scholarly journals Biogenic sinking particle fluxes and sediment trap collection efficiency at Ocean Station Papa

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret Estapa ◽  
Ken Buesseler ◽  
Colleen A. Durkin ◽  
Melissa Omand ◽  
Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Collection Efficiency ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Tight Coupling ◽  
Large Particles ◽  
Ocean Station Papa

Comprehensive field observations characterizing the biological carbon pump (BCP) provide the foundation needed to constrain mechanistic models of downward particulate organic carbon (POC) flux in the ocean. Sediment traps were deployed three times during the EXport Processes in the Ocean from RemoTe Sensing campaign at Ocean Station Papa in August–September 2018. We propose a new method to correct sediment trap sample contamination by zooplankton “swimmers.” We consider the advantages of polyacrylamide gel collectors to constrain swimmer influence and estimate the magnitude of possible trap biases. Measured sediment trap fluxes of thorium-234 are compared to water column measurements to assess trap performance and estimate the possible magnitude of fluxes by vertically migrating zooplankton that bypassed traps. We found generally low fluxes of sinking POC (1.38 ± 0.77 mmol C m–2 d–1 at 100 m, n = 9) that included high and variable contributions by rare, large particles. Sinking particle sizes generally decreased between 100 and 335 m. Measured 234Th fluxes were smaller than water column 234Th fluxes by a factor of approximately 3. Much of this difference was consistent with trap undersampling of both small (<32 μm) and rare, large particles (>1 mm) and with zooplankton active migrant fluxes. The fraction of net primary production exported below the euphotic zone (0.1% light level; Ez-ratio = 0.10 ± 0.06; ratio uncertainties are propagated from measurements with n = 7–9) was consistent with prior, late summer studies at Station P, as was the fraction of material exported to 100 m below the base of the euphotic zone (T100, 0.55 ± 0.35). While both the Ez-ratio and T100 parameters varied weekly, their product, which we interpret as overall BCP efficiency, was remarkably stable (0.055 ± 0.010), suggesting a tight coupling between production and recycling at Station P.

scholarly journals Diatoms as a paleoproductivity proxy in the NW Iberian coastal upwelling system (NE Atlantic)

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1165-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Zúñiga ◽  
Celia Santos ◽  
María Froján ◽  
Emilia Salgueiro ◽  
Marta M. Rufino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Surface Sediment ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Coastal Upwelling ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Marine Diatom ◽  
Photic Zone ◽  
Upwelling System ◽  
Water Column Stratification

Abstract. The objective of the current work is to improve our understanding of how water column diatom's abundance and assemblage composition is seasonally transferred from the photic zone to seafloor sediments. To address this, we used a dataset derived from water column, sediment trap and surface sediment samples recovered in the NW Iberian coastal upwelling system. Diatom fluxes (2.2 (±5.6) 106 valves m−2 d−1) represented the majority of the siliceous microorganisms sinking out from the photic zone during all studied years and showed seasonal variability. Contrasting results between water column and sediment trap diatom abundances were found during downwelling periods, as shown by the unexpectedly high diatom export signals when diatom-derived primary production achieved their minimum levels. They were principally related to surface sediment remobilization and intense Minho and Douro river discharge that constitute an additional source of particulate matter to the inner continental shelf. In fact, contributions of allochthonous particles to the sinking material were confirmed by the significant increase of both benthic and freshwater diatoms in the sediment trap assemblage. In contrast, we found that most of the living diatom species blooming during highly productive upwelling periods were dissolved during sinking, and only those resistant to dissolution and the Chaetoceros and Leptocylindrus spp. resting spores were susceptible to being exported and buried. Furthermore, Chaetoceros spp. dominate during spring–early summer, when persistent northerly winds lead to the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters on the shelf, while Leptocylindrus spp. appear associated with late-summer upwelling relaxation, characterized by water column stratification and nutrient depletion. These findings evidence that the contributions of these diatom genera to the sediment's total marine diatom assemblage should allow for the reconstruction of different past upwelling regimes.

scholarly journals Concentrations, ratios, and sinking fluxes of major bioelements at Ocean Station Papa

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Montserrat Roca-Martí ◽  
Claudia R. Benitez-Nelson ◽  
Blaire P. Umhau ◽  
Abigale M. Wyatt ◽  
Samantha J. Clevenger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Particulate Phosphorus ◽  
Particulate Nitrogen ◽  
Sinking Particles ◽  
Ocean Station Papa ◽  
Particle Size Classes

Fluxes of major bioelements associated with sinking particles were quantified in late summer 2018 as part of the EXport Processes in the Ocean from RemoTe Sensing (EXPORTS) field campaign near Ocean Station Papa in the subarctic northeast Pacific. The thorium-234 method was used in conjunction with size-fractionated (1–5, 5–51, and >51 μm) concentrations of particulate nitrogen (PN), total particulate phosphorus (TPP), biogenic silica (bSi), and particulate inorganic carbon (PIC) collected using large volume filtration via in situ pumps. We build upon recent work quantifying POC fluxes during EXPORTS. Similar remineralization length scales were observed for both POC and PN across all particle size classes from depths of 50–500 m. Unlike bSi and PIC, the soft tissue–associated POC, PN, and TPP fluxes strongly attenuated from 50 m to the base of the euphotic zone (approximately 120 m). Cruise-average thorium-234-derived fluxes (mmol m–2 d–1) at 120 m were 1.7 ± 0.6 for POC, 0.22 ± 0.07 for PN, 0.019 ± 0.007 for TPP, 0.69 ± 0.26 for bSi, and 0.055 ± 0.022 for PIC. These bioelement fluxes were similar to previous observations at this site, with the exception of PIC, which was 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower. Transfer efficiencies within the upper twilight zone (flux 220 m/flux 120 m) were highest for PIC (84%) and bSi (79%), followed by POC (61%), PN (58%), and TPP (49%). These differences indicate preferential remineralization of TPP relative to POC or PN and larger losses of soft tissue relative to biominerals in sinking particles below the euphotic zone. Comprehensive characterization of the particulate bioelement fluxes obtained here will support future efforts linking phytoplankton community composition and food-web dynamics to the composition, magnitude, and attenuation of material that sinks to deeper waters.

scholarly journals A Time Series of Water Column Distributions and Sinking Particle Flux of Pseudo-Nitzschia and Domoic Acid in the Santa Barbara Basin, California

Toxins ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 480 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaire Umhau ◽  
Claudia Benitez-Nelson ◽  
Clarissa Anderson ◽  
Kelly McCabe ◽  
Christopher Burrell
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Domoic Acid ◽  
Particle Flux ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Benthic Organisms ◽  
Santa Barbara ◽  
Santa Barbara Basin ◽  
Potential Source

Water column bulk Pseudo-nitzschia abundance and the dissolved and particulate domoic acid (DA) concentrations were measured in the Santa Barbara Basin (SBB), California from 2009–2013 and compared to bulk Pseudo-nitzschia cell abundance and DA concentrations and fluxes in sediment traps moored at 147 m and 509 m. Pseudo-nitzschia abundance throughout the study period was spatially and temporally heterogeneous (<200 cells L−1 to 3.8 × 106 cells L−1, avg. 2 × 105 ± 5 × 105 cells L−1) and did not correspond with upwelling conditions or the total DA (tDA) concentration, which was also spatially and temporally diverse (<1.3 ng L−1 to 2.2 × 105 ng L−1, avg. 7.8 × 103 ± 2.2 × 104 ng L−1). We hypothesize that the toxicity is likely driven in part by specific Pseudo-nitzschia species as well as bloom stage. Dissolved (dDA) and particulate (pDA) DA were significantly and positively correlated (p < 0.01) and both comprised major components of the total DA pool (pDA = 57 ± 35%, and dDA = 42 ± 35%) with substantial water column concentrations (>1000 cells L−1 and tDA = 200 ng L−1) measured as deep as 150 m. Our results highlight that dDA should not be ignored when examining bloom toxicity. Although water column abundance and pDA concentrations were poorly correlated with sediment trap Pseudo-nitzschia abundance and fluxes, DA toxicity is likely associated with senescent blooms that rapidly sink to the seafloor, adding another potential source of DA to benthic organisms.

scholarly journals Technical Note: Sampling and processing of mesocosm sediment trap material for quantitative biogeochemical analysis

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 18693-18722 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Boxhammer ◽  
L. T. Bach ◽  
J. Czerny ◽  
U. Riebesell
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Particle Formation ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Freeze Dried ◽  
Marine Realm ◽  
Silicon Tube ◽  
Sample Recovery ◽  
Closed Systems

Abstract. Sediment traps are the most common tool to investigate vertical particle flux in the marine realm. However, the spatial decoupling between particle formation and collection often handicaps reconciliation of these two processes even within the euphotic zone. Pelagic mesocosms have the advantage of being closed systems and are therefore ideally suited to study how processes in natural plankton communities influence particle formation and settling in the ocean's surface. We therefore developed a protocol for efficient sample recovery and processing of quantitatively collected pelagic mesocosm sediment trap samples. Sedimented material was recovered by pumping it under gentle vacuum through a silicon tube to the sea surface. The particulate matter of these samples was subsequently concentrated by passive settling, centrifugation or flocculation with ferric chloride and we discuss the advantages of each approach. After concentration, samples were freeze-dried and ground with an easy to adapt procedure using standard lab equipment. Grain size of the finely ground samples ranges from fine to coarse silt (2–63 μm), which guarantees homogeneity for representative subsampling, a widespread problem in sediment trap research. Subsamples of the ground material were perfectly suitable for a variety of biogeochemical measurements and even at very low particle fluxes we were able to get a detailed insight on various parameters characterizing the sinking particles. The methods and recommendations described here are a key improvement for sediment trap applications in mesocosms, as they facilitate processing of large amounts of samples and allow for high-quality biogeochemical flux data.

scholarly journals Technical note: Sampling and processing of mesocosm sediment trap material for quantitative biogeochemical analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 2849-2858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim Boxhammer ◽  
Lennart T. Bach ◽  
Jan Czerny ◽  
Ulf Riebesell
Keyword(s):  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Particle Formation ◽  
Technical Note ◽  
Surface Ocean ◽  
Freeze Dried ◽  
Marine Realm ◽  
Silicon Tube ◽  
Sample Recovery

Abstract. Sediment traps are the most common tool to investigate vertical particle flux in the marine realm. However, the spatial and temporal decoupling between particle formation in the surface ocean and particle collection in sediment traps at depth often handicaps reconciliation of production and sedimentation even within the euphotic zone. Pelagic mesocosms are restricted to the surface ocean, but have the advantage of being closed systems and are therefore ideally suited to studying how processes in natural plankton communities influence particle formation and settling in the ocean's surface. We therefore developed a protocol for efficient sample recovery and processing of quantitatively collected pelagic mesocosm sediment trap samples for biogeochemical analysis. Sedimented material was recovered by pumping it under gentle vacuum through a silicon tube to the sea surface. The particulate matter of these samples was subsequently separated from bulk seawater by passive settling, centrifugation or flocculation with ferric chloride, and we discuss the advantages and efficiencies of each approach. After concentration, samples were freeze-dried and ground with an easy to adapt procedure using standard lab equipment. Grain size of the finely ground samples ranged from fine to coarse silt (2–63 µm), which guarantees homogeneity for representative subsampling, a widespread problem in sediment trap research. Subsamples of the ground material were perfectly suitable for a variety of biogeochemical measurements, and even at very low particle fluxes we were able to get a detailed insight into various parameters characterizing the sinking particles. The methods and recommendations described here are a key improvement for sediment trap applications in mesocosms, as they facilitate the processing of large amounts of samples and allow for high-quality biogeochemical flux data.

scholarly journals Global Ocean Particulate Organic Carbon Flux Merged with Satellite Parameters

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colleen B. Mouw ◽  
Audrey Barnett ◽  
Galen A. McKinley ◽  
Lucas Gloege ◽  
Darren Pilcher
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Particulate Organic Carbon ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Mixed Layer Depth ◽  
Deep Ocean ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Global Ocean ◽  
Carbon Export

Abstract. Particulate organic carbon (POC) flux estimated from POC concentration observations from sediment traps and 234Th are compiled across the global ocean. The compilation includes six time series locations: CARIACO, K2, OSP, BATS, OFP and HOT. Efficiency of the biological pump of carbon to the deep ocean depends largely on biologically mediated export of carbon from the surface ocean and its remineralization with depth, thus biologically related parameters able to be estimated from satellite observations were merged at the POC observation sites. Satellite parameters include: net primary production, percent microplankton, sea surface temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm, euphotic zone depth, as well as, climatological mixed layer depth. 85 % of the observations across the globe are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere with 44 % of the data record overlapping the satellite record. Time series sites accounted for 36 % of the data. 71 % of the data is measured at ≥ 500 m with the most common deployment depths between 1000 and 1500 m. This dataset is valuable for investigations of CO2 drawdown, carbon export, remineralization, and sequestration. The compiled data can be freely accessed at doi:10.1594/PANGAEA.855600.

scholarly journals Link or sink: a modelling interpretation of the open Baltic biogeochemistry

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 219-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Vichi ◽  
P. Ruardij ◽  
J. W. Baretta
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Intermediate Waters ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. A 1-D model system, consisting of the 1-D version of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) coupled with the European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model (ERSEM) has been applied to a sub-basin of the Baltic Proper, the Bornholm basin. The model has been forced with 3h meteorological data for the period 1979-1990, producing a 12-year hindcast validated with datasets from the Baltic Environmental Database for the same period. The model results demonstrate the model to hindcast the time-evolution of the physical structure very well, confirming the view of the open Baltic water column as a three layer system of surface, intermediate and bottom waters. Comparative analyses of modelled hydrochemical components with respect to the independent data have shown that the long-term system behaviour of the model is within the observed ranges. Also primary production processes, deduced from oxygen (over)saturation are hindcast correctly over the entire period and the annual net primary production is within the observed range. The largest mismatch with observations is found in simulating the biogeochemistry of the Baltic intermediate waters. Modifications in the structure of the model (addition of fast-sinking detritus and polysaccharide dynamics) have shown that the nutrient dynamics is linked to the quality and dimensions of the organic matter produced in the euphotic zone, highlighting the importance of the residence time of the organic matter within the microbial foodweb in the intermediate waters. Experiments with different scenarios of riverine nutrient loads, assessed in the limits of a 1-D setup, have shown that the external input of organic matter makes the open Baltic model more heterotrophic. The characteristics of the inputs also drive the dynamics of nitrogen in the bottom layers leading either to nitrate accumulation (when the external sources are inorganic), or to coupled nitrification-denitrification (under strong organic inputs). The model indicates the permanent stratification to be the main feature of the system as regulator of carbon and nutrient budgets. The model predicts that most of the carbon produced in the euphotic zone is also consumed in the water column and this enhances the importance of heterotrophic benthic processes as final closures of carbon and nutrient cycles in the open Baltic.

scholarly journals Link or sink: a modelling interpretation of the open Baltic biogeochemistry

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Vichi ◽  
P. Ruardij ◽  
J. W. Baretta
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Primary Production ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Meteorological Data ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Nutrient Loads ◽  
Intermediate Waters ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract. A 1-D model system, consisting of the 1-D version of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) coupled with the European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model (ERSEM) has been applied to a sub-basin of the Baltic Proper, the Bornholm basin. The model has been forced with 3h meteorological data for the period 1979-1990, producing a 12-year hindcast validated with datasets from the Baltic Environmental Database for the same period. The model results demonstrate the model to hindcast the time-evolution of the physical structure very well, confirming the view of the open Baltic water column as a three layer system of surface, intermediate and bottom waters. Comparative analyses of modelled hydrochemical components with respect to the independent data have shown that the long-term system behaviour of the model is within the observed ranges. Also primary production processes, deduced from oxygen (over)saturation are hindcast correctly over the entire period and the annual net primary production is within the observed range. The largest mismatch with observations is found in simulating the biogeochemistry of the Baltic intermediate waters. Modifications in the structure of the model (addition of fast-sinking detritus and polysaccharide dynamics) have shown that the nutrient dynamics are linked to the quality and dimensions of the organic matter produced in the euphotic zone, highlighting the importance of the residence time of the organic matter within the microbial foodweb in the intermediate waters. Experiments with different scenarios of riverine nutrient loads, assessed in the limits of a 1-D setup, have shown that the external input of organic matter makes the open Baltic model more heterotrophic. The characteristics of the inputs also drive the dynamics of nitrogen in the bottom layers leading either to nitrate accumulation (when the external sources are inorganic), or to coupled nitrification-denitrification (under strong organic inputs). The model indicates the permanent stratification to be the main feature of the system as regulator of carbon and nutrient budgets. The model predicts that most of the carbon produced in the euphotic zone is also consumed in the water column and this enhances the importance of heterotrophic benthic processes as final closure of carbon and nutrient cycles in the open Baltic.

scholarly journals Determining how biotic and abiotic variables affect the shell condition and parameters of <i>Heliconoides inflatus</i> pteropods from a sediment trap in the Cariaco Basin

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 1975-1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie L. Oakes ◽  
Jocelyn A. Sessa
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Ocean Acidification ◽  
Water Column ◽  
Sediment Trap ◽  
Abiotic Factors ◽  
Shell Growth ◽  
Sediment Traps ◽  
Cariaco Basin ◽  
Sem Images ◽  
Size Number

Abstract. Pteropods have been nicknamed the “canary in the coal mine” for ocean acidification because they are predicted to be among the first organisms to be affected by changing ocean chemistry. This is due to their fragile, aragonitic shells and high abundances in polar and subpolar regions where the impacts of ocean acidification are most pronounced. For pteropods to be used most effectively as indicators of ocean acidification, the biotic and abiotic factors influencing their shell formation and dissolution in the modern ocean need to be quantified and understood. Here, we measured the shell condition (i.e., the degree to which a shell has dissolved) and shell characteristics, including size, number of whorls, shell thickness, and shell volume (i.e., amount of shell material) of nearly 50 specimens of the pteropod species Heliconoides inflatus sampled from a sediment trap in the Cariaco Basin, Venezuela, over an 11-month period. The shell condition of pteropods from sediment traps has the potential to be altered at three stages: (1) when the organisms are live in the water column associated with ocean acidification, (2) when organisms are dead in the water column associated with biotic decay of organic matter and/or abiotic dissolution associated with ocean acidification, and (3) when organisms are in the closed sediment trap cup associated with abiotic alteration by the preservation solution. Shell condition was assessed using two methods: the Limacina Dissolution Index (LDX) and the opacity method. The opacity method was found to capture changes in shell condition only in the early stages of dissolution, whereas the LDX recorded dissolution changes over a much larger range. Because the water in the Cariaco Basin is supersaturated with respect to aragonite year-round, we assume no dissolution occurred during life, and there is no evidence that shell condition deteriorated with the length of time in the sediment trap. Light microscope and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show the majority of alteration happened to dead pteropods while in the water column associated with the decay of organic matter. The most altered shells occurred in samples collected in September and October when water temperatures were warmest and when the amount of organic matter degradation, both within the shells of dead specimens and in the water column, was likely to have been the greatest. The hydrographic and chemical properties of the Cariaco Basin vary seasonally due to the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Shells of H. inflatus varied in size, number of whorls, and thickness throughout the year. There was not a strong correlation between the number of whorls and the shell diameter, suggesting that shell growth is plastic. H. inflatus formed shells that were 40 % thicker and 20 % larger in diameter during nutrient-rich, upwelling times when food supply was abundant, indicating that shell growth in this aragonite-supersaturated basin is controlled by food availability. This study produces a baseline dataset of the variability in shell characteristics of H. inflatus pteropods in the Cariaco Basin and documents the controls on alteration of specimens captured via sediment traps. The methodology outlined for assessing shell parameters establishes a protocol for generating similar baseline records for pteropod populations globally.

Artificial mixing: a therapy measure combating cyanobacteria in Lake Nieuwe Meer

1995 ◽  
Vol 31 (8) ◽  
pp. 245-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart van der Veer ◽  
Jan Koedood ◽  
Petra M. Visser
Keyword(s):  
Water Column ◽  
Microcystis Aeruginosa ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Euphotic Zone ◽  
Deep Mixing ◽  
Artificial Mixing ◽  
Total Phytoplankton ◽  
Mixing Characteristics

In Lake Nieuwe Meer near Amsterdam, the bloomforming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa dominates the phytoplankton in late summer and forms scums that can be a big nuisance. In Lake Nieuwe Meer the water column is stratified in summer. Microcystis can stay in the euphotic zone due to its buoyancy. Deep mixing of the lake abolishes this advantage of buoyancy of Microcystis and favours non-buoyant algae as they will have a reduced sedimentation loss. The technique of artificial mixing has been applied in 1993 and 1994 applied in Lake Nieuwe Meer in order to reduce the growth of Microcystis. The application was successful: there has been no nuisance due to Microcystis scums. The percentage cyanobacteria of the total phytoplankton in summer decreased from ±90% without mixing to less than 5% with mixing. Characteristics of the equipment used for destratification are presented.

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