Lionel Denis

Spatial variability in oxygen and nutrient fluxes at the sediment-water interface on the continental shelf in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean)

Abstract The spatial variability of oxygen and dissolved nutrient exchanges across the sediment-water interface was studied on the continental shelf in the Gulf of Lions (NW Mediterranean Sea). Replicate sediment cores were sampled at nine stations (64–162 m depth) along two lines parallel to the coast during two cruises in March and June 1998. Sediment-water exchanges were measured using the core incubation technique. Surficial sediments, bottom water and interstitial water characteristics were also described. Fluxes of oxygen (3.72–8.83 mmol m–2 d–1), nitrate (0.026–0.283 mmol m–2 d–1), ammonium (–0.022 to 0.204 mmol m–2 d–1), nitrite (–0.034 to 0.002 mmol m–2 d–1), phosphate (–0.007 to 0.029 mmol m–2 d–1) and silicate (0.504–1.656 mmol m–2 d–1) were generally quite low. This has to be related to the oligotrophy of the Mediterranean Sea. Fluxes showed a weak spatial variability, and a significant correlation could be established between oxygen fluxes and the organic carbon content of surficial sediments. A general increase in ammonium, nitrate and phosphate release was also observed towards the coast and the mouth of the Rhone River. Nitrite uptake and silicate release showed high variability between cruises, and the change in silicate fluxes depended mainly on the location on the eastern or western part of the continental shelf. Over the whole continental shelf, calculated sediment mineralization rate represents 342 kt a–1 of organic carbon. The annual release from the sediments approximates to 14.1 kt dissolved inorganic nitrogen, 2.9 kt P, and 165 kt dissolved silica, which represent, respectively, an amount close to 5%, 7% and 28% of the nutrient requirements for primary production. When compared to nutrient inputs from the Rhone River, sediments appear to play a significant role in the biogeochemical cycles of the Gulf of Lions system, mainly for inorganic phosphorus and dissolved silica.

Clearance rate responses of Mediterranean mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, to variations in the flow, water temperature, food quality and quantity

The impact of Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck) on particle removal from the water column under different flow velocities was measured in the laboratory within a recirculating flume. At 20 °C, the filtration rates increased with current velocity up to 20–25 . Filtration rates remained the same at 26 °C. At high phytoplankton concentration (Cryptophyceae: 8 500–11 000 Cryptomonas sp. ), filtration rates were low (0.2–0.4 per standard individual of 1 g dry weight), whereas higher filtration rates (0.5–2.5 per standard individual) were observed with lower concentrations of the algae Prorocentrum minimum (Dinophyceae : 1 300– 5 800 ). The filtration rates of M. galloprovincialis were affected by high phytoplankton loads, and exhibited a maximum related to current velocity. Our results suggest that mussels, feeding over a wide range of seston concentrations and flow velocities, show an adaptive behaviour in an area where environmental conditions are known to vary drastically.

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.

Spatial and seasonal variability of sediment oxygen consumption and nutrient fluxes at the sediment water interface in a sub-tropical lagoon (New Caledonia)

In order to quantify the spatial and seasonal variations of sediment oxygen consumption and nutrient fluxes, we performed a spatial survey in the south west lagoon of New Caledonia during the two major seasons (dry and wet) based on a network of 11 sampling stations. Stations were selected along two barrier reef to land transects representing most types of sediments encountered in the lagoon. Fluxes were measured using ex-situ sediment incubations and compared to sediment characteristics. Sediment oxygen consumption (SOC) varied between 500 and 2000 micromol m(-2)h(-1), depending on season and stations. Nutrient effluxes from sediment were highly variable with highest fluxes measured in muddy sediments near the coast. Inter-sample variability was as high as seasonal differences so that no seasonally driven temperature effect could be observed on benthic nutrient fluxes in our temperature range. Nutrient fluxes, generally directed from the sediment to the water column, varied between -5.0 and 70.0 micromol m(-2)h(-1) for ammonia and between -2.5 and+12.5 micromol m(-2)h(-1) for PO(4) and NO(2+3). SOC and nutrient fluxes were compared to pelagic primary production rates in order to highlight the tight coupling existing between the benthic and pelagic compartments in this shallow tropical lagoon. Under specific occasions of low pelagic productivity, oxygen sediment consumption and related carbon and nutrient fluxes could balance nearly all net primary production in the lagoon. These biogeochemical estimates point to the functional importance of sediment biogeochemistry in the lagoon of New Caledonia.

Impact of the Phaeocystis globosa spring bloom on the intertidal benthic compartment in the eastern English Channel: a synthesis.

From 1999 to 2005, studies carried out in the frame of regional and national French programs aimed to determine whether the Phaeocystis globosa bloom affected the intertidal benthic communities of the French coast of the eastern English Channel in terms of composition and/or functioning. Study sites were chosen to cover most of the typical shore types encountered on this coast (a rocky shore, an exposed sandy beach and a small estuary). Both the presence of active Phaeocystis cells and their degradation product (foam) did have a significant impact on the studied shores. The primary production and growth rates of the kelp Saccharina latissima decreased during the bloom because of a shortage of light and nutrient for the macroalgae. On sandy sediments, the benthic metabolism (community respiration and community primary production), as well as the nitrification rate, were enhanced during foam deposits, in relation with the presence of bacteria and active pelagic cells within the decaying colonies. In estuarine sediments, the most impressive impact was the formation of a crust at the sediment surface due to drying foam. This led to anoxic conditions in the surface sediment and resulted in a high mortality among the benthic community. Some organisms also tended to migrate upward and were then directly accessible to the higher trophic level represented by birds. Phaeocystis then created a shortcut in the estuarine trophic network. Most of these modifications lasted shortly and all the systems considered came back to their regular properties and activities a few weeks after the end of the bloom, except for the most impacted estuarine area.

The intra-annual variability of soft-bottom macrobenthos abundance patterns in the North Channel of the Seine estuary

Temporal and spatial variability of the Abra alba–Pectinaria koreni and Macoma balthica communities was examined in the northern part of the Seine estuary (North Channel) over different space and time scales in order to assess the role that the hydrologic regime and/or anthropogenic influences play in defining benthic communities over time. Sediment in the North Channel displayed strong spatial and temporal variability, sustained by intense sediment transport episodes. Total macrobenthic abundances ranged widely on the course of the year and there was no evidence of a seasonal signal for the density fluctuations, whatever the spatial scale considered. The bio-sedimentary dynamics can be divided into two periods: the first corresponds to the high flow rate period (January–May) during which fauna is influenced by fine silt/clay deposition, and the second to the low flow rate period (June–December) during which sandy deposits prevail. Despite the absence of significant correlations between sediment composition and abundance, episodes of sediment transport seem to be an important structuring mechanism in the Seine estuary. As a consequence, the faunal composition varied throughout the year. The winter and spring fauna, characterised by species living on muddy fine-sands or muds, were enriched during the summer and autumn by species living in clean fine sand, such as Donax vittatus, Nephtys cirrosa or Spio decoratus, mainly represented by adult individuals. Secondary settlement of drifters may explain the rapid structuration of assemblages a few days after the sandy deposits. Our results suggest the importance of the bentho-pelagic coupling, primarily induced by the sedimentary instability, on the macrobenthic fauna dynamics. The intra-annual variability of assemblages at the mouth of the Seine river and the silted situation of the North Channel might simply be the result of the silting up and alteration of the inner estuary, generated by several decades of man-made modifications and natural processes.

The effects of Phaeocystis globosa bloom on the dynamics of the mineralization processes in intertidal permeable sediment in the Eastern English Channel (Wimereux, France).

In the Eastern part of the English Channel, high biomasses of the phytoplankton prymnesiophyceae Phaeocystisglobosa (reaching biomasses over 20 microg Chlal(-1)) are a recurrent spring event (March-June). A significant part of the pelagic Phaeocystis-derived organic matter can be broken down in the sandy permeable sediment that makes up most of the intertidal zone in this part of the Channel. Sediment characteristics, macrofaunal distribution, bacterial biomass, organic carbon content, sediment oxygen demand (SOD), and the sediment-water flux of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and silicates were calculated for an exposed sandy beach (Wimereux, France) over a two-year period (2004-2006). According to the data collected, the SOD remains relatively low throughout the whole survey (64-306 micromol m(-2)h(-1)), indicating limited mineralization. However, the same data reveals a temporal variability in the flux, with a sharp increase in the SOD and ammonium released in spring when Phaeocystis-derived phytodetritus was deposited. The organic carbon content and bacterial biomass values indicate similar patterns of increase in response to the phytodetritus deposit. The nitrogen cycle also appears to be modified during the Phaeocystis bloom, with a clear stimulation of nitrification. The influence of various factors (e.g., temperature, nutrient concentrations, and bacterial activity) on the temporal fluctuations of the exchanges is discussed, as are the direct effects of spring bloom. A synthesis of the annual cycle of the mineralization dynamics in this permeable sediment type is also presented.

Short-term variability of intertidal microphytobenthic production using an oxygen microprofiling system

Despite their high productivity and their key role in coastal processes, intertidal areas remain poorly documented because alternating conditions of sediment-water and sediment-air interfaces result in inaccurate temporal estimations of interfacial carbon exchanges. This study describes the short-term variability of microphytobenthic production in an estuarine mudflat (the Canche estuary of the English Channel) by using an autonomous acquisition system for oxygen microprofiles. More than 240 profiles were measured at low and high tide during three deployments performed within a 3-week period (April–May 2007). Additional measurements characterised the surficial sediments (granulometry, porosity, chlorophyll a, temperature, salinity) and incident light. Depth-integrated gross production values were correlated with light intensity and reached up to 146 mg C m–2 h–1, while the turbidity of the overlying water prevented any primary production during immersion. Photosynthesis–irradiance curves were highly variable between field campaigns. Indeed, we have recorded a drastic reduction in microphytobenthic production, which might result from a pulse input of polychaete juveniles (Lanice conchilega). Ephemeral structures, such as invertebrate tubes, are seldom considered as factors that may influence the variability of benthic primary production. Monitoring oxygen microprofiles may be a useful tool for understanding and quantifying the impact of short-term temporal changes on the budgets of microphytobenthic production.

Consequences of spring phytodetritus sedimentation on the benthic compartment along a depth gradient in the Eastern English Channel.

Phaeocystis blooms are of major importance in the Eastern English Channel, where they significantly contribute to spring organic matter input with chlorophyll concentrations commonly higher than 30 microgl(-1) in the water column. Post-bloom deposition of Phaeocystis derived mucilaginous compounds has been shown to have a major importance on benthic intertidal systems, but resulting mineralization processes and consequences on the macrobenthic compartment remain poorly documented in subtidal areas. In this frame, a study was performed along the French coast of the English Channel to quantify mineralization processes, as well as potential consequences on subtidal sediments, especially their geochemistry and associated macrofaunal communities. Seven stations were studied along a depth gradient during four cruises: before (March), during (April, May) and after (June) the spring bloom. Sediment characteristics and organic carbon content were described, as well as sediment-water fluxes of oxygen and ammonium. Macrofaunal characteristics were also analyzed. Stations were chosen as representative of the various benthic communities present in the area, which are directly linked to the granulometric characteristics of the sediments. To account for the general functioning of the water column, characterized by a coastal flow where higher concentrations of Phaeocystis are generally recorded, similar communities were sampled inshore and offshore, when possible: (i) the Abra alba community located only close to the coast, (ii) the Ophelia borealis community located inshore and offshore, and (iii) the Amphioxus lanceolatus community located inshore and offshore. Generally, low exchange rates of oxygen and ammonium were measured (respectively, in the range 50-150 micromol O2 m(-2)h(-1) and -25 to 35 micromol NH4+ m(-2)h(-1)) between the water column and the muddy-sand to coarse sand permeable sediments, as a consequence of the low organic carbon content due to the high hydrodynamic forcing. As a consequence of organic matter accumulation in surficial sediments probably resulting from Phaeocystis post-bloom deposition, an increase of sediment oxygen demand and ammonium release was clearly evidenced up to 660 micromol O2 m(-2)h(-1) and 205 micromol NH4+ m(-2)h(-1) in May, only in stations located close to the coast (<8 kms), in the A. alba community. Despite those significant biogeochemical changes in surficial sediments, no significant consequence was pointed out on macrofauna, neither in the O. borealis and A. lanceolatus communities, nor in the coastal A. alba community. Most of the temporal variations recorded might be attributed to the common spring population dynamics, but this study highlights the potential use of geochemical parameters as a forewarning signal of benthic disequilibrium.