1988_L1

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International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea
C.M. 1988/L: 1
Report of Activities
BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY COHHITTEE
1987
by
M. Sinclair
""~
:~'.;':':':,~.-'"
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H. Slncla1r
The follow1ng ls a summary of some of the relevant actlvltles In Canada; for
further details, please consult the lndlvlduals named In each sectlon.
DEPARTHENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS
Bl010glcal Sclences Branch, Scotla-Fundy Region
P.O. Box 550, Hallfax, Nova Scotla, B3J 2S1
(M. Slnclalr, Dlrector)
Prlmary Productlvlty
Wlth the current world-wlde lnterest In the role of the oceans In global
cllmate change, partlcular attention has been glven to developlng tools for
determlnlng prlmary productlvlty by satelilte remote senslng. It Is clear from
satelilte lmagery that the complex patterns of chlorophyll distribution In the
oceans cannot be adequately sampled In time and space uslng shlphoard
methodology. It Is, therefore, Imperative to develop a remote senslng
approach. The basis of the method currently proposed Is the estlmatlon of
chlorophyll biomass uslng an ocean colour scanner and comblnatlon of
chlorophyll biomass data wlth lncldent light data to glve an estlmate of the
rate of prlmary productlon.
Slnce a satelilte sees only the top few cm of the water column, and slnce
phytoplankton cells dlffer wldely In thelr physlo10glcal response to light, any
algorlthms for estlmatlng the rate of prlmary productlon are sure to lnvolve
slmpllfylng assumptlons. Nevertheless, early attempts, whlch were of an
emplrlcal nature, were not all that bad. The relationship between surface
light and blomass-normallzed prlmary productlon of the ocean water-column turns
out to be remarkably stable. Archlved chlorophyll data collected as part of
the Scotlan Shelf IChthyoplankton Program are currently belng compared wlth the
approprlate CZCS satellite Images, as part of a ground-truthlng program.
In 1986, Platt publlshed an algorlthm that embodled two assumptlons: (1) a
linear 11ght-photosynthesis model; and (11) uniform distribution of
photosynthetlc biomass wlth depth. In that paper, the consequences of the
first assumptlon were addressed and correctlon procedures developed. Durlng
1987, Platt and colleagues have explored the consequences of the second
assumptlon through sensltlvlty analyses on a generallzed biomass profile. The
errors were shown to be functlons of the parameters of biomass profile, the
photosynthetlc parameters and the optlcal propertles of the water. The
probable random errors In the estlmatlon of water-col~~n prlmary productlon
uslng remotely sensed data were estlmated to be of the order of 100~, but lf
the typlcal structure of the vertlcal profile Is known, much of thls error can
be removed.
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The control of prlmary productlon by the supply of nutrlents, especlally the
control of "new" productlon by the supply of nltrate, has been a subject of
contlnuing study. Ceorge's Bank, whlch lles between Cape Cod and Nova Scotla,
has a water column whlch ls tldally m1xed from top to bot tom at all tlmes of
year. There 1s a level of pr1mary productlon based on recyeled nltrogen, but
the productlon removed by man must be balanced by productlon based on new
nltrogen Introduced as nltrate from the deeper water surround1ng the bank. In
summer t1me, the water surroundlng the bank becomes thermally stratlfled and a
front develops at the edge of the bank. Rect1f1cat10n of t1dal currents over
the sldes of the bank leads to a perslstent clockw1se current round Its
per1meter, but thls ls not a closed gyre and there ls slgnlf1cant exchange of
water mass through the front. The results of an experlment conducted 1n
July-August 1985 show that the flux of nltrate-N across the front was about l2
mg at Nm-'s-'. Us1ng a ,sN techn1que. 1t was est1mated that the nutr1ent
demand of the phytoplankton 1n the well-m1xed area was 2.5 mg at Nm-'s-I whlle
that of the phytoplankton 1n the frontal area was 2.9 mg at Nm-Is- I , so the
flux across the front was more than enough to meet thls demand.
One of the most valuable commerclal stocks on the bank 1s the scallop,
Placopecten magellanlcus. The area of h1ghest stock dens1ty rough1y c01ne1des
w1th the frontal zone, wh1ch In turn 1s characterlzed by a partlcularly hlgh
rate of pr1mary productlon per unlt area. A calculat10n of the scallop
nltrogen budget reveals that the est1mated supply of new n1trogen to the Bank
by cross-frontal transport of n1trate 1s much 1n excess of the requ1rements of
the scallops. assumlng ut111zat10n of phytoplankton w1th a lOJ growth
eff1c1ency. There also appears to be an adequate supply of new n1trogen to
account for the requ1rements of the pe1aglc and demersal f1sh on the bank.
•
It 1s, therefore. pereeived that the cross-frontal transfer of n1trate onto
Ceorge's Bank 1s a key process 1n ma1ntalnlng the product1v1ty of commerc1al
stocks. Plans for future work 1nc1ude deta11ed 1nvest1gat10n of the phys1cal
mechan1sms 1nvolved. and study of the extent to wh1ch the measurements made 1n
1985 are representat1ve of all s1des of the bank.
Dur1ng the summer of 1987, the upwel11ng of new n1trogen was also stud1ed at
the slte of the New England and Corner Sea Mount cha1ns. A cru1se. code-named
PLASMA (Productlon Located at Sea Mounts 1n the Atlant1c). was executed to
study the hypothes1s that the reglons of h1gh chlorophyll shown by CZCS 1mages
1n the reglon of sea mounts were caused by the upwell1ng of new nltrogen as a
resu1t of turbulence generated 1n the wake of the sea mounts. The results are
not yet ava1lable.
Benthlc Studles
In conneet10n w1th the Ceorge's Bank stud1es ment10ned earl1er, laboratory
stud1es are 1n progress on the ass1m1lation efficlency and growth eff1cIeney of
scallops when fed f1ve dlfferent dlets. In part1cular. phytoplankton d1ets are
belng compared wlth d1ets of var10us k1nds of detr1tus, 1nclud1ng seaweed
detrltus.
Studles on the flux of organ1e matter from the phot1e zone to the benthos have
concentrated on the role of vertlcally mlgrat1ng organlsms. The eonvent10nal
approach to quantlfylng thls flux through sequentlal-sampl1ng 1n depth and t1me
has ser10us llm1tat10ns. due to problems wlth hor1zontal patch1ness of the
~
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zooplankton and asynchronous migrations of different components. As an
alternative to thls approach, a passlve collector has been developed whlch
successfully Intercepts upwardly-mlgratlng organlsms. Initlal results In
coastal envlronments Indlcate that durlng the summer per lad of stratlfled water
columns, the flux of vertlcally-mlgratlng organlsms (expressed as carbon)
greatly exceeds the downward flux of settllng detrltus. Durlng early sprlng,
before strang water column stratlflcatlon, the flux of carbon caused by slnklng
dlatom blooms ls In excess of the food requlrements of the benthos.
In many benthlc areas, there ls very 11ttle settlement of detrltus dlrectly to
the bot tom because of the strength of tldal currents. (Slmpson 1981 sald that,
In terms of stress, benthlc comrnunities are exposed to the equivalent of
hurrlcane-force wlnds twlce a day). Studles have, therefore, been made of the
effect of water movement on processes at the sediment-water Interface, uslng a
speclally-constructed flume. It has been found that wlthln the euphotlc zone,
the eplbenthlc dlatom populatlon, together wlth bacterla, forms a fl1m that
blnds sedlments and Inhiblts partlcle resuspenslon, thus reduclng the loss of
organic carbon from the community. A polarographlc oxygen mlcro-electrode has
been used to study the effect of current speed on the decomposltlon of burled
organlc matter.
In deeper areas of strang tldal currents, the blomass and productlvlty of the
benthos 15 lower than In nearby areas wlth less strong tldal currents. For
example, macrofaunal productlon has been estlmated for Brown's Bank, a
tldally-mlxed area on the Scotlan Shelf. It amounted to 67g wet wt. m-'y-I,
compared wlth 193 g wet wt. m-'y-' In tldally less energetlc parts of the Bay
of Fundy. The sediments were of slml1ar geologlcal ages and had the same
numbers of specles of polychaetes and amphipods. In splte of thls, Brown's
Bank 15 a favoured feedlng ground for early juvenl1e haddock, whlch remave
about 12S of the annual productlon, same 509 tons wet blomass per year,
conslstlng malnly of Infauna. It ls thought that the tldal currents cause
resuspenslon of Infaunal organlsms, and while these are drlftlng above the
bottam, they are consumed by the juvenIle haddock.
There ls need for data on the transfer of food from the benthos to
bottom-feedlng flsh over a large area. The prevlously-mentloned data base on
blomass of benthlc organlsms on Brown's Bank and In the Bay of Fundy ls belng
extended to include other parts of the Scotlan Shelf (e.g. Banquereau Bank),
the Grand Banks and the Labrador Sea. Up to thls tlme, productlon has been
calculated from blomass data uslng prevlously publlshed P:B ratlos. However,
new allometrlc models for estlmatlng rate of productlon from slze-speclflc
blomass data are belng developed.
Recrultment-Related Studles
The Gulf Stream flows In a meanderlng northward path, rougnly parallel wlth the
contlnental shelf of North Amerlca, between the Grand Banks and the
MId-Atlantlc Blght. Warm core rIngs are generated from the meanders, and If
they come Into contact wlth the contlnental shelf, they entraln large volumes
of shelf water and transport It offshore. It seemed possible that If those
large volumes of water contalned slgnlflcant numbers of eggs, larvae or
juvenl1e flsh, thls mlght have a negatlve effect on recruitment to the flsh
stocks of the continental shelf.
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In arecent study conducted jointly with the Newfoundland Region, the slope
water adjacent to the shelf was divided into nine regions that corresponded as
closely as possible to the limits of 25 stocks of fish and shellfish. Weekly
satellite images covering 1973 to 1986 were used to recognize the number and
position of warm core rings, from which an entrainment index was developed for
each region. When combined with information on the timing of spawning and
duration of egg and larval stages of each stock, it was possible to estimate
the impact of warm core rings on each stock. Recruitment in 15 of the 17
groundfish stocks examined was negatively correlated with warm core ring
activity. On the other hand, there was no significant correlation between ring
activity and recruitment to pelagic stocks. It was suggested that the data on
recruitment of pelagics is less reliable than for groundfish, and that some
pelagics may spawn sufficiently far enough from the edge of the shelf that they
es cape the impact of the warm core rings.
An intensive study of the early life history of cod and haddock of SW Nova
Scotia has been in progress for a number of years. Results now available
indicate that: (i) the condition of larval haddock is largely determined by
the intensity of stratification of the water column, which appears to act
through food availability (a result analogaus to that obtained by Lasker tor
larval anchovy in the California current). (ii) interannual variation in the
distribution patterns ot haddock eggs and larvae can be explained by the action
of temperature on the development rate; (iii) the principal drift track of cod
'and haddock larvae tollows an isobath which appears to coincide with a tidal
front; and (iv) the principal spawning centres for cod and haddock larvae are
offshore, but pelagic juvenile cod are frequently found close inshore oft SW
Nova Scotia, while haddock remain turther oftshore.
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The otolith mlcrostructure technique Of agelng is being applied to the larvae
of cod and haddock spawned on or near Brown's Bank, oft SW Nova Scotia. By
plotting the spatial distribution of larvae of known ages (in days), it is
hoped to establish their pattern of dispersal and dritt between the spawning
grounds and the nursery areas. By tollowing the abundance of a particular
cohort, it is hoped to establish whether or not cohort strength is primarily
determined in the first year of life. By followlng the growth rate ot an
identified cohort in each of tive years, it is hoped to test the hypothesis
that year-class strength is a tunetion of growth rate in the larval and
juvenile stages.
Studies of the annual maturation cycle of herring reveals that the older
individuals attaln spawning conditlon before the younger. It has been
demonstrated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (as In Norway) that pulses, or waves
of spawnlng actlvity, correspond with the arrival on the spawning ground of the
various major age classes within the population. This is true tor both the
spring and autumn spawners. Surveys of the spawning beds show that the
relative egg abundance of spawning waves was weIl correlated with the relative
size of each year class.
This year, significant quantities of herring larvae and spawning adults were
found on George's Bank. It appears that this stock may be on the way to
regalning its once important position. In the Bay of Fundy, a "patch" study
involving three vessels investlgated the relationship of abundance and vertical
migrations Of herring larvae with oceanographic condltlons and the presence of
food organisms and predators.
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A cooperative Canada/U.S. study Involving three vessels, includlng a
submerslble, investigated the ecology of Juvenile gadoids on Ceorge's Bank. An
intensive multidisciplinary study of the relationship of larval and juvenile
fish to the Ceorge's Bank front is planned to begin in 1988.
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Since Ceorge's Bank is a candidate for possible hydrocarbon development,
information is needed on all aspects of the ecology of commercially important
species. Not least of these are the scallops, and for the past two years there
has been considerable effort to understand the distribution and fate of scallop
larvae. Horizontal distribution of the larvae has been studied by vertically
integrated hauls at stations approximately 10 nautical mlles apart. Attempts
are belng made to understand the movement of the larvae In terms of the
residual circulation on and around the bank. Vertical distribution Is a very
obvious function of physlcal structure of the water column, wlth the larvae
aggregated at the pycnocline in stratified waters. but dispersed through the
upper 50 m In weakly stratlfied or tidally mixed waters.
Results are now available from a number of years' work on the recruitment
pattern of lobsters off SW Nova Scotia. Canada inltiated an offshore (>50 n
mi.) lobst er fishery in 1971. and there has been concern whether the offshore
stocks might provide a slgnlficant proportion of the recrults to the inshore
stocks, and should therefore be sUbject to special protection. Calculations
based on the occurrence of stage I and stage IV larvae in the plankton and the
physical oceanography of the region suggest that 92-97~ of the larval
recruitment occurs offshore. Calculations based on the numbers of berried
females In the stocks suggest 80~ of larval recruitment occurs offshore. Work
will continue in the hope of improving the confidence limits on these
estlmates. Consideration of the vertical migration patterns of the larvae and
of the residual currents suggest that the Culf of Maine. to the south of Nova
Scotla, is one recruitment area. In particular, it seems likely that offshore
recruitment makes an important contribution to inshore stocks in the eastern
Culf of Malne.
References
Simpson, J.H. 1981. The shelf-sea fronts: implications of thelr exlstence
and behaviour. Phll. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. A302: 431-542.
Platt, T. 1986. Primary production of the ocean water column as a function of
surface light intenslty: algorlthms for remote sensing. Deep-Sea Res.
33: 149-163.
Institut Maurice Lamontagne, 850 route de la Mer
Case postale 1000, Mont-Joli (Quebec). Canada G5H 3z4
(J.-C. Therriault, Head, Biological Oceanography Division)
En 1987, la Division d'Oceanographle Blologique a contlnue ses recherches
visant ~ etudier les processus de production primaire et secondalre dans les
eaux marines de l'estualre et du golfe du Salnt-Laurent alnsi que dans celles
des bales d'Hudson et de Froblsher. Cette derni~re annee a egalement ete
marquee par l'lntensification des travaux de recherche visant ~ reller cette
production avec les processus de recrutement de larves de certaines esp~ces de
poissons
co~~erc1aux.
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Bacterloplancton
Les etudes sur la repartition et les processus de contrßle de l'abondance des
bacterles dans l'estualre du Salnt-Laurent se sont poursulvles en 1987. Ces
etudes vlsent A developper un mod~le general de la dynamlque des bacterles
applicable A la plupart des mllteux estuarlens. Au cours de la dernl~re annee,
des experlences ont ete effectuees pour etudler partlcull~rement la survle et
la crolssance des bacterles de part et d'autre de la transition saline de
l'estualre du Salnt-Laurent. Cette information est importante putsque le sort
des bacterles dans cet ecosyst~me revet un Interet partlculler en raison de la
grande quantite d'eaux usees qul y est reJetee.
D'autre part, les etudes des mlcroheterotrophes, prlnclpalement les bacterles,
dans la colonne d'eau et la glace de la bate de Froblsher se sont poursutvtes
acttvement. Des mesures de carbone partlculalre et dissous ont ete
effectuees alnsl que des mesures de biomasse, d'acttvlte et de productlon
bacterlenne. Des methodes de ftltratlon selectlve et d'utilisation
d'lnhlblteurs metabollques ont ete utilisees pour separer les diverses
actlvttes mlcroheterotrophes. L'exlstence de mlcroconsommateurs de bacterles a
ete demontree et des mesures Indlrectes de leur actlvlte ont ete effectuees.
Ces etudes sont reallsees dans le but de reller la productlon prima Ire et la
productlon bacterlenne dans les mllteux arctlques.
Par atlleurs, les preml~res mesures de biomasse et productlon bactertennes ont
ete effectuees dans le golfe du Satnt-Laurent au cours de l'ete 1987.
Phytoplancton
Les etudes entreprises pour vertfter 1'exlstence d'un mecanlsme de
photoadaptatton rapide (ft sun glass effect ft chez les populations
phytoplanctonlques estuartennes se sont poursulvles avec succ~s en 1987. Ces
recherehes tentent de demontrer 1) que ce mecanlsme ne se retrouve que chez les
esp~ces incapables de contrßler leur regime 1umlneux, 2) que le temps de
reponse des cellules aux changements des condlttons lumlneuses est un facteur
important pour la successlon des esp~ces et 3) que des variations endog~nes
cycllques de la reponse phytoplanctonlque sont presentes et se produlsent en
phase avec les stimuli dominants du mtlleu. L'analyse des resultats obtenus au
cours d'experlences en laboratolre et sur le terrain se poursulvra en 1988.
Deux missions oceanographlques ont ete effectuees pour etudler la dynamlque des
elements nutrltlfs et la productlon primaire dans une region frontale et dans
une zone d'upwelling du Salnt-Laurent. Diverses varla~les blologlques teIles
que l'asslmllatton des sels nutrltlfs, les concentrattons de chlorophylle, POC,
PO~, proteines, etc., ont ete mesurees.
11 est de plus en plus reconnu que les
zones frontales et les zones de remontees d'eaux profondes dans les milleux
cötlers constttuent des alres d'allmentatlon privileglees pour plusleurs
esp~ces de larves de polsson.
Co~~e l'allmentatton de ces larves repose
essentlellement sur la productlon phytoplanctonlque, la comprehenston de la
dynamtque de 1a productton primaire dans ces regions est Indispensable A la
connalssance globale des processus reglssant 1e transfert d'energle vers les
mallions superleurs de la chalne trophlque. L'analyse des resultats obtenus se
poursutvra au cours de la prochalne annee.
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•
Les etudes sur la production biologiQue dans la colonne d'eau et les glaces de
la bale d'Hudson en etaient ~ leur phase d'analyse des echantillons et au
traitement des donnees en 1987. Plusleurs manuscrlts sont actuellement en
cours de redaction. Ces recherches vlsent 1) ~ estimer les eChanges entre les
differentes composantes des interfaces glace/eau/sedlments, 2) ~ comprendre
l'impact de ces echanges sur l'ecosyst~me, avant et apr~s la fonte des glaces,
3) ~ comprendre les adaptations physiologiQues des organlsmes Qui vlvent dans
ces milleux, sous des conditions extremes de temperature et de l~~i~re ~
l'interface glace/eau; et finalement, 4) ~ evaluer l'influence des changements
dans la circulatlon c5ti~re et de la stratification sur les phenom~nes
mentionnes. En 1988, il est prevu d'entreprendre dans 1a baie d'Hudson un
nouveau projet portant sur la production biologiQue dans le gradient de
salinlte forme par la plume d'eau douce de la rivl~re Crande-Baleine. Nous
tenterons egalement de mettre en relation 1a production biologiQue des alg~es
de glace avec le recrutement d'esp~ces de polssons anadromes. Ce projet
impllQue la collaboration de nombreux chercheurs gouvernementaux et
universltaires, ainsi Qu'une equipe importante composee d'etudiants gradues, de
techniciens et de plongeurs sous-marlns. Le travall de terrain devrait
s'effectuer au prlntemps 1988. D'autres etudes sur 1es microalgues de glace et
le phytoplancton ont ete reallsees dans la bale de Frobisher par les chercheurs
de la station arctiQue de Salnte-Anne-de-Bellevue. Ces etudes visent ~
examiner la composltlon specifiQue, la distribution, la biomasse et le taux de
productlon du phytoplancton et des algues de glace ~ differentes periodes de
l'annee dans cette region arctlque. Des etudes sur l'influence de la l~~l~re
et de la temperature sur la productlon relative de lipides, proteines et
hydrates de carbone par la flore planctonlQue et celle de glace ont ega1ement
ete effectuees. L'annee 1988 marQuera cependant la derni~re annee pour les
travaux de recherche ~ la bale de Froblsher. Par ailleurs, il est prevu au
cours de 1988, l'installation d'une nouvelle station de recherche ~ Salluit
dans le detrolt d'Hudson.
Un projet sur l'ecologle et la dynamique de population de l'algue
Protogonyaulax tamarensls, le dlnoflagelle marin responsable de
l'empolsonnement toxiQue paralysant des mollusques dans l'estualre du
Saint-Laurent, s'est poursuivit actlvement en 1987. Des cultures de cette
algue ont ete realisees pour analyser les variations de leur toxiclte. Par
ailleurs, l'echantillonnage en vue d'etudler la repartition des cystes de
Protogonyaulax dans l'Estuaire et determlner leur rele dans le processus de
d6clenchement des "blooms" s'est poursuivi au cours de 1987. Un des objectifs
de cette etude vlse ~ developper et mettre en appllcation une methode de
remplacement ("HPLC" et "Autonalyser") pour la methode conventionnelle des
bioessais sur des sourls pour la determination de la toxlclte des mOllusQues.
En 1988, les etudes sur les algues toxlques dans le golfe du Salnt-Laurent
seront intensifiees en raison d'une demande accrue par l'lndustrle aqulco1e.
Zoop1ancton/ichthyoplancton
En 1987, le groupe de recherche sur le zooplancton et l'lcthyoplancton s'est
enrichi de deux nouveaux membres et les recherehes se sont concentrees
prlnclpalement sur les ecosyst~mes marlns de l'estualre et du golfe du
Salnt-Laurent et du detrolt d'Hudson dans 1e nord du Quebec.
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L'etude sur l'ecophystologie des larves de maquereau s'est concentree en 1987
sur des mesures prectses de coOts respiratotres et de besoins nutritifs et les
valeurs obtenues doi vent etre ut 11 isees dans un modele mathem~tique visant 1l.
estimer l'importance relattve de la crotssance, des besoins metaboliques et de
la mortaltte due 1l. la predation, en tenant compte des migrations verticales et
des cycles de nutrition. Par a1l1eurs, des observations effectuEles sur la
microstructure tegumentaire des larves de poissons transparentes ont revele
l'existence d'une serie de mlcro-couches dont l'epaisseur pourralt etre
predictlble 1l. partir de consideratlons theorlques sur la reduction des reflets.
Une consequence de cette reductton des reflets est une vlsibl1ite moindre pour
1es predateurs.
Un projet pour etudier le lien trophique possible entre la variabtllte de la
production primaire et le succes dans le recrutement de larves de sebaste a
debute dans le golfe du Saint-Laurent. Comme le copepode planctonique,
Calanus finmarchicus, domlne amplement les captures au filet 1l. zooplancton dans
lea eaux profondea du Golfe, on peut supposer que ses oeufs et ses stades
nauplii sont susceptibles de constttuer les proies prlncipales des stades
larvaires de sebaste, COmme l'ont demontre des travaux anterieurs dans
l'Atlantique nord. Une mission majeure est planifiee pour l'ete 1988, pour
etudier la distribution verticale et le comportement de nutrition des larves de
sebaste en relation avec la distribution verticale et la production d'oeufs de
Calanu~.
En meme temps, on etudlera en laboratoire la relation entre le taux
de production d'oeufs de Calanus et la concentration de phytoplancton, pour
tester I' hypothese que le "timing" et l'importance de la production d' oeufs de
Calanus est particulierement sensible, par rapport 1l. d'autres especes de
copepodes, aux variations Interannuelles de la productton primaire. Si la
survie des larves de sebaste est determlnee, du moins en partie, par la
disponibilite de proies, alors, l'interaction Calanus-sebaste pourrait etre un
exemple specifique d' un lien trophique tres fo~
Une autre etude sur la repartition spatlaie et temporelle du zooplancton en
relation avec le regime physique dans l'estuaire du Salnt-Laurent s'est
egalement continuee. Les resultats des analyses de zooplancton echantillonnees
sur ~~e grille de stations dans l'Estuaire Maritime sont actuellement en
analyse pour tester l'hypothese que les caracteristlques de temperature et de
clrculatton 11mitent les taux de crolssance In sltu des especes
zooplanctonlques lmportantes. La grande parUedela productlvite
zooplanctonique estlvale dans l'Estuaire Maritime est probablement exportee
vers le Golfe; les populations de gros organismes zooplanctoniques qui
constituent la plus grande partie de la biomasse dans l'estualre maritime
pourralt etre derlvee prlnclpalement de l'lmportation d'indivtdus provenant des
populations du Golfe avec le flux des eaux profondes dans le chenal
.
laurentien.
O'autres etudes dans les eaux nordiques du Quebec se sont egalement poursuivies
en 1987. 11 a ete observe dans la baie d'Hudson que les copepodes calanoides
planctoniQues broutalent de fa90n routlnlere la nult sur les mlcroalgues
croissant 11 l'interface glace/eau. Des etudes experimentales sont actuellement
en cours pour determiner l' effet de ce broutage sur la communaute
zoopolanctonlque sUbarcttque. Ce broutage se prodult avant le bloom prlntanier
dans la colonne d'eau. La productton d'oeufs et de naupl11, proies presumees
des larves de morue arctlque, lan90ns et pols50ns anadroomes Qul sont presents
sous la glace dans 1a bate d'Hudson avant 1e b100m prlntanier, pourrait etre
acceleree par 1a nutrition sur les microalgues de glace.
•
- 9 -
Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Btological Sctences Branch,
P.O. Box 5667, St. John's, Newfoundland. AlC 5Xl
(L.W. Coady, A/Reglonal Dlrector, Science)
As part of the work of the Task Group on the Newfo~~dland lnshore Flshery,
there was a review of the tnfluence of a number of the environmental factors on
the distribution and avallability of northern cod. Several hypotheses were
consldered, and the report of the Task Group contains several recommendations
for further research.
•
An analysis of the effects of temperature and depth on the distribution of
American plaice was conducted, and the results presented as a NAFO Research
Docurnent. The analyses indicated that the anomalously cold water on the Grand
Banks in the mld 1983's may have affected the distribution of flatfish
substa~tially.
Analysis of the distribution of juvenile yellowtail flounder in relation to
environrnental factors, bottom sediments, and competitors is underway.
Preliminary results were presented at a meeting of NAFO. A paper on diel
variability in juve~ile and adult yellowtail was prepared for primary
publication.
The series of seasonal surveys for groundfish were completed in 1987. Analyses
of seasonal variation in distribution and abundance will continue, with
manuscripts expected on several taxa. Environmental correlates of the seasonal
patterns will be considered.
The data based stock-recruitment projection methods developed by Rice and Evans
were expanded to enable quantlflcatlon of the effeet of environmental
influences on the probability distribution of recruitment. This work was
presented at CAFSAC and NAFO and is submitted for primary pUblieation. The
authors will be exploring application of the same method to estimation of the
probability distribution of abundance as a function of habitat and
environmental features.
A Working Group on Cod-Capelin lnteraetlons held several meetings and sponsored
a major workshop. Three major analysis projects were identlfied for work
during the coming year: quantifying offshore distribution prior to migration;
identifying the scale of spatial and temporal variation in inshore catches; and
modelling of possible migration mechanisms.
A technieal report on factors influencing inshore eatches of eod in Coneeptlon
Bay was revised from a eonsulting company study and the revised report was
published. The report noted substantial local detail in pattern of catches
around the Bay, and a major effect of a surge of Labrador Current water in
August on inshore catches of cod.
Laboratory mesocosm experiments on the role of food supply, temperature, and
predation in larval fish dynamics continued. Most work centered on development
of culture facilities to support larger experimental programs in coming years.
öork on eombinlng records of historie environmental variation wlth models of
plankton suceession led to a primary manuseript. lncludlng real amounts of
environmental variation wlth plankton dynamlcs produces systems with extremely
low predietabllity.
•
- 10 -
•
A research team has been ldentlfled to document changes in flsh dlstrlbutlon
and communlty structure that have taken place on the fishing banks of
Newfoundland and Labrador, and analyze these changes in light of fishery and
ocean cllmate effects in an attempt to gain inslghts lnto the processes
involved. The group will avail of the extensive research vessel data base that
has accrued since 1946. The first focus of the group will be quantlficatlon of
variation in blomass of size categories, rather than by species, from the data.
A model of seasonal plankton succession has been published. The internatlonal
Global Ocean Flux Study Group will be using the model as a basis for its
modelling work on global ocean cycles and exchanges.
A study of the relationship of sea-surface temperature and distribution of
Atlantic salmon while at sea was completed, and is to be published in a
symposium volume.
A study of the impact of shelf water entrainment by warm core rings on
recruit~ent to various marine stocks was prepared for publication.
The
entrainment may be a significant factor in recruitment dynamics for many
stocks. This study is expanding to look at other environmental indlces, such
as Ekman transport, and their relationshlp to recruitment variation. Further
work on the position of the warm core rings and the shelf-slope front will also
be done.
•
Research continues on environmental effects on herring stocks. Current focus
is on influences on growth rates, and consequences of variation in growth rate
relative to crossovers of spawning times.
A joint project with scientists at BIO and McGill University is examining
relationships between horizontal and vertical distributions of capelin larvae
and larval survival on the Southeast Shoal of the Grand Bank. rnfluences of
oceanographic and meteorological events are also included in the study.
Research on how biology of snow crabs is affected by water temperature and food
habits of competitors (particularly Hyas crabs) continues, in conjunction with
sclentlsts at Memorial University. Unaerwater photography is being used to
determine the role of bottom type in these and other aspects of crab biology.
Size at maturation continues to be an important focus of research interest.
The pattern and importance of predation by cod on shrimp populatlon dynamlcs is
being studied. Cod predation appears to be a major source of mortality.
Environmental influences on growth rates are being looked at as part of this
project.
.
Processing of specimens and data from the first year-of-life study in
Conception Bay was pursued actively. ~uantification of the lchthyoplankton
sa~ples. and gut contents of fish larvae. sh~uld be corr.pleted in the near
future. Analyses will focus on feeding selectivlty, potential competitlon, and
seasonal variation 1n larval f1sh ecology.
Statistical analysis of flsh larvae and ocean~graphlc data from Flenlsh Cap
continues. Two Ph.D. theses are underway from this data base - one focusing on
magnitude and causes of variation in growth rates of redflsh larvae ö the other
e
------
------------------------
- 11 -
on the mechanlsms and effects of physlcal transport on larval abundance.
on prlmary productlvlty, nutrient and chlorophyll concentratlons and
oceanography of Flemlsh Cap Is nearlng puollcatlon stage.
Work
A study of vertlcal and dlel variations In flsh larvae In Trlnlty Bay Is In the
data analysis stage. Over 90S of larvae are wlthln 50 m of the surface
throughout the day, concentratlng in the upper 5 m durlng darkness. An
analysis of gear avoldance (especlally slze dependent processes) Is belng done
in conj unctlon with this work.
The research station has added three sclentlfic staff with interests in benthlc
and microbenthlc ecology. As their research programs develop, there will be a
noteworthy increase In the understandlng of the role of benthos in the ecology
of the Grand Banks, and of the mechanisms of benthlc-pelagic coupllng.
An accelerated research program on parasltes of cod Is examlnlng a number of
possible ecologlcal interactions among cod as predators and their various prey.
Sea temperature effects on parasite egg development, and consequences for cod
infection rates, Is also under study.
Concern about uncharacterlstic distribution patterns for many commerclally
important flsh stocks had led to a surge of Interest in the physical
oceanography of the Grand Banks, and its biologlcal consequences.
Understandlng of the dynamlcs and kinematlcs of the Labrador Current and the
Cold Intermediate Layer has Increased slgnlflcantly In the past two years.
Several research projects are underway to link thls enhanced knowledge of the
physlcal oceanography with migration of cod, distribution of flatflsh,
recruitment of several stocks, and trophic Interactions of major predators and
prey.
Gulf Region, Bl010glcal Sclences Branch,
P.O. Box 5030, Moncton, New Brunswlck, EIC 9B6
(J.S. Campbell, Chief, Marine and Anadromous Flsh Division)
Juvenile Herring Surveys
In 1987, preliminary acoustic surveys of juvenile herring were conducted in
Chaleur Bay, New Brunswick, and Cardigan Bay, Prince Edward Island. The
objective of these surveys was to determlne If the aggregations were dlscrete
and useful as indices for recruitment.
Sea Age of Atlantlc Salmen
A recently completed histologlcal study of salmon smolts Indlcated that ovarlan
development was inversely correlated with sea age. This study Is being
continued in laboratory uslng the offspring of known parentage.
Herring Spawning Bed Surveys
Spawnlng bed surveys of Atlantlc herring (Clupea harengus) In the southern Gulf
of St. Lawrence (NAFO Div. 4T) were continued In the fall of 1937. The searCh
for the spawning beds began August 23, 1937, after cenfirmatlon from lecal
fiShermen of the arrival of herring scheols. As In 1986, the search for
- 12 herring spawn was carrled out using an underwater vldeo camera, and sampies
were taken by scuba dlvlng.
Three spawning beds were 10cated between August 28 and September 3, 1987. On
September 9, a cloud of milky water resultlng from a large milt patch hindered
the observatlon of the sea bottom by the vldeo camera. A spawnlng school was
observed and spawning occurred on filamentous algae. Mapping of the spawning
bed and dellneation of lts parameter was carrled out between September 11 and
13, 1987.
The area of the spawning beds was estimated at 0.2, 0.8, 0.5 and 0.6 km' for
the four spawning beds respectively. The total estimated area of 2.1 km' was
about twice that in 1986. However, the intensity of egg deposition was less in
1937, ranging from 1.98 X 10' to 2.38 X 10' eggs/m'. The adult spawning
biomass was estimated at 17,100 mt compared to 17,000 mt in 1986.
CROUPE INTERUNIVERSITAIRE DE RECHERCES OCEANOGRAPHIQUES DU QUEBEC
Departement de Blologle, Unlverslte Laval, Quebec, CIK 7P4
(A. Cardlnal, Secretaire general)
Processus d'Interface (Hydrodynamlsme et Productlon
Planctonlque) en Mllieux Cetiers et Estuarlens)
Les travaux de l'equlpe au cours de la dernl~re annee ont ete centres sur deux
regions presentant des caracteristlques physlques et biologiques differentes.
La premi~re de ces regions, ob oeuvrent d'autres equlpes du GIROQ, est
l'estualre maritime et le golfe dU Salnt-Laurent; du polnt de vue pelaglque,
cette reglon constltue une prolongation du plateau continental ob sont
amplifles certalns effets lies aux debits d'eau douce et aux marees. Les
recherches menees dans ces eaux ~ forte production blologique reJoignent donc
celles menees dans d' autres laboratoires de par le monde sur la dynamique des
plateaux contlnentaux. Le second volet des travaux de l'equlpe se deroule dans
les eaux arctiques des bales de James et d'Hudson, principalement sous couvert
de glace. Ces recherches permettent, outre la comprehension des processus
physiques et blologiques particul1ers aux mers couvertes de glace, de tester
dans des condltlons extremes des hypotheses generales sur l'hydrodynamlsme et
la productlon blologlque des oceans. Comme au cours des annees anterieures,
une fractlon importante des travaux de l'equlpe a ete realisee en etrolte
collaboration avec des chercheurs du Ministere des Peches et des Oceans
(Institut Maurlce-La~ontagne, Mont-Joli, Quebec).
Estualre et golfe du Salnt-Laurent
Au cours de l'annee 1986-1987, les recherches de nature physique dans
l'estuaire et le golfe du Salnt-Laurent ont surtout porte sur la mesure des
vagues et leur impact sur les regions cetl~res. De longues serles
d' observat lons ont ete enreglstrees au moyen de bouees accelerometriques et des
publications ont permls de relier divers processus c8tiers ~ la propagation des
vagues.
- 13 -
Rejoignant les travaux de nature physique sur les vagues. des recherches
d'oceanographie biologique se sont poursuivies sur l'influence que peuvent
avoir sur la photosynth~se du phytoplancton les variations rapides de lumi~re
causees par la propagation des vagues h la surface de la mer; il semble que ces
variations de haute frequence (0.1 - 10Hz) puissent modifier de fa90n
significative la photosynthese du phytoplancton et que leur absence des regions
couvertes de glace entratne des reponses photosynthetiques differentes chez les
algues des glaces. Depuis quelques annees. l'equipe travaille aussi sur les
reponses du phytoplancton aux stimuli lumineux cycliques, de 24 h (circadiens)
et de 12.4 h (marees semi-diurnes). une etude menee en collaboration avec des
chercheurs du Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (West Boothbay Harbor.
Maine) a confirme le phenom~ne pour du phytoplancton preleve dans le golfe du
Maine. Par ailleurs. on a etabli le r~le joue par la structure physique de la
colonne d'eau dans la repartition verticale de la biomasse et de la production
phytoplanctonique. D'autres contributions theoriques de l'equipe h
l'oceanographie biologique ont porte sur le melange de maree, les ergoclines
marines ainsi que l'analyse numerique des donnees oceanographiques.
Toujours dans les eaux ouvertes, d'autres travaux de l'equipe ont porte sur les
processus hydrodyna~iques soustendant les relations trophiques entre les larves
de poissons. leurs predateurs et leurs proies. Ces relations trophiques ont
d'abord ete examinees dans une region c6ti~re non-stratifiee en Manche
occidentale ou l'importance de l'hydrodynamisme etait minimale. Les resultats
montrent que lorsque les processus hydrodynamiques n'influencent pas la
co-distribution des larves. de leurs proies et de leurs predateurs. la theorie
de la Qu~te Optimale (Optimal Foraging) et en particulier le mod~le de la
Distribution Ideale Libre (Ideal Free Distribution) decrivent bien les
interactions trophiques. Le modele du IFD servira donc de modele de base pour
l'lnterpretation des resultats observes dans les regIons ou les processus
hydrodyna~iques sont plus Intenses.
Quatre regions de ce type ont ete etudiees
par les membres de l'equipe. en collaboration avec les chercheurs de l'Institut
Maurice-Lamontagne. au cours de 1936 et 1987. Dans l'estuaire moyen du
Saint-Laurent. les recherches portent sur la co-distribution des larves de
hareng. de leurs proies et de leurs predateurs dans la zone du front de maree.
Les resultats serviront h tester certains aspects de la theorie des stocks de
lIes & Sinclair. Dans le sud-ouest du golfe. on etudie la co-distribution
spatiale fine de l'ichtyoplancton et du microzooplancton en relation avec la
structure physique du milieu (stratification verticale. mosatque de masses
d'eau). h des echelles variant de quelques centaines de metres h plusieurs
dizaines de kilometres. Dans la region frontale qui separe le courant de
Gaspe de la gyre d'Anticostl. les chercheurs de l'equipe et de l'Institut
Maurice-Lamontagne etudient les relations entre la production primaire. la
production secondaire. la survie et la croissance de l'lchtyoplancton.
Finalement, une etude portant sur le transport de stades larvaires de la sole
dans le golfe de Gascogne et sur leur distrIbution verticale fIne en rapport
avec celle de leurs proies est menee presentement en collaboration avec les
chercheurs de l'IFREMER. L'ensemble de ces travaux permettra de cerner comment
les processus turbulents h petite et h moyenne echelles peuvent modul er les
interactions trophiques entre les larves de poissons, leurs proies et leurs
predateurs. A tr~s grande eChelle. ces processus turbulents contrelent
egalement l'abondance et la composition specifique des reseaux trophiques
planctoniques qu'expioitent les stades larvaires de poissons. En particulier.
les debIts d'eau douce et la stratification de la colonne d'eau marine qui en
- 14 -
resulte sont responsables des developpements masslfs de dlnoflagelles toxlques
au cours de l'ete. Des travaux en laboratolre menes en 86 et en 87 demontrent
de fa.on spectaculalre que la toxlne produlte par le dlnoflagelle
Protogonyaulax tamarensls entratne une mortailte massIve chez les stades
larvalres de capelan et de hareng. Ces travaux qul suggerent que le
recrutement chez la plupart des especes marlnes commerclales (polssons et
lnvertebres) pulsse ~tre affecte par les developpements de Protogonyaulax
tamarensls dans l'estualre et le golfe du Salnt-Laurent, seront poursulvls
l'annee prochalne.
Bales de James et d'Hudson
Une premlere partle des pUbllcatlons de l'equlpe en mll1eux nordlques concerne
les effets des amenagements hydroelectrlques sur les processus physlques
estuarlens et leurs repercusslons blo1oglques. Une etude a aussl porte sur
l'hydrodynamlsme dans la bale du Rupert (Bale de James). La second volet des
travaux de nature physlque concerne l'hydrodynamlsme, sous couvert de glace,
dans les panaches d'eau saumatre. En vue de comparer avec les condltlons
hlvernales, la reglon du panache de la Grande rivlere de la Balelne fut l'objet
d'un echantll10nnage tres detaille ~ la fln de l'ete 1987.
Les condltlons hydrOdynamlques ~ l'lnterface glace-eau (Shlrasawa 1986) ont des
repercusslons lmportantes sur la productlon de mlcroalgues et sur le transfert
de cette production ~ l'ecosysteme pelaglque. On a notamment etabli que les
mlcroalgues des glaces peuvent ~tre llmltees par les nutrlments, dont
l'approvislonnement depend alors des processus physlques sous la glace.
Les processus physlques ~ l'lnterface glace-eau jouent aussl un rOle lmportant
sur le broutage des mlcroalgues par le zooplancton.
Ces travaux sur les processus d'interface sont menes plus
les laboratolres de L. Legendre, L. Fortler et Y. Ouellet
et de R.G. Ingram de l'Unlverslte McGlll en coilaboration
chercheurs du Mlnistere des P~ches et Oceans du Canada et
lnstitutlons.
Le Ml1leu Benthlque Llttoral:
partlcullerement par
de l'Unlverslte Laval
avec de nombreux
d'autres
Aspects Dynamlques et Fonctlonnels
Le developpement de nos programmes de recherche falt sulte aux travaux que nous
avons entreprls en 1981 sur les communautes benthlques Ilttorales. Dans une
premlere phase nous avons mls l'accent sur la descrlptlon (la structure des
communautes Ilttorales). Nous falslons ressortlr l'unlclte de certalnes
caracterlstlques des communautes lntertldales et lnfrallttorales du systeme
Estualre-Golfe.
Dans une deuxleme etape. nous nous attaqulons ~ certalns mecanlsmes
responsables des structures observees et mettions aussi l'accent sur les
aspects foncttonnels (production et relations pelagos-benthos).
Sans voulolr resumer tel toutes les retombees de ces etudes, ces travaux
montrent: (1) le rOle joue par les facteurs physlques (e.g. le glaclel) et la
selectlon des mlcrohabltats sur la dynamlque de la communaute lntertldale; (2)
l'lnfluence demesuree qu'exercent les concentratlons de l'oursln
Strongylocentrotus sp. sur la structure (abondance, dlverslte) de la communaute
•
- 15 -
.
infrallttorale de l'Estuaire et du Golfe; (3) l'importance relative des
physlques et blotlques sur le developpement de ces communautes en
absence d'oursins ou de tout autre consommateur; (4) l'importance des filtreurs
comme agents de lialson entre le pelagos et la communaute benthique Ilttorale
et leur r31e dans la depletion de la matl~re organique dlsponlble aux
organisnes; (5) le r31e joue par les facteurs clinatiques, notamment le vent,
sur la dynamique de cette mati~re organique en suspenslon dans le littoral.
Ces travaux mettalent egalement en evidence. pour la premi~re fois d'une
mani~re aussi precise. les mecanismes responsables de la production des eaux
littorales marines et l'influence probable des filtreurs benthiques sur la
production de ces eaux. Outre ces travaux d'inter~t ecologlque et theorique,
nous completions aussl un ensemble de travaux d'inter~t plus economique, et
taxonomique.
facte~s
Ces travaux mettaient surtout l'accent sur l'lnfluence des facteurs physiques
et chimiques sur la structure et le fonctionnement des comm~autes. Nos
travaux re cents mettent nettement l'accent sur l'influence des facteurs
biotiques (predation, competition. broutage, comportement) et sur certalns
aspects de la biologie des esp~ces. notamment la reproductlon. comme agents de
structuration des communautes littorales. Cette orientation demeure une
priorite dans nos travaux actuels et futurs.
L'espace disponlble dans cette rubrique est trop restreint pour resumer chacun
des projects (plus d'une vingtaine) amorces ou m~me dejk completes par les
membres de l'equipe sur les facteurs biotiques au cours des derni~res annees.
Ceux-ci portent soit sur la co~unaute infralittorale. la microflore ou la
macrofaune Intertidale.
En ce qui concerne la communaute infralittorale, (1) on a etudie les strategies
morphologiques et physiologiques adoptees par 18 esp~ces d'algues benthiques
pour limiter le broutage par l'oursin vert. Un article est presentement en
preparation sur ce sujet. (2) Une etude a egalement He completee sur les
populations du predateur Buccinum undatum et ses relations avec d'autres
es~ces benthiques du gol~ on-a-egalement realise une etude comparative
de l'influence de la predatlon, notamment par le homard, sur la morphologie et
la robustesse de la coquille du Buccin le long des cßtes du gOlfe et de
l'Atlantique. (4) On a aussi examine le deplacement du Buccin commun en
presence d'appäts. (5) O'autres travaux sur la biologie de la reproductlon des
predateurs Ilttoraux (Buccln et l'etolle de mer, (Leptasteris polaris) ont
aussi ete completes. (6) On tente actuellement de v~rifier s'il ya
competltlon entre deux esp~ces de crabes sympatriques (le crabe tourteau,
Cancer irroratus et le crabe araignee. H as araneus) en considerant leur niche
potentielle et realisee. On examine le r gime alimentaire. l'habitat et le
rythme d'actlvlte des deux crabes sur le terraln et en laboratolre. (1) Par
ailleurs, on teste une hypoth~se selon laquelle les etolles de mer les plus
frequentes dans l'etage infralittoral (Leptasterias polaris. Asterias vulgaris
et Crossater papposus) influenceraient slgnificatlvement la repartItIon et
l'abondance d'autres esp~ces benthiques. (8) On a egalement complete une etude
visant k determlner la frequence et la repartition spatiale et temporelle des
polssons benthiques communs de l'etage infralittoral et leur impact sur la
comm~~aute benthlque dans le nord du Golfe Salnt-Laurent.
(9) L'hivernage et
la predation par l'Zider k duvet sur la communaute infralittorale constitue un
autre sujet de recherche. Un objectif de cette etude est d'estimer l'impact de
- 16 ces predateurs sur 1a population d'ourslns verts par l'analyse des bUdgets
d'actlvlte et l'lntenslte d'allmentatlon de ces olseaux.
Nos travaux sur 1a communaute eplbenthlque intertldale ont progresse
conslderablement (10) pour la realisation d'une monographie des Dlatomees
marines benthlques de substrats durs. (11) Nous avons aussl examlne la
capaclte photosynthetlque de la mlcroflore benthlque disponible aux brouteurs
et ses variations en fonctlon de divers param~tres experlmentaux. Nous avons
mls en evldence, en morte-eau, une periodlclte clrcadlenne dans la reponse
Photosynthetique qul s'expllqueralt par un contrele endog~ne, alors que des
variations clreatidales seralent assoelees aux fluetuatlons seml-dlurnes des
elements nutritlfs. Une autre serie d'experlences a ete menee, surtout en
periode de vive eau (changements des condltions physlques plus spectaculalres:
luml~re, hauteur d'eau, temperature, salinite), et a permis de proposer ~~e
hypoth~se generale predisant que la produetlvite des mieroalgues benthiques
seralt princlpalement sous le contrele exog~ne de la maree en vive-eau, et sous
contrele endog~ne en morte-eau, comme mentionne precedemment. (13) Sur le pla~
trophlque, nous avons mene h terme un projet portant sur l'importance du
broutage sur la microflore, et les rythmes de cette actlvite, par un
gasteropode fort abondant dans l'etage intertidal de l'Estuaire, Llttorlna
saxatilis.
Eu egard aux facteurs structurant la communaute eplbenthique intertidale, (14)
nous avons poursulvi une etude de la dynamique des peuplements lntertidaux
(d'abord sur Semlbalanus puis sur l'ensemble de la communaute), dans l'Estuaire
et le Golfe, en rapport avec l'heterogeneite (la variation topographique) du
substrat h des eehelles variant de 1 cm h 4 m. Nous avons examine l'hypoth~se
selon laquelle 1a loealisation precise des larves de eertalns invertebres (e.g.
Semlbalanus, l'esp~ce dominante du medlollttoral moyen) dans 1e golfe seralt
liee h leur comportement cryptique au moment de la fixation. Ce comportement
decou1eralt d'une selectlon differentielle des indlvidus fixes. (15) On a
aussi examlne, h l'aide du microseope electronique h balayage, l'influence de
14 variables physiques et biotiques sur le ehoix du alte de fixation de la
larve de Semlbalanus h des eehelles variant de 1 m h quelques mlcrorn~tres (16)
Par ailleurs, nous avons developpe en mod~le general de fixation applicable aux
elrri~des, et aussi ~ d'autres invertebres benthiques.
(17) On a entrepris
une etude des faeteura suseeptlbles d'influeneer la microrepartltion des
Dlatomees (qui elles-memes influeneent 1a fixation des larves), en particulier
le broutage par les gasteropodes, et partant la fixation larvaire. On eompare
la fixation larvaire dans des sites non broutes, broutes par des gasteropodes
en densite normale et en double densite. (18) On a egalement complete une
etude de l'inf1uence de la topographie du substrat sur la performance du
principal predateur intertidal, Thais lapillus, exer9ant une predation sur sa
prole princlpale (Semlbalanus balanoldea). (19) Une etude e1ectrophoretlque
par Isofocallsatlon electrlque a ete entreprise sur des balanes (adultes et
juveniles) provenant des deux mlcrohabltats (crevasses et surfaces exposees)
dans le Golfe et sur la cete atlantique, dans le but de tester:
(a) L'existence de dlfferences genetiques entre les populations de S.
balanoldes dans les deux regions; (b) de mesurer l'ampleur des variations
genetlques entre les crevasaes. Ce travall sur la genetique des populations se
poursulvra. (20) A une autre echelle spat laIe , on eompl~te une etude de
l'lnfluence des facteurs hydrocllmatlques sur la structure des communautes
eplbefithlques ~ l'echelle de l'Estualre et du Golfe. Ce travail se fonde sur
- 17 plus de 150 ~ 200 sites echantillonnes annuellement dans le Golfe et l'Estuaire
depuis 1974. Enfin, (21) on poursuit une etude de la dynamique des populations
des gasteropodes lntertidaux et lnfralittoraux (3 especes) dans l'Estualre
fluvlal. Outre les fluctuatlons d'abondance des organls~es, ce travall englobe
des etudes de competition Intra et lnterspecifique, de predation. de migration
et de reproduction.
Ces travaux sur le milieu benthlque sont surtout poursuivls dans les
laboratolres de E. Bourget. A. Cardlnal et J.H. Hlmrnelman de l'Unlverslte Laval
en collaboratlon avec des chercheurs du MInistere des Peches et Oceans du
Canada et de diverses autres Institutions.
L'Ecologle des Larves de Polssons
Les objectlfs centraux des travaux sur l'ecologie des larves de polssons sont
de deux ordres:
1.
faire avancer de fa~on slgniflcative la sclence dans les domaines lies aux
facteurs regulateurs de la survle des larves de polssons. la eIe
determinante du recrutement des populations exploltees:
2.
former de nouveaux scientlflques dans cette disclpllne.
La decislon d'orlenter les recherehes sur les facteurs regulateurs de la survle
des larves de polssons est motlvee par trols conslderatlons:
1.
les peches commerciales et sportives et leurs amenagements sont d'une
Importance vitale pour les economles du Quebec et du Canada;
2.
des recherehes recentes ont clairement demontre l'importance des
Interactions dynamiques entre les elements physlques et blologlques de
l'ecosysteme dans la determination de la survle des larves de polssons, un
domalne dans lequel nous avons une expertise toute partlcullere due ~ la
presence de deux ecologlstes et d'un oceanographe physlclen;
3.
11 exlste une forte demande pour de nouveaux sclentlflques avec une
formation speclallsee dans ces domalnes.
Les objectlfs speclflques sont:
a.
b.
d'evaluer des hypotheses rellant l'abondance de la nourrlture et la
predatlon ~ la survle des larves de polssons;
d'examlner les facteurs
Influen~ant
la duree pre-metamorphose des 1arves de
poissons;
Interactions Predateurs/Proies Impllquant les Larves de Polssons
Nous avons evalue des hypotheses rellant l'abondance de la nourrlture et 1a
predatlon par les meduses ~ 1a survie des larves de poissons. Ces etudes sont
motlvees par une vieille hypothese (Hjort 1926) qui demeure non-resolue. Selon
cette hypothese, la dlsponlbilite de la nourrlture au debut de la periode
d'allmentation exogene (periode critique) est un regulateur majeur de la survie
des larves. La premlsse selon laquelle les larves de poissons sont
- 18 -
prlnelpalement ~ la merel de leur envlronnement (en terme de leur distribution
spatlo-temporelle relativement ~ leur nourrlture) a aussl ete evaluee. Des
eehantillonnages ~ haute resolution dans deux environnements dlfferents (Golfe
du Saint-Laurent; C~tes de Terre-Neuve) ont demontre que les larves ne sont pas
passives. glles repondent ~ des slgnaux envlronnementaux snrs pour oecuper
preferentlellement eertalns regimes de eourant et masses d'eau. Ceci minimise
la eompetitlon Interspeclflque et maxi mise la probabillte de leur assoclation
avec des concentratlons predateurs/proles favorables.
Les taux de mortallte ont ete estlmes pour 40 eohortes de larves de capelan.
Ces estlmes ont ete eorrlges pour les effets de l'adveetion et de la diffusion
et sont les estlmes les plus precis obtenus ~ ce jour In sltu. La mortallte
des larves ne fut pas rellee ~ la denslte totale de noürrTtUre ~ laquelle les
larves furent exposees horalrement lors de leur derlve. Des experlenees In
sltu reallsees dans des enclos ~ grand volume developpes speelflquement pour
nos-etudes ont eonflrme ces resultats. Des dlfferenees hautement
slgnlfleatlves du taux de erolssanee et de mortallte ont eependant ete obtenues
quand. lors d'experiences en enclos. des larves ~ des stades avances du sac
vitellin ont ete exposees ~ des coneentratlons slmllalres du plancton de
differentes tailles. La crolssanee et la survle de larves qul se nourrlssalent
pour la premiere fOls furent maximales quand la communaute de plancton dans les
enclos etalt domlnee par du plancton de 30-80 pm.
~
,..,
La negllgence dans les etudes passees de tenlr campte de la taille des proies
dans les analyses des relations denslte de proles/mortallte est peut-~tre
l'expllcation de l'eehee ~ obtenlr des resultats stables. L'analyse temporelle
de la mortallte In sltu de cohorte unlque avant. pendant, et apres la
transition du st~ellin au stade exogene Indlque que la mortallte est
maximale lors de la transition en deplt de reponses eomportementales qUI
maxlmlsent la eoherenee des larves et de leurs proles ~ ce stade. Nous avons
aussl examine les effets des interactions dependantes de la denslte sur la
survle des larves. La mortallte dependante de la denslte n'a ete deteetee que
quand 40 eohortes de larves au debut de leur periode d'allmentatlon exogene ont
ete etudlees. Ce resultat est d'une grande portee pUIsque les densltes de
larves observees ~ ont varle de ~lO ~ ~3000/m eube.
Ces decouvertes vont ~ l'encontre de plusleurs des premlsses de l'hypothese de
Hjort et de ses premiers postulats. Bien que l'hypothese de Hjort ne peut ~tre
rejetee, nos deeouvertes indlquent que les Interactions entre les larves de
polssons et leurs proles sont beaucoup plus dynamlques que prevues
Initialement. et que les variations spatlo-temporelles observees dans la
quantlte de nourrlture sont bien moins Importantes pour la survle des larves
que nous le soup~onnlons jusqu'~ malntenant. Cette concluslon est tres
Importante puisqu'elle Implique une reformulatlon des concepts selon
lesquels la variabillte de l'abondanee de la nourrlture est un regulateur
primaire de la survle des jeunes larves de poissons.
Le r~le de la predatlon par les meduses a ete evalue ~ partlr des rapports
publies et par des experiences In sltu et des etudes sur le terrain. 11 a ete
demontre que des eorrelatlons negatives entre les predateurs et leurs proles
abondamment utllisees comme une preuve de predatlon, sont dues ~ des blais
d'echantillonnage resultant de l'oecupatlon seleetive de differentes masseS
d'eau par les predateurs et leurs proles. Des experlenees In sltu menees dans
~
,..,
- 19 -
des enclos ont demontre que le taux de mortalite est independant de la densite
de larves et ce, pour un large spectre de densite de larves. La mortalite fut
directement proportionnelle ~ la biomasse de predateurs. 11 n'y a eu aucune
evidence de satiete des predateurs, contrairement ~ ce que prevoit la theorie
actuelle et de recentes observations. L'augmentation du tau x de mortalite avec
la taille des larves ne va pas cependant ~ l'encontre de recents rapports de
fonctions en forme de d3me entre la taille des larves et leur mortalite pour
des predateurs de grande taille. Les taux de mortalite augmentent avec la
taille des proies. Cette reponse fut inattendue et est incompatible ~ la
theorie actuelle.
Nous croyons que l'activite larvaire qui augmente avec la taille des larves,
peut les rendre plus susceptibles ~ la predation par ces predateurs largement
passifs. Les resultats obtenus h ce jour suggerent que le predation par les
meduses peut-etre un agent majeur de la mortalite chez les larves de poissons.
Regulation de la Metamorphose chez les Larves de Poissons
Durant les trois dernieres annees, nous avons aussi evalue l'hypothese selon
laquelle les differences inter-annuelles de la duree de la periode larvaire
(moment de la metamorphose) sont aussi importantes que les differences
inter-annuelles des taux de mortalite durant cette periode pour determiner la
force d'une classe d'~ge chez les poissons. Des experiences realisees avec la
plie demontrent que la taille h la metamorphose est beaucoup moins variable que
l'~ge h la metamorphose.
Des resultats similaires ont ete obtenus avec le
capelan. Une revue en profondeur de la litterature tend h supporter ces
resultats. Les variations de la duree de la periode larvaire sont donc
principalement dues aux variations du taux de crolssance des larves. La
temperature et la nourriture affectent la croissance. Pour la plie, un
changement de temperature de 3°C peut induire une survie du stade larvaire ~ la
metamorphose qui varie par un facteur de 100. Ces travaux se poursuivent.
~ecanismes
et Avantages de la Retention Estuarienne des Larves de Poissons
Les larves de l'eperlan anadrome (Osmerus mordax) constituent une des
composantes principales de 1a communaute iChtyoplanctonique de l'estuaire de
Saint-Laurent. Elles sont plus abondantes dans la partie amont de l'estuaire
moyen, etant associees aux masses d'eaux chaudes et peu salees. La fraie de
l'eperlan a lieu au printemps dans de petltes rivieres localisees sur la
rive sud de l'estualre moyen. 11 s'ensuit une dispersion des 1arves h travers
toute cette region. Leur distribution correspond alors h celle des particules
en suspension. Cemme la partie amont de l'estuaire moyen joue le r31e d'une
trappe h sediment, nous emettons l'hypothese que la repartition des larves
d'eperlan pourrait etre reliee ~ la retention d'autres organlsmes
planctoniques, ce qui permettrait aux larves d'etre concentrees dans une region
riche en nourriture (potentielle). Une analyse de la distribution du
macrozooplancton et de la matiere en suspension le long d'un transect
"amont-aval" dans l'estuaire moyen a demontre que les densltes des taxons
dominantes, soit Neomysis americana, Gammarus tigrinus et Osmerus mordax,
etalent respectivement de 72, 62 et 232 fois plus grandes dans la partie amont
plus turbide du transect que dans la partie avale moins turbide. La proportion
des larves avec contenus stomacaux augmentait de 29 h 88J h partir de l'aval
vers l'amont du transect. Les larves se nourrissaient alors continuellement
_ 20 dans toute la colonne d'eau (20m) pendant tous les etats de la maree. La
retention des larves d'eperlan dans cette region rlche en nourriture seralt le
resultat de l'interaction entre la patron de circulation des eaux de la region
(ou le temps de remplacement par advection des masses d'eau est maximal) et les
migrations verticales semi-diurnes effectuees par les larves rellees aux
marees. L'etude de la distribution vertlcale des larves d'eperlan, qul avalent
~~e longueur moyenne de 12,6 mm, ~ une station fixe pendant 98 heures en juln
1986, a revele qu'en moyenne 40% des larves d'eperlan etaient concentrees dans
les sept (7) premiers metres de la colonne d'eau (21m). Les larves etaient
concentrees plus pres de la surface au flot et plus en profondeur et dispersees
dans la colonne d'eau au jusant. On ne notait pas de dlfference dans les
patrons de migration verticale pour une gam~e de taille de 4 ~ 25 mm, ce qui
laisse supposer que ce comportement debute tres t5t apres l'abandon de la
riviere natale. Cependant, les calculs des flux de larves Indlquent que les
migrations verticales ne peuvent prevenlr helles seules le transport aval net
pendant les deux mois de vie larvalre. La circulation cyclonique caracterisee
par de forts courants transversaux contribuerait au transport entre les chenaux
en creant alnsi une sorte de gyre. Cela contrlbuerait ~ flnaliser la retention
de ces organlsmes. Les larves de poulamon (Microgadus tomcod) sont aussl
concentrees dans la zone de turbldlte maximale. On a trouv~ que, pour des
lndividus d'une longueur moyenne de 24,09mm, 45% sont concentres dans les sept
(7) metres Inferleurs de la colonne d'eau. Contralrement aux larves d'eperlan,
le poulamon n'effectueralt pas de migration vertlcale. On observe ce pendant
des variations dans la distribution vertlcale de ces larves qul reveleralent
plut5t une repartition verticale suivant un gradient horizontal statlque.
Alnsi, les larves sltuees en aval se retrouveralent plus hautes dans la colonne
d'eau que celles sltuees plus en amont. Alnsi, les larves proflteralent de la
distribution vertlcale des courants residuels net de direction amont pour
achever leur retention. Les donnees laissent de plus supposer que les larves
des deux especes sont tres sensibles ~ l'advection par les masses d'eau, le
deplacement des eaux de cette region du aux marees pouvant attelndre 20 km.
Ces travaux sur l'ecologle des larves de poissons sont surtout menes sous la
responsabilite des laboratolres de J.J. Dodson de l'unlverslte Laval et de W.C.
Leggett et R.G. Ingram de l'Universlte McGill.
La realisation de l'ensemble de tous ces projets n'a ete rendue possible
qu'avec la collaboratlon d'une trentalne d'autres chercheurs, asslstants de
recherche ou staglalres post-doctoraux des Unlversltes Laval, McGill et de
Montreal ou d'autres institutions, de m~me que d'une quarantalne d'etudiants
inscrits aux 2e et 3e cycles dans nos differentes institutions.
- 21 -
DENMARK
(Vagn Hansen)
1.a.
University of Copenhagen
Institut for sporeplanter (thallophytes)
1.a.1.
Plankton, unicellular algae.
1.a.1.1.
Taxonomy and ultrastructure of marine nanoplankton,
especially prasinophytes (0. Moestrup).
1.a.1.2.
Taxonomy, fine structure and ecology of the potentially
toxic dinoflagellate GODyaulex ~y~from Denmark and
the Faroe !slands (0. Moestrup).
1.a.1.3.
Taxonomy and distribution of benthic euglenoids and dinoflagellates (J. larsen).
1.a.1.4.
Marine nanoplankton with particular emphasis on taxonomy,
ultrastructure and biogeography (H. Thomsen).
1.a.1.5.
Ultrastructure and pigment composition of Gymnodiniun
nagasakiense from Australia (J. larsen).
1.a.1.6.
Taxonomy of unarmoured dinoflagellates from the Bass
Strait, Australia (J. larsen).
1.a.2.
Benthic macroalgae.
1.a.2.1.
Experimental studies on the e'ffect:of temperature on
growth and reproduction in various populations of.the
brown alga, Scytosiohon (Aa. Kristiansen and P.M. Pedersen).
1.a.2.2.
Culture studies on life his tory and taxonomy in brown
algae from lanzarote and the North American Pacific coast
(P.M. Pedersen).
1.b.
University of Copenhagen
Botanical Museum (Ruth Nielsen)
1.b.1.
Culture studies on lifehistory, taxonomy, and distribution
of small epi- and endophytic/zooic green algae.
1.c.
University of Copenhagen
Marine Biological laboratory
1.c.1;
Microbial food chains and spatial and temporal patchiness
of plankton communities (T. Gissel Nielsen, T. Fenchel, E.
Kanneworff).
1.c.2.
Pelagic-benthic coupling (E. Kanneworff).
1.c.3.
Biology and taxonomy of fish parasites
(M. Kaie).
~eme~a)
(lr~ato~~
- 22 -
1.c.4.
Physiology (respiration, adaption to hypoxia and sulphide
and osmoregulation) in marine invertebrates (l. Hagermann,
8. Vismann).
1.c.5.
Biology, taxonomy and evolution of marine mollusca (K.W.
Ockelmann, V. Brack).
1.c.6.
larval and eraly settled stages of marine invertebrates
(K. Muus, K.W. Ockelmann).
1.c.7.
Culturing of planktonic microalgae (G. M011er Christensen)
1.c.8.
Ecology and functional biology of marine protozoa (T.
fenchel).
- 23 -
2.
University of Odense
lnetltute Q!. Blo1ogy
2.1.
Blochemlstry/Physlo1ogy
2.1.1.
Prostaglandins and their slgnlficance in fishes and
bivalve molluscs. Currently main emphasis is being
given to study arachldonic acid metabolism in Mytllus
~ and trout. (T. Mustafa).
2.1.2.
Comparative biochemical and physiological studies
vitellogenesis in various teleosts. (B. Korsgaard).
2.1.3.
Transport and turn-over of low molecular compounds in
the context of maternal-fetal metabolic relationships
in lower vertebrates. (B. Korsgaard).
2.1.4.
Hemoglobin of Saualus acanthlas as a'model protein in
studies in proton-binding and acid-base balance of the
dogfish. (F.B. Jensen).
2.1.5.
Blood adaptations to high-speed swimming in the Pacific
gamefish, blue marI in (Malkara nlgricans,
striped
marlin (Tctratcrus anguetlrostrlA) and short-billed
spearfish (~audax). (R.E. Weber).
2.1.6.
Adaptation in hemoglobin function to deep sea habitats
in the teleost Copyphaenoldes acrolepls. (R.E. Weber).
2.1. 7.
Blood adaptations to water temperature, salinity and
cadmium ooncentration in the hermit crab. Pagurtl6
bernhardus. (R.E. Weber).
2.1.8.
Role of blood pigment in H2 S and 02 transport
hydrothermal ventworm Ri!tia. (R.E. Weber).
2.1.9.
Measurement of ventilation and gas exchange in the
polychaete ~ ~ : Influence of activity level,
starvation and tube housing. (E. Kristensen).
2.2.
Ecology
2.2.1.
Deposit
feeding
and
carbon
invertebrates. (L.H. Kofoed).
budget
in
in
of
the
marine
- 24 2.~.2.
Microbial symbiosis in the digestive tract
invertebrates. (L.H. Kofoed).
2.2.3.
Influence
of
macrofauna
mineralization in coastal
Andersen & E. Kristensen).
2.2.4.
The fate of organic carbon and nitrogen in experimental
marine sediment systems: Influence of bioturbation and
anoxia. (E. Kristensen).
2.2.5.
Determination of organic carbon in marine
Comparison of two CHN-analyzer methods. (E.
& F.0. Andersen).
2.2.6.
Measurements of oxygen gradients in the rhizophere of
the mangrove AylcepD1a ~ (forsk.) Vierh.
(F.0.
Andersen & E. Kristensen).
2.2.7.
Development of a new and simple method
separation of detritus into components of
microbial degradabilitY. (E. Kristensen).
2.2.8.
Assessment of carbon and nitrogen dynamics in shallow
coastal lagoons: The influence of macroinvertebrates
and benthic microalgae. (E.' Kristensen).
2.2.9.
Preliminary assessment of benthic primary production.
oxygen uptake and nitrogen dynamics in a south-east
Asian mangrove swamp. (E. Kristensen).
2'.2.10.
Investigation of pumping characteristics of
(H.U. Rl1sgArd).
2.2.11.
Heasurement of pumping rates in six different mussei
species from the N.W. Atlantic coast. (H.U. RiisgArd).
3.
Tox1co)ogy
3.3.1.
Development
of
computer-assisted
physlo1oglcal
monitoring systems to investigated sublethai effects of
pollutants on circulation and respiration 1n aquatic
macroinvertebrates. (M.H. Depledge*).
3.3.2.
Modelling and investigation of the mechanisms of
uptake and transport in crabs. (H.H. Depledge
Bjerregaard) .
3.3.3.
of
marine
and
on
photosynthesis
(F.0.
marine sediments.
The impact of tri butyl tin on deposit feeting
sediments:
Kristensen
for
the
different
I!scidians.
metal
& P.
molluscs
- 25 -
in Danish Waters. (M.H. Depledge).
3.3.4
Uptake
and
effects of heavy metals
on
marine
invertebrates. with special emphasis on the effects of
selenium on cadmium uptake. (P. Bjerregaard).
3.3.5
Assessment of biomagnification of mercury in marine
food
chains
by measuring uptake.
turnover
and
elimination of organic and inorganic mercury in fish
and musseIs. (H.U. RiisgArd).
3.3.6
Effect of cadmium exposure in Arenlco)a ~ on (a)
changes in body weight through coelomic fluid losses.
(T. Mustafa & P. Bjerregaard). and (b) changes in
burrowing ability. ventilation. 02 uptake and CO 2
production. (T. Mustafa & E. KriBtensen).
*Newly appointed Professor of Ecotoxicology.
4.
Greenland fisheries Research Institute
4.1.
Zooplankton
Due to la te availability of our ship "ADOLf JENSEN" the
institute's summer fieldprogram were somewhat compr~ssed.
As a consequence, zooplankton sampling was conducted
rather late, medio July to medio August, and concentrated
on the occurense of shrimp larvae from Nuuk/Godthab to
Nuussuaq (N 7045'). The number of shrimp larvae taken
with the Bongo net was very low, presumeably partly due to
the advanced time of the year.
- 26 -
5.
Danish Institute for fisheries and Marine Research, Copenhagen
Dept. of fish Ecology
5.1.
field and laboratory studies of herring larvae ecology
and physiology: Participation in ACE (Autumn Circulation
Experiment) a project on herring larvae biology coordinated
by DAfS Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen and DIfMER; laboratory
studies of digestive processes in herring larvae.
5.2.
Coordination and execution of the lCES Primary Production
(14C) Intercamparisan Exercise held in Hirtshals and onboard
R/V DANA in June.
5.3.
field investigations of the physical and biological processes
occuring along the west coast of Denmark (eastern North Seal
and the Kattegat.
5.4.
Laboratory studies on the migration of Gonyaulax tamarensis
through a pycnocline.
5.5.
Laboratory studies on the bioenergetics of the copepod
Acartia tonsa; establishment of a culture of ~·Calanus
fuiiiarch1UCüS.
6.
Danish Institute of fisheries and Marine Research, Hirtshals,
6.1.
Culture of the copepod Tisbe holothunae.
6.2.
Discrimination between fish stocks with the use of mitochondrial
DNA technique.
- 27 -
~
(J .M.
Leppänen)
Finnish Institute of Marine Research
•
Studies on long-term f1uetuations and population dynamies of
phyto- and zooplankton as we11 as maerozoobenthos, started in
1961, were eontinued in the entire Baltie Sea ine1uding the
Ba1tic Monitoring Programme of the He1sink1 Commission. studies
on the eye1ing of organic matter in the food web of the open
Ba1tie were eontinued. The study was direeted on the quantifieation of the main reserves and f1uxes of nitrogen.
The studies on the feeding strategies of the Ba1tic herring and
to the importanee of ge1atinous predatory zooplankton were eontinued.
Studies on the toxicity of the eyanobaeteria were earried out
in the open areas of the Ba1tic Sea.
National Board of Waters, Water Research Office, He1sinki
Phytoplankton primary production. chlorophyll a. and phytoplankton were measured at coasta1 monitoring stations in both
po11uted and unpo11uted areas. At four stations the samp1ing
frequency was high. Special investigations were performed off
severa1 residentia1 areas.
Studies on the influenee of industria1 pollution on the composition of benthic macrofauna were continued at several 10ca1ities a10ng the coast of Fin1and.
Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of He1sinki
The research carried out at the station inc1udes a broad speetrum of studies on brackish water ecology, basic physio10gy of
brackish water anima1s, population genetics of Ba1tic mo11uscs,
and effects of po11utants on se1eeted coasta1 species.
The most extensive project deals with the pe1agic system: phytop1ankton/bacteria1 re1ationships, eoup1ing of autotrophy and
heterotrophy. and diurnal dynamics of biologica1 interactions.
The studies on the different processes are carried out wi th
10ng-term measurements in the Ba1tic Sea as a background. Nutrient cyc1ing is being ana1yzed and eoup1ed with the dynamies
of the metabo1ism of the mierobiota. Enclosure experiments are
used to eva1uate the effects of variations in biotic and abiotic factors on the eommunity metabolism.
- 28 -
Husö Bio10g1ca1 Station, Abo Akademi
Monitoring studies on 10ng term f1uctuations or charges, at fixed stations in the Aland archipe1ago (natural reference areas
for the northern Baltic Seal and pollution control programmes
(municipal eff1uents, aquacu1ture in archipe1ago waters, etc.)
were continued. The nearshore monitoring was combined with mon1 toring of zoobenthos at the open sea in co11aboration w1 th
the Finnish Institute of Marine Research. Studies on phytobenthos (Fucus vesiculosus comrnun1ty) as indicators of environmental effects from fish farming were initiated.
Ecological field- and laboratory studies on biotic interactions, structuring mechanisms and long term population- and
comrnunity dynamics of zoobenthos and fish in shallow softbotoms
of the archipelago were continued. These stud1es also covered
colonization strategies and recovery potential of the biota of
d1sturbed habitats. Studies on the ecology of rockpools were
continued.
Archipelago Research Institute, University of Turku
The main work included continued monitoring of population dynamies and migration of phyto- and zooplankton in the vicinity of
the institute and participation in a larger project on the biology of the Baltic herring, ego reproduction, feod, migration
and distribution of young and adult BaI tic herrings in open
sea. The Cordylophora-project, dealing with brackish-water co10nial hydroid, which has revealed strong physiological integration within colonies, also in conditions of nutrient deficiency, was continued. Examples of applied research were the
repelling effect of industrial waste-waters on shoals of Baltic
herring, man-induced changes in biocenoses by fish-farming and
determining the effects of waves and currents caused by ferry
traffic. Studies on the aquaculture and the effect of some nutrients on the growth of certain green algae species were continued.
Perämeri Research Station, University of Oulu
Studies on the population density of near-bottom fish have been
continued in three areas representing different types of exposition and pOllution load.
Studies on the population dynamics of benthic macrofauna were
continued.
An ecosystem research project in the Bay of Liminganlahti was
continued. It includes investigations on nutrients, phyto- and
zooplankton, benthic flora and fauna as weIl as waterfowl and
input of water and organic matter from rivers.
•
- 29 -
~
(P. Lassus & P. Nival)
Nilfutm dJI Za RtlC1Inoc1w
lIt dJI
Za TtlClrN>k>gü -
s.mta1"iat
d'Ktat
a Za
1itrfo
I ... t it ~ t 1"1'<DI:qau dJI RtlC1Inoc1w po1U" t'~ 1<noat iooI dJI Za 1itrfo (I7RE1IZR)
Phytopta"~to"
•
: CSk% di"0!la3ellis tc~iq~ss !cnt l'oh;st drit~ss ccncs~~"t
%es mecan~8mes d'actic~ des tczines et t6 d.terminisme des ftoraisons :
Dinopnysis cf. ac~~inata et Gyrodinikm ~r~ot~. En 198? kn mcdete descriptif
des variat ions saisoJtnt.el'es ae D·t'10ph~8is 6"1 bäie dB ~·itai". a
realise et
l'a"tago"isms Gyrodi"iumlChastocercs a ete et~ie de !a~c" mie~ comp~e~s
1e detel'~ini.sm. d'appart.t\on dB cette .,pee•• L'effet to~e de cu2t~e8 ae
G. aureolum su~ Iss larves ds Pecte" ma~i~s a ete teste. Par ailleurs, des
essais as co"tami"atio" s~perims"tats ae a.vs~s coquillagss par ~"e so~che
ne~rotc:rique ds Protcao>rya~la:r tamare'lsis Ol'lt pe"",is d'et~ier Za distrib~tio71
sBlective des go7lya~to="es PS71C;~t l.a phllse de dBC07ltlll'li7latio7l.
a
Orga7lismss participa"t o~ cotlabo~ant au
Rosco!! (Fra7lcs), Laboratoirs CS7ltral
l1>liversitB de Tohoku (SS7Ida~ - ."apOl'l).
p~ojet
ete
: Station Biclcgiq~e de
Alime7ltaire (France) ,
drHygi~71s
Par aills~rs, da7ls ls cadrs ds la s~rveilla7lcs des effets des
centratss thermiques nucleaires sur le milieu cötie~ de Za Ma7lche ~71e et~e des
variatic7ls saisOl'l7lieres aßS ~7Ids gro~pss phytcpZa7ICto7liquss a ete realisee S7I
veilZa7lt ci mie~ detsrmi7lsr la variatiool spatials sur t 'ech~tillo7l7lQge.
Zoopta"cto" : Da7ls le cadre d~ programme 71atio7lal s~~ te determinisme du
recrute..e7lt (PNDR) U71 s~ivi annuel de la productio71 dro~fs et larves de soles
a ete realise, e71 Mime temps q~e I'Q7IQlyse des parametres hydrologiques, da7lS
ls golfe de Gascog71e. Cette et~de a po~r but d'eval~er le röls des facteurs
abiotiques (temperature, sali7lite. dS718ite) et biotiques (trophopla7ICto7l) sur
Ia di8trib~tion, l'abondance et 1. 8~cces de 10 vi. larvaire. Organismes
collabora"t ci cetts et~de : I7Istit~t Ma~rice Lam07ltag7le 'uebec, U71iversite
Laval Ciuehec.
Le PNDR est destine ci developpep les cO"71aissa"ces SUP les meca"ismes de
regutation du fl~% de je~nes ad~Ztes retc~rnant 8~r Z6S lie~% de ui. aes
parents
chaq~e generation. Ce programme est mene sn cooperation Gnt~e
I' IFREMER et le CNRS. 11 est centre sur quelques especes modeles et quelques
sites : 1·) t4 eote : operat i071 C07lce1"7lQ7It la fa~ade Atla7ltiqus. Distributio71
des larves sur le plateau c07ltine7ltal. etude des 71o~rrisseries, etude de
t'effet dk jeu7Ie, ageage. migpatio71 des populatio7l8, 2·) t4 coquitte
Sai7lt-~acq~es : etude des populations da"8 la baie de Sai7lt-Brieuc.
[}i8trib~ticn spatiaLe des Zal'ves, ga"Teto genese, biZa1'f de matiere, distriblAti.o"
a
- 30 -
O
des Juvenites J ) Zas AWZuus poZlleJ,;tas (Pecti.,aria kore.,i) : aMZlIse de la
distl"ibu.tiora et des mecQn.ismes physiqJ.tes cc"treZaJ1t leB aba"ciaJ1ces cle tarves et
de juveniles dans Xa baie de Seine, 4°)
W>I
eopCpoda pCtagiqva (Acartia tonsa)
dan.s l'etan.g de Berre. Le program~e cc~orte
Q48Si
des etu.des ce m~Ca"~8mes
afin de cC"'Prendre Xes regl<Xations ci differentes etapes dJ" cllcle bictegique des
espeees marines: etude de ta .... triticn chell Xes Oursins (VilXefranche-sur-Ner,'
et etkde du retokl" des pcst-tarves B~1" Xe sediment chea tes Ann.elides et les
S-::tJc;ZVtlS (Al"cacho11J.
L~ Skrve~tZa77.ce des sites d'implantation. des centraZes 77.kctcaires
instaUees p"r E~F eur le Xittoral Martehe et sud Mer du Nord a ete Feursuivie
en 1987 en ce qui CCrteel'7le Ies successio.,. saisom,ieres du trophoplancton et ce
I 'oligoplartcton .... liaison avec Zes parametres hydrotogiquu.
Banthos : Un pro jet de recherche a ete specifiquement develcppe des 1986 et "
en 1987 en ce qui conCerne Ies proZiferations "I.ales dans
cert"ines sones du tittoral franqais. II s 'agit .... particulier des pro(Tl'ClfV'I€S
"E4phorbe". "utve" et "Sargasses", le8 dekz premiers visaJ1t
mettre e'l
.vidence 1e rete des enricnissemen.tB cötiel's 677. nitl'ates 8k1" les "marees
vertes" obeervees, et Ie dernier s'interessant ci I'eztension cctiere d'une
espece proliferant de plus .... plus sur Zes parcs cOMhlllicoles.
~rsuivi
a
II convient egalement de mentionner les etudes sur Ze soo et le
phytobenthos dans Ie cadre des etudes sur Ies effets des centr"Ies thermiques
....cleaires deJci m....tie""es plus haut.
Enfin, en
devetcppes :
1 0) Etude de 1'impact des activites hum<2ines ..., (TI'ande profondeuI' (';""'ersion st
....!ouissement de dechets radieactifs, deep-sea mini7lg ... ).
2°) Etude de I'ecoshste~e hlldrothe~I et des phe7lOm€nes biologiques Qssocies
ak miJ1cratisnr. fco7.d •••ps). PIlJ;siekrB actioPlS
a ta Idr O"lt .te 1IleJ1ees au
CCz..rB
de I'ezercice 1987 :
a) Campagne BIOCYAN de plongees du submersible habite CYANA sur ta station
permanente de Za Terrasse de Meriadzecl< par 2100 m de profcndeur dans Ie golfe
de Gasc0ll"e (NE Atlantique). Ezperime7ltation i., situ sur Ia faune abyssale.
traqage des cha;"es alim....taires.
---b) Campagne de calibration ds pieges ci partieuZes (sediment trap) sur ta marge
mediterraneenne ..., cottaboration avec 1 'AIEA de Monaco et Ie CNRSIINSU.
c) Campagne HY:RONAUT de pXongee du submersible NAUTILE sur Ie site
hydrothermal actif, taboratoire natursI, dJ" IJo NIEPR sur Ia ride dJ" Paciiique
orient,,1 en collaooration avec Ies equipes de I'oniversite de Californie a San
Diego (Scripps Institutwn 01' Oceano(Tl'aphy) et Santa Earbara.
a
Labtn-atoiN d'Algo1.c& f~to.Ze 1ft appZiquie (ll>tir>BI'site ds Ca... )
PhytopZancton : IsoIeme7lt, etude et cuZture d'aZ.ues microplancto7liques ou
micrcbenthiques valorisabZes,
valeur 7lutritive cu resFe7lsables de nuisa7lces
(P"''V1'rJ'!eeiWlf. Fhaeoc'!J"s~ 1.8).
a
Cottabcration : ProlTf'Ol""e CSE "Phaeocystis".
•
•
- 31 -
Reche~che Bkr Zes P~Cdkits aya~t k~ i"teret therapeutique en
thalassotherapie et oos~etologie (collabcratio" avec VER äe Fha~cie de Cae")
et mise au poi"t d'u" test de !ertilite des eau: (collaboratio" avec l'Age"ce
de Bassi", Sei",e Norme",d;'e).
B."t1to~ : Hyb.,.idatio71 €t seZeatic'J'l de 8otA.ches de La"'inariaZ,C's
a
haut l'e"'lae"'e"t.
de tisskS meri8mati~ke8 et ie protcptasmes ; hybridatic7't scmati~e
(collaborat::"", au C.S. ''ba ses biclogiques de t 'aquacute"",e".
Ckttkres d'atgkes rOkges et reeherches ster Sa.,.ca8Sk~ mutiCkm :
regeneratio71, boutkrage et vatori8a~io" (cottabcrattc7't avec te grokpe
"Sarr;asse" d'IFREMER. Suivi ecokgique de la fiore algale de l'estuaire de la
Seine.
C~~tkre
•
C/mt,.e de ,..,,1w7"c1te .... •
""to& .........
et aqJlQCUltwoe de I'R"""""",
· ]mportance pOkr la fertiZite des mGrais des phe710menes de mineraLisatic'J'l
aba"t lieu Gi l'i"ter!ace eau - sedime",t. Collaboratio1'lS avec I.,. U"iversites de
B1'est, POl'::s 1"1 (Rosoo!!) et AOl'hus (D01'Ie"Ol'k).
· Essai d'accroissement de Za prodk~tic" de bassins aquacoz.es (P. iaroJ1ickS)
pOl' fertili8atiO"l. Collaborat;'o", avea AquaUvs Noi1"'lcutie1'.
• I"oids",oe d8 la bai88s 88tivale du debit de la Chare"te 8ur la aapaoits
biotique du ba88ill 08treicole de MOl'""",e8-ole1'O"l. A88ooiatiO"l avea le LEe äe La
T1'embtade. Collaboratio", ave<: CEMAGREF Ly"",.
• IJ1cid"7'IclI de Za du:r•• c:b... passage
t 'al.ime"ltati07l actiutl Ski' ta crooissaJ1ce ttt
Ia 8uZ'vie du Iarve8 de 80lu (PNDR). CollaboratiO"l avsa IFREMER. ~iveZ'8ite
POl'i8 VI n'illefraMhe).
• Va,.iatio",s des Z'eeerve8 Hpid;'quu au aour8 du developpeme",t lOl'vaires du
bOl'. CollaboratiO"l avea IFREMEI'.
a
Cmt... d'o..ea,."lDgU de M:ooeeille - Stati<nt ~ d'E>tdmne- LlmrUry
• Le theme produatiO"l oce01'liqus a pou1'su;,vi 8e8 studu 8Ul' Ie fonatiO"l",eme ..t du
SY8teme de ta pZ'oduatio", prima;'rs da1'l8 les oasa",,, eil eS8ayant de le Z'eHer au:
st1'katUl'e8 phb8iqu8 et ahimique.
a) Oaea"olcgie Gi MObe"",e eahelle 8UZ' troi8 8ite8 : ba88i", algeriert, bassi",
LigW'o-p1"Cvenqal. pa=ahe du Rl.c..e.
CollaboZ'atioll da"'8 le oadre des programme8 FZ'o",tal. Pelagolio" (faqade
med;'teZ'rallse"'M. E8pafl'ls. Alge,.... ••• ).
bJ P~OC"SS~8 biotogiqk.s
l'i~te~face ai~-me~, evatuatioJl'l des skrfaces
aoZ',.e8po"da"t auz 8truatures d'aacumulatio" e" lo",otio" des ao"d;'tio"s
a
metecr-c'1,ogi.ques.
.
.
a) PZ'oduatic", pZ'imaizoe et Cbcle bicgeoahiMique dan8 les upwellillg8 cotiers et
ZO"'BS a. dive~geJ1ce : iJ1ftue7'lce de ta cirCktaticJ1 oceaniquB et de Z'actiuite
biclogique.
Collabo1'atio"'8 1'IOt;,o1'/01es (C1'eco P4) et i",tematic1'101e8 (USA).
• Le the",e "Ci"etique et dylla",ique des migZ'atio"s" etud;'s les 1'bth..es
circadie7'ls et ZU7'laires des crkstaces peracarides et des tarves de poisso7'ls ~~
k"e double approc~e ezp~rime7'ltate et i7'l situ. L'uti'tisation de l'acoutisque
haute !requeJ1ce pour Z'ide"tiricat~k8tiqk"st ta dYJI'Iamique des
part icLt te8.
Collacoratic",s da"S le oamoe du P.N.D.R. et Frc"tal.
- 32 • Le theme "Ha,.ge co"ti"""taZe" et",Ue pa!' WIe dOkbZe app,.oche sediflJe"toZcgi""e
et bioZogiqwe Zes fZkZ ve,.ticakz et advectifs de Pa.1"tickZes mi"e,.aZes et de
mati.~. orga"iq~. ainsl qkC 1a CO"8.qke~ce de t.k~8 depots
t'iptterface
eau-sedime"t-t,.a"sfe,.ts dil matie,.iI o,.ga""""iI et dil poHul%>lts ai"si ""e Ze l"ÖZe
de ta biotlAl"batiO>l da>18 ces tl"a"s!e,.ts.
Cottabo,:atio" avec Ze CEA da"s Ze cadl"e du p,.og1"al'r'le EcomaZ'ge, Ca"lIo" de T"uZ""
iIt du RhC"e.
a
• Le themil "P,.oductio" et fo"ctio""ilme"t des reseakZ trophiques da"s Zes
ecosllstemn ZittorakZ" etudr:iI Z 'i,,:ZuB>lce des factelAl"s phlls"""es et chr:miqkes
sur Z'activite bioZogiqke et Zes productio"s vegetaZe et a"imaZe da"s Za
provi"ce "e,.iti""e, Zss fZkZ d'echa"ge de matiere et d'e"ergie e"tril Zes
differ""ts c""'pal'tim""ts des ecoslIstemes cötiers.
CoHaboratio" avec Zee equipu dil ta fat;a.de Hedite,.ra"ee""e da"s Ze cadl"e des
prog,.o.mmee PilZagoZio", Ecothau ilt aVilc Zee eqkipes IFREHER PO"'" Z'approche de
ta notiO>l de capacite biotiqke d '101 si te cOlIChllHcoZiI.
• E"fi", Ze th"'e "Recifs corraHe"s" a pokr objectif d'etude Zes meca"is,""s de
tra"sformatio" et de tra"sfert du carbo"ate de caZci .... et de Za ..atiere
oroga"iq&lll daJUJ 1..8 ,"_cil. coratz.una et
t.,.
mituwz tagwaai,..s.
CoZZaboratio>lS nationaZes (Huse.... , ORSTOH) ilt i"till"MtionaZils (AustraHe, USA).
,="Zt.
d. . Sei..." .. de ""pseiZte - L-i>Iy-~ ... dil Bieter- ,.g!u.te
........ et CKlUItKR
• BaZisage, captographie ilt evoZutio" du r.cif-barr";;'re dil posi.dO>lin de ta
baill de Port-Cros
• Etudils sur Z'i"fZue"ciI dils bop"tils issus des d.tergil"ts ilt des pei"t..,.es
antifouti"g sur Za p1taM,.ogame """,i"e Posi.dO'tia. ocea"ica DetiZe.
• Captoqpaplais et baZisage dn pm.pt_"ts li... tlliq..es dil Za baiil dil Port-MI%>I.
Etude de SO>l ;""Zutioto dilpuie 1967 et dilgroe dil cO>Itaminatioto pa1' Ze cuiv,.".
• TiI"e ..rs iI" meta..z Zcurds des oursi"s cOOliIstibZes PQ.1"Q.CB>ltrot ... tividus, aa..s
des BO>In a f1l"a"de activite tourist.."..e de Z'izil dil Port-czoos.
CoZZaboratioto : Pa.1"C NationaZ a" Po,.t-Cros, CERBOH, GIS Posi.do>lies, La.bcl"atoiril
Vetepi"aire et TozicoZogiq .. e dil NapsiliZZiI (Fra"ciI). U"ivilrsite de Pise
fItaZie). Pro Ambio, Lieboovte (PortugaZ).
~iI b'cgo
-
Vrti......it4"....,.,.. et »rJoie c..P'ie - C' R S
Lil themil g....l"aZ des rechercheil du groO"pil "BOOpZallCtO"" du Laboratoire
A,.ago ports Ski" l'..,...Z/ts. d•• ctntditic... d. Za pPOdMCtiOlf silCOtldaiN et Sa
. .
.
E>I 1987 Zn etudn O>It .te pokrsuivin ...,. :
• La comparaiso" d" diff.re"ts ecosllstemes p;tagi.qkes et de ZBk1" prod""tioto.
ezprime• •" tepm. de biomasse, ds vaZiI .. p caZopifiq"iI et dil etrkct ..re
d~mil""i~""~ZZ,, dilil po~u~atfo"s de Copepodils 0" dil Zekl" metaboZisme da"s Zes
a_res ocean.".."s Ca.1"actil,.."t."..es :
0.) lo"e lub-a"ta.1"Cti.qk" (baSil TAAF d" X"rgu"Z ... ),
b) 10"" de co"tpastes h~dpoZogiquee aus
Za va,.iatio" des .cosllstemes :
"o,.aZZie". lo"e de re.,o"tiln d'ilauz, au Zarge des cötes du B,.esit, - campal1'le
"ND SS". aUlIe eCktien d •• TAAF .e lIn cottaboration avec Z. Mke.km et
Z'~ivil,.si.da.dil Sa"ta U-rsuta dil Rio dil ~a"ili1"O.
c) Bo"e oZiqot,.ophe
str..ct..,." hlldroZogiqke ve,.ticaZe r"tativeme..t stahZe,
de ta mer des Sapgasses - CaMpal1"e "Chlolflll3:".
pelJk Zat ioto.
a
a
•
- 33 -
d) d4"s le golfe du Lic", les c4rocteristiques du mesc.ocplo"ct~ O"t ete
suivies e" relotio" avec l'evoluti~ soisc""iers des c~diti~s hydrolcgiques
- campag"es "Pslagolio"", S" colloboratio" apsc U"ipsrsite de Morssills LUl'I~")I.
'.
I d e8 I'I-OCeS8kS Iurr~taPlt
'"
.>.'
.>- •
t ,. I I a
• L .tud e erp.l'tme"ta.
"'"- prouuct1.OJ'f
sscC"Iu.utre
regul4tio" des po"tes ch.. Iss Ccpepodes e>I fC"ctic" ds 1'4pport ~tritio""sl
e>I collaborat~ 4pec Pr Nival.
Equipe
.tJoIurt..... st
ttntetw--t
tU l·~II.t_ b.>Itlliqus
E"tre 1983 et 1987, Z'4ctivite s'sst exercee ~s Ze cadre ds treis
pr09"f'<JJ"'les :
- Le programms "structure st dy"amiqus des psuplements benthiques"
co"sacre jusqu'S" 1985
Z'etuds des ecoslIstemss Zittorauz, st compZetsme"t
r.4ctu4Zis. d4"s Zs c4drs du progr4mms ECONARCE, do"t Z'obJet sst Z4
comp4raiso" du fO"Otic>m4me>lt dss ecosyst"'ss tittorauz, Mt""",ent 4U lXIisi"oge
des tributaires cötisrs, st des eeosyste..es de Za ma:rgs. Ce profTl'Ol'O"6 ECCMAlIGE
4 un carQctere pluridiseipZ~ire ma:rque.
- Ls programms TROPBOBENTBE sur Z'utiZis4tion dss rsssouress
trophiques par Zss orga"ismss bs"thiquss. S'aepuya"t sur k"S approchs
experimS"t4Zs i" situ 014 i" vitro iZ s"visags sg4Z.mS"t Z.s tr4"sferts
d'e>lsrgie au ••in-a;;:m;au trephu;us t e>lthiqus.
- P4r aiZZeurs. Z•• don"e.s aequis.s .ur Za bioZogis st Za
distributio"
diff_r."t •• _eh.ZI.s d.s orga"ismes ma:r..... S'4ppuyont
Za
taxinomie cZassiqk' .t "kmeriqus, Za cytoge"etique et Z. poZymorphism.
s""4'matiqus. ont p.r"'" d'obt ...ir des resuZt4ts interessents sur Ze p~ de Za
p4Z.og.ogr4phie. de Za biogeographie et d. Z'evoZutio" de c.rtoi"8 groupes
(A""_Zides, Crust4ces et MoZZusques). C.s resultate ~t ete rsgroupes sous Ze
titre ST'RABIOCENE.
a
a
.ur
CoZZaborot~s ~tio....Zes : Stot~ ZooZogique ViZZs!'ra>lCh.-sur-Mer (J.C.Norty.
C. Thiriot-Quievr.uz) .t Laborotoire de Chimi•• U"iv.rsit_ P. I M. Curi.
(J. Am<7U1'ouz) •
- NodeZisotio" d. Zo productio" primoire Q partir de proc.ssus
photosY"thetiques (predict~ du fZux de moti.rs orgeniqus).
- Qua"tificotio" du röZs du phytopZaMto" vis-a-vis d.s eehang.s aVee
Z'atmosph.rs (cycls du ear~).
- Detsrmin4tic" d.s co"ditio"s ds produetio" par u"e approehe
eeophlisioZcgiqus (bicchimis st bicphllsiqus dss preceSSk8 metabotiques).
Lss etudss porte"t pri"cip4Isms"t eur Zes Di4tomees, aa..s des 4ires
oeea"iques v4riess : eta"g de T/uJu (progr<11'f'le ECOTBAU), a~es otigotrophes et
mesotrophes tropic4ZsS (ElJMELI) et oeeon A"tarctique (ANTARES).
CoZZ4bor4tio"s n4tio"4lss st i"ter"atio"al.s : CRECO P4. Eeole Normal.
Superieure, UBO, CFR, CREMA l'Bokm.au. Ce"tre d'OeeoMZcgie de NoPseiZZe et
CEAB de BZ4"eS, B.dford Institute, D4rthmouth (C4nada). lJ>Iiversite Level ds
Quebsc. ERA ds VilZsfronehs, INRS Rimouski (Conodo). Laborotoirs
d'BydrobioZogie Lagk"4ire st M4rins ds Montpellisr, Cs"tre ds Foiblss
p4di04ctivite, Agence Intern4tion4le pCkr l'Energie Atomique, ~~iversite de
Lyo", M9HN P4ris, IFREMER. Universite ds Bordeakx. St4tio" BioZogiqke
- 34 d·A"eaehon. Dove MD.l'Üte Labol'D.to"y - Ne., Castl.. LX. U..i".."sity College Galivay.
I"Ia ..d. WBOI-USA. Ch ..sapeake Biologieal Labo"ato"y - USA. Unive"site de
Flo"id... Univ .."site d·A~st .."da~ (NDL). U..ive"site d·Olb....bUl'g. u..ive"site de
Ma""akeeh. Univ.."site .. t Mus.u~ d.. Mad"id. Labo"atoi".. d.. wi..de~e"e (UK).
u..iveaite de BD.l'eelo..e.
LtJb<rtoGtt>i.l'e tU Biotegi4 V.g;ut. lIaPW - u..i.-.sit' l'i.nrH "
Mo.J>W CIn>i4
En 1987 I·equip .. eeobiogeog"aphie et valo"isation des algues a
pa"tieuli."..m....t deveLoppe I..s "eeh.."eh..s finalise ..s SUl' Ies algues marines sur
I..s eot ..s f"an~aises .. t dans I·oeeQ.PI austl'D.I. D..s fieh..s d·id....tifieation ont
et' "ealise ..s pou" I ..s espeees de veqetauz ma"ins p"es ..ntant un inte,,;t
eeonomiqk" tant pou" Ia Hedit .."ran... (80 ..sp.e..s) qk.. pOkr I..s regions
aust"ales (20 ..spee..s).
Collabo"ation aV"e Ia FAO .. t Ia CEE. Par aiII ..urs. un.. synthes .. su" Ies
st"ategi..s 'eologiqu ..s .. t 'eophysiologiqu..s de qu.. lqu..s ..sp.ees (Plo.mal'io..
Mastoea"pus. P.. t"oe.. lis. Ulva) 0. et' ..ntr..p"is ... EIL .. 0. donne I~~s
cottaborahons av..e t 'ATME (Ag8PIC.. Fl'~ais .. POUl' Ia Ma<tris.. <14 I·Energi..). Ie
CEI'A (C..ntr.. d'Etudea .. t d.. I'alo"isation <14s Algu..s Ci Pleubian) .. t I·u..ive"site
d .. Paris VZZ. Enfin. un .. etud.. su" I .. s va"iations saisonni.res des
ea"aete"istiqu..s oeeanologiqu ..s auz iI ..s X.."guelen 0. et' "'alise.. avee Ia
collabo"ation d..s Te,.,.es A....tl'D.I..s .. t AntD.l'etiques f~ais ..s.
~ tU Biologi4 tUe
l_CbNellaPW" ..ta....tegi4
• Etud.. d.. Ia va"iation elinaI .. du B"yoloair.. AlcYOPlidium fflyOkm (BasIall.
1841) I.. Iong des eot.. 1 d.. I·Europ .. Oeeid..ntaI ... L' .. tkd.. ~..etropho"'tiqu..
..ntr..p"is .. 0. mont"e qu.. La variation constate.. etait ..ss....ti..llement d·o"igin..
qen'tiqk ... I'impact d..s faet ..u"s d.. I· ..nvi"onn .. ~ .. nt su" I .. s p"ofils
.. I..et"opho"'tiqu..s obt........ pD.l'Qissant t".s "'duit ('tkd.. mene.. .... collabol'ation
av..c I. Cl' M. Gayffon. CRSSA .. t NE ""..inn..e. 'tudiant 3Bm. Cyct.. Ci I'E N S).
• Bryo.oai"... de Ia eot .. ba.qu.....pagnoI .. : eonf"ontation des p.. uple~ ..nts
d'origi1Uls eept871trioJlale et d'e= chaudes.
• B"yo.oai"es d.. Ia campagn.. oe'o.nogl'Q.phique Balgim : eomparaison de La faune
..n B"yo.oair..s de ehaqu.. eot. du s ..uil d.. Gib"alta". montl'ant I.. passag.. ....
M.dit.rpa~ •• d'k~. ~kitai". d'e.pec•• atta"t~•• ; taB
kn• •
8~t limit •••
Qk
.euil de Gib"alta". d'aut"es sont p"'s ..ntes autour d.. La .one d.. turbuI..nc..
d' ..a= atlD.Pltiqu..s .... N6dit"l'l'Q.PIe.. situ'" au lD.l'g.. des eot ..s marocaines.
• B"aehiopodes d.. Nouv .. lle-Caledonie : aueune d..s neu[ ...p.e..s presentes ....
Nouv.lle-CaI'donie n·.zist ...n NOkv.. II ..-ZeLande (dent La fane .... Bl'aehicpodes
eomport. 18 .sp.e.e). e. qui impliqu. Un. o"igine diff.r....t ••t probablement
t"es anci....ne d.. leurs peupI_ts rup.eHfs.
• B"yo.oai".s des eotes d'Zsl'aiI : I·'tkd.. <14 La eolleetion eons."v'e au Musee
de T.. I Aviv 0. r'vel' Ie passage ..n Nedit ..""ane. o"ientale de d..uz ..speees
indo-pacifiqu..s. p"obablement p<U' I ·int.."",Bdiair.. du Canal de SUes.
st4ti<nt
Zoologiqu tU Vilt.r-he - C • R S - lJrriHl'eie; l'i.nrH "
Mo.J>W CJu>ie
"
L 'etude du mie"oplaneto... o!'ganism..s ,<14 peHt" taille, autot"ophes et
het ..rotroph ..s. eonstituant un.. eha~n. t"oph~que parallele a e.. II .. ~e I'on
avait prise ..n eo~pte jusqu'Ci ces d..rnieres annees (diatome ..s - eop"eod..s).
constitue I'une des originalites du groupe. Elle 0. pousse Ci une forte revision
des eoneepts su" l ..squ.. Is etaient bases Ies ealeuls de Ia p"oduetion d..s
OCea"8. et ~st t'objet d'k"_ activite i"t.~"atic"at. importante a taqkeZZ.
t 'equipe partieipe. A t 'aktz-e flZt,..",it. d. z.a!J01'r"S
de taitZ.. dB. orga"'iamf1"
planetoniqueo. Ies '""p".s....tants du pIQPlctOPl geLati"ekZ eonstitu....t kn obj..etif
prio"itaire. En eff.. t Ieur distribkt~on, IeUl' metabolieme. I..Ul' dyna~ique de
pOFulatio~. etudiee par des equipes americain..s. n'ant motive que quelques
travauz en Nedite"l'D.nee,
~'
- 35 -
Enfin J l'eqkipe apPQ~t. k"e cc"tribktio" notabt. dans dekZ domainea
qui fte peuveftt pas vraimeftt etre separes pour I'oceaftographe : Ia strkCture
spatiat. de t'.cosystem• • t des masses d'.au et te foftctioftft.meftt de
t '.COSl/st..... p.Iagique.
8tJoI<ctun tU
I'......V.~".~
(Distributioft fifte du plaftctoft au ftiveau du [rOftt - eyele aftftueI d.
part .t d 'autre du froftt - nguIatioft de Ia productioft p.Iagique 8ft Her Ligkre
et 'ft Afttarctiqu. - methodologi. et theorie sur I'aftalyse de series spatiales
et t.mporeII.s - mod.lisatioft d'uft eeosyst.me ftatur.I - ftuctuatiofts
iftteraft'lketIes 8ft eau cöti.re).
Plusieurs r.giofts etudie.s par I'equip. dafts I. cadr. du GRECO P4
(cot.s du Portugal, Her d'Alboraft), ou d. missi.oft TAAF (Afttarctiqu.),
preseftteftt des caracteres plaftctoftologiques subordoftftes
I'hydrodllftamism.
IoeaI. La Her Ligure, aur portes du Iaboratoir., dOftft. Uft boft .remple de
I 'üwportaftce de Ia struetur. hydrologique p014l' Ia distributio>t du pI""etoft.
a
L'aftalys. sp.etraI. classique des s.ri.s d'ob••rvatio>ts a permis de
eoftBtater que Ie sp.ctre d'Aergie des rr.quBftCe••taU reIativ.meftt ....bIabI.
ä C,kZ d 'aktJ'"e8 me1'8. mais a InO'ttre aussi I.a Plee.,aiee d• • egme"ter 1.e8 seri,8
eft portioft. homogefte. pour Ie.quelle. Oft peut admettre Ia .taticftftarite du
sigftaI (Theveftot, 1981). Eft eOftsequ.ftce Oft a partieuli.remeftt etudie I••
methodeB th partitio>t du .i{lftQI.
Eft matier. de productio>t prima ire , Ie. tois de variatio>ts du r...aemtmt
quafttiq... d. Ia productio>t primaire SOftt .tudu•••t estimees par Ia methode du
Carbofte 14 .ur des eultures d. mieroatgues .t d•• populatioft. ftatur.II.s
(ColIaboratio>t : GRECO P4).
Nous aVOftS mis 'ft plae• • ft mars 1984 Uft' programme d'acquisitioft
d'iftformatiofts d. base (FrOfttal), a I'eehetI. tB1"pOr.tI. dll. cycI. QPPlueI, ewr
I'eeosyst.m. pelagiqu' d. Ia parti. ftord de Ia H.r Ligur•• c. typ.
d'iftformatioft (seri. th me.ur•• avee kft pas de temps d. 1$ jours tmtre 3 se 28
miII.s d. ta eot.), n'.ristait pa. daft. eette r.gioft, si I'oft ezeept. I••
param.tres hydrologiquee qui Ollt deja ete acquie sur e.tt. hase par I. LPCH :
mies ions Pro. VI. L. programm. Frofttal p.rm.t d. eOllfta'tr. Ie. eOllditiOfts
hydrologiqu•••t biotogiqu.s tors d. tout. operatio>t plu. spieiaIise. (mi.siOfts
ProIig Ir, Trophos II, Higragel par ""'empt.).
Uft e.rtaill nombre d'.tres vivaftts doIIt Ie röte dans I. d.v.ftir de Ia
matiere particulair. d. ta eouche sup.rficieU••st "",I e.r1Ze, Oftt be..efieie
d '11.11 'flort d. Ia part ·d. I 'equip•• co"",e I•• euphausiaees. L'iftteret qu. t'Oft
port. a e •• orgaftisme. dafts d'autr•• 80ft'. produetiv.s d•• OeeaftS nous a
eoftduit a etudi.r I 'evolutioll aftftueU. d. I'aetivite d.s ""Y""'S digestiv•• tm
"'er Ligure .t dafts I 'Afttarctiqu" tors des miuio>ts du prograJlF'l<l Bio....s. C'ut
aiftsi, par "rempI", qu. Ie eyele de r.productio .. et d. feeoftdite dll. krill
afttaretigu. Euphau.ia .ur.rba DQ7Ia (Euphausiaeees) a ete etudie : Uft iftdie. d"
maturite d•• ovocyte. a pu .tr" etabli, perm"ttaftt Uft' .stimation de Ia
fecOlZdUe .t I. cyct. de reprodkCtio>t a ete recollstitue.
D'autr.s dOft..eu acquiseB ewr I. kritI juviftil. Oftt p.rmis d. preeiser
I.s modaHte• •peeifiqus .t Ies temps d" ta diff.r.lZCiatioft d. ta flO'Iad., des
caraet.r.s BIIzwet. secOlZdaires et de ta pre..iere maturatio>t d"s Il"",et"s.
CoIIaboratioft : progrlJ1'rn" EPOS (Europeaft PotarsterlZ Stkdy)
- 36 _
La mode tisation de t 'eeosyste,"e petaqi""e • 'e.t po..r...'vte par ta ",ise
au point d' ..n togieiet permettant ta s';"'utation de trois nivea~ trophi""es
dans t'ea .. superficiette puis d'une strueture .';mptifiee schematisant ta
distrib .. tion verticate du ptancton dans ta coue'e 0 - 100 m. Les eenditions de
formatio" de d.kZ mazima de biomasse phyhtcpta~cto"iq~e C"t
a
.te
misBs cn
evidenee et te..r verification neees.ite ta mes..re
ta mer des variabtes
eonvenabtes. L'apetieation au: donnees obtenues dans tes ",e.oeos~es Cepe~ a
permi. de reconna.tre tes parties du mcdete ""i sent satisfai.antes et cette.
qui demandent une no .. vette reyresentation. On a ainsi constate q..e te.
microphyte. etaient represente. de faqon trop si"'pte pour permettre une
simutation convenabte des grokpes d'herbivores. &es mcdetes prenant an compte
ta dynamique de poputation et te co~rtement migratoire ent ete mis au point
pCl<1' tes copepode. et tes tarves meroptanctonique••
Ezptoration fonetionnette des groupes maJekr. et acqui.ition des
etements du bitan de ",atiere - d.pense. ",etabotique. et caracteri.tique.
trophique. - capacite d'adaptation enBymatique - constit .. tion chimique et
biochimi~e. - mioroBooptancton - maeroBooptancton getatineuz - appendicutaires
- crustace. - physiotcgie du phytoptancton•
•
L '.v~tktion des f1.u: induit. par te. etre. vivants au co""S de t 'annee
depend non .e..tement des fonctions physiotogiques q..i regtent te bitan de
matiere de chaque espece. mais aks.i de ta dynamique des poputations, des
periode. de reproduct ion et de croissa"ce.
Ce. probteme. ne pe..vent etre abordes qu'au taboratoire. graee au
maintien d'organi.me. captkre. Ok eteves. On a eonatate par te pa••e que t'on
"e peut aborder 1. 'etude du bitan Ok de ta d!f'lOl"ique de poputation d'une espeee
qu'apre. avoir re.otu te. difficktte. d'etevage. En effet t'utiti.ation de
poputation. homogene. non traumatisee. par ta peehe permet t'aequi.ition de
donnee. d'e~cettente quatite. La vateur des estimationB des f1.u: de matiere
induits par t 'activite biotcgique d6pend de ta quaHte de ces res..ttats.
A ce titre, une .tude est NaHs.e 8k1' ta .... trition. ta dispersion des
tarves meroptanctoni""es et t 'effet du paue ....tritionnet des parents 8W' te""
ducendance. avec pour apptioation tes tarves ptanctotrophes d'Eehinodermu.
Cro"pe d'Kt"de de. lIiti....., K.h....i .... • e Litto..allZ
L""-."II'-II.".
,..".. U. dU Boi-. _<h /lallte i<TIWifd...
CüS-)
(~ ""';t':- du
Bf.<dion d'Kt~ "" Ba. .
• En 1987. un s .. ivi de ta dynamique du peuptements maero.oobe1lthiques
intertidal<% en baie de Somme et en eatuaire de Seine a ete reatise dans te
cwe du pro~ 8k1'opeen COST 647.
Cottaboration : NIOZ (Tszet) pour tes sediments ~ubtes intertidal<z et part ir
de 1988 : RWS (Pays-Bas).
• Et ..de de ta dy1lamiq..e des pop.. tatio1ls de eoq..es en baie de Somme et des
pert""batioPlB physiotogi""ea Ce t 'eapeee.
CoHaborationa : IFRE!4ER. Region Pieardie, Inatit .. t Pa.te"". Laboratoire de
Chimie mari... de Litte. Oniversite de Bri.tot (UKJ. Rlm d'Ijmuiden (Pays-Bas).
HAFF d. LoLHIstoft (UKJ.
• Progr<1J'r'ltl ""tienat 8k1' t. dete,.",ini.".. du recrut""'ent (PNDR) sur ta coques.
Cottaborationa : VBO (Brest). Station Biotogiq..e d'Areaehon et G~~L baaae
No,,",andie.
a
- 37 -
L4b0ratMN tU Biol.DgW .......... tU t 'lmiW7'"Ue tU 'a1ftn
Re~hel'che8 Bu.J- 1.8 ;~08Y8te"'.8
a) !twie des eo"""",aut." aoobe"thiql.es de t'estuail'e de ta Loil'e
R.pal'tition spatiats "sto" tell gradie'lts de sati"it. et ssto" ta quatite du
"ub"tl'at •
• Ci".tiqke d •• p.~pt.~e"tB : a~ivi des commkn4kt.s en divB1'8 points
earaet.l'istiql.s" ds t'sstuail's sn fenetien des conditio'lS hydl'otogiques.
• Importance des diverse. commkn4kt.s dans t.8 r.gimea atime"taires des
pl'edatn.rs ds t '"stuail''' au cours des saisO'ls.
b) Obssl'vation "t suivi de ta gestion hydl'autique d" divers marais
Uttora"",. Illeidsnc.s "ur ta fa ..... aquatiqu. b."thiql.. ou cil'cuta"t••
cJ Ecotogis "t pateoecotogis de peuptements matacotogiql.es Uttora"",.
Fleeherehes
"ur
tes orga"isme" pta"eto"iql.e" cu be"thiql.e" mari..s
aJ Biotogie d." poputations de ta erev.tte gl'i". : r'partition
spatio-t.mpor.tt", Cl'oi"sanee et reproduetion. eomportement atime"taire et
rythmu d 'aetivit' migratrice ; regime atimentaire et ptace aa.." t 'atimentation
du pr'dat"ur".
bJ Anaty.. tU fact eure genetiql.e" eontrÖtant ta SU-1'O.tio ehell t 'Aftrphipode
O>oehe. t ia g"""'ll"e ttu".
e} Dynam<que biotogiqus st ••dimentotogique ds bioeon.truetiolls
A.....Ud." ; Sy"t.....tiql.. tU ta famitt. dn Potyehete" Sabsttariid•••
dJ Etud. d" ta bio.ynthe.s ds ta mal'snnins ehell ta diatomee Bast.a
ost.,."a.:rw.
--.J Etabti•• smsnt d'un "ystems .zpert eonesrllant ta .y.t.matique d."
diatome•••
a
Std"'"
tU Bio!ogü ~ tU
t'n.
lIaitta- (/lIri-..,," tU
11._.. IJ
• er.ation d'.... ob".MJO.toir. dn R• ."ourc"" Vi"""t"" du gotfs du Norbiha'l, lIons
proteg's eorrnpcndartt a t'air. de NpI'OduetiorJ tU ptu"Uur" ""pee"" benthiqu••
(""iches. d'capodn. poissO'l8 ptat•• ste••• J avse eo_ pI'Ogramrte. principa"", :
- Biotogill IIt dyllOJfliq... d. poputatio'lS tU ""iches (Sepia officinaUs L. J
tU er.vsttss 8t d';'trittss,
- Survsiltanell ds la qualit;' dlls sauz st ;'tud" dss poputations
phytoptanetoniques.
- 38 -
~
(0.5. Astthorsson & Th. Thordardottlr>
MARINE RESEARCH INSTITUTE. PO BOX 1390. REYKJAVIK
Long term studies of primary productlon. ChI a
distribution. denslties and composition of zooplankton In
the Icelandic shelf area durlng spring were continued. At
selected stations data was obtalned on light attenuatlon.
ChI a depth distribution and PvsI relatlonships in Atlantlc.
Arctlc and mixed waters. Two tlmes durlng the spring crulse
ground ChI a data was obtalned slmultaneously with a fllght
by a NASA alrplane equipped wlth an Ocean Colour Scanner.
EcolOQlcal Investlgations of the phyto- and zooplankton
communltles of Isafjord (on the north-west coast 66 0 10·N.
23 0 00'W> were started In February and contlnued at
approximately monthly Intervals throughout the year. The
aim is to quantlfy seasonal variations In distribution.
abundance and productlon of phytoplankton. zooplankton and
flsh larvae.
Work was contlnued on the predatlon on euphausilds by
cod In the subarctlc shelt waters north-west. north-east and
south-east of Iceland.
Durlng September planktonlc Investlgations (prlmary
production. Chi a. PvsI curves. zooplankton distributIon and
composltlon> were carried out In the Greenland Sea
(67-72dN>.
As In prevlous years the Institute tor Marine
Envlronmental Research In Plymouth was assisted In the
runnlng of thelr Contlnuous Plankton Recorders between
Iceland and Scotland. and Iceland and U.S.A.
- 39 -
Ireland
(R Graingerl
The Fisheries Research Centre has conducted surveys for
herring larvae in ICES Divisions VIa and VIIb each year
during October and November since 1981. A mackerel egg
survey in Divisions VIa and VIlb was also undertaken in May
1987 in conjunction with the fishing industry.
•
The University College, Galway is involved in ichthyoplankton
research off the west coast of Ireland and, in particular,
Galway Bay. This work is mainly descriptive but vertical and
horizontal distributions are examined in relation to physical
and chemical oceanographic data collected concurrently. This
university is also involved in community mapping and populaion
studies of benthos in Irish coastal waters and in the Celtic
Sea.
The Irish Phytoplankton Research Group in conjunction with
the Fisheries Research Centre conducts research into various
aspects of marine phytoplankton ecology with most of the
emphasis on "red tide" organisms.
The Shellfish Research Laboratory is investigating primary
production in various Irish estuaries to gain information on
their carrying capacities for mariculture and the potential
growth of shellfish.
Trinity College, Dublin carries out research into benthic
community structure and dynamics in Dublin Bay.
- 40 _
NETHERLA ~'DS
(J.J. Zijlstra)
Studies on mesocosms, represent.ing tidsl flat ecosystems. on oil
pollution were terminated and l'eplaced by studies of the effect of
harbour sludge. The harbour sludge used contained high concentrations
cf nutrients and organie matter, wilh a large admixture of
micropollutants. The first reslll ts indicate a streng effect of
eutrophication on the benthie fauna.
As in 1986 a study was made of the physics, chemistry and biology
around e frontal system, seperating tidelly mixed and stratified
waters in an erea north of the Frisian islands. Special attention was
given to the effect of the front on phytoplankton composition, primary
production, zooplankton and benthos in the ereas north, south and in
the frontal zone. The frontal ~one seems to ettract larger
concentrations of seabirds, as Ouillemots, related probably to higher
densi lies of sprats in the zone.
The material collected by the Ketherlends during the synoptic mepping
experiment of the benthic fauna of the North Seal carried out in
spring 1986, wes fully worked up. The date give valuable information
on biomass end composition of the macrobenthic fauna, but also
iodieate a considerable increase in the abundance of some organisms
(e.g. Amphiure filiformis) since an earlier sampling period in 19501955. The increase is in particuler strong in the area south of the
Doggerbank and is tentatively ettributed to eutrophication of the
south-eastern North Sea. A similer increase in benthic fauna has been
observed on tidel flat areas of the lOadden See.
In. cCJopt:=ratluil
wi~h
Gerwan
s",:i·~.!tlsts
fre4 the Biologische Anstel t
Helgoland a study wes made or the pelagic distribution of ATP and ETS
in the coesta1 aree of Oermeny and the Netherlands.
The growth rate of plaice 1arvae in late winter, studied by the daily
ring structure in otoliths, wes found to be positively related to
ambient w~ter temperatures, in the period when temperatures declined
from 12-4 C. Thereefter no relation "ith temperature could be shown.
Werk on the grazing
phYsiological stage
important. however.
and copepods affect
rate cf Te-mora longicornis showed the
of the algae to be of importance. Even more
seems to be that interna1 rhYthms of both algae
the experimental results.
Netherlands Institute rar F!shery Investigations. IJmuidpn (N. Daan)
StoIDa.ch same1 ing studies
Extensive stomach sampling of cod and whiting was continued in 1987
for the third year in successi.,n. This completed the leES coordinated
program 1985/1987 and the results will be subjected to thorough
analysis before dec1sions on further actions in this fleid will be
taken,
Phytoplankton studles
Monitoring of phytoplankton has been restricted to shellfish growing
areas in the coastel weters of the lietherlands. In September 1987 a
DSP outbreal< was agein observed in the .addensea. 1t las ted for about
6 weeks ~ith maximum cell numbers of Dinophysis acuminata of 30 per L
and led to moderate toxicity levels according to a rat bioassay. ,'ater
temperature was shown to play an important role in the relation
p~t\o.n,..P1
flinnph,\'cd" (",...11
nllreh"'1c;
in tt-po
\"ltf'T'
nn'i
tmd,.it~·
nf
rlllc.;r:nlc.;.
•
- 41 -
NORWAY
(H.R. Skjoldal)
1.
Institute of Marine Research (IHR), Bergen
Biological Station Fledevigen (BSF), Arenda1
1.1
Plankton studies in the Barents Sea (PRO MARE)
Plankton
investigations
in
the
framework of the Norwegian Research
Program for Marine Arctie Eeology (PRO MARE)
with
monthly
sampling
the western and central Barents Ses
deseribe
the
sessonal
pattern
was
of
carried
plankton
summer cruise special emphasis was placed
plankton
structure,
krill biology.
eontinued.
A program
of nutrients and plankton at two transeets in
photobiology.
out.
order
in
development.
on
grasing.
studies
cf
metabolie
to
During a
vertical
ectivity and
Zooplankton abundanee and distribution were
deseribed
ss part of multispeeies investigations in the autumn.
1.2
The
Reeruitment studies and iehthyoplankton (HELP)
studies
on
the distribution in spaee and time of the early life
stages cf the most
eonsisted
of
important
investigations
cc.mercial
on
pattern end intensity as weIl as larval
ineluded
physieal
oeeanographie
spec1es
spawning
area.
drift.
continued.
This
spawning/hatehing
The
drift
studies
observation and development both of
dynamie numerieal and lsboratory models.
The reeruitment studies eontinued ineluding environment. produetion of
prey organisms. feeding, mortality, vertical
studies
are
migration
etc.
These
earried out on the Norwegian spring-spawning herring and
Areto-Norwegian eod.
1. 3
Toxie phytoplankton
Monitoring
and
studies
on
distribution
end
ecology
phytoplankton in the Sksgerak end dong the southern cosst
of
of
toxic
Norwsy
- 42 -
were continued (BSF).
1.4
Methodology
A progrBm
rrequency
evaluations
on acoustic estimation of zooplankton by means of multiple
sonar
systems
continued.
Technical
sea
trials
and
took place and comparative studies on acoustic estimated
size distributions relative to those from Juday
ware performed.
net
and
Tucker
net
An image analysis system ("Zeus") has been developed by Drs. Estep and
Maclntyre. The system is based on a Macintosh pe as the user
interface. and it will be used for automated counting and sizing of
varfous plankton organisms.
2.
University of Bergen
Deparbnent of Marine Bio1ogy
2.1
Studies on the bio1ogy of the food-species of young cod in a
fjord (Masfjorden) where 1arge amounts of artificially reared cod
ere to be set out. (In cooperation with IMR, Bergen).
2.2
Studies on the plankton productivity in Masfjorden, where
especially the relationship between allochthonous (plankton
bianass brought into the fjord by advection), end autochthonous production is studied.
2.3
Studies on the effects on the pelagic ecosystem in the Ryfylke
fjords, of the deve10pnent of the
U1.la-F~rre
hydroelectric plant.
(In cooperation with the Department of Geophysies, University of
Bergen).
2.4
Studies on the biology and productivity of planktonie ciliates,
calanoid copepods, and ctenophores in the Barents Sea. (Part of
the interdisciplinary Pro Mare proj ect) •
•
•
2.5
Investigation on the effect of nutrient-rich deep-water
(artificial upwelling) on the productivity of the surface water,
as exempl1fied by the growth of scallop larvae and juveniles in
plastic enclosures in the sea.
2.6
Investigations on the composition of the near-bottcm fauna
(suprafauna) in Norwegian fjords, on the shelf, and in the
Norwegian Sea, With special emphasis on plankton-benthos
interactions and food-selection of demersal fish •
2.7
Effects of organie pollution on benthic communities.
3.
Norwegian Institute for Water Research NIVA, Os10
3.1
Levels of Chlorophyll
eutrophication
in
~
are used to
indicate
several polluted fjords.
is included in these studies
along
with
the
degree
of
Aerospace Remote Sensing
quantitative
phytoplankton
samples. nutrients and hydrographical Dleesurements,
3.2
Studies
of
pollution
effects
(eutrophication.
persistant organic westes) on hard bottoDl and soft bottoDl
have
been
performed
during
several
years
inorganic/
communities
in a range of Norwegian
fjords.
3.3
Studies of rock shore communities in connection with discharge
of cooling water.
3.4
"Joint
Monitoring
Programme"
in
Norway
includes Oslofjord
area. S0rfjorden. Hardangerfjorden and Orkdalsfjorden:
contaminants
in
sea
Dlonitoring
of
water. sediments and marine organisms , wi th the
purpose of evaluating heal th risk. spatial and temporal trends.
3.5
Environmental impact essessment for the Heidrun oil/ges
development.
field
- 44 -
3.6
Functional
responses
end
or
recovery
sedimentary
bottoms
eontaminated with oil based drill euttings.
3.7
Mesoeosm
studies
of
effeets
of oil
turnover in the eommon periwinkle (Littorina
3.8
end
metal
on
energy
~).
Experimental long term effeets of oil on roeky shore
mesoeosm
communities.
4
•
University of Oslo
Department of Biology
4.1
Marine Botany
4.1.1
Pieo- & nenoplankton
ean waters.
f1agellates from Aretie end Mediterren-
(J. Throndsen).
4.1.2
Diatolls related to iee in the Arctie part of PRO MARE
(G.R. Hasle).
4.1.3
Nitrogen turnover
gations.
4.1.4
in eoastal end Arctie waters.
Projeet.
'SN investi-
Part of PRO MARE Projeet. (So Kristiansen) •
Sea lee algae in the Berents Sea.
Part
of
PRO
MARE Projeet
(E.E. Syvertsen).
4.2
Marine Zoology
4.2.1
Bioehemieal geneties end breeding strueture of
krill. Euphausia superba.
4.2.2
the
Antaretie
(So Fevolden).
Allozymic variation within and between populations of
seallops. (Chlamys islendiea). (So Fevolden).
Ieeland
- 45 -
4.243
Effects of
fjord.
(J .S.
eutrophication
on the
benthos of the Quter 0510-
Cray).
4.2.4
Effects of oil on structuring processes on intertidal softbottolD cOlIIIDunities. Project running 1985-1988. (H.P. Leinaas &.
H. Christie).
•
University of Troms0
TromS0 Museum
5.1.
Zoobenthos
5.1.1 Monitoring of hard-bottom communities a10ng the northern
coast of Norway ~Troms, Finnmarkl and Sva1bard (B. Gu11iksenl.
5.1.2 Succession of hard-bottom communities on vo1canic rock
after the vo1canic outbreak at Jan Mayen in 1970 (B.Gu11iksen).
5.2.
Pe1agic fauna
5.2.1 Eco1ogy cf sympagic fauna (under ice faunal in the Arctic
and the Antarctica IB.Gu11iksenl.
5.3. Fish
5.3.1 Bio1ogy and eco1ogy of Arctic fish (T. Haug, B.Gu11iksen,
1.-B. Fa1k-Petersen, V. Frivol1, W. Vaderl.
5.3.2 Migration and recruitment mechanisms of Greenland ha1ibut,
Reinhardtius hippoglossoides, in the Svalbard area (T. Haug,
O.R. GOd0, B. Gu11iksenl.
5.3.3 Bio1ogy, eco1ogy and the possib1e use of the At1antic ha1ibut.
Hipp0910ssus hippoglossus, in aquacu1ture (T. Haug, B. Gu1liksen
E. Kj0rsvik, P. Solemdal, S.E. Fevoldenl.
- 46 -
5.4
Birds
5.4.1 Mapping and population survei1lance of seabirds in
Northern Norway (W.Vader. R. Barrett. K.-B. Strann).
5.4.2
The food and breeding eco1ogy of breeding seabirds in
Northern Norway and Svalbard (W. Vader. R. Barrett. B. Gulliksenl.
Institute of Biology and Geology
5. 5
Pbyt:opladton
5.5.1
Marine ecological research in ehe arcti~:' ~i
Phytoplankton (a component project of PRO MARE, the Norwegian
Research Program for Marine Arctic Ecology) is focused upon the
growth physiology of arctic diatoms and Pbaeocystis poucbetii.
and interactions between phytoplankton and herbivorous
zooplankton (H.C. Eilertsen, J.P. Taasen).
5.5.2
Quantifications of seasonal variations in numerical
abundance and production of phytoplankton in fjords and coastal
waters of northern Norway (H.C. Eilertsen, J.P. Taasen).
5. 6
Zooplankton
5.6.1
Ecological investigations of the zooplankton
community of Balsfjorden have concentrated on quantifying
condition, growth and production in copepods and krill (C.C.E.
Hopkins, K.S. Tande, S. Granvik).
•
- 47 -
5.6.2
ealanus finmarchicus and ealanus,glacialis in the
Barents Sea: Growth strategy and ecological import an ce. This
PRO MARE project analyses the interaction between phytoplankton
production and production ecology oE these two dominant
calanoid copepods in the Norwegian arctic (K.S. Tande, e.e.E.
Hopkins) •
•
5.6.3
eomparisions of phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology
and community structure in the fjords of Spitsbergen (e.e.E.
U~~F!P.S, ~.S. Tande, H.e. Eilertsen, J.P. Taasen).
5.6.4
The importance of small copepods in the arctic
zooplankton community (PRO MARE project) (e.e.E. Hopkins, 1.
Norrbin).
5. 7.
SOObeDebOB
5.7.1
Population dynamics and production of the prawn
Pandalus borealis in north Norwegian fjords, the Barents Sea
and West Spitsbergen. The importance of prawns in the diet of
cod (e.e.E. Hopkins, E.M. Nilssen).
5.7.2
Investigations of the bottom fauna of the Barents Sea
and the Spitsbergen erea (E. Oug).
5.7.3
Intertidal distribution and zonation (E. Oug)
5.7.4
Assessment oE effects of organic pollution (sewage
and fish factory effluents) in harbours and enclosed bays (E.
Oug, R. Nilssen).
5.7.5
Long-term changes in soft bottom communities in
Balsfjorden (E. Oug).
- 48 -
5.8
l'isb
5.8.1
Fertilization and development oE marine Eishes
studied by morphologieal (ineluding EH), physiologieal and
genetieal methods (E. Kjarsvik).
5.8.2
EEfeets oE hydroearbons on fish embryos and larvae
(E. Kjersvik).
5.8.3
Development and Eunetion of the digestive system,
and the inEluenee oE egg quality on the eondition and survival
of marine fish larvae (eod, and flatEish) (E. Kjersvik, C.C.E.
HOpkins) •
5.8.4
Interaetive segration between small pelagie Eishes in
a fjord system (S. Granvik, A. Klemetsen).
5.8.5
OuantiEieation of feeding,
somatie and gonad growth
as well as eondition in relation to otolith zone deposition in
eapelin, Mallotus yillosus, and herring
Balsfjorden (C.C.E. Hopkins, K. Aase).
~
harengus in
5.8.6
Seleeted aspeets of the biology oE polar eod
(Boreogadus ~ ) (J.P. Taasen, V. Frivoll).
5.8.7
Growth, feeding, and otolith zone deposition as a
funetion of age, sex, and season in the witeh, Glyptoeephalus
eynoglossus (C.C.E. Hopkins, O.K. Gutvik, R. Hilsen).
5.8.8
Survival, growtb, and behaviour oE eod larvae, ~
feeding on phytoplankton, and eopepod nauplii in
intensive eulture systems (H.C. Eilertsen, K.S. Tande, P.C.
Krogstad, S. Laken).
~
5.8.9
Littoral spawning bebaviour, and egg hatehing in
relation to environmental [Betors in Bals[jord herring (C.C.E.
Hopkins, E. Kjarsvik, I.J. Lur&S).
~
- 49 -
6
•
Unhersity of TrQndheim
6.1
PhyloplaDkloD
6.1.1
Metabolism of 3-1.3 glucans in diatoms (5. Myklest.d. A. Seter).
6.1.2
Endogenous rhythms in marine diatoms (K. 0stg.ard).
6.1.3
Effeers on growth rates and ehemie.l eompOSlllOn of dinon.gell.tes when adapting to different light intensilies and pholoperiods
(K.Tangen. K. Hegge).
6.1.4
Oeeurrenee of potentially harmful plankton in relation to fish
diseases and mussel poisoDing (K.Tangen. K.Heidal).
6.1.5
Studies of arctic marine diatoms with special emphasis on photo
adaplion. growlh rate and respiration (E.Sakshaug. M. Gilstad).
6.1.6
Biochemical and photoadaptational studies of arctic ice algse (E. N0St
Hegseth).
6.1.7
Studies of cxcretion of organic compounds from marine diatoms
(5. Mykleslad).
6.2
ZooplaokloD
6.2.1
Routine sampliDg of zooplankton onee a month by Nansen 75/100 ym
nel at Ihree oceanographie stations in Trondheimsfjorden (J.-A. Sneli).
6.3
Phycab'Dlhos
6.4
Zaob'Dlhas
6.4.1
Taxonomy and life history of deep water molluscs in the Norwegian
Sea (J.-A. Sneli).
6.4.2
Taxonomy and zoogeography of Arehaeogastropods in Seandinavian and
arer;e waters (J.-A. Sneli).
6.4.3
Heritability of growth in MytHus edulis (T. Stromgren. M.V. Nielsen).
6.6.4
Effeets of indueed triploidy on growth in Myti!us edulis (T. Stromgren.
M.V. Nielsen).
6.6.5
Bioenergeties in Myti!us edulis I.rvae (M.V. Nielsen. T. Stromgren).
- 50 -
f\:it~lsl.·n).
6.6.6
Efrect of environmental f3.ctors on growth of M\'tilus edulis (M.V.
6.6.7
Biodegr.d.tion of h)'drocarbons in Ml'tilus rdulis (T. Stromgren).
6.S
Ichlhyoplanklon and nsh
6.5.1
Melhods for biochemie.l genetie identifieation of planktonie fish
eggs (with special emph.sis on g.doids) by diag.nostie enzyme loci .pplied on
• routine basis (J. Mark. G. Sundnes).
6.5.2
Popul.tion genetie studies in m.rine fishes (J. Mork).
6.5.2
Tr.nspl.nl.tion/homing experiments with marine fishes (J. Mork).
•
- 51 POl.J\N:)
(K. Wiktor & Z. Witek)
!!.!!.!! "
•
1JHII1n th. tr._ork ot 0 le,;-to!'ll .oaitorial prot;1'o_ 611 th. '.
Po11.II P1.h••1......,;...at z.ao 8 oru1 ••••t permonont .tot1.a••
.... o0D4uct.el. Ph1to,laaktoa. ohlo.,ph111 !. 1'1'1"1'1 produot100,
m.oo.ooplookton bl
lohth1oplonkton ood Ooo••lDnal17 .101'0zooboothoe ••11"
pl.d. C.no.ntrltloo. ot "'T7 met,l, 1n t1eh •
.... "1I.ured.
1101d part Dt OOO".t•• tunotlonlnl prot;r.... 00 • po1710n 1n
tho' O<l'MIt Ba1••oe oedaohd. Pr.. J.nu.1')' 19B7 to J.IlUOI')' 1988
1n two-wo,k 1I1hrw.l. ph101o.1 .nel ell••1001 par... br••• re
...wur.d .ud '''1'1•• t •• b1...no.1. 0 . . po.1tlon .'1" ooll•• t.d
ot 6 poraon.nt .t.tlO11o. Among biologlool aaapon,nt. tl.,.ll,t•• ,
ph1topllnkt.o. pr.t.looplaakton, .tore- ... 0- ond moo.olooplanktOll, 10hth1oploDkto•• n.ktobo.thoo . . .10- .nd aoorobonthoo.
boot.r1a in .oto. oolu.n .ad 1n d.p.01••• ohl.roph1l1 ! onel
1'1'1..1')' produotion wore .0.,10d .1th thllr .peoltl0 .othad•• !b•••
..t.r1.1o '1" bolag ol,bor.t.d now.
W••k ••• oaat1nu.el OD rrx'e~ "-tohll1". XXper1.ent/·reoult.
oODo.ra1ne el101' Ohall'" 1n pr1ma1'1 pradaoUOII. ohloroph111 !.
Ph1to- ud ..o,loaktn.
Sp••n1aC .r berr1ng 111 the Pomoror1•• Ba1 ond tho 00010&1 or
bo.tho. 1n tb. Sooo.011l Les.on .ero .tud10d•
.!.!!..!!.!!.L!!
Cru1••• öt R/T -Prot•• or Sl.dlook1- '0' org.ol.od to tb. Sootl.
Soo .nd .dJoo.nt •• t ••• 1n' tho ouatr.l .amme. 1. 1986/87. 1987/88.
»urln,; tb.t crui.e. ohloroph11l!. pr1ma1'1 production, krill
ehooling e••011 .0 1t. populatlon atruotur•• pl.nktoll and benthoa
oompooit1oa. and compo.1tion or fioh food ••ore atudi".
- 52 -
Gd,6ak UDl.treitz. In,tltute of Oot.nogr,phz. Gdlnl.
Baltl0 bloeeno.i, ,tudie' o..prl,'da bloenergetic of popul.tion.
ot ~,1' m1%t•• ",idoth'. ente-an .nd B8rmoth., •• rsil monlt..
rin«-tlpe InYe.tigetion, ot chlDrDPhJll. phJto- .nd .Dopl,nkton,
snd ..ero- .nd .'iobentlos ot Gd.6ek Ball numerie.l t.xenOMY ot
Gd.6ek Bel phJtobtnthos, h*-1o sub.t••ce, distributlon 1. c08,tel
eree • • t .Duthern Beltlol end erperiatntal .tudit. on the oo-petltloa ot .el.oted 'P401'. ot Beltl0 elge ••
In poler regio•• a
'1 the di.trlbutlon ••bundenoe eod 11t, elole. ot o.,.po4e
tr~
th. Atle.tl0 .eotor er Anterotl0 end
21 tb, eo.posltlan e.4 dlstrlbutlon ot .eeple.kten 10 Arotl0
.attr,••ert .tvdled.
Addltieael17. geo&r8phie.l dltt.renti.tloD ot Cerdium populetlons •
••• ,tudl8d.
Gd.tat UDi.,r.ltl. Dtp!rtm,nt of-Pl••t P!l.lnlogy. Gdjn18
In.. stigetlon, .t th. laptot ot «rowth-pro-ot1Da DUDb.t.noes
l«lbberelllns end auxln,l. ls01.ted trom Beltie •• ters. on the
grllWth of ..rlne .1gee ••ert eon'1nu.4.
Q4.~ek
U.l.ereltz. ~lDloSlcel St.tloB et G6rkl"W.ehedmle
Studle. er tbe role sod neture ot ,.leote4 ena7S8' In Beltio
crust.o•••••ere ooatlnue4.
Unlnraitl of tNii., Depe!'hlent or Getlerlll Zoolon. 1.6dz
Bentbos ot the Admiraltl BaI. 110« George I. IAnt.retleal .ere
,tud184.
- 53 -
Agrieulturol Aeedemy, S.e~eoin
Plenkton end benthos of the Szclecin Legoon end meiohentho. of
.outhern Beltic .ore .tudied.
Polieb Acsdom: of Scieno•• , Institute of oeeenolosz, Sorot
•
In th. lete ~ r duriag the crui•• of R/V "oe.enio" to Gr.enlond
See tbe phyte- end looplankton In relotion to hydrographie eonditian••ere .tudi.d.
Work .a. oontlnu.d on FEX'86 /Patohine •• Rrperim.nt/ r.ault.
cono.rning di.l ehaage. In primor,r preduotiDD, chlorophyll ~.
phyto- eDd ,Dopl.nktoD.
!b. problem of Puck Be7 r.cultiY8tlon .00 coa.lder.d.-
Other lnT••tls-tloo. aonoerD.d seographiool .ad •••••a.l dlfterene.s in bloche.iool· compo.itlon of ]altlc orgeei.... bloecau.ul.tloa
eDd di.trlbution of aicroele.'Dt. In thelr bodle •• e• •ell o. bio10g1eel ond phy.ielogioel ••ohoaiom. of their edoptotlon to netur.l ood oatk»opegeole ohangee ID .nTlreaa.otel ooodltieD••
Pol1eh Aoed'!l ef Soi.aco., Inotituto er BooloSZ: •• r•••
Koterial. troa .u.tril .prlcl /.uamer /198&/87/ orul.o of R/V
"Prefooor Slodleckl" to the ADtorctlc. eomprl.ing ohl.rophyll ~.
phytopleaktoD. zoopleaktoo. beoterleploDkton. lchthyofeuno. tl.h
pereeite •• epl101e eillete •• DDr cODceDtrotloDo. krill bioen.rgetie ead.81gae growth experiment. -ere eleber.ted.
Institute
0' EDYiroDmeatsl Pr.tootIDn.
Cdo6sk
WIrk ••• cootiaue4 OD the Intoraotl'Del .onitoring programme In the'
Baltie Soe~
Tbo problem Df recultlTotlon of Puck Ba7
.0. undertakoo.
- 54 PORTUGAL
(T. Netol
Instituto Nacional de Investigacao das Pescas -
1.
1987
PLA~KTO~
Process-oriented ichthyoplankton/recruitment studies have been continued
on the portuguese coast. targetted at the egg te juvenile stages of sardine.
Ichthyoplankton tows were taken on a monthly basis in four transepts
(main spawning grounds) to evaluate the interannual variability of
sardine spawning peaks.Coneurrent information on the thermie structure
of the water column and zooplankton temporal patterns were also obtained.
Two cruises were earried out on the Iberian Peninsula,by Portugal and
Spain simultaneously. in order to loeate the offshore limit of sardine spawning grounds. Detailed hydrographie information as well as
sa~
ples of potential larval food organisms and predators were also collected. A preliminar analysis of the results obtained by both countries
was done during a workshop held in Lisbon in order to plan a cruise for
the assessement of sardine spawning population in the Iberian Peninsula
using the Egg Production Method. Evaluation of the same stock will be
performedsimultaneously by acoustics methods.
Studies on advection du ring the spawnlng season of sardine have been
initiated in Portugal. Data from current moorings and from a survey
carried on immediatly after the cruise to loeate the offshore limit
of sardine spawning grounds were studied in order to have a better
knowledge on water masses transport in the North eoast of Portugal in
that period.
Surveys on temporal and spatial distribution of hake and horse-mackerel
eggs and larvae along the Portuguese eoast were also performed. These
surveys were complemented with hydrographie information.
The spatial and temporal patterns of phyto and zooplankton distribution
sampled from research surveys (1985) along the Portuguese coast were exa
mined showing a strong alignement with physical environment.
•
- 55 -
Studies on coastal
up~el1ing
and its
consequ~nc~s
have been developed in
cooperation with Spain. A survey performed by Portugal coordinated with
another developed by Spain and direct observations on sea-Ievel, atmospheric
pressure and wind from meteorological stations, estimation of upwelling
daily indices (i.e. Bakun) and data from the deployment of current moorings
contributed to compare upwelling structures along the Northwest coast of
Iberian Peninsula. The dynamic of phytoplankton populations under upwelling
conditions is beeing studied.
•
2.
2.1
BENTHOS
Phytobenthos
Surveys on temporal and spatial distribution of subtidal populations of
the agarophyte Gelidium sesguipedale have been continued on the
Portugu~
se coast by using quadrate sampling and transect methods.
Data obtained led to the preparation of Gelidium bed charts and to
the
estimation of regional standing stocks, seasonal biomasses and speeies
density.
Production and growth studies on tagged and cut plants of this species
started on a monthly basis.
2.2
Zoobenthos
The benthic macrofauna of the Tagus estuary (Lisbon) has been studied since
August 1987, as a contribution to the assessment of euthrophication impact
to the whole ecosystem functioning.with special incidence on fish and
luscan resources. The dynamics of some polychaete
mol-
and bivalve species will
be studied in the coming years.
The natural
r.asp~Ia.
variability of some rocky intertidal species: Patella depressa.
P.vulgata. P.lusitanica, Gibbula umol1icalis. G.pennanti
and
Monodonta lineata, have been studied slang the portuguese coast sioce 1981.
as a contributlon to the EEC COST 647 Programme.
- 56 -
SPAIN
(E. Lopez-Jamar)
A} PHYTOPLANKTON
I} In.tituto
E.pa~ol
Studie, on
d. Oc.anografi •• C.ntro Co.t.ro d. La
phytoplankton of
the
Coru~.
Gal icii.n contin.nt .. 1 shelf """re
continu.d. Phytopl.nkton .i.. cl..... distribution w.. r.l.t.d to
upw.ll ing condi tion •• Studi •• on P.O.H • •nd phytoplankton di.tribution
r.l.t.d to abundanc. of larvae Ind adults of sardin. wer. p.rform.d. Th.
roh of phytopl.nkton •• food .upplY for sardin. was osti",.hd through
stomich cont.nt .ana.lysit..
2) Instituto d. Inv.stigacion.s Marin"
d. Viao
Phytoplankton .ampl .. from th. coast of G.I icll lnd A.turi .. w.r •
• n.lyzod. T.",porll v.riltlon of phytoplankton of th. Ri. d. Vigo w.'
studi.d; sampling was carri.d out twie ... wIek.
B} ZOOPLA'lKT()'.I
1) Jnstltuto
Espa~ol
d. OceanOQrafia. La Coruna .. nd Vigo Laboratori.s
Zoopl.nkton .tudi.s on th. contin.nt.l sh.lf off L. Coru~a Bay w.r.
p.rfor",.d. In .dittion to routine oc •• nogr.phic plr.m.hrs, .bund.nc •
• nd composition of ",icrozooplankton (20 to 100 um), and biom. . . .nd
compo.ition of mfSozoopl.nkton () 250 um} w.r. ostim.hd. Filtration
rat.s wer, t'vilui.t.d by C-14 intubations, in ord.r to cllrry out
,.cendar)' production studi.s.
Laboritory .ss.)'s l,r,l,r. c.rri.d out in ord,r \0 .stablish thf
optimal conditions for intubation of .995 of th. swimrning v,hat trab,
lioc!r'cinus pUbltr'.
Cl ICHTHYOPLANKTON
1) IO$tituto
Espa~ol
dp Ccpanogr'afia, La
Co~u~a
labo~ator'v
Several truis.s wert p.rformtd to ,valuate the t.mpo~al maxima of
sardin. spawning in the Galtcian coast and to dtfin. tht ichthyoplankton
compc5ition. A ,tud)' on th. spawning area of th. sardin. was carri.d out
from th. Hi~o .stuary (north.rn Portugu.s. bord.r) to th. Eida.ol Riv.r
(Bi.cay Bay). Upw.lling .ff.ct on fish larva. distribution was
inv.stigat.d off Ria d. Arosl.
•
- 57 -
1)
ln~htut(\
E':[lai"lol deo Oceanogra..fia. La COr"ui'la Laborato!"'v
Astud)' on demograph)' ll'\d gametogenesis 0+
Paradoneis armata, one of the dominant speelts in La
ttlt
pol)'cha.t.
Coru~a.
Ba..-, \,/Jas
cempl.tod.
Benthic studie, hav. t. ~n continu.d during 1987 in the continental
sh.1f off Galicia, in rolation to coastal up",ol1ing and organic load
from th. Rias. Hac:rcinfaunal c:olTllTlunities wtr. defined and rtla.ttd to
sfdiment characteristics aod soure"
of benthic .nrichment.
2) Instituto d. Investioaciones Marin!s de Vigo
Data from prtvious btnthic studi .. s on the ,ffeet of paper- mill wast.
on an ir,. of Ria de
Ponte~tdf"a
wert processtd.
3) Departamento de 8iologia Animal.
Univer"sida.d de Alcala de Ht'narfS,
~
Intortidal bonthic studios in tho Lapaman eoach, Ria do Pontovodra
(NW Spain) wer. concluded. Community i~ eharac:teriz.d by 10l.Il spfei.s
numb.r &nd div.rsity. Shor. 1.v.1, organie c:ont.nt, si1t eonte'nt and
s&l inity w,rt th. main factors afftcting distribution. Studies cn
taxonomy and biog&ography of Phoronida in the Ibe,..ian Peninsula and
Bal.ar.s Islands are being carri.d out. A studY of b.nthic conwnuniti.s
(int,r- and subtidal) of th. Pi.d~as Riv.r has just start.d.
- 58 -
SWEDEN
(L. Hernroth)
I(RIST INE8ERG MARINE 810LOGICAL STAT ION
Ouring 1987 the lang-term monitoring in the Gullmar fjord cf
hydrography, plankton community and sedimentation
continued. Emphasls was put on the relationships between
hydrography, plankton production, advective processes,
~edimentati~n of organic material and oMygen consumption in
the deep basin of the fjord. Shart term (days) and lang-term
(years) zooplön~ton abundance was evaluatp.d with special
attention to the rote and importance of advective processes
in relation to enviranmental and biological factars.
(Contact person: O. Lindahll
The grazlng and egg-production of calanoid copepods has been
studied in field and meSQCQsm experiments. The objective i5
to determine the factors that influence the feeding and eggproduction of copepods. The studies have focused on size,
abundance and physiological stale of the algae as potentiall\'
lmportant factars. Mortalltv of copepad eggs has been
estimated in the field uSlng different technlQues. A met~od
to estlmate the age of copepod eggs i5 under development.
<Contact person: P. lisp.lius)
Studies on the populatIon dynamics of the scyphozoans Aurelia
~~~l!e' ~Y!~~~ ~~Qlll~!~ and ~~ l§p~!~~ll with 5pecial------emphasis on the planula larvae and the polyps were carried
out in the Gullmar l' jord. In 1987, the main paint5 af
interest were recruitment, settling b~haviour and
larval interactions with the marine hard battorn cemmunities.
The preject includes beth field and laboratory e~periments.
(Contact per~on: F. Gröndahl)
Lang-term trends 1n 61ga] domInated rac~y subtica!
ccmmunities on the Swed1sh west coast were monitored w1tn
specIal emphasis to the role of ma=roalgae in the overall
nutrient balance of the ceastal water.
(Contac1 persons: L. ~~elsson, C. Lars~on, T. Lund~lv)
In a project tltlpd "Dlstribution of macra-algae o~
hard ~ubstrat8, Eco10giCbl Effect~ cf a!~a~
~plf~una5 ana te~ts cf hypothese~ re~6rdln;
the-:r v~~l)ca) reductl~n in ~l~tributlon" cor,?ar:~ons ~lt',
early lnvestig~tlons in 1°26-29 by Gl~!~'n In 50~~ Swedls~,
fjords arf n.ade. The prOJe~t al~o ln ... olvp~ e>.per:rr:-r,toi
o:.tudlE"S of tt-e effe t~ of (Clul1r'9 or tf e SeC.-aö l :'§11~!"'!'~
~ubtld~l
epl~tl~t~~ ~nd
~..;.l.!r:J~Q~~
..,nc.l
!!:\=~.!
y
r
rtf·
v,·rt)
-=1
fl"'ctlrtr''l
E)
er Hf::·nt.,;:
C1:c-t, l t ' l t l - · ...
st .... dles.
r1
0«
fci::
,Ti"(rr'-i-l':":!1~
=r~
~r'I"I.
•
- 59 -
Marine eutrphication has been studied in a multi-diciplinary
project in the Kattegatt since 1983 comprising studies cf
nutrient circulation and effects on benthic fauna and fish.
Several universities and i~stitutes take part in the project.
The scienti$ts at KristineberQ have mainly been involved in
assessing the impact cf eutrophication O~ benthic
communities, ~~Q~tQC~ D~~~~gi~~~, fi5h and oxygen deficiency.
5ince 1986 the impact studles have been extended to include
coastal areas in the Skagerrak as weIl.
(Contact personSl R. Rosenberg, L.O. Lae. S.P. Saden, L.
Pihll
Soft-sediment bentho~ was monitored off the Swedish west
coast within the framework of the Swedish Environment~l
Programme (PMKI.
(Contact person: A. Josefson)
~onitoring
Large seale
c~anges in the b~nthos w~re investigated
stations in several Swedish fjords and coastal
areas in the 5kagerra~; previously visited in 1976 and the 20-
by
t~mporal
re~ampling
ies.
(Contact persons: A.B. JosFfson, R. Rosenberg)
Adult-larval interactions: An l~=~j~~ e~perimpntal approach
to test the influence cf adult de~sity on recruitm.nt inte ~
soft-bottom marin~ c~mmunity i~ carried cut.
(Contact persons: W.A. Crcwp, A.8. Josefscn, I. SV6ne)
Aspects cf ascldian larval release. dispersal, behaviour,
larval predation and larval-adult interactions are studied in
quantitatlvely important subtidal ascidian populations in the
Gullmar fjord. The project includes experimental
manipulations of epifaunal communities using underwater
stereophotography and conventional j~=~j~y techniques as weIl
as laboratory studies cf cultured larvae.
(Contact persons: I. Svane, J.N. Havenhand)
Morphogenetic processes. and ecological
i~plications
of
metamorphosis cf a5cidia~ larva are also studied. Thi~
includes characterization cf ~pecific "factors", involved i~
general metamorphosis a~d intracepsular meta~~rpn~sis by a
bas~line study of the major events in compa~i~on wit~ a)
ffietamor~hosis under
the influence of tissue e~tr~ctSt ~) th~
~cological implications of pr~vious]y observeG respo~ses
including 5urvivor~hip cf factor-irduced meta~orphs~ the
effect of "adult-factor", and t~e inp~rtan~e of gEretlc
variations in thE ti~~L'e E~tract rps~onsc (]a~val
di5crimination).
(Contact persons:
J.l~.
Havenhand, A.
J~rgens~n.
I. Svane)
- 60 -
MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION
TJ~RN6
Monthly monitorlng of hydrographie parameters, nutrlents a~d
phytoplankton in the ~osterf jord has b~en carried Out. This
programme has been running since 1981.
(Contact person:
8.
Re)
Behaviour and feeding ecology of protoioans.
(Corltact person: P. Jonson)
Population dynamics studies wlthin groups of meiofauna.
CContact person: P. Nilssan)
ecological end evolutiorlary
11ttorlnid gastropods.
(Contact person: K. Johannesson)
T~~onomiCt
stud)e~
witt,in
Taxonomie studies within Phyllodocidae (Polychaeta).
(Contact person: F. Pleij~l).
DEPARTMENT OF MARINE ECOLOGY, U IVERSITY OF LUND
During 1987 phytoplan~ton monitoring along :~e Swedish
Skagerrak CO~5t continued. Special studJes on dinoflageJlatp
dynamics and response to varying nutr"")E'nt c.ondltions wel E
performed in mesocosm experiments (160 to 2060 I plast ic
bagsl.
During June and September 1987 a number of !~=~!~~
ekperiments were per~ormed in mesocosms in the Gullmar fjord.
The pur pose was to try to answer the followirlg questions:
A) Are the diatoms and the dinoflagellates in the Bohuslän
coastal area limited by the same macronwtilent?
B) Are the diatoms and the dinoflagellates af~ected bv hu~lC
material in tlle same manner?
C> During the autumn the natural chyto~lan~tc~ C~M~~nl\ iES
are often dominated by dinoflag~11ates (e.Q . • n SEptc~:~r
lQS7 dinoflagellötes made up almest 100', of ,;r.e ph)tc~li:Y.; ~~-..",
community). Is the dino'flagellate oomin~nce c.a."l~ed t'y
chemlcal conditions (rr,öcronutrie-nts, tl-6ce lT,,:tc.ls.
öllelopatic substar,cEs) or by other regLllati"""1l; factc.r! • .=-=.
e.g. selective Qrazing?
.
0>
Cun
the
dJnof16ge!]ates n.igl-i<te-
nutrieont rich deepwöter in order
phosphoru~ dur ing aperiod "Jtlen
of inor9~n]c macr(,nutrlents?
In
thi?
ilutunn
pOlsonlng
(rr-ntiic-t
01
uf
1°67,
mussc:l~
r·pr~,:,n"·:
l
)nten~)ve
herl?
al~~
rd'l?l.
t".
dt'w'"
to
tt~E
r·,. .
~-'F-
(".1
lt.:';j r l l T
.-.1'. F.
...
u.}:-~·
r'l~roge;"
!urf.:J:ce I;i.t_r
~tLldIP'::
rurr
~r:t;:
öQu)rE-
•
:0:
and
CE"·.O;:
l1.'-~"d·!.-.,J("'I~·\
•
- 61 -
ASKÖ LABORATDRY. UNIVERSITY DF STOCKHOLM
Since 1984, the Swedish Environmental Monitoring Programme
(PMK) has one station for pelaglc monitoring in the coastal
area off the Askö Laboratory (Station 81). The station is
visited about 25 times per year and the programme includes
chlorophyll 2' phytoplankton identification and counting and
primary production measurements.
(Contact person: U. Larsson)
In the leeal monitoring programme in a gradient fram a
nutrient enriched bay, Hlmmerfjärden, to Station BI,
cl,lorophyll ~, phytoplankton identification and counting and
primary production have been investigated about 25 times per
year since ]976.
<Contact person: U. Larsson)
From both the Himmerfjärd station and Station BI zooplankton
larger than 90 ~m have been identified and caunted since 1976
as paft of the Ioeal monitoring programme. Limited
investigations concerning the vertical distribution of
zooplankton and the abundance of smaller zooplankton 135 to
90 pm, mainly ciliates) are included in the programme.
(C~ntact person:
S. Johansson)
Soft-bot tom macrofauna was monitored off the Swedish eastcoast within the framework of the Swedish Environmental
Monitoring Programme <PMK}. During 1987 the intensive
stations <sampled annually) in the Askö-Landsort area and the
stations north and east of Gothland (sampled every 5 years)
were visited.
(Contact persons: S. Ankar, H. Cederwall)
An evaluation of earlier and recent soft-bottom macrofauna
data has been star ted as part of an evaluation of the state
of the environment along the Swedish coast of the Baltie
proper.
(Contact person: H. Cedprwall)
Within the project "Factcrs strueturing a species-poor
benthic community in the Baltie Sea", exper1ments were
conducted concerning the €ffect with which benthlc amphipods
of the genus eQQtQQQC~i~ utilize the bottom dp.posits and Its
bacterial content. Tne experiment5 w~re conducted 1n
coop~ratJon wlth prof. G.
Lopez, 5tate Un1v. of New Yor~.
(Contact person: R. Elmgren)
WJthln thE proj~ct "E~rly Sig'1S of eutrophication 1n the Gulf
of Bothnld - changes in thE soft-botton fauna Slnce tne IQ20s
end 19S(ls", 13 ~tatlons In lhe Aothnlü" Bö)', eö.-ller s,JfT;Jj(~
1n 1923. werc reVlo::.l ted. 1n all, 61 sto:'lC'n~ ,=ün.~Jt:d In t~,r..
jc;"2(lc-
't,~.
f-Ir-Of'"
lr'
,--,,-0 ?I
': tat 1("1,-,,:
"'<~l""pl'"''''
1",
~""f'"
!~<=:Ir
':-.
- 62 -
evaluation of the results have started.
IContact pprson: H. Cpdprwall)
Within thp local monitoring programmp for thp bay
Himmerfjärden, annual zoobenthos monitoring, which started in
1972. was continued.
(Contact person: U. Larsson)
REPORT OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES ON PLANKTON AND BENTHOS AT TIlE
NORRBY LABORATORY. UNIVERSITY OF UMEA, SW[D(~.
Department of Microbiology
Studies of the microbial food web. Specific projPcts are,
I. Ouantification of flow rates within and betwpen different
trophic levels. The study is focused on development of new
and conventional methods.
2. Identification. characterizatlon and turnover of macromoleculps (e.g. amino acids. proteins and DNA) in seawater.
3. Identification of bacterial groups/species using DNAhybridization tpchniques.
4. Turnover of phosphorus. This study is focused on frpe DNA
as a pool of available pher~~or~r. for heterotrophie and
autotrophic baeteria.
Contaot person: A. Hagströ"l
Department of phys1caJ. geography
Studies on the phosphate turnover in pelagie phytoplankton
and bacteria populations.
Contaet person: M. JanssQn
Department of ecolog1cal zoology
Basic research on macro-benthos mainly concerns population
ecolcgy and quest ions cQ&cerning life-history theory. The
species so far involved are Mesidotea entornon (Isopoda) and
pontoporeia affinis (Amphipoda). The purpose with the lifehistory part is to analyse causes for the variation in age
and size at maturity (between different areas) in these
species.
Interactions between fish and macrofauna are
studied as apart of the above research programme.
Benthic macrofauna are also studied annually within an
environmental monitoring programme (PHK).
Contact person: K. leonardsson
- 63 -
UNITED KINCDOM
England and Wales
(K. Brander!
A.
Ministry of Agriculture Fishe-ries and Food. Lowestoft
1.
•
Herring larvee surveys
The [ngllsh participation in the international herring larvae surveys
south of' 62°N has continued wi th surveys of the southern North Sea and
English Channel in January and of the central North Sea in
September/October.
In the southern North Sea and eastern Channel.
1arvae production continued to increase up to the winter 1986/87, but
early indications from the 1987/88 spawning are that production has
Ieveiled off with a sllght reduction in the eastern Channel. The autumn
1987 surveys in the central North Sea show a slight decrease in larvee
production overall. Whilst production in the Loogstone and North East
Bank areas has increased, production off the Yorkshire coast and at the
Dowslng has declined.
It 18 encouraging to note the continued and
increasing occupation of the old spawning grounds along the western edge
of the Dogger and in the vicinity of the North East Bank, which begain
in 1985.
The eoncurrent eeological studies. reported last year. have contlnued in
both survey areas. These studies have included observations cr growth.
mortal1ty, drift and feeding of herring 1arvae in the central North Sea
in 1987.
A survey of overwlntering herring larvae in the area between 53°15' and
54°1S'N was carried out in January 1988 as part of the ACE project. Very
large numbers of larvae (up to 24 per m') ranging in atze from 10 to
40 mm were caught off the Dutch coast.
The small plankton survey of the herring spawning area south-esst of the
lsle cf Man made 1n September 1986 was repeated at a similar time In
1987.
The resul ts of thls single survey show a drastlc reduction in
larvae production compared wi th 1986.. However no conclusions relating
to the stock in that area should be drawn frorn such a llmited coverage.
•
2.
Nephrops larvae surveys
A total of six larvae surveys of the Nf:Ophrops hatching areas off the
north-east coast of England was conducted between early May and August.
The expected pattern of seasonal production in the area w1 th a peak in
May was not observed.
Larvae production was instead confined to the
period between June and August wl th a peak in mid-July. Total productlon
of stage I larvae was about one third the value observed during the
previous surveys of the area In 1976.
The
posslbill ty of blennlal
spawning by Nephrops in this area may provide the explanation to the
different pattern of larvae production observed in 1987.
The plankton survey data has also been used to Identify the major
spawning ground or- herring , and N~rhrops hatch1ng areas in the North Sea
- 64 and off the Isle cf Man. These data have provided an important input to
impact assessment in relation to requests for al ternative uses cf the
sea bed in these areas.
3.
Irish Sea reerui trnent study
Fieldwork on a joint progral'lme by lMER Plymouth and r.:AFF Lowestoft began in
spring 1987 to investigate the possible causes cf low recrui tment levels for
several f1sh species in the Irish Sea. Studies included size
fractionated
primary production in different light regimes; vertieal structure and feeding
relationships; horizontal variabili ty in hydrographie and plankton regirnes;
condi tion of sprat and eod larvae in relation to available food organisms ;
identifieation of predators on fish larvae. The general hypothesis being
tested 1s that the cause of low recruitment compared with the North Sea lies
in the tirning and nature of the produetion eyele. In 1988 rnore detailed work
1s planned to investigate the food available to cod and sprat larvae and what
factors may be restricting production.
INSTITUTE OF
OCEA~OGRAPHIC
EIOLOGICAL
SCIE:NCES DEACON LABORATORY
OCEA~OGRAPHY
The data frorn the abyssal stat10n 300 miles west of
been sUMlllarised in an lOS Report (No. 248).
~adeira
have
An analysis of profiles
of biornass 1n the Azores Current region in the vie1nity of 30·N 30·W
is in the final stages of preparation for publ1eation.
It will show
that there a!'e rnarked ehanges 1n the vertieal distribution of plankton
end micronekton across an oceanic front, that the micronekton aggregates
with1n the front, and that d1el vert1eal migration is likely to rnake
a s1gnifieant eontribution to the export of earbon from the euphot1c
zone and the redistribution of nitrate scress the nutricllne.
Benthic studies have demonstrated the irnportanee of sedirnent feeding
holothur1ans in the rernoval of phytoplanktonie detritus seasonally depos1 ting
on to the abyssal sea floor.
Certain agglutinating foraminiferans have
been shown to aetively migrate up into newly deposited detritus, whereas
others rernain within the sed1ment.
These very abundant and species-
r1ch (120 spp per 2cm eore) together with nematodes make up 90% of all
meiofauna in abyssal sediments.
1nitiated.
Studies on their nutrition have been
A zoogeographie study of benthopelagie fishes at abyssal
depths revealed a change 1n eOMlllunity eomposition assoe1ated with the
southern lim1t of deep w1nter mix1ng of the surfaee waters.
This implies
that there 1s a much cleser l1nk between surface product1on cycles and
deep abyssal eOllllllunit1es than h1therto reeognised.
•
- 65 -
It is proposed to initiate a programme to examine the effeets that
variations in deep winter mixing have on the eommunities both within
the water eolumn and on the sea floor.
lihlle this
~rogra=e
will provlde
irr.portant information fo'r BOFS (th~ U.K.· s flux programme whieh complements
GOFS and JGOFSI. 1t is concelved as an independent but complementary
programme.
The department is also eontributing directly to the BOFS programme.
particularly in modelling fluxes and in the bullding of sediment traps.
A crulse planned for sun'!1er 1988 will seek to compore profiles of standlngcrop of pelagic organlsms.
~artlcles
as sampled by an In slt.!!. large
volurne pump system and fluxes as measured by sediment traps.
A crulse on RRS Discovery in summer 1987 involved physiological
work on bioluminescence, swirnming dynamics in pelagie spectes, microbial
grazlng experiments.
An insulated closlng cod-end devlee
~rovided s~eclmens
in excellent condltion on a routine basis.
A desk top study into the posslble environmental impact of disposing
large-bulk low-toxicity wastes (e.g. sewage sludge and dredge spoil I
suggested that discharge at depths of 4000m dlrectly into the benthlc
boundary layer would have minimal envlronmental impact.
As an alternative
option to shallow sea dumping both dlrectly and via outfalls it merits
serious if careful consideration particularly for heavily util1sed shallow
sea areas such as the North Sea.
Institute for M~1rinc Environm('ntal Research (Plymouth Harine Laboratori,"s)
Following the withdrawal of the major oceanic rautes during 1986 the survey
routes were concentrated in the north-eastern European shelf aod adjoining
oceanic waters (Fig. 1). The survey was maintained on the same basis of
sampling at monthly intervals as in previous years; adding to the time
series of data of 40 years. During 1987 Recorders were towed over 47,000
miles by ships of seven nations (Denmark, France, Ieeland, Cermany, Norway,
Republie of Ireland and the United Kingdom) • The future scientieie basis
and emphasis of the survey was expanded significantly this year with the
development and deployment of a fully instrumented towed vehicle based on
- 66 _
asolid state data logger. As part of an Admiralty Research Establishment
(MOn) contract the sensor package was developed and deployed in the suumer
manths on the 'X' route, fram Northern Ireland to Ocean Weather Station
'Lll1A· .. The CPR on this route was equipped with sensors to measure
temperature, fluoreseenee, depth and 4 light ehannels (2 upwelling and 2
downwelling). Data
Wltl-(.
collected every 30 seconds alang the -350 mile tow
and stored on the 128K solid state data logger. Instrumented CPRs are
currently beiog deployed on the A, LR and t1 routes as part of the
Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland Autumn Circulation
Experiment (ACE) .. The data collected on the 'M' route (Aberdeen to
Stavanger is shown in Fig. 2.
The tlain feature of-the results from the CPR in reeent years (from 1980)
has been the continued increase in abundance of both phytoplankton and
zooplankton (Fig. 3).
A full annual report will be supplied on application to the Director,
Institute for Marine Environmental Research, Prospect Place, The Hoe,
Plymouth PLI 3DH, England •
- 67 -
20 W
10 W
o
10 E
60 N
60
50 N
50
CPR SURVEY
1987 ROUTES
- 68 -
C.P.R. SURVEV
DECEMBER 1987 M TOW
OEPTH
.~
.L.-----:=:--500
TIME llio4IN$1
Fluo~eSCENCE
OOWNWELLING
8LUe
.., ''''''T
~
I[
1
OOWNWELLING
LIGHT
GREEN
·1
11
]
r
• I
;"tl
I
uPWElL1NG
.'
''''''T
8LUE
!tJ~
,
!
I"
:-0-- .--
Li
I
~ .j
z
iü
I
l.!PWELLING
LIGHT
GREEN
.t-',,,,~.~
\
1,
'---
I'"0J' 3.
PhyGoplon~to~.
first Component
or
Area Components
camp
•
!
Zooplonk~on.
Areos.
Specles.
Yeors - Components
camp
- 70 SCUOOL OF OCEAN SClENCES
This
first
year
or
the
Sehool
or
Oeean
Seieneee
h..
been one
or great
excitement and hard work lor the marine selenee c:ommunity 8t Henel Bridge.
Ye have now campleted the ataff expansion of Oceanography under the recent
VGG initiative and have made good progrees in bringing the two marine-baud
departmentB together Into an effective whole.
Thi. haa involved mueh actlve
dilcussion Bnd pl.nning of Gur future act!vltiea in te.ching end research
. particularly in the interdi.cipltnary are.e where we are now 80 weil placed
to make
innovative contrlbutiona in research.
There heve a180 been
eonsiderable ehangee in the management arrangements ror the laboratory . .
the College'. nev coat cent re procedurea have come Into operation end we
hav. endeavoured to computeri •• our accounting procedur•••
The expanaion in the number of ataff end Itudenta 1. putting increaalng
pres.ure on our accommodatlon butt happily, 80IDe of thl. viii be relieved
somewhat in the autumn when the UCC-funded expansion of tbe Cr.lg Mair bullding
11 completed. A UCC vlaiting group in February examined aur needa for major
capital eQuipment, especially in the expansion of aur MArine Chemiltry
facil!tie •• Cood progress ba. already been made In setting up lome of tbe
new analytical .ystems that we need butt •• thla va. an are. vhere ve atarted
from e modest equipment base, tbere ia .til1 e lang vay ta &0 end ve .vait
the UCC deci.ion on our bid with some aaxiety though we were eneouraged by
their positive eommentl on the development of the sehool and their
encouragement to UI to proceed further in the Itrengthening of the Schaol
to an academic atarr or at leaat 30.
With so much internal change and development It i. gratifying to see that
our reaeareh aetivitiea have been auatained and aigniCleantly expanded In
lome areal. Dr Barton's work on upwell1ng .Yltem8 ha. been further recognlsed
by NERG with an award or [73,006 to atudy the Tehuantepee upwelling ayste..
on the Paeifle coa.t of Mexlco.
Thia award follow. an earl1er one whlch
involved a seatime programme in October 1986 to .tudy upwell1ng of the Iberian
peninsula.
Other new research grant8 obtalned during the "ear lnelude an
SERC award or U5,700 to Dr Ceorge Floodgate for work on baeteria-generated
g.. bubblee in marine sedimenta in eonjunetion w1th O"rord Univeralty
Department or Civil Engineering, a Royal Soe1ety grant or [6,070 to Dr Jamea
Scourse for a study of Quaternary climate cyeles at the north-ealt Atlantlc
margin and a NERG Reeeareh Grant or [22,784 to Dr Andy Yule ror work on
inter-apecHic aeleetivity and inter-larval relationahip or barnacle cyprlds
during aettlement.
OUr Applied Oeeanography wing UCES contlnue to prolper wlth an .nnual tocome
of ~t170K based on a wide-range of industrial contraet..
It haB been
partieularly pleaaing to aee thia aetiv1ty eontinulng to grow even through
aperiod or sharply redueed oil prieea. Withln the hydroearbon explOitation
area
a
joint Anglo-lriah
research
projeet
ia
underway
to
develop
instrumentation to measure the engineering propertiea of marlne aediments.
The work is supported by the EEG, the Br1tiah side being led by Dr Angela
Davis.
Again, within the offahore hydrocarbon. ..ctor, • coll.borative
relearch programme with the Univer8ity of Chent ha. been eatabliahed to be
directed by Dr Davis with EEC funding.
Dr Davia took part earller in the
year in an Oxford Universlty ahort course for indultry on new methode of
civil engineering site Investigatlon wlth particular reference to off.hore
areas.
•
- 71 Jt has bceon something cf arecord year lor seagoinR with foul' major crul.~.
on NERC vesscls in addition :I rull rrogrammc y('ar on the MadoR_ A partieular
highspot has been the interdisciplinary progra"lJllC undertaken by members cf
the school to study island mixing processes in the Indian Ocean from the
RRS Charles Darwin.
Two cruiscH each of one month'a duration have been
dedicated to this prograrTUTlc "'hieh extends previous studies. of analogou8
processes in shelf seas by Professor Simpson and Or Tett. The ship survey
was concentrated on the regions around the Is1ands of Aldabra and Cosmoledo8
which
lie
in
the
path of
the
southern equatorial current.
Stirrln-g by
the
islands perturbs the flew and the alm of the atudy 18 to determine the nature
of thls perturbation and the attendant mi.lng whlch Is hypotheslsed to bring
about increased production in the surface layers.
As both truises started from l>lauritius. membera of the School were able to
visit the University there and discuss development8 in Harine Stienee wlth
Professor I Fagoonee.
The possibllitles of a link between the College and
the university of Mauritiua were explored in detail during a vi.it by Profesaor
Taylor Smith to the Island under the ausplees of the Brltlsh Coune11. Whlle
there. he was also able to provide adviee to the Kauritian Covernment on
geotechnical problems in examining • number of aitee where surface degradation
had occur1'ed.
Other members of the department have also travelled extensively to propagate
the research work of the department and establish nev links in teaching and
1'esearch. Dr Alan Davies and Profea.or Simpson vtalted the Shandong College
of Oceanography at Qingdao, China. in November for a eonferenee on ahallow
sea Oceanography and to diseuss mutual interests in the Yellow Sea with Chineae
oceanographers.
tater in the year Dr Alan Eillott was the gueet of the
Shanghai Meteorologieal Centre "here he gave a number of lecturea on wave
predletlon.
Dr David Jones described his work on the feeding of prawns to the Firlt Inter
Ameriean Congress on Aquaculture at Salvador Brazil and at the National
Universlty of Taiwan in September. He also presented a paper at the World
Aquaculture Soclety meeting in Ecuador in January and toured local hatcherles
to give advice on the us. of art1fleial feeds. In August 1986 he partlclpated
in research diseussions at the lnstituto de eieneta. Marina. de Andalucia.
Puerto Real. Cadiz. Spatn.
His eollaboration vith Unilever Research and
Frlppak Feeds continues to provlde a valuable stimulus and supprt to the
work of the laboratory.
HI' Ivor Rees presented two papers on reeent work 1n the Irieh Sea at
EEC CaST 647 Workshop at Corruna Spaln in Oetober and also partlelpated
an EEC sponsored exereise to test an In-situ sediment profile at Calway
Hay.
MI' Rees. of course. continues his well-sponsored Inveltigationl
the environmental impact of eommerelal activities In the Irish Sea.
the
in
in
of
Dr Alan Davies has again visited the Department de Phy.ique deI Systemes
Desordonnes. University of Provence thls summer for one month to conttnue
theoretieal work and laborstory experiments on the propagation of surface
waves over uneven topography.
Dr Ceorge Floodgate presented a paper on marine frontal systems
International Symposium on Hicrobial Eeolagy in Yugoslavla.
to the 4th
The British Couneil sponsored a viait by Professor SimpBon to southern India
for a lecture tour and to report on the potential for links between Bangor
and several marine-orientated institutes in the state of Kerata.
- 72 As the above snmple ol visits m3kt's pl.:Jin wco :Ire bC'C'ominr. incre8singly tnvolvt"d
in intern.1.tional c:ollaborations.
This has obvious f('SCc1fCh bl"nefit8 r"r
the laboratory. but perhaps of equal Importance in the pre6ent finaneial
climate
is
the
stimulus
to
OyerSC3S
studt"nt
recrultment
whieh
these
visita
represent. Therc has already been a significant upturn in our overseas student
numbers especially at the post·graduate level and we are hopeful that this
trend will continue.
Dur expertise in shellfish culture 18 becorning of inereasing importance in
relation to the mariculture industry.
Andy Beaumont organised the Sixth
International Scallop Workshop whieh was held here in April and presented
two papers on seallop genettes.
He also presented papers on this theme to
the Nioth Halaeologieal Congress in Edinburgh in September
Eighteenth Annual Shellfish Conferenee in London in May.
and
to
the
Mem'>ers of the Sehool have been active in promoting the welfare of the martne
stienee eommunity within the UR.
Professor Wl1liams haa been eleeted to
the Council of Harine Biologieal Assoeiation and Hr Edward Bill to the
Conrmittee of the Challenger Society.
Professor Simpson has been appolnted
Chairman of the Scientific Steering Commlttee Cor the NERC North Sea Community
Programme. a major neW Research Council initiative in Interdi8clpllnary
research.
A large group
86 conference
This biennial
84 at Bangor
Dr Alan Davies
of stalf and students from the Scheol attended the Oceanography
at Southampton and contributed a number of talks and poatera.
eonferenee series whieh star ted wirh Physieal Oeeanography
Is becoming a foeal point for the UR Oceanographic cammunity.
was a member of the organising cOD1Dl.ittee.
The Sehool has, again, enjoyed the beneHt of the visir of an lOS adentist
for a week of seminars and discussions. Th!. yeBr'l viiitor from. the Proudman
Oce.nographic Laboratory (formerly lOS Bidston) was Dr Peter Thorne who
discussed recent developments of acoustic techniques for the mea.urement
of sediment transport.
We also had many other visitor. including the Rt
Hon Wyn Roberts, the Rt Hon Neil Kinnock, Dr Charle. Yent8ch of the Bigelow
l.aborat"ry, Haine, USA, Dr Patriek Bolligan of HBA Plymouth, Profeaoor Rubio
Rayo, Reetor of the University of the Canaries, Profeoaor Ron Edwarda WlST,
Dr Julian Priddle, Brirish Antaretie Survey, Cambridge, Dr J Lyk.kia of the
University of Patras and Dr Zlake koveric of the Centre for Marine Research.
Zagreb. Yugoslavia, Hr William Wilkinson, Chairman of the Nature Conlervancy
Council. Professor J-P Henriet of the Univeralty of Chent. and Profe •• or
N H Csdsama from Nigeria.
•
- 73 -
UNITED KINGDOM
Scotland
( J. Gamble)
I.
~1srh<,
Lab"ratöry
Fi.. ld Inv<'stiaallcln! on Herring Larvae
Analysis of data on th" verlical distribution er h"rring lat\'ae in the "ieinit)' of a
Lagranglan marker d~rloyee. off th~ r.orth of Seotland in Septembef 1986, was
conlinued in 1987. Tb.. results indicated strong correlatior.s between !l.e average
depth of IIIrvae and the ,'erticel aggre.ation ef the p,'puhtio!l, and the ,Ur face light
lnlensit)' and wind stre.s. Tbe lanae were more aggre"ated and closer tq the sUrface
dsylight than at night. Strong winds ("sused the larvae to be mqre dispereed
d~ring
through the water column.
Open sea investlgations In 1987 wer" eoncentrated on the Autualn. Circulation
Experiment (ACE), TMs is a combined hydrographie and biological study of the North
Sea during the overwintering perlod of h"rrlng larNe.
The bloloaical program was
conceived by sclentlsh from Aberdeen and Ch..rloltenbnd (Denmark) and formed an
IREP type study of the overwinter drift and sunlnl of herrlng I.,vae.
Tbe
bacl<ground to the program has been descrlb..d in th" Report of the Workioa Group on
Larval Fbh Ecology (CM 1987/L:Z8). Tho objeetives werC: 1) to aeeQllIlt for the
observed advection of larvae wlthin the North Sea in terms or phyoical
for~fIfl
raeton,
and Z) to aceount for regional diHerenees in gro"th rate. on terms of the quality and
al)Und,nee ot tood orgaoisms. Th.. '''Slltt. of t!>e ACE prograrn wiII be e"fmined "t a
worluhop to be held in Abe.deen in M,,}' 1988.
Predatlon ..nd Nutrition,,1 Experiments On Herring Luvae
Ty,'o serles of experim"nts were earrie<! out using 0 and t-group Cioh aa predators on
herrinli I""'"e b 15 m 3 blaek-walled enelo.ures. FirstI}' an Inv.stlgatioo wJU made or
th·. eHech of Increaoing larval slze on vUIMrabilitr to ?r<.>dation by nlne month olJ
juv..n!l" herrin.;. Parallel laborato')'
e~periln..nts
....."r" carrie<! out (at SMEA, Oban) 10
lest h.rval response to attaek by this prcdator. S..ccn1ly eo:nparisons were then made
b.tween the predatory potentlal or O-group .prat, two species of sandeel 311:1 year old
h"r";ng. Sprat, althou;!h Ih... smal!est slze predator, was the most .tfeetlve.
Pr'!'limlnarr rearlng e~l'erimenU wer", earri{:d O'-lt us:ng microencapsul(ted diets.
Lar,·,. irew veri" slowlr on Ihis artiCicial cUet but survive·1 rar better
individual.. Th.. leehni1u" is being invesligated further.
th~
stuved
- 74 Bent hic Research
Res~a.!ch
in
th~
past
Y~i\r lt.l~ (ocus~d pr~mi'..ril}'
~ir.g
habit at on the west CQ3St o( Sc"tl"nc!.
pr0li:ram
(\J~d
{'In
t~e
eco1ogy
(.r
a shal1·)w sublittoral
a ccmY:lC\tion ('I! a ~);-monthly 5ampling
mal'Jfpulath'e Cield e~perlm(!nts the roJ~ of predation as a Gtruclurlng
force in the benthic comlOunity is being investigated.
In addition, an extensive
description 01 the benlhic communities 01 the northern f':orth Sea h.u b..en btoughl
alnlosl to completlonj pulic::ation oe the remaillir.b
pat~s
of
th~b~
dati\ 15 antidp.lted in
the near future.
SCOTTISH MARINE 8IOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DUHSTArFNAGE, OBAN
Researc.J) at SJo;SA is current.ly beln; n)structl!r~ in terms of se:ven :r.ain
of {-·..blel, t/Je follo ....· 1tH} arci ot J.'a=t.icL.J1~r 11Jterasc t:::> the lC;;S
proj~C't5
Diol?gical
CO~lstal
OJ;:edll;.J~l-ap."y
Comrnir.cae :
Ocetanoqraphv and 8101ogical P=oducc.io:j
TI.e m,dn al." !s to quantify tlle pllysical and b!ologie,l prOCe5geS
controlling LC(iHl~fe.r oi prlmary productlon CO consume:s in pelag1c
bentlli:; ecu.systems 11' ScottisJl coas::al ~nd sllelf Sttl1.i.
2.
~nd
Organic degradation in sediments: procosses am1 conSlI?guence.
The mai:l alm 15 CO quantlE'y lind st.ud~ pro=esees Ctmt:-ol;'ing th&-dtJgI4rJa.:.f.on
o[ ()!.·(j~f1Jit: mattpr 1r. marine seaiments ~,nd tlle conseqliellces of taosB
t/Je sedinent81.'!J envil'onrnent, (luxes to an" frore t:b,e oV/Jcll;ing
Wdte..:· ewd fvr tho distribution, productio!1 and survival ol b&ntWc flluna.
pl.ut.:ess~s rOl.'
~.S$ocl(tted
lnvtJ$liyet.tlons
iu c·:)ast41
~·aters.
3.
EcophU5icloqy and
concern
beh6viou~
CllO
envlz'oruile.'1tal eltects oE ,,"u4culcure
of fish
The i.lain alms are l i
tO detcr:r.ine tJle behaviour..l 1 r.JechanJ.sms regulatilJ~
l'r8t.ftttion on and by flsh c!ud Lheil: larv"e;
2) to detormine hOtll the
l;"havlour allel d!stribu:loll ot ti.~1: ~nd tl.e!r larva& ~re reguIated by
r:lHlir 1~If:H:llanOreCQpt.tve,buovancl) and osrnotic control r.lechanisms.
ThG OChel" projeccs ara entit~Cfd
ecoloqt.; of
ln~hore benti~.1.~
CO:71.7lunities
4.
FUl1';"!;,!Ol1dl
5.
!'lie ~e:)::.!:1c and ber.t!~L"!>elagic C"I':vi':-O:jt':it:'llt (ol eh'J' Rockall Troug~
,,-:et1).
.s~ructu;e tI!d
c.!yn!!r.:.t.c.c: ot p~>pu;.2t.tons.
r:1J~
:\."r-~~. ("('llurm. SC=-ti.:-t"ure and
Ro;,;:xrtll Trough ~.,rIl:Hi).
7.
~utritional rhysiol~gu c~ fls~,
Co.
c!yn~:-ics
C'T J:l,:J~a 'md
h .....
CQ.C ma!ißDs (of
•
- 75 -
•
U.S.A.
(M. SISSENW1NE AND M. REEVE)
Fishrrirs Ecos)'strm In\"(~stigations (l\1, Sissrnwinr)
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Northeast Fisheries Center (NEFq, Sandy
I look Laboratory, Sandy I look, N.J.:
The Jchthyoplankton Assessment Investigation at Sandy Hook completed the 11th eonsecutivc year of lehthyoplankton surveys to investigate factors controlling variability in fish
stocks in thc 260,000 km 2 Northeast Continental Shelf Eeosystem between Capc llatteras,
North Carolina, and Cape Sable, Nova Seotia. In addition to their eontribution to fishery
eeosystems research, thc surveys provide data for fishery independent estimates of adult
spawning biomass of eeonomicalfy and eeologically important finfishes. In 1987 twelve surveys werc eompleted. A total of 3000 ichthyoplankton/zooplankton sampIes were collected, along with observations on temperature, salinity and chlorophyll a.
Sampies taken during Srring and early summer on thc ichthyoplankton surveys werc used
to derivc an estimatc 0 thc adult spawning biomass of Atlantle mackere!. This multinational effort was sueeessfully earried out in eooperation with Canada and roland, whieh
provided ships and seientifie personnel to eonduet survey o/?erations. Rapid turnaround in
sorting was provided by thc rolish Sorting Center in Szezeem. Feeundity studics and
matunty-at-Icngth estimates werc eompIeted by NEFC personncl from mackerel taken in
both U.S. and Canadian waters. Results indicate that the spawning biomass of Atlantie
maekercl remains near 1985 levels as determined by VPA. Thc egg-based assessment established thc biomass at 1,102,600 metric tons (mt), with thc bulk of thc population spawning in Canadian waters. Spawners in United States waters aecounted for 123,000 mt; thosc
in Canadian waters 979,600 mt.
NMFS, NEFC Laboratory, Narragansett, RI:
Analyses of direet observational studies using a submersible on the eeology of juvenile eod
and haddoek werc eompleted. Thc studics werc eondueted on Georges Bank Jointly with
thc RV Delaware Il, the Canadian research vesscl RV Alfred Needler, and thc Delta Submersible and support vesscl 1. IV. Powell. J uvenilc eod were very abundant whilc haddock,
although present, werc in relatively low numbers. Observed fecding and diurnal behavior
was similar for both speeics. Their prineipal prey werc swarms of euphausiids and hyperiid
amphipods. Signifieant numbers of predators werc in thc vieinity; sca ravens and sculpins
werc fecding heavily on thc juvenilc gadoids. The operation provided important new information on the vertieal dimibution of eod and haddoek juveniles and their vulnerahility
to several different sampling gear and their predator-prey mteraetions.
A final repolt to the EPA was eomplcted on flounder research. Over 550 juvenile winter
flounder were eolleeted at seleeted sites throughout Narragansett Bay. Thc ohjeetives of
the study were: (1) to determinc if there werc any differenees in growth and eondition of
young-of-year (YOY) winter flounder from different areas of Narragansett Bay, and (2) to
determine if any ohserved differenees werc eonsistent with thc involvement of pollutants.
ReMJlts showed differenees in sizc, relativc liver weight, disease ineidenee, and bioehemkal
eomposition among YOY winter flounder eolleeted at different loeations in Narr<lgansett
Bay. \Vith the exeeplion of diseasc incidenee, these differenees in eonditioll did not eorrespond to any known environmental gradient in the ßay, either natural or anthropogenie.
- 76 The data suggest that growth and eondition of YOY winter f10under in Narragansett n..y
are primarily responsive to loeal environmental eonditions that while somewhat persi,tcnt
over time do not eorrespond to any l3ay-wide gradient. A study ofviabilily ofwinter
f10under for the first month after hatehing showed high mortahty rates for 1110st loeat ion
studies. Female winter f10under were eolleeted at three sites in Leng Island Sound and
one in lower Narragansett l3ay. Larvae were weighed and ana!yzed for protein, lipid.
RNA, and DNA eontent withm three days after hatehing. Correlations were observed between larval survival and weight, protein, RNA, and lipid content. Narragansctt Bay
females produeed the smallest larvae with the lowest survival rates. Analysis of stornach
contents ofwinter f10under was continued.
Narra~ansett Laboratory
and Woods Ilo!e Laboratory staff of the Reerllitment Dynamics
Investlgation eompleted a MOCNESS survey of Georges Bank in June wh ich found eod
and haddock larvae and pelagie juveniles to be very abundant and widespread compared
to previous years. The wide range in lengths for both species from recently-hatched to
post-metamorphie juveniles, was indicative of an unusually protraeled spawning season.
Also, jelly fish were unusually abundant aeross the northem half ofthe Bank, whereas
salps were extremely dense along the southern flank in deeper waters. In July, 1987 a
three-vessel experiment was eonducted on northeastern Georges l3ank for a comparison of
Delta submersible juvenile gadid transect observations with catches in a research bottom
trawl by the RN Delaware 1/ and in a large pelagie trawl (IYGPl) by the Canadian vessel
Alfred Necd/er. Juvenile eod. 3-7 cm were abundantly eollected and observed, whereas
juvenile haddock, 5-9 em were at least an order of magnitude lower in numbers and only
oecasionally observed from the submersible. 130th eod and haddock arrear to have
similar behavior near bottom. They were observed by day on the bOllom, or wilhin a meter
of the bOllom, stemming into the strong tidal eurrent; at slack tides under low eurrent
speed their swimming dlfection was more random. At night, juveniles were observed on
the bollom as by day; however, numerous individuals were observed 2-3 m off the bollom,
drifting and sWlmming back to the bollom in the submersibJe's lights. The abundanee of
juvenile gadids on transects was patehy and at times strongly c1ustered (l-JO per m 2 ) indicative of schooling behavior. Daytime bottom trawl catehes eonsistenlly underestimated their abundanee by several orders of magnitude eompared to standardized submersible transeet counts. Gut examination revealedjuvenile cod and haddoek to be fecding
predominantly on hyperiid amphipods. Stornach analysis of the larger predators in bollom
trawls provided evidence that sea ravens and seulpins were important predators on the
juveniles.
In the laooratory, prey seleetion of eod and haddoek larvae and juveniles eontinued to oe
studied from the 1981 to present field data base. Reports were eompleted on eomrarative
vertical distribution of eod and haddoek and growth in terms oflength based on da.ly
otolith inerements through their first six months of life.
NMFS, NEFC Laboratory, Woods lIole, MA:
Food weo studies eontinlled at the NEFC Woods Ilolc Laboratory with special foeus on
Georges Bank. Stomaehs from more than 17,000 fish (mostly piselvorous specics) were examined at sea ami several thousand O-group gadids were preserved on 16 eruises In 1987.
Preliminary aprraiSaJ of stomaeh data on maekerel from spring erui'Cs showed Jower ineidenee of san( tanee larvae wh ich is eonsistent with other survey evidenee of lower sand
lanee ahundanee. Intensive sampling ofpotential O-group gadid rredators (4800 stolllaehs)
at an experimental site on Georges Bank in July showed sea raven amI Jongtrorn seuJpin to
oe the key rredators on O-group eod. A paper was published on the diet and diwibutioJl of
juveniles 0 17 speeics including eod and haddoek.
Work eontinlled on development of reeruitment and mllltispeeics predalor-prey models.
Modifieations were beglln on the haddock reenritment model to ineorporale patchincss of
- 77 -
•
larvae and their prey, as weil as improved adveetive loss mechanisms. A paper on stocha'!ie re,erllitment model~ was eomplcted a,nd variance estimators were devclop,e~1 for spawl1lOg biomass per reermt data and other flshery parameters. A paper SllnllnaflZII1"
knowlcdge gained to date on Georges Bank recrllitment stlldies was presented <11 the
NATO Symposium on Biological-Physieal Interactions in the World Oeeans.
NMFS, SEFC Laboratory. Beaufort, NC:
In 1987, early life history research at the Beaufort Laboratory (North Carolina) ofthe
Southeast Fisheries Center, NMFS, continued to coneentrate on factors that affect the distribution. growth, and survival ofselected commercial and rccreational specics. WOlk in
estuarine waters of North CaroHna examined early life history parameters (srawning
season; estuarine immigration reriod; age. size and eondition; relative contflblltion of
spawned eohorts to numbers 0 immigrants; and age distribution within the estuary) of
Brel'Oortia tyrannus, an estuarine-dependent specics. Corresponding research in the western North Atlantie examined meteorological and hydrodynamie mechanisms that affect
cross shclf transport of B. tyrannus and other estuarine-dependent specics, to the estuary.
In the northern Gulf of Mexieo, research focused on the spatial distribution, feeding. eondition, and growth of larval fishes in relation to the Mississippi River pI urne front. Work
eoneentrated on Brel'oortia patronus, Leiastamus xanthurus, and Micropogonias undulatus
larvae in the winter, and Scomberomorus cal'alla and S. macularus larvae in the spring, summer, and fall (in eooperation with the Panama City Laboratory, SEFC, NMFS (F1orida).
The life history strategies of two congenerie allopatrie c1l1peids (menhaden) are being
studicd in an attempt to explain how all life stages of these specics have adapted to their
partieular environments on the Atlantie and Gulf coasts of the United States, and how they
have adapted for persistenee and rcproduetion.
NMFS, SEFC Miami Laboratory. Miami, F1..:
Largc-seale eeosystem survey work of the Gulf of Mexieo continues for its seventh consecutive year of interstate, as weil as international. cooperation. The pro!;ram titled Southeast
Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (SEAMAP) is a cooperatlve cffort of the SEFC
National Marine Fisheries Service and Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, F1orida.
and the government of Mexico, to survey the waters of the Gulf of Mexico for environmental data, plankton, shrimp. and bottom flsh. The program commenced in 1982, and reports
on ichthyoplankton and environmental data for 1982, 1983. and 1984 are availahlc. In addition, real-time reports on shrimp abundanees off Texas and Louisiana are made available
to fishermen and management agencies during June and July. Spring ichthyoplankton surveys have yiclded impressive results for indexing the spawning stock size of bluefin tuna.
Because of recent decIines in king mackercl, ichthyoplankton surveys are being redirected
to determine areas of spawning concentrations for this spccics. Thcse crlliscs are condllctcd in Scptember and October to coincide with peak spawning times of mackcrcls and
red drum, Sciaenops ocellara, another critically important food fish.
Rcsearch on reeruitment aspects of tropical species has been aetivcly pursued. Besides
analyzing results of the SEAMAP material, Dr. \ViIliam J. Richards ehaired a symposium
on the sut>jeet at Guam for the \Vestern Society of Naturalists meeting on 26 June 1986.
Sevcral important papers were given, including Dr. Richards' eontribution written w ith his
student K. C. Lindernan, enlitled "Reerllitment proeesscs of recf fi~hes: Planktonie
proees~es, scttlement and demersal eeoJogies, and fishery analysis." Thc eontrihutions of
this symposium appeared in the Bulletin ofMarine Science 42(2) September 1987. Additional papers on this subject ",hieh appeared with this article includcd two papers by P. J.
Doherly--"Thc rcplcnishmenl of populalions cf eoral reef fi,hes, recruitmenl M'TVeys, and
the prohlems ofvariahil,ity manifest on multiple seales" and "Light-traps: Seleetive hut use·
- 78 -
ful devices for quantifying the distributions and abundanee of lalval fishes"; a paper entillcd "Inshore Ichlhyoplankton: A dislinctive asscmblage?" by C. L. Smith, J. C. l)lcr, and
L. Still man; and D. Y. Shapiro's raper "Inferring larval reeruitment strategies fwm the distributional eeology of settled indlviduals of a coral reeffish."
Rcsearch conducted under a Cooperative Agreement with the Universily of Miami's
Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies (CIMAS) includcd work by
Dr. Michael F. MeGowan with Dr. William Richards of the sErc, the lime serics of cs·
timates of bluefin tuna spavming stock biomass was extended through 1987 with SEAMAP
ichthyoplankton data by applying the estimation proeedures developed two years ago.
Gulf of Mexico spawners (10 years and older) remain at low abundanee levels relative to
1978. This larvae-based estimate is one of the principal fishery-independent indices used
for calibrating virlual population analysis (VPA) estimates of total stock size.
During the 1987 survey in the Gulf of Mexico eight transeets were made aeross the boundary of the Loop Current, the predominant oeeanographie feature of the Gulf. The transeets included oblique bongo tows, CfD easts, and XIlT's. The boundary was loeale<! by
daily satellite photos and radioed to the ship by oceanograrher Thomas Lemming of the
SEFC's Mississippi Laboratories at NSTL. Ihe transeets pclded 88 samplcs whieh are
being analyzed for ichthyoplankton by Richards while Lemming analyzes the
oeeanographie data. The resuIts will doeument the distribution and abundanee of ichthyoplankton around a strong frontal feature. In addition, McGowan will analyze the
larvae of spiny lobsters from the samrIes. This is part of a major projeet bcing initiated by
CI MAS and the SEFC to study reermtment problems of the spiny lobster (Panulirus argus)
in South F10rida and the Caribbean.
Richards, with James Bohnsaek, also of the SEFC, participated in the AAAS seminar on
Frontiers of Large Marine Eeosystems and presented an overview paper entitled "The
Caribbean Sea-a large marine ecosystem in crisis" whieh pointed out some of the reeent
problems in this sea and the lack of large-seale research.
A major research effort led by Bohnsack on recf eeosystems is conduetin9. experimenls on
a large artificial reefwhich was established near Miami in August 1987. Lommunily
dynamics ofthe fish populations are being studied, plus work on larval settlement by
MeGowan and Riehards. Fifty experimental recf habitats made ur of 3-ton eonerete
modules (45 ft cubes with 6 inch walls) were plaeed in several configurations in a 500 by
100 yard site. This is a two-year projeet in eooperation with the Unlversity of Miami an<!
Florida Sea Grant.
e
- 79 -
•
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION - USA
PLANS FOR FUTURE PROGRAMS RELATED TO BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
Michael R.
Reeve
This report focusses on primarilY U.S. planning activities in
biological oceanography and related fields.
The National Science
Foundation.
throu~h
1ts Division
o~
Ocesn Sciences.
primar~
18 a
source of funds for U.S. academic researchers in the ocean
selenees.
The past few years have seen an upsur~e 1n plannln~
actlvlties whlch are focussln~ on ~lobal scale environmentsl
phenomena.
The impetus for this has undoubtedly been the
significant new insights afforded by the satellite sensors.
In
blo1o~lcal oceano~raphY. these have partlcularl~ been the acesn
color and inrra red sensors, which. over wlde time and space
scsIes. have combined to provide a new integration of biology and
physlcs or the oceans.
There are seversl pr02rams. in various
sta~es of plannln~ or Implementatlon.
which are elther anala~ous.
or directly related to international efforts.
A short summary of
these is provided below.
Not discussed are the international
World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and Tropical
Ocean/Global Atmosphere (TOGA) programs, because they are
primarilY physical in nature.
Information regarding any of these
can be obtalned by contactlnK met
GLOBAL OCEAN ECOSYSTEMS DYNAMICS
Major changes in the species composition of mar1ne ecosystems
have been repeatedlV documented over the past
The
centur~.
populations involved freQuently contribute significantly to human
food supply, so their variability has enormous societal impact.
Slnce most marine anlmals share the
8trate~y
of
producin~
hundreds to millions of offsprin~. recent research has focussed
on early life history stages, and the variability of their
recru1tment ~o adult stocks. controlled by b10logical, phys1cal
and chemical dynamics of the oceans.
The
~oal
Ecosystems Dynamics (GLOBEC) is to understand
of Global Ocean
~he
coupling
between ocesn ph~sics and and the d~namics of marine animal
populations so as to predict the natural varieb1lit~ in time end
space of the species and communltles const1tutin~ the marine
ecos~stem.
perspective.
local or
Atta1n1ng ~his objective w1ll reQuire a ~lobal
Biological express ions of physical forcing may be
re~1onal
in scope.
are dynam1cally linked to
A varlety of workshops
but the relevant
~lobal
throu~h
ph~s1cal
processes
weather and climate.
the
ei~htles
focussed on
recruitment process as the key to understanding population
variability on the marine environment (e.g. Fish Ecology 1,11 and
111).
The Ocean Studles Board of the National Academy of
Sciences called a workshop to study its implications (report
pub11shed 1987). Concurren~ly. NOAA. throu~h 1ts NMFS, Sea Grant
and OAR components, beg an focussing researCh on recruitment of
commercial spec1es as a way of predlcting adult population
stocks,
and international
or~anizations.
such as IOe.
FAO and
- 80 -
leES
be~an
to coordlnate
p~annln~
(International Recruitment
a
cf major
pro~rams
such as IREP
Pro~ram).
NSF. in cooperation with NOAA. NASA and ONR is supportin~ a major
US communit~ workshop (M~ 1988) to outline the mechanism for the
establishment of a scientif1c plan for GLOBEC.
The Geosciences
Direetorate of NSF end NOAA's Ocesn end Atmospher1c Research
Office and National Marine Fisheries Service have signed a
statement-of-intent to cooperate in in this area. which is
scheduled to become a major focus of research tor the n!ntiesA
THE GLOBAL OCEAN FLUX STUDY
The overall goal of the Global Ocean Flux Stud~ (GOFS) is to
identif~ and quantif~ the ph~s1cal. chemical.
and biological
processes
controllln~ blo~eochemlcal cyclln~·ln
their interaction with the ~lobal atmosphere.
these processea weIl enou~h to predict thelr
responses to. global scale perturbations.
The National Research Counc1l called a
on
lon~-term
the ocean,
end
and to understand
on, end
1n~luences
meetin~
in
Februar~.
chemical/blo1oKical dynamlcs of the acesn,
198~
whlch
resulted in a proposal for aGlobaI Ocean Flux Stud~. A followup workshop, sponsored by NSF. ONR, end NASA. resulted 1n a
consensus statement of the overall ~oal. specl~lc objectlves, end
specltlc recommendatlons tor action that now constltutes the
basis of the U.S. Global Ocean Flux Stud~.
An international Scientific Planning Comm1ttee tor the Joint
Global Ocean Flux Stud~ (JGOFS) was formed in October 1987 under
the auspices of SCOR (Scientific Committee tor Oceanic Research).
The JGOFS Scientific Planning Comm1ttee has representatives from
7 countr1es (Canada,
Netherlands. Un1ted
France,
Kin~dom,
Federal Republie ot Germany, Japan.
and Un1ted states); an observer ~rom
the People's Republic ot China attended the most recent meeting.
The GOFS Planning and Implementat10n Office was established in
1986 at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst1tution.
The Global
Ocean Flux Stud~ will become tull~ implemented in the 1990s.
A
Time-Series Pilot Project is proposed tor two locations. one off
Bermuda. and the other oft Hawaii.
A study ot ~he initiation and
~rowth of the spr1n~ Phytoplankton bloom in the North At1ant1c in
1989 will be the first basin-scale process investigated
and its international counterpart. JGOFS.
b~
GOFS
RIDGE
The un1f~ing goal of the RIDGE (R1dge Interdisciplinar~ Global
Experiments) program is to understand the ph~sical. chemical and
biological causes and consequences of energ~ transfer with1n the
global
rld~e
system
throu~h
time and space.
The objectlves
•
- 81 -
include understandin~ the flow of the mantle. the processes that
transform ma~ma into ocesn crust. the lnteract10ns of or~anlsms
with physical and chemical environments at mld-ocean rld~es. end
to determine the distribution and intensity of mid-ocean
hydrothermal ventln~ end the lnteractlon cf ventln~ with the
acesn environment.
Overall objectives and ~oals of the pro~ram are identified in
"The Mid-Ocean Rid~e. A Dynamlc Global System". published by the
Ocean Studies Board of the National Academy of Sciences.
A plannin~ office has been established at the University of
Washin~ton.
Aseries of workshops will be held in 1988 to
translate the recommendations of the National Academy workshop
into a scientlfic prospectus end operationsl plan.
BritlSh
scientists have be~un initial plannin~ and discussions of a
collaborative pro~ram on rid~e crest processes.
elose contact is
bein~ maintained with traditional French sources of participation
in
rid~e
crest research.
LAND-MARGIN ECOSYSTEMS RESEARCH
The purpose of proposed research at the land/sea interface is to
understand past and predict future chan~es in biolo~ical
populations and ecosystems of the aasetal zone and the borctering
terrestrlal ecosystems that atfect the coastal zone.
Research
will tocus on (a) the changes 1n physlcal sedlmentalo~lcal.
chemical. and
biolo~ical
inputs from land and understand what
causes slteratlons in these variables; and (b) the responses cf
blo1o~lcal populations to chan~es 1n these environmental
variables.
The American Society of Limnolo~y and Oceano~raphy sponsored a
workshop at the Marine Biolo~ical Laboratory, Woods Hole, in May.
1987.
to consider necessary components of a Land/Sea Intertace
initiative. which was
or~anised
by Dr.
John Robbie.
step 1n the development ol a lar~er initiative.
small "Land-Mar~1n Ecosystems" Pro~ram 1n 1988.
As a first
NSF established a
•
- 82 -
LiSSR
e5.A. 5 udenetsky)
In 1987 to evaluate foraging eonäitions available for
~ereial
eo~­
fishes a survey for euphausiids, prey of eod, was earrieä
d~stribution
out in the winter period, development and
~lankton i~
the drifö routes of larval eod,
oigratio~
blue whiting and feeäing areas of capelin in the
~oo­
of
routes
No~;e
o~
ian and
Berents Seas were studied. A 24-hour station was completed to
stuäy the diet of polar eod.
Bue to negative water temperature anomalies in the southern
Barents Sea in the first half-year a three-week lag was observed
in the spring development of calanus and euphausiids eompared
to the long-term mean. The
tarded, yearly biomass
~evelopment
max~um
of "he sea iL the first half of June,
early August and in tue ncrth
of
~ooplankton
i~
tee south-east in
i~ Septe~ber.
tion cf ealanus develcpment the
was re-
was reeorded in the scuthern part
~ajority
Beeause cf retarda-
of them stayed in the
surfaee layer for longer time.
A delay in tue
spa~n~~g
and development cf euphausiids re-
sulted in 19ter formaticn cf near-bottom ecneentrations cf euphausiids in
scuthe~
shallcws. The density was 10 times greater than
in the previous year and 4 times higher than the long-term nean.
Distribution of
d~tio~al,
~er~
end
i.e.
ab~dant co~centrations
~ce greates~ amo~~t
was
cf euphausiids
fO~1ä
~as
ü::,a1;i:;:lns cf ave:-.a;,;e de::isi t j ',Ihien occurrc
~hole
~:l
~:;'e •. ezte:':l
~
tra-
~orth-~es­
so~t~-eas~e~ shallo~s. U~usual ~ere e~~enGive
out the
;y on
in the
ccncen-
pract:"cn.lly t. . ..rOUCh-
surveyed area. Tne number cf euphausiids cecreased
"ast of the see..
slope, i.::
~astern
s.4110\".'5 3-'1C in
t~e
rAo1:'th-
- 83 -
58 phytoplanl:toll. 2')2.2 ::oof-l:,::;:ton and 588 cuph.-:msiiÖ
~3~rl~s ~~re
collccted. 4252
okrel and 18630 blue
~hiting
ca~elic,
5207 herring, 5515
m~-
were analysed for feedin3.
The ',Vhi te sea.
-The investigations carried out in brought certain the
~~ite
sea
results in tbe past five years. 111 Region",l Conierence "The problem
of studing, rational using, protecting
the White sea
area~
tbe marin. eavironment of
was held in Kandalaksha in september 1987.
174 reports on oceanology.
~drobiology
end ichthiology of the White
sea were submitted to tbis CGnference.
8eference:
"Tbe problem of studing, rational ueing, protecting the marine
env~~onment of the White Bea area"
Vol.1 and 2.ed. by corresponding-member of thc USSR
of Seienees •• pp.285. To'::n of I:p.ndalakthn.
Ae~de~y
- 84 -
BaU1c Sea
Zooplankton
In 1981 zooplankton
s~mpling
WgS curried out in subdivisions 26,
28, 29 of the Bgltic Seg und in the Culf of
~QY,
Ri~a
in Februury,
August and October - beginning of November at standgrd oceQ-
nological stations. Besides, in March - April and June-July additional
s~mpling
WwS cgrried out in the aregS of commercial
fiah apawning. In 1981 a total of 550 zooplankton
s~plea
was
taken. Sampling was made by Jeddy net 31/50, meah atze in the
filtering cone is 0.16 mm.
Ichthyoplankton
In 1987 awmpling had been carried out in subdiviaiona 25, 26, 28
and 29 of the Baltic Sea aince March to July monthly. 600
were taken.
S~pl1ng
a~plea
wus done by IKS-BO und Isaaca-Kidd truwl
(6 feet and 10 feet models). Mesh aize in a trawl cod-end was
0.5 mm.
Nektobenthoa
In 1981 nektobenthos aampling was carried out in subdiviaions
26 ~d 28 of the Baltic Sea in April - May, July, September and
December. 180 trawl stations were done. Sampling WwS carried out
by Isaacs-Kidd trawl (10 feet model), mesh size in a trawl codend was 0.5 mm.
Zoobenthos (macrofauna)
In 1981 macrofauna sgmpling WgS carried out in subdivisions 26,
28 und 29 of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Ri..a in March und
July-äubUst. 320 stations were done. Sgmpling WaS made by VanVeen grab (0.1 m2 ). The sieve with mesh size O.~ rnm w~s used
for Cround filtering.Feedinr of fish
In 1981 the datw on herr1~e and sprat feedinc in subdiv1~ions 26,
28 and 29 of the Balt1c Sea in March, May, July, September,
October und December were collected. 2140 sprat stomachs were
collected.
.
O/V
t
C.M.1988/L: 1
Report of Activities
Addendum 1
International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea
Germany, Federal Republie of
(J. Lenz)
INSTITUT FUR MEERESKUNDE AN DER UNIVERSITÄT KIEL
The institute with its 5 biologieal departments eovering botany, zoology,
microbiology,
planktology and
fisheries
biology
is
engaged
in a great
number of aetivities falllng within the seope of biologieal oeeanography.
The following enumeration of recent and eurrent research aetivities is eonventionally subdivided into planktologieal and benthologieal projeets,
though the interaction of biologieal processes between both eeologieal
zones in eoastal and deep-sea eeosystems forms the main topie of interest
in a number of projeets.
Planktologieal investigations
In addition to monthly sampllng of the monitoring stations for HELCOM in
Kiel Bight, the water eolumn at the Institute's pier was sampled two times
a week in order to follow short-term ehanges in water chemistry and plankton composition.
Within the frarnework of a research projeet on eutrophication in the Baltie,
a study on oxygen consumption rates measured in water sampies under in-situ
eonditions during the course of the year in order to follow the regular
development of oxygen deficieney in deeper parts of Kiel Bight and Kiel
Fjord during summer and autumn was eompleted and a model developed for the
prediction of oxygen depletion rates.
An investigation on the occurrence and abundance of phytoplankton resting
stages in sediment traps and on the sea bottom in Kiel Bight was continued.
A pronounced seasonal eyele was deteeted mirroring the predominant plankton
blooms in spring and autumn.
The
occurrence,
abundance
and
contribution of
ultraplankton
specles
to
phytoplankton biomass and primary produetion was studied in Kiel Fjord and
Kiel Bight from spring to autumn.
Aseries of experimental studies in large tanks, carrled out on the Insti-
tute's pier and durlng a crulse to the Norweglan Sea, were completed. !bey
-2were
devoted
to
nutrient
cycling,
phytoplankton growth under
different
light conditions and grazing and faecal pellet production by copepods.
Both length, volume, dry weight and carbon content of individual zooplankton species common in Kiel Bight were measured and assessed for a critical
evaluation of existing biomass values and conversion factors used in the
literature.
The analysis of plankton data collected during the international patchiness
experiment (PEX) in the central Baltic in 1986 was continued.
The hypothesis that coprophagy by copepods may play a signHicant role in
cycl1ng of particulate matter within the euphotic zone wss
tested in a
•
series of experiments with different species at the l:niversity of Tromsll
and in Kiel. The results so fsr obtained, are, however, ambiguous.
Psrticle !lux studies were csrried out between 30· and 45·N north of the
Azores
in the North Atlantic aboard
'POSEIDON'
in June/July.
Newly de-
veloped drifting sediment traps were successfully employed.
Within the framework of the joint research project (Sonderforschungsbereich
313)
'Sedimentation
Research Foundation,
im Europäischen
Nordmeer',
supported
by
the
German
planktological and benthological investigations were
carried out during two expeditions to the Voering Plateau in the Norwegisn
Sea with the aim of relating biological processes in the water column to
sedimentation events at the sea bottom. In addition to Held studies, experiments on feeding and faecal pellet production of dominant zooplankton
species were conducted. Moored sediment traps combined with current meters
were recovered and exchanged.'
During 'POLARSTERN' cruise ARK IV to the Arctic, Kiel planktologists participated in an interdiscipl1nary research project on the signiHcance of
frontal zones (Arctic and Polar Front) in governing physical, chemical and
biological processes and the specHic water mass structures in the Greenland Sea. Special emphasis was laid on activity measurements (respiration
and excretion) within different size fractions ranging from nano- to mesoplankton.
A
special
study
was
devoted
to
the
colony
stze
structure
of
Phaeocystis pouchetii populations.
The
impact
of
tbe
jelly-fish Aurel1a aurita
on mesoplanktic
larvae of
benthos animals was studied at Kristineberg on the Gullmarfjord through
field observations and aquarium experiments.
As part of the monitoring research programme in the Battic Sea, a small
•
-----
---~--
~---------------------
-3-
eID,
batfish carrying a
a
pR meter and an attenuation and
chlorophyll
fluoreseenee probe was developed for obtaining ground truth data for the
interpretation of satellite images.
Mierob1ologieal
investigations
dealing with baeteria abundanee,
biomass,
activity and production in relation to environmental factors coneentrated
•
on two areas, the southern and southwestern eoast of the Iberian Peninsula
with the outflow of Med1terranean waters, and on the Baltie Sea. In the
latter, a special study was devoted to the denitr1fieation proeess within
the H2 S eontaining bot tom water layer
of the Gotland Deep.
Other topies stud1ed 1n experiments were the growth and grazing of baeteria
and heterotrophie nanoflagellates and the utilization of naturally oeeurring polymeric substanees by baeteria under various eonditions.
Comparative studies on the moulting cyele and its eeophysiologieal adaptations in Aretie and Antaretie krill species Meganyctiphanes norvegica and
Euphausia superba were contlnued.
Intensive studies on the abundance of eggs and larvae of eod and sprat in
the Baltie Sea, especially in the Bornholm Sea, of herring in the North
Sea and adjacent waters and of mackerel in the Bay of Biseay and the Celtie
Sea in relation to environmental eonditions and food supply were eontinued.
Special emphasis was
laid on their fine-seale distribution by employing
multiple
elosing
opening
and
nets
like the MOCNESS and
the MESSHAI by
Hydro-Bios.
The small-seale distribution of young O-group herring and the eoneentration
of zooplankton organisms in 'mierolayers' was studied from a swimming underwater laboratory named
'ATOLL'
by means of vIdeo and high-resolution
sonar.
Benthological Investigations
Within the framework of the Sonderforschungsbereieh (SFB) 313, as al ready
mentioned, various benthological studies were carried out on the Voering
Plateau in the Norweg1an Sea. The faunal composition of sed1ment sampies
was analyzed and the community activity in the upper centimeters of the
sediment
measured
by
means
of
a
sensitive
mlcrocaloric
method.
These
measurements were supported by the analysis of varlous blochemical parameters.
The
alm was
to
demonstrate
the
quick
response
of
the
microbent.hos even in tbe cold deep-sea to sedimentation events
melo- and
of
parti-
-4culate matter.
An extensive and detailed study on the oceurrence and influence of periods
of anoxie conditions on the benthos fauna in Kiel Bight during the last
two deeades was completed.
Monitoring of the macrozoobenthos community was continued according to the
recommendations of the Helsinki Commission.
An investigation on the influence of fisheries bot tom trawling on macrobenthos and nutrient release was started by means of underwater video surveys and an experimental approach for measuring nutrient flux from the
gear-ploughed bot tom into the overlying water layer.
Another study dealt with small-seale distribution patterns of macrozoobenthos in Kiel Bight.
The dwelling-tubes of the lugworm Arenicola marina were inspected in detail
and their function evaluated as favourable settling places for mIcrobes and
as effective zones for biochemical processes in the sediment.
The distribution of
the brittle-star Ophiure albida in Kiel Bight was
studied under the aspect of its feeding behaviour.
Pield observations and experiments were devoted to swarming behaviour and
vertical migrations of the cumacean Diastylis rathkei.
Special
biochemical
adaptations
of
the
musseis
~
islandica
and
Astarte borealis as well as of the priapulid Halycryptus spinulosus on long
periods of anoxie conditions were studied.
A new project was started on the occurrence and extent of supersaturation
of oxygen in the shallow phytal and its possible impact on the benthos
fauna.
To find a measure for the physiological stress situation marine animals are
exposed to in brackish waters, the metabolie oxygen/nitrogen ratio was investigated in several species.
Investigations on the nutrition of pogonophara were continued. By use of
enzymatic methods, the ability of the bacterial symbionts to oxidize
methane was successfully tested.
The work on various aspects of the eeology and physiology of the sponge
Halichrondia panicea with special emphasis on the ecological significance
of the symbiontic algae was continued in field observations and experimen-
•
-5-
tal approaches.
The
nutrient
budget
of
two
dominant
macroalgae,
Fucus vesicularis
and
Phycodrys rubens was studied.
A general survey on the standing stock of macroalgae in Kiel Fjord showed
that considerable changes have taken place compared with a sim11ar survey
about 20 years ago. The former dominant red alga Furcellaria lumbricalis
has almost disappeared. Fucus standing stock has decreased.
too, whereas
other red algae and smaller filiform brown algae apparently increased.
Various aspects of bacterial activity including metabolism and production
in marine sediments were studied in Kiel Bight and in the deep-sea of the
North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea.
Another study dealt with the seasonal variation of bacterial numbers and
biomass in relation to sediment-inhabiting ciliates in Kiel Bight.
ZOOLOGISCHES INSTITUT DER UNIVERSITÄT KIEL
Benthic
investigations
in the highly polluted Flensburg Fjord continued
with in-situ recolonization experiments on larval settling patterns with
regard to season and type of sediment. Another submarine experiment dealing
with expected changes
in benthic structure as
a
response to artificial
organically enriched sediment was brought to an end. In the outer part of
the Fjord a benthic structure analysis is being carried out in an area
characterized
by
high
sedimentation rates
of
organic material and good
oxygen supply. Recolonization analysis of 3-year series of bottom sampies
from defaunated areas in the deeper parts of the fjord continues.
A study on Kiel Bight sublittoral areas worthy of protection as natural
reserves was flnished.
The study
'Sensitivitätskartierung der deutschen Nordseeküste'
concerning
the sensitivity of different parts of the German wadden sea to crude 011
was continued. As main crHeria of gensitivity, sedimentological aspects
on the one hand and a group of certdn indicator organisms (benthic copepods) on the other are employed. The area investlgated inetudes the North
Frisian coast between Sylt and Nordstrand.
A 3-year study on the influence of burrowing macrofauna on interstitlal
water nutrient profiles was carried out in a tidal sand flat
(Island of
-6Sylt).
Burrowing
structures
and
sediment
reworking
of
polychaetes
and
molluscs were studled in laboratory flow-through aquarla. The results show
the strong influence of bioturbation on nutrient profiles •
.E!!. and Eh values
of interstitlal water.
Studies on the role of
~
diverslcolor in the benthic community in the
uppermost parts of the wadden sea were contlnued.
Experimental Investigations on intertidal hard-bottom communities are still
underway, both on the !sland of Helgoland and on the rocky shores of New
Zealand.
Experimental studies on lire cycles and regeneration abilitles of certain
polychaete worms (Pygospio) are in progress.
A computer
programme
for
the
estimation
of
representative
ecological
sampies by similarity area curves was presented.
The long-term investigations on ecology and distribution of Harpaeticoidea
in the western European Deep-Sea were continued.
A long-term analysis of the mollusc association in Harrington Sound (Bermuda) with special emphasis on the life cycles of the main species has been
finished.
INSTITUT FUR BIOCHEMIE UND LEBENSMITTELCHEMIE DER UNIVERSITÄT HAMBURG
Work has eontinued on the BMFT (Bundesministerium fUr Forschung und Technologie) project ZISCH; its purpose is to investigate the circulation and
fate of pollutants in the North Sea. Within the framework of ZISCH. chemical
ecosystem components
(nutrients.
dissolved and particulate organic sub-
stances. particle spectra) were analyzed from a second eomprehensive survey
(Z6.l. - 9.3.87) covering the entire North Sea. The data of the field study
were evaluated in elose cooperation with other research groups within ZISCH.
deaUng with metal and organie pollutants and pollutant transport in the
atmosphere.
First
results
were presented at
the SCOPE/UNEP Meeting,
NIOZ t
Texei, at a poster session In the Hamburglsche Vertretung 1n Bonn, and at
the Seeond International Conference on the Protection of the North Sea.
Landon.
In the seeond year of the EIbe SFB 327. two cruises (in spring and in
autumn) enabled intensive chemical studies of the nutrient regimes in the
•
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EIbe estuary. and of transformation and transfer processes of organlc substances between the dissolved and particulate phase in the turbidity zone.
Concurrently. mesocosm experiments were carried out in the vicinity of the
Brunsbüttel lock; these controlled ecosystem studies facilitate the investigation processes free of advective transports and mixing. The experiments
were designed to study effects of mix1ng. adsorption and release of dis-
•
solved organlc substances and trace metals •
As part of the Young Fish Survey 1987 and in addition to the ZISCH projects.
anorganic nutrients were measured during the WALTER HERWIG cruises (2.2. 3.3. and 29.6. - 7.8.) and nutrient sampies were taken during the POSEIDON
cruise (6. - 15.1.).
In cooperation with the Deutsches Hydrographisches Institut. Hamburg. the
nutrient chemistry of the Cerman Bight was studied in winter (3. - 14.12.).
The data represent base-1ine concentrations in a season of reduced biological production; this information will aid assessments of nutrient dis charge
to the German Bight.
In conjunction with the international Creenland Sea Project and in cooperation with the Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, nutrient analyses were made in the vicini ty of the Arctie Front
during May/June 1987. The data will provide information on biological production potentials and water mass formation in an area which is of utmost
importance for the ventilation of the world oceans.
BIOLOGISC11E ANSTALT lfELGOLANlJ
Routine measurements of hydrographical, chemical and biological parameters
have been continued at Helgoland Roads
(54'11.,'
1'1, 07'54,0'
E).
Five
times a week. temperature, salinity, nutrients (P04, 1'1°3 , 1'102' NH4' Si0 2 ),
yellow substances ('Gelbs toff'). and biomass of phytoplankton as organic
carbon, derived from microscopic counts (inverted microscope), were measured.
In addition, once a week. bacterial numbers (pour plate method) in the surface film and at a depth of 1 m were determined and BOD and surface tension measured. In the 1 m sampies also yeasts and oil-degrading microorgantsms were counted.
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Monthly cruises from lIelgoland to the estuaries of the rivers EIbe, Eider
chemical and biological investig~tions
and the Weser for hydrographieal,
have been continued.
lIydrographical, chemical and biological investigations have been continued
on
a
cruise
covering
the
North Frisian Wadden Sea
and
coastal waters
(eastern German Bight).
The long-term ecological studies on temporal and spatial distribution of
Noctiluca miliaris in the German Bight have been continued. Seasonal fluctuations and annual abundance of this dominant dinoflagellate have now continuously been recorded over aperiod of 22 years at Helgoland Roads.
A survey
investigating
causes
and
effects
of
oxygen deficiency
in
the
south-eastern North Sea (each of 6'20' E, south of 57'00' N) was continued.
Ses ton and
its
centrations,
organic
dissolved
carbon and
oxygen,
nitrogen content,
micronutrients,
phytoplankton con-
salinity
and
temperature
were measured. Sampl1ng was carried out in vertical sertes of water sampies
on a grid of stations 12.5 nautical miles apart from each other during four
cruises in April, August and October with R.V. 'FRIEDRIClI lIEINCKE'.
The ecological studies in the northern Wadden Sea of Sylt (German Bight)
were carrled on. 58 times a year the following parameters were measured:
Phytoplankton,
mesozooplankton,
seston components,
temperature,
salinity,
pU, oxygen and phytoplankton nutrients (P04 , N03 , N0 2 , Nl1 4 , Si0 2 ).
ALFRED-wEGENER-INSTITUT FUR POLAR- UND
~mERESFORSCHUNG.
BREMERHAVEN
Planktological Investlgations
Several planktologlcal investigations in the German Bight, deallng with the
relationship
properties,
between
hydrographie
fronts
and
chemical
and
biological
the characteristlcs of water masses, as weIl as the exchange
between the tidal mudflats and the central North Sea have been finished.
Two other investigations carried out at the North Sea research platform,
dealing with the importance of plankton larvae and initial settlement of
benthic hard and soft bottom communities, are under way. In the Greenland
Sea~
plankton investigations)
Project,
as
part of the international Creenland Sea
concentrated on studie. of phyto- and zooplankton production in
relation to physical processes in the region of the Arctic and Polar Front.
•
•
-9Results were partly presented at the ASLO Meeting in New Orleans in January
1988 and will be presented in a special volume of Polar Biology.
Benthological investigations
Benthological work is now being concentrated on the southern Weddell Sea.
•
Monitoring of macrobenthos communities in the German Bight is being continued, and additional samples have been taken from the central North Sea •
Most of the material collected in the synoptic benthos survey in April 1986
has been worked up and taxonomically ident1fied. The first results were
presented at the Texel North Sea Conference in May 1988. The 'small food
web'
studles
In the Wadden Sea using
the
'Bremerhaven Caissons'
were
completed in autumn 1987. The material is presently belng worked up and
will be published in 1989.
FORSCHUNGSINSTITUT SENCKENBERG, WILHELMSHAVEN
Within the framework of the lCES Working Group on North Sea Benthos, sedIment and benthos samples were taken from the German, Dutch and British economlc
zones
and analyzed
for
drawing dIstribution maps and estimating
biomass production.
Within an interdlsc1pl1nary cooperation programme, sedIment cores from the
southern and northern Dogger Bank were studied for thelr sedlrnentological
characterlstics and content of botanical (pollen) and zo010gical remnants.
Prel1minary results reveal the hlstory of thls area in the early Holocene
and oscil1ations In sea level and Its rise during the past 8000 years.
Benthos investigations carried out during the international COST-647 Project devoted to fluctuations of littoral communities along European coasts
were continued off the lsland of Norderney. The results show not only
annual f1uctuations but point to long-term changes on the species level and
standing stock of benthic communities.
A study on the sensitivity of benthic communities to pollution by hydrocarbons was completed in the Wadden Sea between the East Frislan islands and
the mainland, and a new study started covering the whole German Wadden Sea.
Studles on population dynamics and productlvity of selected specles I1ving
in the eu- and sublittoral zones were contlnued In order to gather infor-
.'
..
-10mation on standing stock development, growth rates and generation times.
Investigations on anthropogenie impacts on the epibenthos in the Jade Bight
and on the endobenthos of the marine-terrestrial transition zone of the
island of Mellum were also eontinued.
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