Riverine discharges impact physiological traits and carbon sources for shell carbonate in the marine intertidal mussel Perumytilus purpuratus

Anthropogenic modification watersheds and climate change have altered export from fluvial systems causing changes to the carbonate chemistry of river-influenced near shore environments. To determine the possible effects of riverine discharges on the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus, we performed in situ transplant experiments between river-influenced and open coastal habitats with contrasting seawater carbonate chemistries (i.e., pCO₂, pH, Ω[subscript]ar) across four regions covering a wide latitudinal range (32°55′S–40°10′S). The river-influenced habitats selected for transplant experiments were different than open coastal habitats; with higher pCO₂ (354–1313 μatm), lower pH (7.6–7.9) and Ω[subscript]ar values (0.4–1.4) than in open coastal area. Growth, calcification, metabolism were measured in a reciprocal transplant experiment to determine physiological responses associated with river-influenced sites and non-influenced control sites. Growth and calcification rates were higher in river-influenced habitats; however the organisms in this area also had lower metabolic rates, possibly due to enhanced food supply from river systems. Further analysis of carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) indicated that the relative contribution of seawater dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to the carbonate shells of P. purpuratus was much higher than respiratory carbon. Nevertheless, P. purpuratus incorporated between 7% and 26% of metabolic carbon in the shell depending on season. There was a strong, significant relationship between δ¹³C[subscript]POC and δ¹³C[subscript]Tissue, which likely influenced the isotopic composition of the shell carbon.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography and can be found at: http://www.aslo.org/lo/index.htm

Influence of Intensive Agriculture on Benthic Macroinvertebrate Assemblages and Water Quality in the Aconcagua River Basin (Central Chile)

This study assessed natural variation in the macroinvertebrate assemblages (MIB) and water quality in one of the main basins with the largest agricultural activities in Chile (Aconcagua River Basin). We sampled throughout the annual cycle; nine sampling sites were established along the basin, classifying according to agricultural area coverage as least-disturbed, intermediate, and most-disturbed. We collected 56 macroinvertebrate taxa throughout the entire study area. Multivariate analysis shows significant differences among the three disturbance categories in different seasons, both water quality variables and the MIB structure. Distance-based linear model (DistLM) analysis for all seasons explained more than 95.9% of the macroinvertebrate assemblages, being significantly explained by chemical oxygen demand, pH, total coliforms, nitrites, elevation, and water temperature. ANOVA test revealed significant differences in the proportion of noninsect individuals, macroinvertebrates density, and the number of taxa among the three disturbance categories (p < 0.05). In general, water temperature, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand, ammonium, nitrites, and nitrates increased their values downstream in the basin. Our results indicate that the elevation gradient and increment in agricultural land use in the basin had a strong influence on water quality and MIB. A better understanding of these ecosystems could help conservation and integrated watershed management

Synoptic Flow Variability in a River-Influenced Inner Shelf off Central Chile

The response of inner shelf circulation and bottom temperature variability to synoptic wind forcing and freshwater outflow is evaluated in an area with a wide continental shelf off central Chile. This forced circulation, with a strong seasonal evolution from upwelling- to downwelling-favorable conditions, is a key process modulating the exchange of water properties in a coastal zone characterized by multiple river outflows and high biological productivity. Ocean currents on the inner shelf (34 m depth) off the Itata River mouth were obtained and analyzed for a nine-month record (December 2008 to September 2009). The synoptic wind and current variability was defined between 2 and 16 days (0.02 to 0.0026 cph). The subinertial coastal circulation within the inner shelf off Itata River was dominated by the along-shelf flow, while cross-shelf flows driven by along-shelf winds were substantially reduced. The alongshore synoptic currents showed two distinct modal structures: (i) A mean two-layer flow field during upwelling-favorable wind stress with northward (southward) flow at the surface (bottom), and (ii) a mean southward flow through the entire water column during downwelling-favorable wind stress periods, which were intensified during peak river discharge events in winter. Calculations of the wind index clarified the relative importance of wind versus buoyancy forcing on the alongshore flow. The wind forcing dominated during summer when the river discharge was minimum, whereas the relative importance of the freshwater outflow from the Itata River became dominant in winter (May-August) when the buoyancy forcing, in conjunction with southward wind events, modulated strong barotropic southward flows. The change in the long-term regime of coastal winds and river discharges, with a dominance of upwelling winds and reduced river outflows in the last decade, is discussed in the context of observations of thinner river plumes under frequent upwelling conditions off central Chile

Equilibrio ácido-base durante la exposición aérea en el molusco bivalvo Perumytilus purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819) (Bivalvia: Mytilidae)

For effects of tidal rhythms, intertidal bivalves are exposed to prolonged daily emersion periods during low tide. As a response to air exposure, the mussel Perumytilus purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819) closes its valves and shifts its metabolism to anaerobic pathways by the interruption of the oxygen flux. Consequently, body fluids low their pH causing the CaCO3 disolution of the shell, which would act as a pH buffer. In this study, the role of shell CaCO3 in the regulation of internal homeostasis at different periods of aerial exposure was evaluated. We measured the variation of pH, Ca2+ and HCO3 - concentrations in the extrapallial cavity and Ca2+ concentration at the shell of P. purpuratus individuals from the low and high intertidal zones. The results show that pH increases in the extrapallial cavity fluids during the emersion period in the laboratory, followed by a decrease of the shell Ca2+. Ca2+ and HCO3 - concentrations did not show a significant variation in extrapallial fluids during the aerial exposure periods. Moreover, significant differences were found in the Ca2+ and HCO3 - concentrations at the extrapallial fluids between individuals from low and high tidal levels. However, in the majority of measured variables, in spite of acclimation period, the basal levels were different between individuals from the low and high intertidal zones, suggesting physiological differences due to genetic differences among organisms inhabiting both zonesPor efecto de los ritmos de marea, los bivalvos intermareales quedan expuestos a prolongados periodos de emersión diarios durante las mareas bajas. Bajo estas condiciones, el mitílido Perumytilus purpuratus (Lamarck, 1819) cierra sus valvas y entra en anaerobiosis por la interrupción del flujo de oxígeno. En esta situación baja el pH de los fluidos corporales provocando la disolución del CaCO3 de las valvas y que actuaría como amortiguador de pH. En este estudio se evaluaron las fluctuaciones de pH, Ca2+ y HCO3 - en los fluidos de la cavidad extrapaleal y de Ca2+ en las valvas de individuos de P. purpuratus provenientes del intermareal bajo y alto, expuestos a periodos progresivos de emersión. Los resultados indican que el pH en los fluidos de la cavidad extrapaleal aumentó durante el periodo de emersión en laboratorio, lo cual fue seguido por una disminución de la concentración de Ca2+ de las valvas. Las concentraciones de Ca2+ y HCO3 - en los fluidos extrapaleales no mostraron variación significativa durante el tiempo de exposición aérea. Además, se encontraron diferencias significativas en las concentraciones de Ca2+ y HCO3 - de los fluidos extrapaleales entre individuos del intermareal rocoso alto y bajo. No obstante lo anterior y a pesar del periodo de aclimatación, los niveles de la mayor parte de las variables medidas presentaron un valor basal diferente entre individuos del intermareal bajo y alto, lo cual sugiere diferencias fisiológicas, debido a diferencias genéticas, entre individuos de ambas zonas

Environmental costs of water transfers

Millennium Science Initiative from Chile's Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism, through the Millennium Nucleus MUSELS NC120086 Millennium Science Initiative from Chile's Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism, through the Millennium Institute of Oceanography (IMO) IC120019 Water Research Center for Agriculture and Mining (CRHIAM) Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) CONICYT FONDAP 15130015 Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) CONICYT FONDECYT 1170065 119080

Coupled Biospheric Synchrony of the Coastal Temperate Ecosystem in Northern Patagonia: A Remote Sensing Analysis

Over the last century, climate change has impacted the physiology, distribution, and phenology of marine and terrestrial primary producers worldwide. The study of these fluctuations has been hindered due to the complex response of plants to environmental forcing over large spatial and temporal scales. To bridge this gap, we investigated the synchrony in seasonal phenological activity between marine and terrestrial primary producers to environmental and climatic variability across northern Patagonia. We disentangled the effects on the biological activity of local processes using advanced time-frequency analysis and partial wavelet coherence on 15 years (2003–2017) of data from MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) onboard the Terra and Aqua satellites and global climatic variability using large-scale climate indices. Our results show that periodic variations in both coastal ocean and land productivity are associated with sea surface temperature forcing over seasonal scales and with climatic forcing over multi-annual (2–4 years) modes. These complex relationships indicate that large-scale climatic processes primarily modulate the synchronous phenological seasonal activity across northern Patagonia, which makes these unique ecosystems highly exposed to future climatic change.Millennium Nucleus Center for the Study of Multiple-Drivers on Marine Socio-Ecological Systems [ICM MUSELS NC120086]; Bioengineering Innovation Center, Facultad de Ingenieria y Ciencias, Universidad Adolfo Ibanez; NSERC Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship; FONDECYT Comision Nacional de Investigacion Cientifica y Tecnologica (CONICYT) [1181300, 1190529, 1190805]Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Annual cycle of growth and population structure of the estuarine crab Hemigrapsus crenulatus (Brachyura: Varunidae) off central Chile

Estuaries and saltmarshes play a fundamental role in the life cycle of many crab species. Diverse studies show that temperature and salinity modulate abundance, size frequency distribution (SFD), sex ratio and growth in crustaceans. These population parameters are usually challenging to estimate due to the high environmental variability of estuaries. Monthly samples of the estuarine crab Hemigrapsus crenulatus were taken from October 2003 to October 2004 (except July 2004) in the Tubul estuary, central Chile. We quantified temporal changes in abundance, size distribution, sex ratio and monthly growth through the annual cycle. A total of 1025 individuals were collected. Sizes ranged from 7.72-33.51 mm carapace length (CL) with a growth rate ranging between 2.13-30.5% mm CL mo-1. Size and growth rates were greater in spring-summer, suggesting a faster growth of younger crabs correlated with increasing sea temperatures in the austral summer. Overall, sex ratio was 1.75:1 in favour of males. Modal analysis identified at least seven cohorts cohabiting throughout the annual cycle. Growth parameters for males and females were the following, respectively: L∞ = 33.6 and 29.6, k = 0.69 and 0.91, t0 = -0.39 and -0.28. Changes in size distribution suggested a recruitment period during autumn and winter seasons when there are lower salinities and temperature fluctuations stresses. Generalized linear models indicated that sea temperature, salinity and chlorophyll were the environmental variables that better predicted the annual patterns in the population structure.Fil: Riquelme Bugueño, Ramiro A.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Luppi, Tomas Atilio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Saldías, Gonzalo S.. Centro Fondap de Investigación En Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes; Chile. Universidad del Bio Bio; ChileFil: Lagos, Marcelo E.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Urbina, Mauricio A.. Universidad de Concepción; ChileFil: Retamal, Marco A.. Universidad de Concepción; Chil

Temporal Synchrony in Satellite-Derived Ocean Parameters in the Inner Sea of Chiloé, Northern Patagonia, Chile

Spatial synchrony occurs when geographically separated time series exhibit correlated temporal variability. Studies of synchrony between different environmental variables within marine ecosystems worldwide have highlighted the extent of system responses to exogenous large-scale forcing. However, these spatial connections remain largely unstudied in marine systems, particularly complex coastlines, where a paucity of field observations precludes the analysis of time series. Here, we used time-frequency analyses based on wavelet and wavelet coherence (WC) analysis to quantify the synchrony (co-variations) between environmental time series derived from MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) in the topographically complex inner sea of Chiloé (ISC, 41–44°S) for the 2003–2022 period. We find that the strength of the synchrony between chlorophyll a (Chla) and turbid river plumes (for which we use remote sensing reflectance at 645 nm, Rrs645) varies between the northern and southern areas of the ISC; higher synchrony, measured as the WC between these variables, is observed along the northern basin where water and particle exchanges with the Pacific Ocean are reduced. The WC analysis showed higher synchrony between these variables, with dominant periodicities of 0.5 and 1 year resulting from the hydrological regime of the freshwater input in the area that persisted throughout the 2004–2018 period. Our results suggest that the strong and significant spatial synchrony at the regional scale is likely related to the phases of large-scale climatic oscillations, as inferred through the partial wavelet coherence analysis. Potential mechanisms driving spatial synchrony are discussed in the context of climate and oceanographic regimes in the area