Hydrography, currents and distribution of suspended matter during a dumping experiment in the western Baltic Sea at a site near Warnemünde

During a dumping experiment on 20/21 June 2001, an extensive data record was collected to understand the dynamical processes in the water column of the investigation area and to validate model results. Weak westerly winds with strongly changing cloud coverage characterized the meteorological situation. During the second day the wind calmed down and moved shortly to easterly directions. The water column was characterized by a strong vertical stratification with discontinuity layers in temperature and salinity in 12 and 16 m. The current regime was dominated by outflow at the water surface and inflow along the German coast, with strong current shearing in the dumping area. The suspended matter clouds could be identified by optical methods and ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) scattering intensity. During the experiment the suspended matter plumes were only visible at the surface up to 1 h after the dumping. The aerial photographs document that the particle clouds at the surface drifted to the west and, after approximately 40 min, they were only weakly visible. The fine material was concentrated in the discontinuity layer leading to substantially higher values of optical parameters and suspended matter concentration than measured in the surface clouds. Due to the vertical current shears the material was transported in the water column in different directions. At the first day the maximum of the suspended matter in the discontinuity layer was in the north-western corner and in the bottom layer in the northeast corner of the dumping area. Strong wind conditions after the dumping led to periodical resuspension processes.     

港口布局规划决策中的海运运价测定方法的研究

本文在对港口布局规划决策中所使用的推测海运运价的传统推测方法作一评述的基础上,提出：从分析多种因素影响下的市场运价入手,利用数理统计理论,来测定海运运价并揭示海运运价的内在规律。文章以矿石进口为例,利用该方法对船型和运距对运价的影响进行了分析。     

海洋运输运价保值市场的研究和创新

国际上创设的多种运费衍生市场，理论上能够起到运费保值的作用，但因市场交易清淡，保值范围非常有限。针对国际集装箱运输市场的特点，本文提出了运费保值市场的架构：创设以做市商为中心的、零售性质的远期运费合同市场，以利于中小型外贸公司规避运价的不确定性，并建立集装箱远期运费协议市场，以便做市商、大货主和大船运公司在衍生市场进行运费保值。     

Natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbons in the water column of the Ross Sea (Antarctica)

In the framework of the Italian Research Programme in Antarctica (PNRA) an oceanographic cruise was carried out between December 2000 and February 2001 in the Western Ross Sea. n-Alkanes and PAHs concentrations were analysed in sea-water samples collected at different depths at four sites (D, B, CA2, and CA). Vertical profiles of pressure, temperature, salinity and fluorescence were also performed in order to distinguish the water masses present in the sampling areas. n-Alkanes concentrations were consistent with those found in the same area during previous expeditions and showed higher values in the particulate due to the low temperatures. n-Alkanes profiles exhibited different features in the dissolved and particulate phases. The dissolved phase was characterised by a bimodal distribution with two maxima at C16 and C24 and prevalent compounds in the range C15–C32 whereas particulate was strongly dominated by long chain n-alkanes C23–C34 with C24 (Site B, CA and CA2) or C32 (Site B) as Cmax. CPI values and Pr/Ph ratios suggested a prevalent biogenic origin for aliphatic hydrocarbons. n-Alkanes vertical distributions were affected by the dynamic of the pack-ice melting and phytoplankton activity as well by the chemical–physical properties of water masses. Higher n-alkanes values were found in the High Salinity Shelf Waters (HSSW), lower n-alkanes values were found in the Antarctic Surface Waters (AASW) and Modified Circumpolar Deep Water (MCDW).The low PAHs concentration levels confirmed the still pristine character of the Antarctic environment. Neither particular trend in total PAHs concentrations along the water column and nor correlations with the most characteristic water masses of the investigated area of the Ross Sea were observed, except that total PAH higher concentrations were generally observed in correspondence of HSSW.     

Remotely-sensed chlorophyll a observations of the northern Red Sea indicate seasonal variability and influence of coastal reefs

The biological dynamics of the open northern Red Sea (21.5°–27.5° N, 33.5°–40° E) have not been studied extensively, due in part to both the inaccessibility of this desert region and political considerations. Remotely-sensed chlorophyll a data therefore provide a framework to investigate the primary patterns of biological activity in this oceanic basin. Monthly chlorophyll a data from the 8-year Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View sensor (SeaWiFS) mission, and data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), were analyzed with the Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) online data analysis system “Giovanni”. The data indicate that despite the normal low chlorophyll a concentrations (0.1–0.2 mg m^− 3) in these oligotrophic waters, there is a characteristic seasonal bloom in March–April in the northernmost open Red Sea (24° to 27.5° N) concurrent with minimum sea surface temperature. The location of the highest chlorophyll concentrations is consistent with a linear box model [Eshel, G., and Naik, N.H., 1997. Climatological coastal jet collision, intermediate water formation, and the general circulation of the Red Sea. J. Phys. Oceanogr. 27(7), 1233–1257.] of Red Sea circulation. Two years in the data set exhibited a different seasonal cycle consisting of a relatively weak northern spring bloom and elevated chlorophyll concentrations to the south (21.5° to 24° N).The data also indicate that large coral reef complexes may be sources of either nutrients or chlorophyll-rich detritus and sediment, enhancing chlorophyll a concentration in waters adjacent to the reefs.     

Concentration of floating biogenic material in convergence zones

Some organisms that live just below the sea surface (the neuston) are known more as a matter of curiosity than as critical players in biogeochemical cycles. The hypothesis of this work is that their existence implies that they receive some food from an upward flux of organic matter. The behaviour of these organisms and of the associated organic matter, hereafter mentioned as floating biogenic material (FBM) is explored using a global physical–biogeochemical coupled model, in which its generation is fixed to 1% of primary production, and decay rate is of the order of 1 month. The model shows that the distribution of FBM should depart rapidly from that of primary production, and be more sensitive to circulation patterns than to the distribution of primary production. It is trapped in convergence areas, where it reaches concentrations larger by a factor 10 than in divergences, thus enhancing and inverting the contrast between high and low primary productivity areas. Attention is called on the need to better understand the biogeochemical processes in the first meter of the ocean, as they may impact the distribution of food for fishes, as well as the conditions for air–sea exchange and for the interpretation of sea color.     

Diatom stratigraphy and long-term dissolved silica concentrations in the Baltic Sea

In many parts of the world coastal waters with anthropogenic eutrophication have experienced a gradual depletion of dissolved silica (DSi) stocks. This could put pressure on spring bloom diatom populations, e.g. by limiting the intensity of blooms or by causing shifts in species composition. In addition, eutrophication driven enhanced diatom growth is responsible for the redistribution of DSi from the water phase to the sediments, and changes in the growth conditions may be reflected in the sediment diatom stratigraphy.To test for changes in diatom communities we have analyzed four sediment cores from the Baltic Sea covering approximately the last 100 years. The sediment cores originate from the western Gulf of Finland, the Kattegat, the Baltic Proper and the Gulf of Riga. Three out of the four cores reveal only minor changes in composition of diatom assemblages, while the Gulf of Riga core contains major changes, occurring after the second World War. This area is set apart from the other Baltic Sea basins by a high frequency of low after spring bloom DSi concentrations (< 2 µmol L^− 1) during a relatively well defined time period from 1991–1998. In 1991 to 1993 a rapid decline of DSi spring concentrations and winter stocks (down to 5 µmol L^− 1) in the Gulf was preceded by exceptionally intense diatom spring blooms dominated by the heavily silicified species Thalassiosira baltica (1991–1992; up to 5.5 mg ww L^− 1). T. baltica has been the principal spring bloom diatom in the Gulf of Riga since records began in 1975. DSi consumption and biomass yield experiments with cultured T. baltica suggest that intense blooms can potentially exhaust the DSi stock of the water column and exceed the annual Si dissolution in the Gulf of Riga. The phytoplankton time series reveals another exceptional T. baltica bloom period in 1981–1983 (up to 8 mg L^− 1), which, however, took place before the regular DSi measurements. These periods may be reflected in the conspicuous accumulation of T. baltica frustules in the sediment core corresponding to ca. 1975–1985.     

Variations of the abundance and nucleic acid content of heterotrophic bacteria in Beaufort Shelf waters during winter and spring

Depth profiles of heterotrophic bacteria abundance were measured weekly over a 6-month period from December to May in Franklin Bay, a 230 m-deep coastal Arctic Ocean site of the southeastern Beaufort Sea. Total bacteria, low nucleic acid (LNA) and high nucleic acid (HNA) bacteria abundances were measured using flow cytometry after SYBR Green I staining. The HNA bacteria abundance in surface waters started to increase 5–6 weeks after phytoplankton growth resumed in spring, increasing from 1 × 10⁵ to 3 × 10⁵ cells mL^− 1 over an 8-week period, with a net growth rate of 0.018 d^− 1. LNA bacteria response was delayed by more than two months relative to the beginning of the phytoplankton biomass accumulation and had a lower net growth rate of 0.013 d^− 1. The marked increase in bacterial abundance occurred before any significant increase in organic matter input from river discharge (as indicated by the unchanged surface water salinity and DOC concentrations), and in the absence of water temperature increase. The abundance of bacteria below the halocline was relatively high until January (up to 5 × 10⁵ cells mL^− 1) but then decreased to values close to 2 × 10⁵ cells mL^− 1. The three-fold bacterial abundance increase observed in surface waters in spring was mostly due to HNA bacteria, supporting the idea that these cells are the most active.     

Habitat characteristics as determinant of the structure and spatial distribution of epibenthic and demersal communities of Le Danois Bank (Cantabrian Sea, N. Spain)

The purpose of this paper is to detect and describe general trends in the spatial distribution of epibenthic and demersal communities of Le Danois Bank (El Cachucho) in relation to the environmental variables that characterize their habitat by means of multivariate ordination. Data were derived from two multidisciplinary surveys carried out in October 2003 and April 2004 included in the ECOMARG project. The surveys were focused on the study of the physical scenario, including both geological (seabed characterization from bathymetry and backscatter data) and hydrographic features, and the different compartments of the benthic fauna (endobenthic, epibenthic, suprabenthic and demersal communities). For the present study, epibenthos and demersal species were sampled using two different gears, a 3.5 m beam trawl and a Porcupine 39/52 type baca otter trawl respectively. The total species richness combining both samplers ascended to 221, including 71 species of fishes, 65 crustaceans, 35 molluscs, 29 echinoderms, 10 cnidarians and 5 sponges.Multivariate methods were used for the study of the characteristics of communities and habitats. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to calculate and visualize similarities between samples in terms of species composition. To assess the amount of variation of faunal densities related to a set of eight environmental variables, a redundancy analysis (RDA) was used. The set of environmental variables used were: depth, near-bottom temperature and salinity, sedimentary typology (dry weight percentages of coarse sands, medium and fine sands, silt and organic matter) and seafloor reflectivity. Using the spatial distribution of the ranges of depth and seafloor reflectivity that characterize the habitats of the faunal assemblages we defined the spatial distribution of the different communities.The multivariate analysis of 18 beam-trawl samples and 15 otter trawl samples showed the existence of 4 main assemblages associated with the more characteristic habitats of the area. The Callogorgia–Chimaera community live mainly in the areas at the top of the Bank (425–550 m depth), where the sediment coverage is lower and there exists a high presence of rocky outcrops. The Gryphus–Galeus community were found in the areas at the top of the Bank covered by medium and fine sand sediments with low organic matter content. The Phormosoma–Trachyrincus community live on the sedimentary terraces that characterize the Bank break (550–800 m) and the Pheronema–Deania community occupy all the deeper (800–1050 m) sedimentary grounds of the inner basin.     

The annual cycle of nanoflagellates in the Central Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay)

The annual cycle of nanoflagellates (NF) including autotrophic (ANF), heterotrophic (HNF) and mixotropic (MNF) flagellates carried out in a temperate sea (Central Cantabrian Sea, southern Bay of Biscay) is presented. Three stations with characteristics ranging from coastal to oceanic conditions were analysed in order to compare NF response to this gradient. Samples were monthly collected at each station at three different depths between February 2002 and December 2002. CTD profiles were also taken at each station. NF were grouped according to their trophic status into ANF, HNF and MNF. Abundance and biomass were determined for each group. The annual cycle showed a general pattern consisting in a maximum in July with secondary maxima in March and October and minimum values in May. ANF were the most important fraction, making a major contribution (nearly 75%) to total NF biomass in all stations. HNF represented over 20% along the cycle, except for a peak in spring found in every station. MNF reached less than 5%, showing low seasonability. Small flagellates (2–5 µm) dominated throughout the cycle. Microplankton community was also analysed in terms of abundance and biomass. A significant positive correlation (r² = 0.49) was obtained between 2–5 µm NF and 10–20 µm HNF–MNF biomasses, suggesting a possible trophic relationship between these groups which should be cautiously taken. No significant relationships were found between microplankton and NF or between nutrients and ANF, indicating that the regulation of NF numbers is complex and probably implicates other groups. In addition to this, the unexpected 2002 Chl a concentration pattern and the misplacing of upwelling events render necessary to perform additional studies to fully understand the precise behaviour of NF in the Cantabrian Sea. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of a NF cycle in a temperate sea that considers all functional groups.