Teresa S. Catalá

Turnover time of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in the dark global ocean

Marine dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the largest reservoirs of reduced carbon on Earth. In the dark ocean (>200 m), most of this carbon is refractory DOM. This refractory DOM, largely produced during microbial mineralization of organic matter, includes humic-like substances generated in situ and detectable by fluorescence spectroscopy. Here we show two ubiquitous humic-like fluorophores with turnover times of 435±41 and 610±55 years, which persist significantly longer than the ~350 years that the dark global ocean takes to renew. In parallel, decay of a tyrosine-like fluorophore with a turnover time of 379±103 years is also detected. We propose the use of DOM fluorescence to study the cycling of resistant DOM that is preserved at centennial timescales and could represent a mechanism of carbon sequestration (humic-like fraction) and the decaying DOM injected into the dark global ocean, where it decreases at centennial timescales (tyrosine-like fraction).

Water mass age and aging driving chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the dark global ocean

The omnipresence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in the open ocean enables its use as a tracer for biochemical processes throughout the global overturning circulation. We made an inventory of CDOM optical properties, ideal water age (τ), and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) along the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Ocean waters sampled during the Malaspina 2010 expedition. A water mass analysis was applied to obtain intrinsic, hereinafter archetypal, values of τ, AOU, oxygen utilization rate (OUR), and CDOM absorption coefficients, spectral slopes and quantum yield for each one of the 22 water types intercepted during this circumnavigation. Archetypal values of AOU and OUR have been used to trace the differential influence of water mass aging and aging rates, respectively, on CDOM variables. Whereas the absorption coefficient at 325 nm (a325) and the fluorescence quantum yield at 340 nm (Φ340) increased, the spectral slope over the wavelength range 275–295 nm (S275–295) and the ratio of spectral slopes over the ranges 275–295 nm and 350–400 nm (SR) decreased significantly with water mass aging (AOU). Combination of the slope of the linear regression between archetypal AOU and a325 with the estimated global OUR allowed us to obtain a CDOM turnover time of 634 ± 120 years, which exceeds the flushing time of the dark ocean (>200 m) by 46%. This positive relationship supports the assumption of in situ production and accumulation of CDOM as a by-product of microbial metabolism as water masses turn older. Furthermore, our data evidence that global-scale CDOM quantity (a325) is more dependent on aging (AOU), whereas CDOM quality (S275–295, SR, Φ340) is more dependent on aging rate (OUR).

Chromophoric signatures of microbial by‐products in the dark ocean

10 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, supporting information https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/2016GL069878.-- The data used are listed in Table 1, and the “Chromophores Toolbox” to estimate the UV and Visible chromophores is available at the Web page “http://ecologia.ugr.es/pages/herramientas/toolbox-matlab?lang=en”

Unveiling the role and life strategies of viruses from the surface to the dark ocean

Viral activity exerts a particularly important role in the dark ocean across the global tropical and subtropical oceans. Viruses are a key component of marine ecosystems, but the assessment of their global role in regulating microbial communities and the flux of carbon is precluded by a paucity of data, particularly in the deep ocean. We assessed patterns in viral abundance and production and the role of viral lysis as a driver of prokaryote mortality, from surface to bathypelagic layers, across the tropical and subtropical oceans. Viral abundance showed significant differences between oceans in the epipelagic and mesopelagic, but not in the bathypelagic, and decreased with depth, with an average power-law scaling exponent of −1.03 km−1 from an average of 7.76 × 106 viruses ml−1 in the epipelagic to 0.62 × 106 viruses ml−1 in the bathypelagic layer with an average integrated (0 to 4000 m) viral stock of about 0.004 to 0.044 g C m−2, half of which is found below 775 m. Lysogenic viral production was higher than lytic viral production in surface waters, whereas the opposite was found in the bathypelagic, where prokaryotic mortality due to viruses was estimated to be 60 times higher than grazing. Free viruses had turnover times of 0.1 days in the bathypelagic, revealing that viruses in the bathypelagic are highly dynamic. On the basis of the rates of lysed prokaryotic cells, we estimated that viruses release 145 Gt C year−1 in the global tropical and subtropical oceans. The active viral processes reported here demonstrate the importance of viruses in the production of dissolved organic carbon in the dark ocean, a major pathway in carbon cycling.

Sample dilution and bacterial community composition influence empirical leucine-to-carbon conversion factors in surface waters of the world's oceans

ABSTRACT The transformation of leucine incorporation rates to prokaryotic carbon production rates requires the use of either theoretical or empirically determined conversion factors. Empirical leucine-to-carbon conversion factors (eCFs) vary widely across environments, and little is known about their potential controlling factors. We conducted 10 surface seawater manipulation experiments across the worlds oceans, where the growth of the natural prokaryotic assemblages was promoted by filtration (i.e., removal of grazers [F treatment]) or filtration combined with dilution (i.e., also relieving resource competition [FD treatment]). The impact of sunlight exposure was also evaluated in the FD treatments, and we did not find a significant effect on the eCFs. The eCFs varied from 0.09 to 1.47 kg C mol Leu−1 and were significantly lower in the FD than in the F samples. Also, changes in bacterial community composition during the incubations, as assessed by automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), were more pronounced in the FD than in the F treatments, compared to unmanipulated controls. Thus, we discourage the common procedure of diluting samples (in addition to filtration) for eCF determination. The eCFs in the filtered treatment were negatively correlated with the initial chlorophyll a concentration, picocyanobacterial abundance (mostly Prochlorococcus), and the percentage of heterotrophic prokaryotes with high nucleic acid content (%HNA). The latter two variables explained 80% of the eCF variability in the F treatment, supporting the view that both Prochlorococcus and HNA prokaryotes incorporate leucine in substantial amounts, although this results in relatively low carbon production rates in the oligotrophic ocean.

Sea cucumbers reduce chromophoric dissolved organic matter in aquaculture tanks

Background Mono-specific aquaculture effluents contain high concentrations of nutrients and organic matter, which affect negatively the water quality of the recipient ecosystems. A fundamental feature of water quality is its transparency. The fraction of dissolved organic matter that absorbs light is named chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM). A sustainable alternative to mono-specific aquaculture is the multitrophic aquaculture that includes species trophically complementary named “extractive” species that uptake the waste byproducts. Sea cucumbers are recognized as efficient extractive species due to the consumption of particulate organic matter (POM). However, the effects of sea cucumbers on CDOM are still unknown. Methods During more than one year, we monitored CDOM in two big-volume tanks with different trophic structure. One of the tanks (−holothurian) only contained around 810 individuals of Anemonia sulcata, whereas the other tank (+holothurian) also included 90 individuals of Holothuria tubulosa and Holothuria forskali. We routinely analyzed CDOM absorption spectra and determined quantitative (absorption coefficients at 325 nm) and qualitative (spectral slopes) optical parameters in the inlet waters, within the tanks, and in their corresponding effluents. To confirm the time-series results, we also performed three experiments. Each experiment consisted of two treatments: +holothurians (+H) and –holothurians (−H). We set up three +H tanks with 80 individuals of A. sulcata and 10 individuals of H. tubulosa in each tank and four –H tanks that contained only 80 individuals of A. sulcata. Results In the time-series, absorption coefficients at 325 nm (a325) and spectral slopes from 275 to 295 nm (S275−295) were significantly lower in the effluent of the +holothurian tank (average: 0.33 m−1 and 16 µm−1, respectively) than in the effluent of the −holothurian tank (average: 0.69 m−1 and 34 µm−1, respectively), the former being similar to those found in the inlet waters (average: 0.32 m−1 and 22 µm−1, respectively). This reduction in the absorption of the dissolved organic matter appears to be mediated by the POM consumption by holothurians. The experiments confirmed the results observed in the time-series. The a325 and S275−295 values were significantly lower in the treatment with holothurians than in the treatment without holothurians indicating a reduction in the concentration of chromophoric organic compounds, particularly of low molecular weight. Discussion Consequently, sea cucumbers appear to improve water transparency in aquaculture tanks. The underlying mechanism of this improvement might be related to the POM consumption by holothurians, which reduces the concentration of CDOM derived from POM disaggregation or to the direct assimilation of dissolved compounds of low molecular weight as chromophoric amino acids.

Linking optical and molecular signatures of dissolved organic matter in the Mediterranean Sea

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a key role in global biogeochemical cycles and experiences changes in molecular composition as it undergoes processing. In the semi-closed basins of the oligotrophic Mediterranean Sea, these gradual molecular modifications can be observed in close proximity. In order to extend the spatial resolution of information on DOM molecular composition available from ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry in this area, we relate this data to optical (fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy) measurements. Covariance between molecular formulae signal intensities and carbon-specific fluorescence intensities was examined by means of Spearman’s rank correlations. Fifty two per cent of the assigned molecular formulae were associated with at least one optical parameter, accounting for 70% of the total mass spectrum signal intensity. Furthermore, we obtained significant multiple linear regressions between optical and intensity-weighted molecular indices. The resulting regression equations were used to estimate molecular parameters such as the double bond equivalent, degradation state and occurrence of unsaturated aliphatic compounds from optical measurements. The statistical linkages between DOM molecular and optical properties illustrate that the simple, rapid and cost-efficient optical spectroscopic measurements provide valuable proxy information on the molecular composition of open ocean marine DOM.

The Benthic Megafaunal Assemblages of the CCZ (Eastern Pacific) and an Approach to their Management in the Face of Threatened Anthropogenic Impacts

We present here the results of a comprehensive UNESCO/IOC baseline study of the megafaunal assemblages of the metallic nodule ecosystem of 5 areas within the Clarion Clipperton Fracture Zone (CCFZ) of the eastern Pacific Ocean. The work was undertaken with a view to interpreting the structure of the epifaunal populations associated with the benthic biotopes being targeted for mining and developing an appropriate set of management tools and options. The general characteristics of the nodule ecosystem and its sensitivity to deep-sea mining are discussed in relation to water masses, ocean circulation from the surface to the seabed, the nepheloid layer and processes taking place at the sediment interface. Management tools considered include species diversity, vulnerability indexes, GIS systems, zoning, and 3D rapid environmental assessment (REA). These monitoring strategies are developed for application on one of the UNESCO/IOC baseline study sites.

Corrigendum: Turnover time of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in the dark global ocean

Corrigendum: Turnover time of fluorescent dissolved organic matter in the dark global ocean