Jacques Clavier

Contribution of soft-bottoms to the community metabolism (primary production and calcification) of a barrier reef flat (Moorea, French Polynesia)

Abstract The relative contribution of soft bottoms to the community metabolism (primary production, respiration and net calcification) of a barrier reef flat has been investigated at Moorea (French Polynesia). Community metabolism of the sedimentary area was estimated using in situ incubations in perspex chambers, and compared with estimates of community metabolism of the whole reef flat obtained using a Lagrangian technique (Gattuso et al., 1996. Carbon flux in coral reefs. 1. Lagrangian measurement of community metabolism and resulting air–sea CO 2 disequilibrium. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 145, 109–121). Net organic carbon production ( E ), respiration ( R ) and net calcification ( G ) of sediments were measured by seven incubations performed in triplicate at different irradiance. Respiration and environmental parameters were also measured at four randomly selected additional stations. A model of Photosynthesis–irradiance allowed to calculate oxygen (O 2 ), organic carbon (CO 2 ) and calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) evolution from surface irradiance during a diel cycle. As chlorophyll a content of the sediment was not significantly different between stations, primary production of the sediment was considered as homogeneous for the whole lagoon. Thus, carbon production at the test station can be modelled from surface light irradiance. The modelled respiration was two times higher at the test station than the mean respiration of the barrier reef, and thus underestimated sediment contribution to excess production. Sediments cover 40–60% of the surface and accounted for 2.8–4.1% of organic carbon excess production estimated with the modelled R and 21–32% when mean R value was considered. The sedimentary CaCO 3 budget was a very minor component of the whole reef budget.

Sedimentation of particulate matter in the south-west lagoon of New Caledonia: Spatial and temporal patterns

Suspended and sedimented particulate materials were assessed monthly at five sites on the south-west lagoon of New Caledonia, from May 1986 to April 1987. Sedimentation of particulate matter was measured using sediment traps for 24 h. Resuspension, which accounted for more than 80% of the total sedimentation, was distinguished to calculate net sedimentation values. The mean net sedimentation rate for the lagoon varied according to the site from 0.481 to 1.157 g C m −2 day −1 with a general mean value of 0.756 g C m −2 day −1 . An increasing gradient from the reef to the shore stations was observed for both suspended and sedimented particles. The standing stocks and the fluxes of suspended particles were maximal in February, during the warm season associated with maximal rainfall, and minimal in August. The high C/N ratio in sedimented material (26) compared to suspended particles (11) indicated that organic matter degradation had occurred preferentially in the water column. The mean particulate organic carbon flux was about twice the lagoon pelagic primary production; sedimented plant material only accounted for a small part of the organic carbon flux. The major source of sedimented organic carbon was therefore allochthonous and derived both from the reef and the shore. The latter seemed to predominate. Relative uncoupling between benthos and pelagos is suggested.

Major benthic communities of the south-west lagoon of New Caledonia

A quantitative survey of the macrobenthos in the south-west lagoon of New Caledonia was carried out at 35 stations, sampled both with a grab and by diving. The stations were classified by multivariate analysis on the basis of their floral and faunal composition and three major communities, corresponding to muddy bottoms, grey sand bottoms and white sand bottoms, were identified. At the same time, grain-size analysis performed on sediment samples at each station enabled us to identify the most discriminating grain-size parameters for each type of bottom. Classification of stations with respect to the mud fraction and the very fine + fine sand fraction reproduced the groups identified on the basis of purely taxonomic criteria. Application of these results to the available sedimentological data allowed the main benthic communities in the investigation area to be mapped.

Spatial variability in Sediment Oxygen Consumption under winter conditions in a lagoonal system in New Caledonia (South Pacific)

Sediment Oxygen Consumption (SOC) was investigated during a winter (Southern Hemisphere) cruise in the southwest lagoon of New Caledonia. Oxygen fluxes were measured at 11 sampling stations distributed along two coast to reef transects. Three different methods of flux measurements were used: diver-operated benthic chambers, laboratory incubation of sediment cores and oxygen microprofiles determinations. SOC values varied between 450 and 2250 μmol O2 m−2 h−1. The level of agreement between the three techniques strongly varied as a function of sediment type. Most of the SOC values from the grey sand zone in the middle part of the lagoon and the muddy bottoms of the bays did not show significant differences. A central station presenting a dense seagrass bed gave lower SOC determined by oxygen microprofiles compared to the two other methods. In coarse carbonated sands from the back reef area, SOC measured by in situ benthic chambers were higher than SOC measured by incubation techniques. This discrepancy could be explained by physical disturbance of the sediments, macroscale variability in benthic communities or technical efficiency of the sediment sampling device and probably by a combination of all three processes. Nevertheless, for the other sediment types that represented 85% of the lagoon bottoms, the results from the three techniques used for SOC determination were strongly convergent. Based on this assumption, it could be stated that the oxygen fluxes were essentially driven by microbial activity compared to biologically mediated vertical transport of solutes. The SOC values determined during this study were in agreement with budgets previously calculated for the lagoon. Regardless of the back reef area, spatial variability in SOC can be explained by the organic matter content of sediments which clearly showed a coast to reef gradient with higher organic carbon and nitrogen contents in the coastal sediments. The C/N ratios demonstrate the higher rate of freshly deposited organic matter near the coast compared to more central stations in the lagoon.

Structure and temporal fluctuations of two intertidal seagrass-bed communities in New Caledonia (SW Pacific Ocean)

The structure and trophic organization of two intertidal seagrass-bed communities (Halodule uninervis and Thalassia hemprichii) were examined on the southwest coast of New Caledonia (SW Pacific Ocean), from April 1989 to March 1990. Five benthic samples were collected from each site at 2 mo intervals and various environmental parameters were simultaneously monitored. Animal:plant biomass ratios were close to 1 at both sites. Polychaetes dominated in number of species. The suspension-feeding bivalves Gafrarium tumidum and Anadara scapha constituted the greater part of the animal biomass. The evolution of the communities over an annual cycle displayed marked structural and organizational stability, resulting mainly from the absence of distinct recruitment periods for the dominant species, no mortalities during the brief low-salinity periods, and no temporal variations in the granulometry, the organic matter or the chlorophyll a contents of the sediments.

Multi-scale distribution and dynamics of bivalve larvae in a deep atoll lagoon (Ahe, French Polynesia)

Bivalve larvae and hydrographic parameters were sampled over a range of spatio-temporal scales in a deep atoll lagoon. Bivalve larvae abundances were very high throughout the year: 18,550 m(-3) in average. Larvae were (i) concentrated at mid-depth with nocturnal ascent and diurnal descent, (ii) heterogeneously dispersed at the lagoon scale, (iii) subject to day-to-day variation in abundance and (iv) transferred between different parts of the lagoon providing evidence of intra-lagoonal connectivity. The primacy of physical factors was seen on large spatial scale with the diluting effect of water renewal and transfers by hydrodynamics. On smaller spatial scale, the primacy of biological processes was recognised, with larval swimming activity leading to dial vertical migration correlated with food concentration. Variations in larval abundance were driven by bivalve reproductive activity correlated with meteorological conditions (i.e. windy periods). Finally, relationship between bivalve larvae patterns and pearl oyster (Pinctada margaritifera) settlement structuring is discussed.

Production due to regeneration by Euclymene oerstedi (Claparède) (Polychaeta: Maldanidae) in the maritime basin of the Rance (Northern Britanny)

Abstract The polychaete species Euclymene oerstedi (Claparede) forms one of the dominant populations of the muddy fine sand community in the maritime basin of the Ranee (Northern Britanny). Analyses of regular samples of this species indicated that regeneration was an important process within the population. Of the individuals examined 22% were found to be regenerating the anterior and 41% the posterior regions of the body. The distribution of the incision sites demonstrated a distinct preference for the body sections extending from both extremities to segment 3 or 18 inclusive, with the mean recovery times being 1.5 and 1 month respectively. Biomass production from regeneration within the population is estimated as 2 g·m −2 ·yr −1 . From a comparison between the total amounts regenerated by individuals protected by cages and those in the surrounding environment, it is suggested that posterior regeneration is essentially linked to epibenthic predation, while regrowth of the anterior region may also be a result of the activities of infaunal predators. The occurrence of these phenomena may be related to the behaviour of E. oerstedi within its tube.

Estimation of bottom ammonium affinity in the New Caledonia lagoon

Ammonium affinity of New Caledonia lagoon benthic communities was measured during the course of 33 in situ enrichment experiments, in order to estimate the contribution of benthos to ammonium fluxes. Ammonium chloride was injected into enclosures pushed into the sediment, in order to obtain a concentration of 20–22 μmol l-1 in the enclosed water which approximated the interstitial water content. Ammonium kinetic uptake was then followed for two hours. Grey-sand bottom displayed the highest affinity for ammonium, but white-sand and muddy bottom affinity was of the same order of magnitude. Macrophytes, and microphytes (when macrophytes are absent), account for the bulk of ammonium bottom uptake. As a result, grey-sand bottoms with their dense macrophyte cover represent a sink for water column nitrogen and play a key role in nutrient cycling of the lagoon.

Low community photosynthetic quotient in coral reef sediments

Fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon and oxygen at the water-sediment interface were measured at eight coral reef stations (Indian Ocean) in summer and winter. The dark fluxes provided the community respiratory quotient (CRQ = dissolved inorganic carbon release / oxygen uptake) and the diurnal fluxes corrected from the dark fluxes gave the community photosynthetic quotient (CPQ = oxygen gross release / dissolved inorganic carbon gross uptake). The CRQ and the winter CPQ were not significantly different from 1. Summer CPQ (0.79; SD 0.02) was significantly lower than 1 due to the combined effect of the daily evolution of the community respiration and the discrepancy between the daily evolution in community oxygen respiration and community carbon respiration. These results highlight the importance of measuring simultaneously the benthic community production and respiration for long term integrated data sets, instead of the traditional daily or seasonal budget calculations from limited measures of community respiration.

Aerial and underwater metabolism of Patella vulgata L.: comparison of three intertidal levels

Intertidal molluscs are known to possess specific respiratory organs that permit aerial breathing during emersion. Patella vulgata is a widely distributed intertidal species found from low-water spring tide to high-water neap tidal level. In order to determine metabolic adaptations to habitat, carbon fluxes associated with respiration and calcification of P. vulgata living at high-shore, middle-shore and low-shore levels were compared. Seasonal aerial respiration was measured using an infrared gas analyser; seasonal underwater respiration and calcification were calculated from dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity. P. vulgata showed net CaCO3 deposition at all seasons, although the high-shore level limpet annual calcification rate was relatively low due to longer air exposure. Both aerial and underwater respiration rates were highly correlated with seasonal temperature variations and followed the vertical shore gradient, with stronger fluxes for low-shore tidal level limpets and lower fluxes for high-shore level limpets that must limit energy expenditure. P. vulgata appears to be well adapted to aerial exposure, with average hourly respiration fluxes stronger in air than in water. This study demonstrates that P. vulgata calcification and respiration are reduced in upper shore levels and are important factors determining the upper distribution limit of the species.