytoplankton to the total phytoplankton biomass during the spring and autumn of 2010 and examine the relationship between phytoplankton size structure and environmental variables and zooplankton community structure near the Changjiang Estuary. In the spring, phytoplankton populations were predominantly consisted of nanophytoplankton throughout the study region. In the autumn, picophytoplankton and nanophytoplankton collectively dominated the phytoplankton community. A Pearson correlation analysis highlighted the role of temperature and trophic conditions on the contributions of nanophytoplankton and picophytoplankton. The grazing pressure exerted by mesozooplankton could have played an important role in determining the microphytoplankton community structure.

Size-fractionated phytoplankton standing stock and primary production in the Bohai Sea during late spring

During June 1997 cruise by R/V Science No.l, observations on temporal and spatialvariations of the size-fractionated phytoplankton standing stock and primary production were carried out in the Bohai Sea. The size-fractionated chlorophyll a (Chl a) and primary production, photosynthet-ically available radiation (PAR), as well as the related physico-oceanographic and zooplanktonic parameters were measured at five time-series observation stations representing sub-areas of the sea. Results obtained show that there were the marked features of spatial zonation of Chl a and primary production in the Bohai Sea. The values in the Laizhou Bay, the Liaodong Gulf and the Bohai Gulf were high and showed close relation with tidal fluctuations, i.e. high Chi a concentration occurred during high tide in the Laizhou Bay, and during low tide in the Liaodong Gulf and the Bohai Gulf. In the strait and the central region of the Bohai Sea, the values were relatively low and no relationship with tidal fluctuation could be found. Chlorophyll a concentration vertically decreased from surface to bottom in the Liaodong Gulf and the Bohai Gulf, while it increased in the Laizhou Bay, the strait and the central region of the Bohai Sea, and the highest value was encountered at the bottom. Size-fractionation results showed that nano - combining pico -plankton ( < 20 μm) predominated in phytoplankton communities of the Bohai Sea during late spring. The average contribution to total Chl a in each station ranged 76% -95 % (mean is 87 %). The contribution of net (> 20 μm), nano - (2- 20 fan) and picoplankton (< 2 μm) was 13% , 63% and 24% to total production, and 9% , 53% and 38% to total Chl a, respectively. It proved the importance of nano - and pico -plankton in phytoplankton communities in the Bohai Sea e-cosystems. In this paper the factors, such as light intensity and zooplankton grazing pressure, governing standing stock and production of phytoplankton in the Bohai Sea were also discussed.

Seasonal variation of size-fractionated phytoplankton in the Pearl River estuary

To investigate the dynamics of phytoplankton size structure in the Pearl River estuary, concentrations of size-fractionated chlorophyll a (Chl a) were determined during four cruises carried out in 2008 and 2010. The distribution of Chl a in this geographical location showed a high degree of temporal variation. Chl a concentrations were highest in autumn, approximately three times higher than those in summer and winter. Microphytoplankton was the dominant contributor, accounting for 66.9% of the Chl a concentration in autumn 2008. In summer and spring 2008, nano-sized cells dominated the phytoplankton population throughout the study region. During the winter cruise, two different areas of water were found, characterized by (1) low salinity and high nutrient content and (2) high salinity and low nutrient content; nano- and picophytoplankton co-dominated the first area, while microphytoplankton dominated the second. It is arguable that grazing could have played a role in determining phytoplankton community size structure in winter. Nutrient concentrations were assumed not to limit phytoplankton growth during the investigation period. Size-differential capacity in competing for the resources available under different hydrodynamic conditions seemed to be the major factor in determining seasonal variation in the structure of the phytoplankton communities. High N:P ratios in the Pearl River estuary had major implications for nutrient pollution control. Our results indicated that studies of phytoplankton size structure provide greater insight into phytoplankton dynamics and are necessary to better manage water quality in the Pearl River estuary.

Distribution characteristics of size-fractionated chlorophyll a and primary productivity in Beibu Gu

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Size-fractionated Chlorophyll α biomass in the northern South China Sea in summer 2014

Spatial distribution of phaeopigment and size-fractionated chlorophyll a(Chl a) concentrations were examined in relation to hydrographic conditions in the northern South China Sea(NSCS) during a survey from 20 August to 12 September, 2014. The total Chl a concentration varied from 0.006 to 1.488 μg/L with a mean value of 0.259±0.247(mean±standard deviation) μg/L. Chl a concentration was generally higher in shallow water(<200 m) than in deep water(>200 m), with mean values of 0.364±0.311 μg/L and 0.206±0.192 μg/L respectively. Vertically, the maximum total Chl a concentration appeared at depths of 30–50 m and gradually decreased below 100 m. The size-fractionated Chl a concentrations of grid stations and time-series stations(SEATS and J4) were determined, with values of pico-(0.7–2 μm), nano-(2–20 μm) and micro- plankton(20–200 μm) ranging from 0.001–0.287(0.093±0.071 μg/L), 0.004–1.149(0.148±0.192 μg/L) and 0.001–0.208(0.023±0.036 μg/L), respectively. Phaeopigment concentrations were determined at specifi c depths at ten stations, except for at station A9, and varied from 0.007 to 0.572(0.127±0.164) μg/L. Nano-and pico-plankton were the major contributors to total phytoplankton biomass, accounting for 50.99%±15.01% and 39.30%±15.41%, respectively, whereas microplankton only accounted for 9.39%±8.66%. The results indicate that the contributions of microplankton to total Chl a biomass were less important than picoplankton or nanoplankton in the surveyed NSCS. Diff erent sized-Chl a had similar spatial patterns, with peak values all observed in subsurface waters(30–50 m). The summer monsoon, Kuroshio waters, Zhujiang(Pearl) River plume, and hydrological conditions are speculated to be the factors controlling the abundance and spatial heterogeneity of Chl a biomass in the NSCS.

The size-fractionated chlorophyll a and primary productivity in the Bering Sea during the summer of 2003

Investigations of chlorophyll a and primary productivity were carried out inthe Bering Sea along the BR line and the BS line during the Second Chinese National Arctic ResearchExpedition in the summer of 2003.The results showed that the surface chlorophyll a concentrationswere 0.199~1.170μg/dm^(3),and the average value was 0.723μg/dm^(3) on the BR line.For the BSline,the surface chlorophyll a concentrations were 0.519~4.644μg/dm^(3)(average 1.605μg/dm^(3))and 0.568~14.968μg/dm^(3)(average 5.311μg/dm^(3))during the early and late summer,respectively.The average value in the late summer was much higher than that in the early summer.The high values(more than 4.0μg/dm^(3))occurred at stations of the BS line in the southern Bering Strait.Thechlorophyll a concentrations in the subsurface layer were higher than those in the surface layer.The results of the size-fractionated chlorophyll a showed that the contribution of the picoplanktonto total chlorophyll a was the predominance at the early summer and the contribution of thenetplankton was the predominance at the late summer.The carbon potential primary productivitiesvaried between 0.471 and 1.147 mg/(m^(3)·h)on the BR line,with average rates of 0.728 mg/(m^(3)·h).The primary productivities on the BS line were much higher than those of the BR line,ranging from1.227 mg/(m^(3)·h)at the early summer to 19.046 mg/(m^(3)·h)at the late summer.The results of thesize-fractionated primary productivity showed that the contribution of the nanoplankton to totalproductivity was the predominance at the early summer and the contribution of the netplankton waspredominance at the late summer.The assimilation number of photosynthesis was 0.45~2.80 mg/(mg·h)in the surveyed stations.

Distribution characteristics of size-fractionated chlorophyll a, primary production and new production in the Laizhou Bay, July 1997

The distributions of chlorophyll a concentration, primary production and new productionwere observed in the Laizhou Bay of the Bohai Sea in both spring and neap tides during July 1997. The results showed that there were marked features of spatial zonation in the surveyed area, due to the differences between the geographic environment and the hydrological conditions. Chlorophyll a, primary production and new production were all higher in spring tides than that in neap tides in the Laizhou Bay. The highest values of these parameters were encountered in the central regions of the bay. At most stations, chlorophyll a concentrations at the bottom were higher than that at the surface. The results of size-fractionated chlorophyll a and primary production showed that contributions of nanocombining pi-coplankton ( <20 μm) to total chlorophyll a and primary production were dominant in phytoplankton community biomass and production of the Laizhou Bay. The environmental factors, primary production and new production in the Laizhou Bay are compared with other sea areas.

The distribution feature of size-fractionated chlorophyll a and primary productivity in Prydz Bay and its north sea area during the austral summer

The investigation of size-fractionated chlorophyll a and primary productivity were carried out in three longitudinal sections (63°-69°12'S, 70°30'E, 73°E and 75(30'E) at December 18-26, 1998 and January 12-18, 1999 in Prydz Bay and its north sea area, Antarctica. The results showed that surface chlorophyll a concentration were 0. 16 -3. 99 μg dm-3. The high values of chlorophyll a concentration (more than 3.5 μg dm -3) were in Prydz Bay and in the west Ladies Bank. The average chlorophyll a concentration at sub-surface layer was higher than that at surface layer; its concentration at the deeper layers of 50 m decreased with increasing depth and that at 200 m depth was only 0. 01 -0. 95μg dm -3. The results of size-fractionated chlorophyll a showed that the contribution of the netplanktion to total chlorophyll a was 56% , those of the nanoplankton and the picoplankton were 24% and 20% respectively in the surveyed area. The potential primary productivity at the euphotic zone in the surveyed area was 0. 11 - 11. 67 mgC m-3h-1 and average value was 2.00 ±2.80 mgC m h . The in-situ productivity in the bay and the continental shelf was higher and that in the deep-sea area was lower. The assimilation number of photosynthesis was 1.53±1. 11 mgC/(mg Chi a · h). The results of size-fractionated primary productivity show that the contribution of the netplanktion to total productivity was 58% , those of the nanoplankton and the picoplankton were 26% and 16% respectively. The cell abundance of phytoplankton was 1. 6 × 103 - 164. 8 × 103 cell dm-3 in the surface water.

Variability of size-fractionated chlorophyll a in the high-latitude Arctic Ocean in summer 2020

The size structure of phytoplankton has considerable effects on the energy flow and nutrient cycling in themarine ecosystem,and thus is important to marine food web and biological pump.However,its dynamics in the high-latitude Arctic Ocean,particularly ice-covered areas,remain poorly understood.We investigated size-fractionated chlorophyll a(Chl a)and related environmental parameters in the highly ice-covered Arctic Ocean during the summer of 2020,and analyzed the relationship between Chl adistribution and water mass through cluster analysis.Results showed that inorganic nutrients were typically depleted in the upper layer of the Canada Basin region,and that phytoplankton biomass was extremely low(mean=0.05±0.18 mg·m^(−3))in the near-surface layer(upper 25 m).More than 80%of Chl a values were<0.1 mg·m^(−3) in the water column(0-200 m),but high values appeared at the ice edge or in corresponding ice areas on the shelf.Additionally,the mean contribution of both nanoplankton(2-20μm)(41%)and picoplankton(<2μm)(40%)was significantly higher than that of microplankton(20-200μm)(19%).Notably,the typical subsurface chlorophyll maximum(0.1 mg·m^(−3))was found north of 80°N,where the concentration of sea ice reached approximately 100%.The Chl aprofile results showed that the deep chlorophyll maximum of total-,micro-,nano-,and picoplankton was located at depth of 40,39,41,and 38 m,respectively,indicating that nutrients are the primary factor limiting phytoplankton growth in the ice-covered Arctic Ocean during summer.These phenomena suggest that,despite the previous literatures pointing to significant light limitation under the Arctic ice,the primary limiting factor for phytoplankton in summer is still nutrient.

Response of phytoplankton functional group to spring drought in a large subtropical reservoir

Global warming has caused an increase in the frequency and duration of droughts worldwide.Droughts could trigger large changes in physico-chemical conditions and phytoplankton community in waterbodies,resulting in a shift in the phytoplankton community.Spring diatom blooms in reservoirs have been increasingly observed in the past decade in the Taihu Lake basin.The aim of the present study is to elucidate the impacts of droughts on aquatic environment and to determine the driving factors for the succession of the phytoplankton functional groups based on the analysis of data collected during spring from 2009 to 2020 in the Daxi Reservoir.The unimodal relationship between 1-month aggregated precipitation index and phytoplankton species richness indicated the competitive exclusion occurred in extremely drought period.The structural equation modeling indicated that drought-related low water level conditions intensified sediment resuspension,and increased the phosphorus-enriched nonalgal turbidity in the Daxi Reservoir.Concurrently,a steady shift in the Reynolds phytoplankton functional groups from L 0,TD,J,X 2,and A(phytoplankton taxa preferring low turbidity and nutrient conditions)to TB(pennate diatoms being adapt to turbid and nutrient-rich conditions)was observed.The increased TP and non-algal turbidity in addition to the lowered disturbance contribute to the prevalence of Group TB.Considering the difficulties in nutrient control,timely water replenishment is often a feasible method of controlling the dominance of harmful algae for reservoir management.Finally,alternative water sources are in high demand for ensuring ecological safety and water availability when dealing with drought.

Impacts of Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture on Phytoplankton in Sanggou Bay

Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture(IMTA)has been considered as an ecofriendly culture system providing a potential solution to environmental risks caused by intensive monoculture system.However,the impact of IMTA on phytoplankton remains unclear.In this study,the spatial and temporal variations of phytoplankton in Sanggou Bay were investigated seasonally based on 21 sampling sites covering three cultivation zones(bivalve zone,IMTA zone,and kelp zone)and one control zone(without aquatic cultivation).In total,128 phytoplankton species,with diatoms and dinoflagellates as the dominant groups,were obtained across the whole year,and the mean Shannon diversity index(H')and species richness(SR)were determined as 1.39 and 9.39,respectively.The maximum chlorophyll a(Chl-a)(6.32μg L^(-1))and plankton diversity(H'of 1.97)occurred in summer and autumn,respectively.Compared to other zones,the bivalve zone displayed significantly higher Chl-a and lower H'in majority of time.Pairwise PERMANOVA analysis indicated that the phytoplankton assemblage in the bivalve zone was significantly different with the control and kelp zones,while the IMTA zone maintained close to other three zones.Based on generalized additive models,temperature,NO_(2)^(-)-N,N/P ratio,SiO_(3)^(2-)-Si,and salinity were determined as the key factors underlying Chl-a and phytoplankton diversity.Addi-tionally,the results of redundancy analysis further indicated that the phytoplankton assemblage in the bivalve zone is positively re-lated with nutrients such as NO_(3)^(-)-N and NH_(4)^(+)-N as well as water depth,while the phytoplankton assemblages in the kelp,control,and IMTA zones are associated with NO_(2)^(-)-N,SiO_(3)^(2-)-Si,and salinity.Taken all observations into consideration together,it can be inferred that IMTA can effectively reduce Chl-a level compared to bivalve monoculture by reducing the nutrients.However,the SR,H’,and species composition of phytoplankton are primarily determined by local environment factors such as temperature,water depth,salinity and SiO_(3)^(2-)-Si.

Distribution and dynamics of niche and interspecific association of dominant phytoplankton species in the Feiyun River basin,Zhejiang,China

To investigate the dominant species and interspecific association in the phytoplankton community of the Feiyun River basin in Zhejiang Province,East China,the main stream and the Shanxi Zhaoshandu Reservoir in the downstream were chosen as the study area,for which 22 sampling sites were designated.Sampling was conducted in September 2021,January,May,and July 2022.Phytoplankton species were identified from both quantitative samples and in-vivo observations.Phytoplankton was quantified by direct counting.Results show that there were 98 species belonging to 6 phyla and 78 genera.In addition,to clarify the niches of the dominant phytoplankton species and their interspecific association,the dominance index was calculated,and a comprehensive analysis was conducted including niche width,niche overlap value,ecological response rate,overall association,chi-square test,and the stability.The phytoplankton community exhibited characteristics of a Cyanobacteria-Chlorophyta-Diatom type community,showing higher diversity in spring and lower diversity in summer.Among 11 dominants phytoplankton species from 3 phyla,both frequency and dominance degree varied seasonally,of which Microcystis sp.was the dominant species in Spring,Autumn,and Winter.The niche widths of the dominant species ranged from 0.234 to 0.933,and were categorized into three groups.The niche overlap values of the 11 dominant species ranged from 0.359 to 0.959,exhibiting significant seasonal differences-highest in winter followed by autumn,spring,and summer in turn.The overall correlation among dominant species in all four seasons revealed a non-significant negative association,resulting in an unstable community structure.A significant portion(84.2%)of species pairs displayed positive associations,suggesting a successional pattern where Diatoms dominated while other dominant species shared resources and space.Despite this pattern,stability measurements indicated that the dominant species community remained unstable.Therefore,careful monitoring is recommended for potential water environment issues arising from abnormal proliferation of dominant species in the watershed during winter.This research built a theoretical foundation with a data support to the early warning of eutrophication and provided a reference for water resources management in similar watersheds along the eastern coast of China.

Characterization of Nutrients,Heavy Metals,Petroleum and Their Impact on Phytoplankton in Laizhou Bay:Implications for Environmental Management and Monitoring

The Laizhou Bay(LB)represents a substantial ecological area that is vulnerable to human activities and confronts diverse environmental challenges.This study provides a comprehensive characterization of nutrients,petroleum,heavy metals,and phytoplankton community structure across seven distinct areas in LB.The results indicate relatively high concentrations of NO_(2)-N,SiO_(4)-Si,and NO_(3)-N in the Southwest Laizhou Bay(SWLB)and Huanghe River Estuary(HRE).In contrast,the East Laizhou bay(ELB)and the North of Huanghe River Estuary(NHRE)exhibit the highest concentrations of heavy metals(As,Cr and Hg).The areas with high phytoplankton density and community diversity are mainly located in the SWLB.After adjusting for basic environmental factors,phytoplankton density and Margalef richness index D are significantly associated with nutrients(NO_(3)-N,NO_(2)-N,NH_(4)-N,SiO_(4)-Si),and heavy metal(Cr)concentrations.We highlight that,in addition to Xiaoqinghe River,nutrients brought by the Mihe River in the SWLB and heavy metal(Cr)pollution in the ELB resulting from industrial and mining activities along the coast significantly influence phytoplankton growth and community structure.Therefore,it is recommended that more monitoring and management efforts be focused on these regions in the future.

Effects of phosphorus limitation on sinking velocities of phytoplankton during summer in the Changjiang River Estuary

The sinking of phytoplankton is critical to organic matter transportation in the ocean and it is an essential process for the formation of coastal hypoxic zones.This study was based on a field investigation conducted during the summer of 2022 in the Changjiang River(Yangtze River) Estuary(CJE) and its adjacent waters.The settling column method was employed to measure the sinking velocity(SV) of different size fractions of phytoplankton at the surface of the sea and to analyze their environmental control mechanisms.The findings reveal significant spatial variation in phytoplankton SV(-0.55-2.41 m/d) within the CJE.High-speed sinking was predominantly observed in phosphate-depleted regions beyond the CJE front.At the same time,an upward trend was more commonly observed in the phosphate-rich regions near the CJE mouth.The SV ranges for different sizefractionated phytoplankton,including micro-(>20 μm),nano-(2-20 μm),and picophytoplankton(0.7-2 μm),were-0.50-4.74 m/d,-1.04-1.59 m/d,and-1.24-1.65 m/d,respectively.Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between SV and dissolved inorganic phosphorus(DIP),implying that the influence of DIP contributes to SV.The variations in phytoplankton alkaline phosphatase activity suggested a significant increase in SV across all size fractions in the event of phosphorus limitation.Phytoplankton communities with limited photo synthetic capacity(maximum photochemical efficience,Fv/Fm <0.3) were found to have higher SV than that of communities with strong capacity,suggesting a link between sinking and alterations in physiological conditions due to phosphate depletion.The findings from the in situ phosphate enrichment experiments confirmed a marked decrease in SV following phosphate supplementation.These findings suggest that phosphorus limitation is the primary driver of elevated SV in the CJE.This study enhances the comprehension of the potential mechanisms underlying hypoxic zone formation in the CJE,providing novel insights into how nearshore eutrophication influences organic carbon migration.

The connection of phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya of the western Antarctic Peninsula to the Southern Annular Mode

Antarctic coastal polynyas are biological hotspots in the Southern Ocean that support the abundance of hightrophic-level predators and are important for carbon cycling in the high-latitude oceans.In this study,we examined the interannual variation of summertime phytoplankton biomass in the Marguerite Bay polynya(MBP)in the western Antarctic Peninsula area,and linked such variability to the Southern Annular Mode(SAM)that dominated the southern hemisphere extratropical climate variability.Combining satellite data,atmosphere reanalysis products and numerical simulations,we found that the interannual variation of summer chlorophyll-a(Chl-a)concentration in the MBP is significantly and negatively correlated with the spring SAM index,and weakly correlated with the summer SAM index.The negative relation between summer Chl-a and spring SAM is due to weaker spring vertical mixing under a more positive SAM condition,which would inhibit the supply of iron from deep layers into the surface euphotic layer.The negative relation between spring mixing and spring SAM results from greater precipitation rate over the MBP region in positive SAM phase,which leads to lower salinity in the ocean surface layer.The coupled physical-biological mechanisms between SAM and phytoplankton biomass revealed in this study is important for us to predict the future variations of phytoplankton biomasses in Antarctic polynyas under climate change.

New Insights in the Biodegradability and the Ecotoxicological Effects of Solar Products Containing Mineral and Chemical UV-Filters on Marine Zoo- and Phytoplanktons: An in silico and in vitro Study

Background: Cosmetic formulations, and particularly solar products which contain mineral and chemical UV-filters, are often suspected of causing harmful effects on marine fauna and flora. After the publication of our work in 2019 concerning the ecotoxicological effects of such formulations on corals (Seriatopora hystrix), we here provide some new information about the biodegradability and the ecotoxicological effects of these products on marine zoo- and phytoplankton. Therefore, we choose to realize in silico and in vitro studies of the biodegradability of several solar products but also to evaluate the ecotoxicological effects of these products on one phytoplankton, i.e. Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and one zooplankton, i.e. Acartia tonsa, of a great importance for sea species survival (notably as sources of food). Materials and methods: Two different approaches were used to study the biodegradability of the tested products: One in silico method and an in vitro one. 2 solar products were involved in the in silico study which consisted in the determination of the degradation factor (DF) of each ingredient of the tested formulas in order to finally obtain their estimated biodegradability percentage. Already available data concerning each ingredient coupled to a computer model developed with one of our partners were used to achieve this study. The in vitro study involved 8 formulas containing UV-filters and was led by following the OECD 301 F guidelines. Ecotoxicological studies of 7 of the formulas containing UV-filters were for their part realized by following the ISO 10253 guidelines for the experiments led with Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and the ISO 14669 guidelines for the experiments led with Acartia tonsa. In these studies, the effect of each tested product on crustaceans’ mortality and algal growth inhibition was assessed. Results: The in silico study predicted that formulas containing chemical UV-filters display a high biodegradability (superior to the threshold value of 60% given by the OECD 301 F guidelines). In the in vitro part of our work, the 8 tested formulas showed a biodegradability slightly inferior to the one predicted in the in silico experiments. Therefore, in order to evaluate if these calculated biodegradability value could have significant harmful effects on zoo- or phytoplankton, we studied the effect of our products regarding the growth inhibition on Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the mortality on Acartia tonsa. In this last part of the study, all the tested products were classified as “non ecotoxic” following an internal classification based on Part 4 entitled “Environmental Hazards” of Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), 9th edition (2021). Conclusions: These results are notably in line with those published by our teams in 2019 on the effects of solar cosmetic products on corals and seem to confirm that formulas containing mineral and chemical UV-filters can be daily used without displaying significant noxious effects on marine fauna and flora. .