Contrasted Saharan dust events in LNLC environments: impact on nutrient dynamics and primary production

The response of the phytoplanktonic community (primary production and algal biomass) to contrasted Saharan dust events (wet and dry deposition) was studied in the framework of the DUNE ("a DUst experiment in a low-Nutrient, low-chlorophyll Ecosystem") project. We simulated realistic dust deposition events (10 gm(-2)) into large mesocosms (52m(3)). Three distinct dust addition experiments were conducted in June 2008 (DUNE-1-P: simulation of a wet deposition; DUNE-1-Q: simulation of a dry deposition) and 2010 (DUNE-2-R1 and DUNE-2-R2: simulation of two successive wet depositions) in the northwestern oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea. No changes in primary production (PP) and chlorophyll a concentrations (Chl a) were observed after a dry deposition event, while a wet deposition event resulted in a rapid (24 h after dust addition), strong (up to 2.4-fold) and long (at least a week in duration) increase in PP and Chl a. We show that, in addition to being a source of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP), simulated wet deposition events were also a significant source of nitrate (NO3-) (net increases up to +9.8 mu M NO3- at 0.1m in depth) to the nutrient-depleted surface waters, due to cloud processes and mixing with anthropogenic species such as HNO3. The dry deposition event was shown to be a negligible source of NO3-. By transiently increasing DIP and NO3- concentrations in N-P starved surface waters, wet deposition of Saharan dust was able to relieve the potential N or NP co-limitation of the phytoplanktonic activity. Due to the higher input of NO3- relative to DIP, and taking into account the stimulation of the biological activity, a wet deposition event resulted in a strong increase in the NO3-/DIP ratio, from initially less than 6, to over 150 at the end of the DUNE-2-R1 experiment, suggesting a switch from an initial N or NP co-limitation towards a severe P limitation. We also show that the contribution of new production to PP strongly increased after wet dust deposition events, from initially 15% to 60-70% 24 h after seeding, indicating a switch from a regenerated-production based system to a new-production based system. DUNE experiments show that wet and dry dust deposition events induce contrasting responses of the phytoplanktonic community due to differences in the atmospheric supply of bioavailable new nutrients. Our results from original mesocosm experiments demonstrate that atmospheric dust wet deposition greatly influences primary productivity and algal biomass in LNLC environments through changes in the nutrient stocks, and alters the NO3-/DIP ratio, leading to a switch in the nutrient limitation of the phytoplanktonic activity

Dinitrogen fixation and dissolved organic nitrogen fueled primary production and particulate export during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment (New Caledonia lagoon)

International audienceIn the oligotrophic ocean characterized by nitrate (NO − 3) depletion in surface waters, dinitrogen (N 2) fixation and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) can represent significant nitrogen (N) sources for the ecosystem. In this study, we deployed large in situ mesocosms in New Caledonia in order to investigate (1) the contribution of N 2 fixation and DON use to primary production (PP) and particle export and (2) the fate of the freshly produced particulate organic N (PON), i.e., whether it is preferentially accumulated and recycled in the water column or exported out of the system. The mesocosms were fertilized with phosphate (PO 3− 4) in order to prevent phosphorus (P) limitation and promote N 2 fixation. The diazotrophic community was dominated by diatom–diazotroph associations (DDAs) during the first part of the experiment for 10 days (P1) followed by the unicel-lular N 2-fixing cyanobacteria UCYN-C for the last 9 days (P2) of the experiment. N 2 fixation rates averaged 9.8 ± 4.0 and 27.7 ± 8.6 nmol L −1 d −1 during P1 and P2, respectively. NO − 3 concentrations ( 0.05) during P1 (9.0 ± 3.3 %) and P2 (12.6 ± 6.1 %). However, the e ratio that quantifies the efficiency of a system to export particulate organic carbon (POC export) compared to PP (e ratio = POC export / PP) was significantly higher (p 0.05) from the total amount of PON exported (0.10 ± 0.04 µmol L −1), suggesting a rapid and probably direct export of the recently fixed N 2 by the DDAs. During P2, both PON concentrations and PON export increased in the mesocosms by a factor 1.5–2. Unlike in P1, this PON production was not totally explained by the new N provided by N 2 fixation. The use of DON, whose concentrations decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 5.3 ± 0.5 µmol L −1 to 4.4 ± 0.5 µmol L −1 , appeared to be the missing N source. The DON consumption (∼ 0.9 µmol L −1) during P2 is higher Published by Copernicus Publications on behalf of the European Geosciences Union. 4100 H. Berthelot et al.: Dinitrogen fixation and dissolved organic nitrogen fueled primary production than the total amount of new N brought by N 2 fixation (∼ 0.25 µmol L −1) during the same period. These results suggest that while DDAs mainly rely on N 2 fixation for their N requirements, both N 2 fixation and DON can be significant N sources for primary production and particulate export following UCYN-C blooms in the New Caledonia lagoon and by extension in the N-limited oceans where similar events are likely to occur

Mesoscale subduction at the Almeria-Oran front. Part 2: biophysical interactions.

This paper presents a detailed diagnostic analysis of hydrographic and current meter data from three, rapidly repeated, fine-scale surveys of the Almeria–Oran front. Instability of the frontal boundary, between surface waters of Atlantic and Mediterranean origin, is shown to provide a mechanism for significant heat transfer from the surface layers to the deep ocean in winter. The data were collected during the second observational phase of the EU funded OMEGA project on RRS Discovery cruise 224 during December 1996. High resolution hydrographic measurements using the towed undulating CTD vehicle, SeaSoar, traced the subduction of Mediterranean Surface Water across the Almeria–Oran front. This subduction is shown to result from a significant baroclinic component to the instability of the frontal jet. The Q-vector formulation of the omega equation is combined with a scale analysis to quantitatively diagnose vertical transport resulting from mesoscale ageostrophic circulation. The analyses are presented and discussed in the presence of satellite and airborne remotely sensed data; which provide the basis for a thorough and novel approach to the determination of observational error

Role of small Rhizaria and diatoms in the pelagic silica production of the Sourther Ocean

We examined biogenic silica production and elementary composition (biogenic Si, particulate organic carbon and particulate organic nitrogen) of Rhizaria and diatoms in the upper 200 m along a transect in the Southwest Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean during austral summer (January–February 2019). From incubations using the 32Si radioisotope, silicic acid uptake rates were measured at 15 stations distributed in the Polar Front Zone, the Southern Antarctic Circumpolar Current and the Ross Sea Gyre. Rhizaria cells are heavily silicified (up to 7.6 nmol Si cell−1), displaying higher biogenic Si content than similar size specimens found in other areas of the global ocean, suggesting a higher degree of silicification of these organisms in the silicic acid rich Southern Ocean. Despite their high biogenic Si and carbon content, the Si/C molar ratio (average of 0.05 ± 0.03) is quite low compared to that of diatoms and relatively constant regardless of the environmental conditions. The direct measurements of Rhizaria's biogenic Si production (0.8–36.8 μmol Si m−2 d−1) are of the same order of magnitude than previous indirect estimations, confirming the importance of the Southern Ocean for the global Rhizaria silica production. However, diatoms largely dominated the biogenic Si standing stock and production of the euphotic layer, with low rhizarians' abundances and biogenic Si production (no more than 1%). In this manuscript, we discuss the Antarctic paradox of Rhizaria, that is, the potential high accumulation rates of biogenic Si due to Rhizaria in siliceous sediments despite their low production rates in surface waters.Versión del editor3,38

Absorption et régénération de l'azote dans le système brassé de la Manche : productions nouvelle et régénérée

Nitrate and ammonium uptake rates were measured in spring and summer in deep and shallow well-mixed waters of the English Channel during different cruises between 1986 and 1994. In the deep waters, nitrate uptake was relatively low during phytoplankton development and ammonium uptake represented more than 70 % of the total uptake irrespective of the season. In the shallow waters, nitrate uptake during spring phytoplankton growth was high and represented about 75 % of the total uptake. Ammonium uptake became substantial towards the end of spring and summer. The high contribution of ammonium to the nitrogenous nutrition of phytoplankton over the whole of the well-mixed waters is related to a high rate of recycling of nitrogen in the water column. Ammonium regeneration by microheterotrophs can satisfy between 62 % and the totality of the phytoplankton nitrogen requirements. The high primary production in deep well-mixed waters is not supported by allochthonous nitrogen supply but by an intense in situ regeneration of nitrogen. The situation is similar in shallow well-mixed waters, except during the spring bloom.L'absorption du nitrate et de l'ammonium a été étudiée au printemps et en été dans les systèmes brassés profond et peu profond de la Manche. Les travaux ont été réalisés lors de différentes campagnes à la mer menées entre 1986 et 1994. Dans le système brassé profond, le nitrate est peu utilisé durant la période de développement du phytoplancton et l'absorption de l'ammonium représente, quel que soit le secteur, plus de 70 % de l'absorption totale. Dans le système brassé peu profond, l'absorption du nitrate s'avère élevée en période de floraison du phytoplancton. Elle représente alors 75 % de l'absorption totale. La contribution de l'ammonium à la nutrition azotée du phytoplancton est marquée à la fin de la floraison printanière et en période estivale. Cette contribution élevée de l'ammonium est liée, dans l'ensemble du système brassé, à un recyclage rapide de l'azote dans la colonne d'eau. La régénération de l'ammonium par les microhétérotrophes permet de satisfaire entre 62 % et la totalité des besoins du phytoplancton. Les valeurs élevées de production primaire dans le système brassé profond ne résultent pas d'apports nouveaux en azote mais correspondent à de fortes productions régénérées. En dehors de la floraison printanière du phytoplancton, la situation est similaire dans le système brassé peu profond

Conditions de formation d'eaux colorées toxiques sur le plateau continental Manche - Atlantique; Cas de Gyrodinium cf. aureolum

Gyrodinium cf. aureolum a donné lieu ces dernières années à de nombreux phénomènes d'eaux colorées dans les eaux côtières de l'Europe du Nord-Ouest avec parfois des incidences graves sur le fonctionnement des systèmes. Deux séries d'observations menées en 1983 et 1986 sur deux systèmes différents du plateau continental Manche - Atlantique ont permis de préciser les conditions de prolifération de l'espèce. Nos mesures des flux d'absorption (technique 15N) montrent que l'azote nécessaire au développement massif de Gyrodinium se trouve essentiellement sous forme d'ammonium. Ce composé est libéré par des processus intenses de régénération qui correspondent à la présence dans le système de fortes teneurs en matière organique détritique. Ce matériel détritique a pu être formé sur place (c'est le cas du front d'Ouessant); il peut aussi avoir été apporté de l'extérieur et résulter d'une perturbation du système (cas de la Baie de Douarnenez). II est alors clair que Gyrodinium cf. aureolum peut se développer dans des systèmes ou le stock apparent d'éléments nutritifs est réduit

Dynamics of N<SUB>2</SUB> fixation and fate of diazotroph-derived nitrogen in a low nutrient low chlorophyll ecosystem: results from the VAHINE mesocosm experiment (New Caledonia)

International audienceN2 fixation rates were measured daily in large (~ 50 m3) mesocosms deployed in the tropical South West Pacific coastal ocean (New Caledonia) to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics of diazotrophy and the fate of diazotroph-derived nitrogen (DDN) in a low nutrient, low chlorophyll ecosystem. The mesocosms were intentionally fertilized with ~ 0.8 μM dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) to stimulate diazotrophy. Bulk N2 fixation rates were replicable between the three mesocosms, averaged 18.5 ± 1.1 nmol N L-1 d-1 over the 23 days, and increased by a factor of two during the second half of the experiment (days 15 to 23) to reach 27.3 ± 1.0 nmol N L-1 d-1. These rates are higher than the upper range reported for the global ocean, indicating that the waters surrounding New Caledonia are particularly favourable for N2 fixation. During the 23 days of the experiment, N2 fixation rates were positively correlated with seawater temperature, primary production, bacterial production, standing stocks of particulate organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase activity, and negatively correlated with DIP concentrations, DIP turnover time, nitrate, and dissolved organic nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. The fate of DDN was investigated during the bloom of the unicellular diazotroph, UCYN-C, that occurred during the second half of the experiment. Quantification of diazotrophs in the sediment traps indicates that ~ 10 % of UCYN-C from the water column were exported daily to the traps, representing as much as 22.4 ± 5.5 % of the total POC exported at the height of the UCYN-C bloom. This export was mainly due to the aggregation of small (5.7 ± 0.8 μm) UCYN-C cells into large (100-500 μm) aggregates. During the same time period, a DDN transfer experiment based on high-resolution nanometer scale secondary ion mass spectrometry (nanoSIMS) coupled with 15N2 isotopic labelling revealed that 16 ± 6 % of the DDN was released to the dissolved pool and 21 ± 4 % was transferred to non-diazotrophic plankton, mainly picoplankton (18 ± 4 %) followed by diatoms (3 ± 2 %) within 24 h of incubation. This is consistent with the observed dramatic increase in picoplankton and diatom abundances, primary production, bacterial production and standing stocks of particulate organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus during the second half of the experiment in the mesocosms. These results offer insights into the fate of DDN during a bloom of UCYN-C in low nutrient, low chlorophyll ecosystems

Nutrient control of N-2 fixation in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea and the impact of Saharan dust events

A better understanding of the factors controlling N-2 fixation is a pre-requisite for improving our knowledge on the contribution of N-2 fixation process in the nitrogen cycling. Trace-metal clean nutrient/dust addition bioassays (+P, +PFe, +dust) were performed at three stations located in the western, central and eastern Mediterranean Sea, in summer 2008 as part of the BOUM cruise. The main goals were (1) to investigate the nutrient factor(s) limiting N-2 fixation (uptake of N-15(2)) and (2) to evaluate the potential impact of a Saharan dust event on this biological process during the stratification period. Initially, surface waters at the three stations were DIP-depleted (<10 nM) while the DFe concentrations were relatively high (from 1.2 to 2.3 nM) most likely due to atmospheric iron accumulation in the surface mixed layer. At all stations, Saharan dust input relieved the ambient nutrient limitation of the diazotrophic activity as demonstrated by the strong stimulation of N-2 fixation (from 130% to 430 %). The highest dust stimulation of N-2 fixation was recorded at the station located in the eastern basin. The response of diazotrophic activity to nutrient additions was variable between the sampled stations suggesting a spatial variability of the factor controlling N-2 fixation over the whole basin. At all stations, N-2 fixation was not limited by Fe nor co-limited by P and Fe. At the western station, N-2 fixation was DIP limited while at the eastern one, N-2 fixation was first DIP limited, then was limited by one or several chemical element(s) released by dust. Our results demonstrated that a Saharan dust input was able to relieve these successive on going limitations. Very interestingly, at the station located in the central basin, N-2 fixation was not limited by the availability of P yet it was strongly stimulated by dust addition (x3.1). A chemical element or a combination of several, released by the added dust may have been responsible for the observed stimulations of N-2 fixation. These results indicated that Saharan dust pulses to the surface Mediterranean waters, in addition to P and Fe, could be a source of chemical(s) element(s) that are necessary for metabolic processes and therefore influence rates of N-2 fixation

Nutrient control of N-2 fixation in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea and the impact of Saharan dust events

A better understanding of the factors controlling N-2 fixation is a pre-requisite for improving our knowledge on the contribution of N-2 fixation process in the nitrogen cycling. Trace-metal clean nutrient/dust addition bioassays (+P, +PFe, +dust) were performed at three stations located in the western, central and eastern Mediterranean Sea, in summer 2008 as part of the BOUM cruise. The main goals were (1) to investigate the nutrient factor(s) limiting N-2 fixation (uptake of N-15(2)) and (2) to evaluate the potential impact of a Saharan dust event on this biological process during the stratification period. Initially, surface waters at the three stations were DIP-depleted (<10 nM) while the DFe concentrations were relatively high (from 1.2 to 2.3 nM) most likely due to atmospheric iron accumulation in the surface mixed layer. At all stations, Saharan dust input relieved the ambient nutrient limitation of the diazotrophic activity as demonstrated by the strong stimulation of N-2 fixation (from 130% to 430 %). The highest dust stimulation of N-2 fixation was recorded at the station located in the eastern basin. The response of diazotrophic activity to nutrient additions was variable between the sampled stations suggesting a spatial variability of the factor controlling N-2 fixation over the whole basin. At all stations, N-2 fixation was not limited by Fe nor co-limited by P and Fe. At the western station, N-2 fixation was DIP limited while at the eastern one, N-2 fixation was first DIP limited, then was limited by one or several chemical element(s) released by dust. Our results demonstrated that a Saharan dust input was able to relieve these successive on going limitations. Very interestingly, at the station located in the central basin, N-2 fixation was not limited by the availability of P yet it was strongly stimulated by dust addition (x3.1). A chemical element or a combination of several, released by the added dust may have been responsible for the observed stimulations of N-2 fixation. These results indicated that Saharan dust pulses to the surface Mediterranean waters, in addition to P and Fe, could be a source of chemical(s) element(s) that are necessary for metabolic processes and therefore influence rates of N-2 fixation

Nutrient control of N₂ fixation in the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea and the impact of Saharan dust events

International audienceA better understanding of the factors controlling N2 fixation is a pre-requisite for improving our knowledge on the contribution of N2 fixation process in the nitrogen cycling. Trace-metal clean nutrient/dust addition bioassays (+P, +PFe, +dust) were performed at three stations located in the western, central and eastern Mediterranean Sea, in summer 2008 as part of the BOUM cruise. The main goals were (1) to investigate the nutrient factor(s) limiting N2 fixation (uptake of 15N2) and (2) to evaluate the potential impact of a Saharan dust event on this biological process during the stratification period. Initially, surface waters at the three stations were DIP-depleted (2 fixation (from 130 % to 430 %). The highest dust stimulation of N2 fixation was recorded at the station located in the eastern basin. The response of diazotrophic activity to nutrient additions was variable between the sampled stations suggesting a spatial variability of the factor controlling N2 fixation over the whole basin. At all stations, N2 fixation was not limited by Fe nor co-limited by P and Fe. At the western station, N2 fixation was DIP limited while at the eastern one, N2 fixation was first DIP limited, then was limited by one or several chemical element(s) released by dust. Our results demonstrated that a Saharan dust input was able to relieve these successive on going limitations. Very interestingly, at the station located in the central basin, N2 fixation was not limited by the availability of P yet it was strongly stimulated by dust addition (x3.1). A chemical element or a combination of several, released by the added dust may have been responsible for the observed stimulations of N2 fixation. These results indicated that Saharan dust pulses to the surface Mediterranean waters, in addition to P and Fe, could be a source of chemical(s) element(s) that are necessary for metabolic processes and therefore influence rates of N2 fixation