Primary and Secondary Organic Marine Aerosol and Oceanic Biological Activity: Recent Results and New Perspectives for Future Studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Rinaldi

2010-01-01

Full Text Available One of the most important natural aerosol systems at the global level is marine aerosol that comprises both organic and inorganic components of primary and secondary origin. The present paper reviews some new results on primary and secondary organic marine aerosol, achieved during the EU project MAP (Marine Aerosol Production, comparing them with those reported in the recent literature. Marine aerosol samples collected at the coastal site of Mace Head, Ireland, show a chemical composition trend that is influenced by the oceanic biological activity cycle, in agreement with other observations. Laboratory experiments show that sea-spray aerosol from biologically active sea water can be highly enriched in organics, and the authors highlight the need for further studies on the atmospheric fate of such primary organics. With regard to the secondary fraction of organic aerosol, the average chemical composition and molecular tracer (methanesulfonic-acid, amines distribution could be successfully characterized by adopting a multitechnique analytical approach.

Production of Enzymes from Marine Actinobacteria.

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Zhao, X Q; Xu, X N; Chen, L Y

Marine actinobacteria are well recognized for their capabilities to produce valuable natural products, which have great potential for applications in medical, agricultural, and fine chemical industries. In addition to producing unique enzymes responsible for biosynthesis of natural products, many marine actinobacteria also produce hydrolytic enzymes which are able to degrade various biopolymers, such as cellulose, xylan, and chitin. These enzymes are important to produce biofuels and biochemicals of interest from renewable biomass. In this chapter, the recent reports of novel enzymes produced by marine actinobacteria are reviewed, and advanced technologies that can be applied to search for novel marine enzymes as well as for improved enzyme production by marine actinobacteria are summarized, which include ribosome engineering, genome mining, as well as synthetic biology studies. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influences of Scavenging and Removal of Surfactants by Bubble Processing on Primary Marine Aerosol Production from North Atlantic Seawater

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Duplessis, P.; Chang, R.; Frossard, A. A.; Keene, W. C.; Maben, J. R.; Long, M. S.; Beaupre, S. R.; Kieber, D. J.; Kinsey, J. D.; Zhu, Y.; Lu, X.; Bisgrove, J.

2017-12-01

Primary marine aerosol particles (PMA) are produced by bursting bubbles from breaking waves at the air-sea interface and significantly modulate atmospheric chemical transformations and cloud properties. Surfactants in bulk seawater rapidly (seconds) adsorb onto fresh bubble surfaces forming organic films that influence size, rise velocity, bursting behavior, and associated PMA emissions. During a cruise on the R/V Endeavor in September and October 2016, PMA production from biologically productive and oligotrophic seawater was investigated at four stations in the western North Atlantic Ocean. PMA were produced in a high-capacity generator via turbulent mixing of seawater and clean air in a Venturi nozzle. When the flow of fresh seawater through the generator was turned off, surfactant depletion via bubble processing resulted in greater PMA mass production efficiencies per unit air detrained but had no consistent influence on number production efficiencies. The greater (factor of 3) production efficiencies of organic matter associated with PMA generated with the Venturi relative to those generated with frits during previous campaigns contributed to a faster depletion of surfactants from the seawater reservoir and corresponding divergence in response.

Marine products with anti-protozoal activity: a review.

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García, Marley; Monzote, Lianet

2014-01-01

The marine organisms are a rich source of varied natural products with unique functionality. A variety of natural products of new molecular structures with diverse biological activities have been reported from marine flora and fauna for treatment and/or prevention of human diseases. The present review briefly illustrates current status of marine products as antiprotozoal agents. The in vitro and in vivo studies of marine algae, invertebrates and micro-organism against different protozoa parasites are included. The marine products studied, according to international criterions for selection of more promisory products in the different models reported, demonstrated their potentialities as antiprozoal agents. Herein, the interest of scientific community to search new alternatives from marine environment has been demonstrated.

Potential consequences of climate change for primary production and fish production in large marine ecosystems.

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Blanchard, Julia L; Jennings, Simon; Holmes, Robert; Harle, James; Merino, Gorka; Allen, J Icarus; Holt, Jason; Dulvy, Nicholas K; Barange, Manuel

2012-11-05

Existing methods to predict the effects of climate change on the biomass and production of marine communities are predicated on modelling the interactions and dynamics of individual species, a very challenging approach when interactions and distributions are changing and little is known about the ecological mechanisms driving the responses of many species. An informative parallel approach is to develop size-based methods. These capture the properties of food webs that describe energy flux and production at a particular size, independent of species' ecology. We couple a physical-biogeochemical model with a dynamic, size-based food web model to predict the future effects of climate change on fish biomass and production in 11 large regional shelf seas, with and without fishing effects. Changes in potential fish production are shown to most strongly mirror changes in phytoplankton production. We project declines of 30-60% in potential fish production across some important areas of tropical shelf and upwelling seas, most notably in the eastern Indo-Pacific, the northern Humboldt and the North Canary Current. Conversely, in some areas of the high latitude shelf seas, the production of pelagic predators was projected to increase by 28-89%.

Marine actinobacteria associated with marine organisms and their potentials in producing pharmaceutical natural products.

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Valliappan, Karuppiah; Sun, Wei; Li, Zhiyong

2014-09-01

Actinobacteria are ubiquitous in the marine environment, playing an important ecological role in the recycling of refractory biomaterials and producing novel natural products with pharmic applications. Actinobacteria have been detected or isolated from the marine creatures such as sponges, corals, mollusks, ascidians, seaweeds, and seagrass. Marine organism-associated actinobacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences, i.e., 3,003 sequences, deposited in the NCBI database clearly revealed enormous numbers of actinobacteria associated with marine organisms. For example, RDP classification of these sequences showed that 112 and 62 actinobacterial genera were associated with the sponges and corals, respectively. In most cases, it is expected that these actinobacteria protect the host against pathogens by producing bioactive compounds. Natural products investigation and functional gene screening of the actinobacteria associated with the marine organisms revealed that they can synthesize numerous natural products including polyketides, isoprenoids, phenazines, peptides, indolocarbazoles, sterols, and others. These compounds showed anticancer, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, neurological, antioxidant, and anti-HIV activities. Therefore, marine organism-associated actinobacteria represent an important resource for marine drugs. It is an upcoming field of research to search for novel actinobacteria and pharmaceutical natural products from actinobacteria associated with the marine organisms. In this review, we attempt to summarize the present knowledge on the diversity and natural products production of actinobacteria associated with the marine organisms, based on the publications from 1991 to 2013.

Evaluation of Organic Proxies for Quantifying Past Primary Productivity

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Raja, M.; Rosell-Melé, A.; Galbraith, E.

2017-12-01

Ocean primary productivity is a key element of the marine carbon cycle. However, its quantitative reconstruction in the past relies on the use of biogeochemical models as the available proxy approaches are qualitative at best. Here, we present an approach that evaluates the use of phytoplanktonic biomarkers (i.e. chlorins and alkenones) as quantitative proxies to reconstruct past changes in marine productivity. We compare biomarkers contents in a global suite of core-top sediments to sea-surface chlorophyll-a abundance estimated by satellites over the last 20 years, and the results are compared to total organic carbon (TOC). We also assess satellite data and detect satellite limitations and biases due to the complexity of optical properties and the actual defined algorithms. Our findings show that sedimentary chlorins can be used to track total sea-surface chlorophyll-a abundance as an indicator for past primary productivity. However, degradation processes restrict the application of this proxy to concentrations below a threshold value (1µg/g). Below this threshold, chlorins are a useful tool to identify reducing conditions when used as part of a multiproxy approach to assess redox sedimentary conditions (e.g. using Re, U). This is based on the link between anoxic/disoxic conditions and the flux of organic matter from the sea-surface to the sediments. We also show that TOC is less accurate than chlorins for estimating sea-surface chlorophyll-a due to the contribution of terrigenous organic matter, and the different degradation pathways of all organic compounds that TOC includes. Alkenones concentration also relates to primary productivity, but they are constrained by different processes in different regions. In conclusion, as lons as specific constraints are taken into account, our study evaluates the use of chlorins and alkenones as quantitative proxies of past primary productivity, with more accuracy than by using TOC.

An assessment of natural product discovery from marine (sensu strictu) and marine-derived fungi

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Overy, David P.; Bayman, Paul; Kerr, Russell G.; Bills, Gerald F.

2014-01-01

The natural products community has been investigating secondary metabolites from marine fungi for several decades, but when one attempts to search for validated reports of new natural products from marine fungi, one encounters a literature saturated with reports from ‘marine-derived’ fungi. Of the 1000+ metabolites that have been characterized to date, only approximately 80 of these have been isolated from species from exclusively marine lineages. These metabolites are summarized here along with the lifestyle and habitats of their producing organisms. Furthermore, we address some of the reasons for the apparent disconnect between the stated objectives of discovering new chemistry from marine organisms and the apparent neglect of the truly exceptional obligate marine fungi. We also offer suggestions on how to reinvigorate enthusiasm for marine natural products discovery from fungi from exclusive marine lineages and highlight the need for critically assessing the role of apparently terrestrial fungi in the marine environment. PMID:25379338

Denali Ice Core Record of North Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures and Marine Primary Productivity

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Polashenski, D.; Osterberg, E. C.; Kreutz, K. J.; Winski, D.; Wake, C. P.; Ferris, D. G.; Introne, D.; Campbell, S. W.

2016-12-01

Chemical analyses of precipitation preserved in glacial ice cores provide a unique opportunity to study changes in atmospheric circulation patterns and ocean surface conditions through time. In this study, we aim to investigate changes in both the physical and biological parameters of the north-central Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea over the twentieth century using the deuterium excess (d-excess) and methanesulfonic acid (MSA) records from the Mt. Hunter ice cores drilled in Denali National Park, Alaska. These parallel, 208 m-long ice cores were drilled to bedrock during the 2013 field season on the Mt. Hunter plateau (63° N, 151° W, 3,900 m above sea level) by a collaborative research team consisting of members from Dartmouth College and the Universities of Maine and New Hampshire. The cores were sampled on a continuous melter system at Dartmouth College and analyzed for the concentrations major ions (Dionex IC) and trace metals (Element2 ICPMS), and for stable water isotope ratios (Picarro). The depth-age scale has been accurately dated to 400 AD using annual layer counting of several chemical species and further validated using known historical volcanic eruptions and the Cesium-137 spike associated with nuclear weapons testing in 1963. We use HYSPLIT back trajectory modeling to identify likely source areas of moisture and aerosol MSA being transported to the core site. Satellite imagery allows for a direct comparison between chlorophyll a concentrations in these source areas and MSA concentrations in the core record. Preliminary analysis of chlorophyll a and MSA concentrations, both derived almost exclusively from marine biota, suggest that the Mt. Hunter ice cores reflect changes in North Pacific and Bering Sea marine primary productivity. Analysis of the water isotope and MSA data in conjunction with climate reanalysis products shows significant correlations (psea surface temperatures in the Bering Sea and North Central Pacific. These findings, coupled with

Global distribution of radiolytic H2 production in marine sediment and implications for subsurface life

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Sauvage, J.; Flinders, A. F.; Spivack, A. J.; D'Hondt, S.

2017-12-01

We present the first global estimate of radiolytic H2production in marine sediment. Knowledge of microbial electron donor production rates is critical to understand the bioenergetics of Earth's subsurface ecosystems In marine sediment, radiolysis of water by radiation from naturally occurring radionuclides leads to production of reduced (H2) and oxidized (H2O2, O2) species. Water radiolysis is catalyzed by marine sediment. The magnitude of catalysis depends on sediment composition and radiation type. Deep-sea clay is especially effective at enhancing H2 yields, increasing yield by more than an order of magnitude relative to pure water. This previously unrecognized catalytic effect of geological materials on radiolytic H2 production is important for fueling microbial life in the subseafloor, especially in sediment with high catalytic power. Our estimate of radiolytic H2 production is based on spatially integrating a previously published model and uses (i) experimentally constrained radiolytic H2 yields for the principal marine sediment types, (ii) bulk sediment radioactive element content of sediment cores in three ocean basins (N. Atlantic, N. and S. Pacific), and global distributions of (iii) seafloor lithology, (iv) sediment porosity, and (v) sediment thickness. We calculate that global radiolytic H2 production in marine sediment is 1.6E+12 mol H2 yr-1. This production rate is small relative to the annual rate of photosynthetic organic-matter production in the surface ocean. The globally integrated ratio of radiolytic H2 production relative to photosynthetic primary production is 4.1E-4, based on electron equivalences. Although small relative to global photosynthetic biomass production, sediment-catalyzed production of radiolytic products is significant in the subseafloor. Our analysis of 9 sites in the N. Atlantic, N. and S. Pacific suggests that H2 is the primary microbial fuel in organic-poor sediment older than a few million years; at these sites, calculated

Sustained climate warming drives declining marine biological productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, J. Keith; Fu, Weiwei; Primeau, Francois; Britten, Gregory L.; Lindsay, Keith; Long, Matthew; Doney, Scott C.; Mahowald, Natalie; Hoffman, Forrest; Randerson, James T.

2018-03-01

Climate change projections to the year 2100 may miss physical-biogeochemical feedbacks that emerge later from the cumulative effects of climate warming. In a coupled climate simulation to the year 2300, the westerly winds strengthen and shift poleward, surface waters warm, and sea ice disappears, leading to intense nutrient trapping in the Southern Ocean. The trapping drives a global-scale nutrient redistribution, with net transfer to the deep ocean. Ensuing surface nutrient reductions north of 30°S drive steady declines in primary production and carbon export (decreases of 24 and 41%, respectively, by 2300). Potential fishery yields, constrained by lower–trophic-level productivity, decrease by more than 20% globally and by nearly 60% in the North Atlantic. Continued high levels of greenhouse gas emissions could suppress marine biological productivity for a millennium.

From Discovery to Production: Biotechnology of Marine Fungi for the Production of New Antibiotics

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Silber, Johanna; Kramer, Annemarie; Labes, Antje; Tasdemir, Deniz

2016-01-01

Filamentous fungi are well known for their capability of producing antibiotic natural products. Recent studies have demonstrated the potential of antimicrobials with vast chemodiversity from marine fungi. Development of such natural products into lead compounds requires sustainable supply. Marine biotechnology can significantly contribute to the production of new antibiotics at various levels of the process chain including discovery, production, downstream processing, and lead development. However, the number of biotechnological processes described for large-scale production from marine fungi is far from the sum of the newly-discovered natural antibiotics. Methods and technologies applied in marine fungal biotechnology largely derive from analogous terrestrial processes and rarely reflect the specific demands of the marine fungi. The current developments in metabolic engineering and marine microbiology are not yet transferred into processes, but offer numerous options for improvement of production processes and establishment of new process chains. This review summarises the current state in biotechnological production of marine fungal antibiotics and points out the enormous potential of biotechnology in all stages of the discovery-to-development pipeline. At the same time, the literature survey reveals that more biotechnology transfer and method developments are needed for a sustainable and innovative production of marine fungal antibiotics. PMID:27455283

Oxidative Stability and Sensory Attributes of Fermented Milk Product Fortified with Fish Oil and Marine Phospholipids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, Henna Fung Sieng; Thomsen, Birgitte Raagaard; Hyldig, Grethe

2013-01-01

Marine phospholipids (PL) are potential ingredients for food fortification due to its numerous advantages. The main objective of this study was to investigate whether a fermented milk product fortified with a mixture of marine PL and fish oil had better oxidative stability than a fermented milk...... product fortified with fish oil alone. Fortification of a fermented milk product with marine PL was performed by incorporating 1 % w/w lipids, either in the form of neat oil or in the form of a pre-emulsion. Lipid oxidation was investigated in the neat emulsions and fortified products by the measurements...... of primary, secondary volatile oxidation products and tocopherol content upon 32 days storage at 2 °C and 28 days storage at 5 °C, respectively. Analyses of particle size distribution, viscosity and microbial growth were also performed. In addition, sensory attributes such as sour, fishy and rancid flavor...

Antifouling Activity of Marine Natural Products

KAUST Repository

Qian, Pei-Yuan; Xu, Sharon Ying

2012-01-01

for marine industries. Marine natural products have been considered as one of the most promising sources of antifouling compounds in recent years. In antifouling compound screening processes, bioassay systems often play most critical/vital roles in screening

Recent Primary Production and Small Phytoplankton Contribution in the Yellow Sea during the Summer in 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Hyo Keun; Kang, Jae Jung; Lee, Jae Hyung; Kim, Myungjoon; Ahn, So Hyun; Jeong, Jin-Yong; Yun, Mi Sun; Han, In-Seong; Lee, Sang Heon

2018-05-01

The high nutrient concentration associated with the mixing dynamics of two warm and cold water masses supports high primary production in the Yellow Sea. Although various environmental changes have been reported, no recent information on small phytoplankton contribution to the total primary production as an important indicator for marine ecosystem changes is currently available in the Yellow Sea. The major objective of this study is to determine the small (values decades ago. The higher contributions of small phytoplankton to the total chlorophyll a concentration and primary production might be caused by P-limited conditions and this resulted in lower chlorophyll a concentration and total primary production in this study compared to previous studies.

Projected 21st century decrease in marine productivity: a multi-model analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Steinacher

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Changes in marine net primary productivity (PP and export of particulate organic carbon (EP are projected over the 21st century with four global coupled carbon cycle-climate models. These include representations of marine ecosystems and the carbon cycle of different structure and complexity. All four models show a decrease in global mean PP and EP between 2 and 20% by 2100 relative to preindustrial conditions, for the SRES A2 emission scenario. Two different regimes for productivity changes are consistently identified in all models. The first chain of mechanisms is dominant in the low- and mid-latitude ocean and in the North Atlantic: reduced input of macro-nutrients into the euphotic zone related to enhanced stratification, reduced mixed layer depth, and slowed circulation causes a decrease in macro-nutrient concentrations and in PP and EP. The second regime is projected for parts of the Southern Ocean: an alleviation of light and/or temperature limitation leads to an increase in PP and EP as productivity is fueled by a sustained nutrient input. A region of disagreement among the models is the Arctic, where three models project an increase in PP while one model projects a decrease. Projected changes in seasonal and interannual variability are modest in most regions. Regional model skill metrics are proposed to generate multi-model mean fields that show an improved skill in representing observation-based estimates compared to a simple multi-model average. Model results are compared to recent productivity projections with three different algorithms, usually applied to infer net primary production from satellite observations.

Modelling size-fractionated primary production in the Atlantic Ocean from remote sensing

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Brewin, Robert J. W.; Tilstone, Gavin H.; Jackson, Thomas; Cain, Terry; Miller, Peter I.; Lange, Priscila K.; Misra, Ankita; Airs, Ruth L.

2017-11-01

Marine primary production influences the transfer of carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere, and the availability of energy for the pelagic food web. Both the rate and the fate of organic carbon from primary production are dependent on phytoplankton size. A key aim of the Atlantic Meridional Transect (AMT) programme has been to quantify biological carbon cycling in the Atlantic Ocean and measurements of total primary production have been routinely made on AMT cruises, as well as additional measurements of size-fractionated primary production on some cruises. Measurements of total primary production collected on the AMT have been used to evaluate remote-sensing techniques capable of producing basin-scale estimates of primary production. Though models exist to estimate size-fractionated primary production from satellite data, these have not been well validated in the Atlantic Ocean, and have been parameterised using measurements of phytoplankton pigments rather than direct measurements of phytoplankton size structure. Here, we re-tune a remote-sensing primary production model to estimate production in three size fractions of phytoplankton (10 μm) in the Atlantic Ocean, using measurements of size-fractionated chlorophyll and size-fractionated photosynthesis-irradiance experiments conducted on AMT 22 and 23 using sequential filtration-based methods. The performance of the remote-sensing technique was evaluated using: (i) independent estimates of size-fractionated primary production collected on a number of AMT cruises using 14C on-deck incubation experiments and (ii) Monte Carlo simulations. Considering uncertainty in the satellite inputs and model parameters, we estimate an average model error of between 0.27 and 0.63 for log10-transformed size-fractionated production, with lower errors for the small size class (10 μm), and errors generally higher in oligotrophic waters. Application to satellite data in 2007 suggests the contribution of cells 2 μm to total

Marine Ecological Footprint of Italian Mediterranean Fisheries

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Federica de Leo

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The capacity of marine and coastal ecosystems to sustain seafood production and consumption is seldom accounted for and is not included in the signals that guide economic development. In this article, we review estimates of marine and coastal areas aimed at sustaining catches for seafood consumption. The aim of this paper is the assessment of the interactions between the environment, intended as a set of ecological subsystems in natural equilibrium, including the marine ecosystem, and the process of fisheries systems. In particular we analyze fisheries in Italy, which is the third biggest economy and the greatest consumer of seafood in the Eurozone, conducting an in-depth analysis of the Marine Ecological Footprint (MEF that evaluates the marine ecosystem area exploited by human populations to supply seafood and other marine products and services. The positioning of Italian fisheries shows a level of sustainability next to the threshold value. The analysis in the present study highlights the importance of absolute indicators in providing rough estimates about human dependence on ecological systems and recognizes the importance of those indicators, such as the Marine Footprint (expressed in % of Primary Production Required/Primary Production, in ensuring a high level of precision and accuracy in quantifying human activity impact on the environment.

Marine Enzymes: Production and Applications for Human Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Rao, T Eswara; Imchen, M; Kumavath, R

Marine microbial enzymes have wide applications in bioindustries. Selection of microorganisms for enzyme production at the industrial level requires good yield and high production rate. A number of enzymes such as amylase, caseinase, lipase, gelatinase, and DNases have been discovered from microbes isolated from extreme marine environments. Such enzymes are thermostable, tolerant to a varied range of pH and other harsh conditions required in industrial applications. Novelty in their structure and characteristics has shown promising scope to the researchers in academia and industry. In this chapter, we present a bird's eye view on recent research works in the field of enzyme production from marine origin as well as their potential biological applications relevant to human health. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Denali Ice Core MSA: A Record of North Pacific Primary Productivity

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Polashenski, D.; Osterberg, E. C.; Winski, D.; Kreutz, K. J.; Wake, C. P.; Ferris, D. G.; Introne, D.; Campbell, S. W.

2017-12-01

The high nutrient, low chlorophyll region of the North Pacific is one of the most biologically productive marine ecosystems in the world and forms the basis of commercial, sport, and subsistence fisheries worth more than a billion dollars annually. Marine phytoplankton prove to be important both as the primary producers in these ecosystems and as a major source of biogenic sulfur emissions which have long been hypothesized to serve as a biological control on Earth's climate system. Despite their importance, the record of marine phytoplankton abundance and the flux of biogenic sulfur from these regions is not well constrained. In situ measurements of marine phytoplankton from oceanographic cruises over the past several decades are limited in both spatial and temporal resolution. Meanwhile, marine sediment records may provide insight on million year timescales, but lack decadal resolution due to slow sediment deposition rates and bioturbation. In this study, we aim to investigate changes in marine phytoplankton productivity of the northeastern subarctic Pacific Ocean (NSPO) over the twentieth century using the methanesulfonic acid (MSA) record from the Mt. Hunter ice cores drilled in Denali National Park, Alaska. These parallel, 208 meter long ice cores were drilled during the 2013 field season on the Mt. Hunter plateau (63° N, 151° W, 4,000 m above sea level). Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) modeling is used to identify likely source areas in the NSPO for MSA being transported to the core site. SeaWiFS satellite imagery allows for a direct comparison of chlorophyll a concentrations in these source areas with MSA concentrations in the core record through time. Our findings suggest that the Denali ice core MSA record reflects changes in the biological productivity of marine phytoplankton and shows a significant decline in MSA beginning in 1961. We investigate several hypotheses for potential mechanisms driving this MSA decline

Marine Enzymes and Microorganisms for Bioethanol Production.

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Swain, M R; Natarajan, V; Krishnan, C

Bioethanol is a potential alternative fuel to fossil fuels. Bioethanol as a fuel has several economic and environmental benefits. Though bioethanol is produced using starch and sugarcane juice, these materials are in conflict with food availability. To avoid food-fuel conflict, the second-generation bioethanol production by utilizing nonfood lignocellulosic materials has been extensively investigated. However, due to the complexity of lignocellulose architecture, the process is complicated and not economically competitive. The cultivation of lignocellulosic energy crops indirectly affects the food supplies by extensive land use. Marine algae have attracted attention to replace the lignocellulosic feedstock for bioethanol production, since the algae grow fast, do not use land, avoid food-fuel conflict and have several varieties to suit the cultivation environment. The composition of algae is not as complex as lignocellulose due to the absence of lignin, which renders easy hydrolysis of polysaccharides to fermentable sugars. Marine organisms also produce cold-active enzymes for hydrolysis of starch, cellulose, and algal polysaccharides, which can be employed in bioethanol process. Marine microoorganisms are also capable of fermenting sugars under high salt environment. Therefore, marine biocatalysts are promising for development of efficient processes for bioethanol production. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Temperature dependence of CO2-enhanced primary production in the European Arctic Ocean

KAUST Repository

Holding, J. M.

2015-08-31

The Arctic Ocean is warming at two to three times the global rate1 and is perceived to be a bellwether for ocean acidification2, 3. Increased CO2 concentrations are expected to have a fertilization effect on marine autotrophs4, and higher temperatures should lead to increased rates of planktonic primary production5. Yet, simultaneous assessment of warming and increased CO2 on primary production in the Arctic has not been conducted. Here we test the expectation that CO2-enhanced gross primary production (GPP) may be temperature dependent, using data from several oceanographic cruises and experiments from both spring and summer in the European sector of the Arctic Ocean. Results confirm that CO2 enhances GPP (by a factor of up to ten) over a range of 145–2,099 μatm; however, the greatest effects are observed only at lower temperatures and are constrained by nutrient and light availability to the spring period. The temperature dependence of CO2-enhanced primary production has significant implications for metabolic balance in a warmer, CO2-enriched Arctic Ocean in the future. In particular, it indicates that a twofold increase in primary production during the spring is likely in the Arctic.

Marine Natural Products as Prototype Agrochemical Agents

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Jiangnan; Shen, Xiaoyu; El Sayed, Khalid A.; Dunbar, D. C Harles; Perry, Tony L.; Wilkins, Scott P.; Hamann, Mark T.; Bobzin, Steve; Huesing, Joseph; Camp, Robin; Prinsen, Mike; Krupa, Dan; Wideman, Margaret A.

2016-01-01

In the interest of identifying new leads that could serve as prototype agrochemical agents, 18 structurally diverse marine-derived compounds were examined for insecticidal, herbicidal, and fungicidal activities. Several new classes of compounds have been shown to be insecticidal, herbicidal, and fungicidal, which suggests that marine natural products represent an intriguing source for the discovery of new agrochemical agents. PMID:12670165

Marine natural products: a new wave of drugs?

Science.gov (United States)

Montaser, Rana; Luesch, Hendrik

2011-01-01

The largely unexplored marine world that presumably harbors the most biodiversity may be the vastest resource to discover novel ‘validated’ structures with novel modes of action that cover biologically relevant chemical space. Several challenges, including the supply problem and target identification, need to be met for successful drug development of these often complex molecules; however, approaches are available to overcome the hurdles. Advances in technologies such as sampling strategies, nanoscale NMR for structure determination, total chemical synthesis, fermentation and biotechnology are all crucial to the success of marine natural products as drug leads. We illustrate the high degree of innovation in the field of marine natural products, which in our view will lead to a new wave of drugs that flow into the market and pharmacies in the future. PMID:21882941

Optimization of alkaline cellulase production by the marine-derived fungus Chaetomium sp. using agricultural and industrial wastes as substrates

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ravindran, C.; Naveenan, T.; Varatharajan, G.R

coastal waters in the form of detritus and live animals (fish, shellfish). The detritus serves as a nutrient source and is the base of an extensive primary source in the food web of the tropical marine ecosystem (Raghukumar et al. 1994). Marine fungi... for the production of alkaline cellulase enzymes using agricultural and industrial wastes such as wheat bran, rice bran, cotton seeds, sugarcane bagasse and paper as substrates. Materials and Methods Sampling of plant material and isolation of fungal...

Marine actinobacteria: an important source of bioactive natural products.

Science.gov (United States)

Manivasagan, Panchanathan; Kang, Kyong-Hwa; Sivakumar, Kannan; Li-Chan, Eunice C Y; Oh, Hyun-Myung; Kim, Se-Kwon

2014-07-01

Marine environment is largely an untapped source for deriving actinobacteria, having potential to produce novel, bioactive natural products. Actinobacteria are the prolific producers of pharmaceutically active secondary metabolites, accounting for about 70% of the naturally derived compounds that are currently in clinical use. Among the various actinobacterial genera, Actinomadura, Actinoplanes, Amycolatopsis, Marinispora, Micromonospora, Nocardiopsis, Saccharopolyspora, Salinispora, Streptomyces and Verrucosispora are the major potential producers of commercially important bioactive natural products. In this respect, Streptomyces ranks first with a large number of bioactive natural products. Marine actinobacteria are unique enhancing quite different biological properties including antimicrobial, anticancer, antiviral, insecticidal and enzyme inhibitory activities. They have attracted global in the last ten years for their ability to produce pharmaceutically active compounds. In this review, we have focused attention on the bioactive natural products isolated from marine actinobacteria, possessing unique chemical structures that may form the basis for synthesis of novel drugs that could be used to combat resistant pathogenic microorganisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Primary productivity

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Verlecar, X.N.; Parulekar, A.H.

Photosynthetic production in the oceans in relation to light, nutrients and mixing processes is discussed. Primary productivity in the estuarine region is reported to be high in comparison to coastal and oceanic waters. Upwelling phenomenon...

14C specific activity of farm products and marine products collected from the Rokkasho area in Aomori prefecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muranaka, Takeshi; Honda, Kazuya

1996-01-01

We investigated 14 C specific activity of farm products and marine products which were collected from the Rokkasho area in Aomori prefecture from 1988 to 1990. The measured 14 C specific activity of farm products was almost equal to one another with the averaged 14 C specific activity of 0.261 [Bq/g·C]. On the other hand, 14 C specific activity of marine products was slightly lower than those of farm products. Especially that of squid was the lowest among studied marine products. This may be due to the low 14 C specific activity of the sea water surrounding squid. (author)

Marine organisms: an alternative source of potentially valuable natural products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alphonse Kelecom

1991-01-01

Full Text Available This paper recalls the outcoming of marine natural products research and reviews a selection of marirne bioactive metabolites in current use together with promising trends in marine pharmacology.

Tiniest primary producers in the marine environment: An appraisal from the context of waters around India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mitbavkar, S.; Anil, A.C.

Phytoplankton (0.2 mm - 2 mm) are the major primary producers in the marine environment thereby forming a basic link in the marine food web. They are categorized into different groups depending on their size range. Cells in the size range of 0...

Antimicrobial susceptibility and internalization of Salmonella Typhimurium in vacuum-tumbled marinated beef products.

Science.gov (United States)

Pokharel, S; Brooks, J C; Martin, J N; Brashears, M M

2016-12-01

As the incidence of multidrug resistance (MDR) Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium is increasing, data regarding the antimicrobial interventions and pathogen internalization in marinated meat products are important. This study evaluated the antimicrobial intervention and internalization of Salm. Typhimurium in marinated beef sirloin steaks. Beef bottom sirloin flaps (IMPS #185A; USDA Select) inoculated (10 8  log 10  CFU ml -1 ) with Salm. Typhimurium were sprayed (lactic acid (4%) and buffered vinegar (2%)) prior to vacuum-tumbled marination (0·35% sodium chloride and 0·45% sodium tripolyphosphate) for 30 min. Pathogen presence after antimicrobial spray, vacuum-tumbled marination, and translocation was determined by direct plating on Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate (XLD) agar with tryptic soy agar (TSA) overlay. The data imply varied internalization and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Salm. Typhimurium in marinated meat. Lactic acid (4%) spray (P internalization and potential survival of Salmonella spp. in marinated beef products is a major concern. These results highlight the internalization of pathogens in vacuum-tumbled meat products and emphasize the importance of considering these products as nonintact. Similarly, these data confirm the efficacy and utility of interventions prior to vacuum-tumbled marination. Further research is needed to identify additional strategies to mitigate internalization and translocation of pathogens into vacuum-marinated meat products. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Primary productivity of marine macrophytes in the coral reef lagoon of the Kadmat Island, Lakshadweep

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Dhargalkar, V.K.; Shaikh, N.

n situ primary productivity measurements were carried out with different macrophyte species (belonging to four groups) dominating the benthic communities in the coral reef lagoon of the Kadmat Island of the Lakshadweep Archipelago...

Small diversity effects on ocean primary production under environmental change in a diversity-resolving ocean ecosystem model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prowe, Friederike; Pahlow, M.; Dutkiewicz, S.

2013-01-01

Marine ecosystem models used to investigate how global change affects ocean ecosystems and their functioning typically omit pelagic diversity. Diversity, however, can affect functions such as primary production and their sensitivity to environmental changes. Using a global ocean ecosystem model...... the diversity effects on ecosystem functioning captured in ocean ecosystem models....

Nitrous oxide production associated with coastal marine invertebrates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heisterkamp, Ines Maria; Schramm, Andreas; de Beer, Dirk

2010-01-01

Several freshwater and terrestrial invertebrate species emit the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O). The N2O production associated with these animals was ascribed to incomplete denitrification by ingested sediment or soil bacteria. The present study shows that many marine invertebrates also emit N2......O at substantial rates. A total of 19 invertebrate species collected in the German Wadden Sea and in Aarhus Bay, Denmark, and 1 aquacultured shrimp species were tested for N2O emission. Potential N2O emission rates ranged from 0 to 1.354 nmol ind.–1 h–1, with an average rate of 0.320 nmol ind.–1 h–1...... with an experimentally cleaned shell. Thus, the N2O production associated with marine invertebrates is apparently not due to gut denitrification in every species, but may also result from microbial activity on the external surfaces of animals. The high abundance and potential N2O emission rates of many marine...

Cytotoxic Natural Products from Marine Sponge-Derived Microorganisms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huawei Zhang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A growing body of evidence indicates that marine sponge-derived microbes possess the potential ability to make prolific natural products with therapeutic effects. This review for the first time provides a comprehensive overview of new cytotoxic agents from these marine microbes over the last 62 years from 1955 to 2016, which are assorted into seven types: terpenes, alkaloids, peptides, aromatics, lactones, steroids, and miscellaneous compounds.

Drugs from the Oceans: Marine Natural Products as Leads for Drug Discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Altmann, Karl-Heinz

2017-10-25

The marine environment harbors a vast number of species that are the source of a wide array of structurally diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. At this point in time, roughly 27'000 marine natural products are known, of which eight are (were) at the origin of seven marketed drugs, mostly for the treatment of cancer. The majority of these drugs and also of drug candidates currently undergoing clinical evaluation (excluding antibody-drug conjugates) are unmodified natural products, but synthetic chemistry has played a central role in the discovery and/or development of all but one of the approved marine-derived drugs. More than 1000 new marine natural products have been isolated per year over the last decade, but the pool of new and unique structures is far from exhausted. To fully leverage the potential offered by the structural diversity of marine-produced secondary metabolites for drug discovery will require their broad assessment for different bioactivities and the productive interplay between new fermentation technologies, synthetic organic chemistry, and medicinal chemistry, in order to secure compound supply and enable lead optimization.

Natural antifouling compound production by microbes associated with marine macroorganisms — A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sathianeson Satheesh

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In the marine environment, all hard surfaces including marine macroorganims are colonized by microorganisms mainly from the surrounding environment. The microorganisms associated with marine macroorganisms offer tremendous potential for exploitation of bioactive metabolites. Biofouling is a continuous problem in marine sectors which needs huge economy for control and cleaning processes. Biotechnological way for searching natural product antifouling compounds gained momentum in recent years because of the environmental pollution associated with the use of toxic chemicals to control biofouling. While, natural product based antifoulants from marine organisms particularly sponges and corals attained significance due to their activities in field assays, collection of larger amount of organisms from the sea is not a viable one. The microorganisms associated with sponges, corals, ascidians, seaweeds and seagrasses showed strong antimicrobial and also antifouling activities. This review highlights the advances in natural product antifoulants research from microbes associated with marine organisms.

Terrestrial P and Reactive N and Marine Productivity in the Late Devonian Appalachian Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Tuite, M. L.; Macko, S. A.

2009-12-01

A causal link between the Late Devonian emergence of forest ecosystems and episodic black shale deposition has been proposed by several authors. Most attribute increases in epicontinental basin productivity to elevated rates of terrestrial phosphorus weathering facilitated by the co-evolution of root systems and soils. Two reasons to suspect that an increase in the P weathering flux was not the primary cause of organic-rich shale deposition are as follows. First, most Late Devonian black shales were deposited during sea level transgressions, periods when riverine fluxes of sediment and mineral nutrients such as P to marine basins were diminished. Second, Late Devonian forests were restricted to warm, moist lowlands where P was sequestered in soils as inorganic, occluded forms. However, the export flux of reactive N from these forests to adjacent epeiric seas by riverine and atmospheric deposition was enhanced by the warm, wet climate and expanding areal extent of forests. Abundant terrestrial reactive N primed the marine eutrophication pump by extending the residence time of P in the photic zone, permitting extensive growth of primary biomass. The consequent flux of organic matter to the sea floor created anoxic bottom waters that, in turn, allowed for the remobilization of P into the water column. Based on abundance and isotopic analyses of organic and inorganic C, N, P, and S from terrestrial and marine environments within and adjacent to the Late Devonian Appalachian Basin, this latter scenario is supported.

VIIRS Marine Isoprene Product and Initial Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, D.; Wang, M.; Wang, B.; Pan, L.; Lee, P.; Goldberg, M.

2017-12-01

Isoprene is a reactive biogenic hydrocarbon that affects atmospheric chemistry, aerosol loading, and cloud formation. We have developed a marine isoprene emission algorithm based on ocean color data from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP). and global meteorology simulated by NOAA Global Forecasting System (GFS). This algorithm is implemented to generate a multi-year data record (2012-2015) of marine isoprene. The product was validated using historic ocean observations of marine isoprene, as well as in-situ data collected during two recent cruises (SPACES/OASIS in 2014 and ASTRA-OMZ in 2015). Result shows that the VIIRS product has captured the seasonal and spatial variability of global oceanic isoprene emission, which is controlled by a myriad of biological and environmental variables including chlorophyll-a concentration, phytoplankton functional types, seawater light attenuation rate, wind speed, and sea surface temperature. The VIIRS isoprene emission displays considerable seasonal and spatial variations, with peaks in spring over seawater abundant with nutrient inputs. Year to year variations are small, with the annual global emissions ranging from 0.20 to 0.25 Tg C/yr. This new dataset provides the first multi-year observations of global isoprene emissions that can be used to study a variety of environmental issues such as coastal air quality, global aerosol, and cloud formation. Some "early-adopter" applications of this product are briefly discussed.

Sustainable production of biologically active molecules of marine based origin.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Patrick M; Moane, Siobhan; Collins, Catherine; Beletskaya, Tanya; Thomas, Olivier P; Duarte, Alysson W F; Nobre, Fernando S; Owoyemi, Ifeloju O; Pagnocca, Fernando C; Sette, L D; McHugh, Edward; Causse, Eric; Pérez-López, Paula; Feijoo, Gumersindo; Moreira, Ma T; Rubiolo, Juan; Leirós, Marta; Botana, Luis M; Pinteus, Susete; Alves, Celso; Horta, André; Pedrosa, Rui; Jeffryes, Clayton; Agathos, Spiros N; Allewaert, Celine; Verween, Annick; Vyverman, Wim; Laptev, Ivan; Sineoky, Sergei; Bisio, Angela; Manconi, Renata; Ledda, Fabio; Marchi, Mario; Pronzato, Roberto; Walsh, Daniel J

2013-09-25

The marine environment offers both economic and scientific potential which are relatively untapped from a biotechnological point of view. These environments whilst harsh are ironically fragile and dependent on a harmonious life form balance. Exploitation of natural resources by exhaustive wild harvesting has obvious negative environmental consequences. From a European industry perspective marine organisms are a largely underutilised resource. This is not due to lack of interest but due to a lack of choice the industry faces for cost competitive, sustainable and environmentally conscientious product alternatives. Knowledge of the biotechnological potential of marine organisms together with the development of sustainable systems for their cultivation, processing and utilisation are essential. In 2010, the European Commission recognised this need and funded a collaborative RTD/SME project under the Framework 7-Knowledge Based Bio-Economy (KBBE) Theme 2 Programme 'Sustainable culture of marine microorganisms, algae and/or invertebrates for high value added products'. The scope of that project entitled 'Sustainable Production of Biologically Active Molecules of Marine Based Origin' (BAMMBO) is outlined. Although the Union is a global leader in many technologies, it faces increasing competition from traditional rivals and emerging economies alike and must therefore improve its innovation performance. For this reason innovation is placed at the heart of a European Horizon 2020 Strategy wherein the challenge is to connect economic performance to eco performance. This article provides a synopsis of the research activities of the BAMMBO project as they fit within the wider scope of sustainable environmentally conscientious marine resource exploitation for high-value biomolecules. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined constraints on global ocean primary production using observations and models

Science.gov (United States)

Buitenhuis, Erik T.; Hashioka, Taketo; Quéré, Corinne Le

2013-09-01

production is at the base of the marine food web and plays a central role for global biogeochemical cycles. Yet global ocean primary production is known to only a factor of 2, with previous estimates ranging from 38 to 65 Pg C yr-1 and no formal uncertainty analysis. Here, we present an improved global ocean biogeochemistry model that includes a mechanistic representation of photosynthesis and a new observational database of net primary production (NPP) in the ocean. We combine the model and observations to constrain particulate NPP in the ocean with statistical metrics. The PlankTOM5.3 model includes a new photosynthesis formulation with a dynamic representation of iron-light colimitation, which leads to a considerable improvement of the interannual variability of surface chlorophyll. The database includes a consistent set of 50,050 measurements of 14C primary production. The model best reproduces observations when global NPP is 58 ± 7 Pg C yr-1, with a most probable value of 56 Pg C yr-1. The most probable value is robust to the model used. The uncertainty represents 95% confidence intervals. It considers all random errors in the model and observations, but not potential biases in the observations. We show that tropical regions (23°S-23°N) contribute half of the global NPP, while NPPs in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres are approximately equal in spite of the larger ocean area in the South.

Impact of primary amine group from aminophospholipids and amino acids on marine phospholipids stability: Non-enzymatic browning and lipid oxidation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, Henna Fung Sieng; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Baron, Caroline P.

2013-01-01

The main objective of this study was to investigate the oxidative stability and non-enzymatic browning reactions of marine PL in the presence or in the absence of primary amine group from aminophospholipids and amino acids. Marine phospholipids liposomal dispersions were prepared from two authentic......) Strecker derived volatiles, (ii) yellowness index (YI), (iii) hydrophobic and (iv) hydrophilic pyrroles content. The oxidative stability of the samples was assessed through measurement of secondary lipid derived volatile oxidation products. The result showed that the presence of PE and amino acids caused...... the formation of pyrroles, generated Strecker derived volatiles, decreased the YI development and lowered lipid oxidation. The lower degree of lipid oxidation in liposomal dispersions containing amino acids might be attributed to antioxidative properties of pyrroles or amino acids....

Corrosion products of reinforcement in concrete in marine and industrial environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vera, R.; Villarroel, M.; Carvajal, A.M.; Vera, E.; Ortiz, C.

2009-01-01

The corrosion products formed on embedded steel in concrete under simulated marine and industrial conditions and natural marine environment were studied. A 0.50 water/cement ratio concrete was used and 3.5% NaCl and 180 g L -1 of H 2 SO 4 with 70 ppm of chloride ions solutions were used to simulate the synthetic medium. The initial electrochemical variables of the steel and pH, chlorides and sulfates profiles were measured according to the concrete depth. The morphology of the corrosive attack was determined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the composition of the corrosion products was determined using an X-ray analyzer and an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The protective power of the corrosion products was evaluated through anodic polarization curves in a saturated Ca(OH) 2 solution. The results from XRD and SEM show that all the resulting corrosion products correspond to lepidocrocite, goethite and magnetite mixtures; moreover, akaganeite was also identified under natural and simulated marine environments. Siderite was only detected in samples exposed to a natural marine environment. Concerning the protective nature of the corrosion products, these show lower performance in a simulated industrial environment, where the corrosion rate of the steel is up to 1.48 μm year -1

Corrosion products of reinforcement in concrete in marine and industrial environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vera, R. [Instituto de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Casilla 4059, Valparaiso (Chile)], E-mail: rvera@ucv.cl; Villarroel, M. [Instituto de Quimica, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso, Avenida Brasil 2950, Casilla 4059, Valparaiso (Chile); Carvajal, A.M. [Facultad de Ingenieria, Escuela de Construccion Civil, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Av. Vicuna Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago (Chile); Vera, E.; Ortiz, C. [Universidad Pedagogica y Tecnologica de Colombia, Avenida Central Norte, Km 2, Tunja (Colombia)

2009-03-15

The corrosion products formed on embedded steel in concrete under simulated marine and industrial conditions and natural marine environment were studied. A 0.50 water/cement ratio concrete was used and 3.5% NaCl and 180 g L{sup -1} of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} with 70 ppm of chloride ions solutions were used to simulate the synthetic medium. The initial electrochemical variables of the steel and pH, chlorides and sulfates profiles were measured according to the concrete depth. The morphology of the corrosive attack was determined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the composition of the corrosion products was determined using an X-ray analyzer and an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The protective power of the corrosion products was evaluated through anodic polarization curves in a saturated Ca(OH){sub 2} solution. The results from XRD and SEM show that all the resulting corrosion products correspond to lepidocrocite, goethite and magnetite mixtures; moreover, akaganeite was also identified under natural and simulated marine environments. Siderite was only detected in samples exposed to a natural marine environment. Concerning the protective nature of the corrosion products, these show lower performance in a simulated industrial environment, where the corrosion rate of the steel is up to 1.48 {mu}m year{sup -1}.

Bioactive natural products from Chinese marine flora and fauna.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Zhen-Fang; Guo, Yue-Wei

2012-09-01

In recent decades, the pharmaceutical application potential of marine natural products has attracted much interest from both natural product chemists and pharmacologists. Our group has long been engaged in the search for bioactive natural products from Chinese marine flora (such as mangroves and algae) and fauna (including sponges, soft corals, and mollusks), resulting in the isolation and characterization of numerous novel secondary metabolites spanning a wide range of structural classes and various biosynthetic origins. Of particular interest is the fact that many of these compounds show promising biological activities, including cytotoxic, antibacterial, and enzyme inhibitory effects. By describing representative studies, this review presents a comprehensive summary regarding the achievements and progress made by our group in the past decade. Several interesting examples are discussed in detail.

Exploring Marine Biodiversity through Inquiry with Primary School Students: A Successful Journey?

Science.gov (United States)

Jesus-Leibovitz, Luísa; Faria, Cláudia; Baioa, Ana Margarida; Borges, Rita

2017-01-01

In this work, we present a marine ecology inquiry-based activity, implemented with 164 primary school students. The main goal was to evaluate the activity's impact on students' understanding about biodiversity and scientific procedures. We also aimed to analyse the potential use of personal meaning maps (PMMs) to assess the impact of the activity…

Multiple stressors for oceanic primary production

KAUST Repository

Agusti, Susana

2015-12-15

Marine ecosystems are increasingly exposed to stress factors of anthropogenic origin that change their function, structure and services they deliver society. Climate change occurs simultaneously with other changes in the environment acting jointly in a context of global environmental change. For oceanic phytoplankton communities, the research conducted so far has identified stress factors associated with global change and their impact individually (warming, acidification, increased UVB radiation, pollutants). But when several stressors act simultaneously interactions and responses are not equal to the sum of individual impacts, but may have synergistic effects (the effects are multiplied) or antagonistic (cancel out the effects) that hinder predictions of the vulnerability of ecosystems to global change. Here we will examine the vulnerability of oceanic primary producers to the accumulation of different stressors associated with global change. The trend for autotrophic picoplankton to increase with temperature in the ocean has led to predictions that autotrophic picoplankton abundance will increase with warming. However, it is documented a trend towards a decline in productivity, due to declined autotroph biomass and production with warming and the associated stratification in the subtropical ocean. Models predicting an increase in abundance are in contradiction with the reported decrease in productivity in several oceanic areas, and associate oligotrophication. Here we perform a global study to analyze the relationships of autotrophic picoplankton with oceanic temperature, nutrients, underwater light and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, and productivity. We built a model to project the future changes of autotrophic picoplankton considering multiple environmental changes in future climate scenarios for the subtropical gyres. We considered increased water temperature, and associated changes in productivity and underwater light and UVB. The model show that warming and

Multiple stressors for oceanic primary production

KAUST Repository

Agusti, Susana; Llabré s, Moira; Lubiá n, Luis M.; Moreno-Ostos, Enrique; Estrada, Marta; Duarte, Carlos M.; Cerezo, Maria I.

2015-01-01

Marine ecosystems are increasingly exposed to stress factors of anthropogenic origin that change their function, structure and services they deliver society. Climate change occurs simultaneously with other changes in the environment acting jointly in a context of global environmental change. For oceanic phytoplankton communities, the research conducted so far has identified stress factors associated with global change and their impact individually (warming, acidification, increased UVB radiation, pollutants). But when several stressors act simultaneously interactions and responses are not equal to the sum of individual impacts, but may have synergistic effects (the effects are multiplied) or antagonistic (cancel out the effects) that hinder predictions of the vulnerability of ecosystems to global change. Here we will examine the vulnerability of oceanic primary producers to the accumulation of different stressors associated with global change. The trend for autotrophic picoplankton to increase with temperature in the ocean has led to predictions that autotrophic picoplankton abundance will increase with warming. However, it is documented a trend towards a decline in productivity, due to declined autotroph biomass and production with warming and the associated stratification in the subtropical ocean. Models predicting an increase in abundance are in contradiction with the reported decrease in productivity in several oceanic areas, and associate oligotrophication. Here we perform a global study to analyze the relationships of autotrophic picoplankton with oceanic temperature, nutrients, underwater light and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation, and productivity. We built a model to project the future changes of autotrophic picoplankton considering multiple environmental changes in future climate scenarios for the subtropical gyres. We considered increased water temperature, and associated changes in productivity and underwater light and UVB. The model show that warming and

HANPP Collection: Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity as a Percentage of Net Primary Productivity

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) as a Percentage of Net Primary Product (NPP) portion of the HANPP Collection represents a map identifying...

Potential of biogenic hydrogen production for hydrogen driven remediation strategies in marine environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseinkhani, Baharak; Hennebel, Tom; Boon, Nico

2014-09-25

Fermentative production of bio-hydrogen (bio-H2) from organic residues has emerged as a promising alternative for providing the required electron source for hydrogen driven remediation strategies. Unlike the widely used production of H2 by bacteria in fresh water systems, few reports are available regarding the generation of biogenic H2 and optimisation processes in marine systems. The present research aims to optimise the capability of an indigenous marine bacterium for the production of bio-H2 in marine environments and subsequently develop this process for hydrogen driven remediation strategies. Fermentative conversion of organics in marine media to H2 using a marine isolate, Pseudoalteromonas sp. BH11, was determined. A Taguchi design of experimental methodology was employed to evaluate the optimal nutritional composition in batch tests to improve bio-H2 yields. Further optimisation experiments showed that alginate-immobilised bacterial cells were able to produce bio-H2 at the same rate as suspended cells over a period of several weeks. Finally, bio-H2 was used as electron donor to successfully dehalogenate trichloroethylene (TCE) using biogenic palladium nanoparticles as a catalyst. Fermentative production of bio-H2 can be a promising technique for concomitant generation of an electron source for hydrogen driven remediation strategies and treatment of organic residue in marine ecosystems. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reconciling biodiversity conservation and marine capture fisheries production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brander, Keith

2010-01-01

Pathways for moving towards the goals of biodiversity conservation and food security in terrestrial systems include the application of trait-based ecology to develop highly productive agroecosystems with less negative effects on biodiversity. Although marine ecosystems have been impacted by human...... activity over several centuries, the changes have been unintentional and undirected; we have not learned how to enhance food production from the sea and are reliant, as hunter-gatherers, on natural production. The goals of maximising fisheries production and maintaining biodiversity may be difficult...

Marine oils: Complex, confusing, confounded?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin B. Albert

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Marine oils gained prominence following the report that Greenland Inuits who consumed a high-fat diet rich in long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs also had low rates of cardiovascular disease. Marine n-3 PUFAs have since become a billion dollar industry, which will continue to grow based on current trends. However, recent systematic reviews question the health benefits of marine oil supplements, particularly in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Marine oils constitute an extremely complex dietary intervention for a number of reasons: i the many chemical compounds they contain; ii the many biological processes affected by n-3 PUFAs; iii their tendency to deteriorate and form potentially toxic primary and secondary oxidation products; and iv inaccuracy in the labelling of consumer products. These complexities may confound the clinical literature, limiting the ability to make substantive conclusions for some key health outcomes. Thus, there is a pressing need for clinical trials using marine oils whose composition has been independently verified and demonstrated to be minimally oxidised. Without such data, it is premature to conclude that n-3 PUFA rich supplements are ineffective.

Marine Natural Products from New Caledonia—A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofia-Eléna Motuhi

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Marine micro- and macroorganisms are well known to produce metabolites with high biotechnological potential. Nearly 40 years of systematic prospecting all around the New Caledonia archipelago and several successive research programs have uncovered new chemical leads from benthic and planktonic organisms. After species identification, biological and/or pharmaceutical analyses are performed on marine organisms to assess their bioactivities. A total of 3582 genera, 1107 families and 9372 species have been surveyed and more than 350 novel molecular structures have been identified. Along with their bioactivities that hold promise for therapeutic applications, most of these molecules are also potentially useful for cosmetics and food biotechnology. This review highlights the tremendous marine diversity in New Caledonia, and offers an outline of the vast possibilities for natural products, especially in the interest of pursuing collaborative fundamental research programs and developing local biotechnology programs.

Effect of UV-B radiation on biomass production, pigmentation and protein content of marine diatoms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doehler, G.

1984-01-01

Several species of marine diatoms were grown at + 18 0 C and + 22 0 C under normal air conditions (0.035 vol.% CO 2 ) at a light/dark alteration of 14.8 h. Intensity of white light was 1 mW (approx.= 5000 lux). An artifical nutrient solution of 35per mille salinity was used. Algae - harvested during exponential growth - were exposed to different intensities of UV-B radiation (439, 717 and 1230 J m -2 m -1 ) for 2 days. UV-B radiation depressed the growth of all tested marine diatoms. Low levels of UV-B resulted in a slight increase of the biomass production (dry weight) compared to not UV-B treated cells. Enhanced UV-B doses caused a diminution of the primary productivity in all species. Algae exposed to UV-B stress showed a marked decrease in the protein and pigment content (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll c 1 + c 2 and carotenoids). In + 22 0 C grown cells of Lauderia annulata and Thalassiosira rotula were more sensitive to UV-B radiation than those cultures grown at + 18 0 C. Bellerochea yucatanensis cells grown at + 22 0 C were less affected after UV-B exposure than at + 18 0 C grown algae. The UV-B sensibility and growth of the individual species varied in a mixture of several marine diatoms. Results were discussed with reference to the UV-B effect on metabolic processes. (orig.)

Spring fasting behavior in a marine apex predator provides an index of ecosystem productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Rode, Karyn D.; Wilson, Ryan R.; Douglas, David C.; Muhlenbruch, Vanessa L; Atwood, Todd C.; Regehr, Eric V.; Richardson, Evan; Pilfold, Nicholas; Derocher, Andrew E.; Durner, George M.; Stirling, Ian; Amstrup, Steven C.; St Martin, Michelle; Pagano, Anthony M.; Simac, Kristin

2018-01-01

The effects of declining Arctic sea ice on local ecosystem productivity are not well understood but have been shown to vary inter-specifically, spatially, and temporally. Because marine mammals occupy upper trophic levels in Arctic food webs, they may be useful indicators for understanding variation in ecosystem productivity. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are apex predators that primarily consume benthic and pelagic-feeding ice-associated seals. As such, their productivity integrates sea ice conditions and the ecosystem supporting them. Declining sea ice availability has been linked to negative population effects for polar bears but does not fully explain observed population changes. We examined relationships between spring foraging success of polar bears and sea ice conditions, prey productivity, and general patterns of ecosystem productivity in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas (CSs). Fasting status (≥7 days) was estimated using serum urea and creatinine levels of 1,448 samples collected from 1,177 adult and subadult bears across three subpopulations. Fasting increased in the Beaufort Sea between 1983–1999 and 2000–2016 and was related to an index of ringed seal body condition. This change was concurrent with declines in body condition of polar bears and observed changes in the diet, condition and/or reproduction of four other vertebrate consumers within the food chain. In contrast, fasting declined in CS polar bears between periods and was less common than in the two Beaufort Sea subpopulations consistent with studies demonstrating higher primary productivity and maintenance or improved body condition in polar bears, ringed seals, and bearded seals despite recent sea ice loss in this region. Consistency between regional and temporal variation in spring polar bear fasting and food web productivity suggests that polar bears may be a useful indicator species. Furthermore, our results suggest that spatial and temporal ecological variation is important in

An analysis of the effect of marital/dependency status on retention, promotion, and on-the-job productivity of male Marine Corps officers

OpenAIRE

Cerman, Guray; Kaya, Bulent

2005-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This thesis investigates the effect of marital and family status on the performance and job productivity of male U.S. Marine Corps officers. The analysis includes evaluation of fitness reports, retention, and promotion to O-4 and O-5 ranks as performance measures. The primary goal is to examine the existence of any marriage premium on officers' performance and productivity and to investigate potential causal hypotheses. The personnel ...

Photosynthesis-irradiance parameters of marine phytoplankton: synthesis of a global data set

Science.gov (United States)

Bouman, Heather A.; Platt, Trevor; Doblin, Martina; Figueiras, Francisco G.; Gudmundsson, Kristinn; Gudfinnsson, Hafsteinn G.; Huang, Bangqin; Hickman, Anna; Hiscock, Michael; Jackson, Thomas; Lutz, Vivian A.; Mélin, Frédéric; Rey, Francisco; Pepin, Pierre; Segura, Valeria; Tilstone, Gavin H.; van Dongen-Vogels, Virginie; Sathyendranath, Shubha

2018-02-01

The photosynthetic performance of marine phytoplankton varies in response to a variety of factors, environmental and taxonomic. One of the aims of the MArine primary Production: model Parameters from Space (MAPPS) project of the European Space Agency is to assemble a global database of photosynthesis-irradiance (P-E) parameters from a range of oceanographic regimes as an aid to examining the basin-scale variability in the photophysiological response of marine phytoplankton and to use this information to improve the assignment of P-E parameters in the estimation of global marine primary production using satellite data. The MAPPS P-E database, which consists of over 5000 P-E experiments, provides information on the spatio-temporal variability in the two P-E parameters (the assimilation number, PmB, and the initial slope, αB, where the superscripts B indicate normalisation to concentration of chlorophyll) that are fundamental inputs for models (satellite-based and otherwise) of marine primary production that use chlorophyll as the state variable. Quality-control measures consisted of removing samples with abnormally high parameter values and flags were added to denote whether the spectral quality of the incubator lamp was used to calculate a broad-band value of αB. The MAPPS database provides a photophysiological data set that is unprecedented in number of observations and in spatial coverage. The database will be useful to a variety of research communities, including marine ecologists, biogeochemical modellers, remote-sensing scientists and algal physiologists. The compiled data are available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.874087 (Bouman et al., 2017).

76 FR 80331 - Foreign-Trade Subzone 41H Application for Expansion; Mercury Marine (Marine Propulsion Products...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-23

... scope of FTZ manufacturing authority to include additional finished products and foreign-origin... Military Road, Fond du Lac; Site 7 (79 acres)--Plants 3, 10, 12, 15, and 52, W6250 Pioneer Road, Fond du... Marine from customs duty payments on the additional foreign- origin components used in production for...

Effects of gamma irradiation for quality of marine products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamashita, Michiaki; Ishida, Noriko

2004-01-01

Muscles of sardine and tuna were used as an experimental materials for research of relations between radiation dose and lipid deterioration, lipid hydroperoxide and fish protein. The experimental samples were irradiated by 60 Co source within 0.1∼2 kGy of gamma-ray doses. Methylene blue inducer was used for quantification of the lipid hydroperoxide which was generated in the irradiated samples. High sensitive and quantitative micro-analysis for the lipid hydroperoxide which were produced singularly by gamma-ray irradiation was established on marine products. The lipid hydroperoxide in marine products was generated by oxidation of unsaturated fatty acid. Reaction mechanism of the lipid hydroperoxide which modified a protein of muscle fiber in particular was estimated. (M. Suetake)

Install and operate type radiation processing plant for marine products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kohli, A.K. [BARC-BTIR Complex, Mumbai (India). Dept. of Atomic Energy. Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology

2002-07-01

Marine products can be carrier of several pathogens. Radiation processing is a very useful technique that is used to eliminate pathogens and also to extend shelf life of fresh fish. For marine products three processes are involved namely: radurization to pasteurize fresh chilled fish for extending shelf life; radicidation to sanitize frozen fishery products by elimination of pathogenic microorganisms and radiation disinfestations to eliminate insects from dehydrated fishery products. The paper brings out conceptual design of a compact radiation processing plant that can cater to all the three processes. The design is different from conveyor type of designs. The design is specially configured to maintain the temperature of frozen products and overdose ratio within limits specified. The throughput depends upon the source strength, type of product, the size of box and its configuration in which these could be arranged. The design has many features, which make it a very safe, convenient and economical method for processing of such items or for that matter all the food products, which are amenable for radiation processing. (author)

Install and operate type radiation processing plant for marine products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kohli, A.K.

2002-01-01

Marine products can be carrier of several pathogens. Radiation processing is a very useful technique that is used to eliminate pathogens and also to extend shelf life of fresh fish. For marine products three processes are involved namely: radurization to pasteurize fresh chilled fish for extending shelf life; radicidation to sanitize frozen fishery products by elimination of pathogenic microorganisms and radiation disinfestations to eliminate insects from dehydrated fishery products. The paper brings out conceptual design of a compact radiation processing plant that can cater to all the three processes. The design is different from conveyor type of designs. The design is specially configured to maintain the temperature of frozen products and overdose ratio within limits specified. The throughput depends upon the source strength, type of product, the size of box and its configuration in which these could be arranged. The design has many features, which make it a very safe, convenient and economical method for processing of such items or for that matter all the food products, which are amenable for radiation processing. (author)

Sea ice and primary production proxies in surface sediments from a High Arctic Greenland fjord

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ribeiro, Sofia; Sejr, Mikael K; Limoges, Audrey

2017-01-01

Monitoring Programme. Clear spatial gradients in organic carbon and biogenic silica contents reflected marine influence, nutrient availability and river-induced turbidity, in good agreement with in situ measurements. The sea ice proxy IP25 was detected at all sites but at low concentrations, indicating...... that IP25 records from fjords need to be carefully considered and not directly compared to marine settings. The sea ice-associated biomarker HBI III revealed an open-water signature, with highest concentrations near the mid-July ice edge. This proxy evaluation is an important step towards reliable......In order to establish a baseline for proxy-based reconstructions for the Young Sound–Tyrolerfjord system (Northeast Greenland), we analysed the spatial distribution of primary production and sea ice proxies in surface sediments from the fjord, against monitoring data from the Greenland Ecosystem...

A marine biogeochemical perspective on black shale deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Piper, D. Z.; Calvert, S. E.

2009-06-01

Deposition of marine black shales has commonly been interpreted as having involved a high level of marine phytoplankton production that promoted high settling rates of organic matter through the water column and high burial fluxes on the seafloor or anoxic (sulfidic) water-column conditions that led to high levels of preservation of deposited organic matter, or a combination of the two processes. Here we review the hydrography and the budgets of trace metals and phytoplankton nutrients in two modern marine basins that have permanently anoxic bottom waters. This information is then used to hindcast the hydrography and biogeochemical conditions of deposition of a black shale of Late Jurassic age (the Kimmeridge Clay Formation, Yorkshire, England) from its trace metal and organic carbon content. Comparison of the modern and Jurassic sediment compositions reveals that the rate of photic zone primary productivity in the Kimmeridge Sea, based on the accumulation rate of the marine fraction of Ni, was as high as 840 g organic carbon m - 2 yr -1. This high level was possibly tied to the maximum rise of sea level during the Late Jurassic that flooded this and other continents sufficiently to allow major open-ocean boundary currents to penetrate into epeiric seas. Sites of intense upwelling of nutrient-enriched seawater would have been transferred from the continental margins, their present location, onto the continents. This global flooding event was likely responsible for deposition of organic matter-enriched sediments in other marine basins of this age, several of which today host major petroleum source rocks. Bottom-water redox conditions in the Kimmeridge Sea, deduced from the V:Mo ratio in the marine fraction of the Kimmeridge Clay Formation, varied from oxic to anoxic, but were predominantly suboxic, or denitrifying. A high settling flux of organic matter, a result of the high primary productivity, supported a high rate of bacterial respiration that led to the

Production of L-Asparaginase by the marine luminous bacteria

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramaiah, N.; Chandramohan, D.

Fortythree strains of luminous bacteria, belonging to 4 species, (Vibrio harveyi, V. fischeri, Photobacterium leiognathi and P. phosphoreum) isolated from different marine samples, were examined for the production of L-asparaginase. Presence...

Current Status and Future Prospects of Marine Natural Products (MNPs) as Antimicrobials.

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhary, Alka; Naughton, Lynn M; Montánchez, Itxaso; Dobson, Alan D W; Rai, Dilip K

2017-08-28

The marine environment is a rich source of chemically diverse, biologically active natural products, and serves as an invaluable resource in the ongoing search for novel antimicrobial compounds. Recent advances in extraction and isolation techniques, and in state-of-the-art technologies involved in organic synthesis and chemical structure elucidation, have accelerated the numbers of antimicrobial molecules originating from the ocean moving into clinical trials. The chemical diversity associated with these marine-derived molecules is immense, varying from simple linear peptides and fatty acids to complex alkaloids, terpenes and polyketides, etc. Such an array of structurally distinct molecules performs functionally diverse biological activities against many pathogenic bacteria and fungi, making marine-derived natural products valuable commodities, particularly in the current age of antimicrobial resistance. In this review, we have highlighted several marine-derived natural products (and their synthetic derivatives), which have gained recognition as effective antimicrobial agents over the past five years (2012-2017). These natural products have been categorized based on their chemical structures and the structure-activity mediated relationships of some of these bioactive molecules have been discussed. Finally, we have provided an insight into how genome mining efforts are likely to expedite the discovery of novel antimicrobial compounds.

Marine Natural Products as Models to Circumvent Multidrug Resistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Solida Long

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Multidrug resistance (MDR to anticancer drugs is a serious health problem that in many cases leads to cancer treatment failure. The ATP binding cassette (ABC transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp, which leads to premature efflux of drugs from cancer cells, is often responsible for MDR. On the other hand, a strategy to search for modulators from natural products to overcome MDR had been in place during the last decades. However, Nature limits the amount of some natural products, which has led to the development of synthetic strategies to increase their availability. This review summarizes the research findings on marine natural products and derivatives, mainly alkaloids, polyoxygenated sterols, polyketides, terpenoids, diketopiperazines, and peptides, with P-gp inhibitory activity highlighting the established structure-activity relationships. The synthetic pathways for the total synthesis of the most promising members and analogs are also presented. It is expected that the data gathered during the last decades concerning their synthesis and MDR-inhibiting activities will help medicinal chemists develop potential drug candidates using marine natural products as models which can deliver new ABC transporter inhibitor scaffolds.

Organic molecular composition of marine aerosols over the Arctic Ocean in summer: contributions of primary emission and secondary aerosol formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Q. Fu

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Organic molecular composition of marine aerosol samples collected during the MALINA cruise in the Arctic Ocean was investigated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. More than 110 individual organic compounds were determined in the samples and were grouped into different compound classes based on the functionality and sources. The concentrations of total quantified organics ranged from 7.3 to 185 ng m⁻³ (mean 47.6 ng m⁻³, accounting for 1.8–11.0% (4.8% of organic carbon in the marine aerosols. Primary saccharides were found to be dominant organic compound class, followed by secondary organic aerosol (SOA tracers formed from the oxidation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs such as isoprene, α-pinene and β-caryophyllene. Mannitol, the specific tracer for airborne fungal spores, was detected as the most abundant organic species in the samples with a concentration range of 0.052–53.3 ng m⁻³ (9.2 ng m⁻³, followed by glucose, arabitol, and the isoprene oxidation products of 2-methyltetrols. Biomass burning tracers such as levoglucosan are evident in all samples with trace levels. On the basis of the tracer-based method for the estimation of fungal-spore OC and biogenic secondary organic carbon (SOC, we estimate that an average of 10.7% (up to 26.2% of the OC in the marine aerosols was due to the contribution of fungal spores, followed by the contribution of isoprene SOC (mean 3.8% and α-pinene SOC (2.9%. In contrast, only 0.19% of the OC was due to the photooxidation of β-caryophyllene. This study indicates that primary organic aerosols from biogenic emissions, both from long-range transport of mid-latitude aerosols and from sea-to-air emission of marine organics, as well as secondary organic aerosols formed from the photooxidation of biogenic VOCs are important factors controlling the organic chemical composition of marine aerosols in the Arctic Ocean.

Size-fractionated dissolved primary production and carbohydrate composition of the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi

Science.gov (United States)

Borchard, C.; Engel, A.

2015-02-01

Extracellular release (ER) by phytoplankton is the major source of fresh dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in marine ecosystems and accompanies primary production during all growth phases. Little is known, so far, on size and composition of released molecules, and to which extent ER occurs passively, by leakage, or actively, by exudation. Here, we report on ER by the widespread and bloom-forming coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi grown under steady-state conditions in phosphorus-controlled chemostats (N:P = 29, growth rate of μ = 0.2 d-1) at present-day and high-CO2 concentrations. 14C incubations were performed to determine primary production (PP), comprised of particulate (PO14C) and dissolved organic carbon (DO14C). Concentration and composition of particulate combined carbohydrates (pCCHO) and high-molecular-weight (>1 kDa, HMW) dissolved combined carbohydrates (dCCHO) were determined by ion chromatography. Information on size distribution of ER products was obtained by investigating distinct size classes (10 kDa was significantly different, with a higher mol% of arabinose. The mol% of acidic sugars increased and that of glucose decreased with increasing size of HMW-dCCHO. We conclude that larger polysaccharides follow different production and release pathways than smaller molecules, potentially serving distinct ecological and biogeochemical functions.

Site-level evaluation of satellite-based global terrestrial gross primary production and net primary production monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

David P. Turner; William D. Ritts; Warren B. Cohen; Thomas K. Maeirsperger; Stith T. Gower; Al A. Kirschbaum; Steve W. Runnings; Maosheng Zhaos; Steven C. Wofsy; Allison L. Dunn; Beverly E. Law; John L. Campbell; Walter C. Oechel; Hyo Jung Kwon; Tilden P. Meyers; Eric E. Small; Shirley A. Kurc; John A. Gamon

2005-01-01

Operational monitoring of global terrestrial gross primary production (GPP) and net primary production (NPP) is now underway using imagery from the satellite-borne Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor. Evaluation of MODIS GPP and NPP products will require site-level studies across a range of biomes, with close attention to numerous scaling...

Data compilations for primary production, herbivory, decomposition, and export for different types of marine communities, 1962-2002 (NODC Accession 0054500)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This dataset is a compilation of published data on primary production, herbivory, and nutrient content of primary producers in pristine communities of...

Antifouling Activity of Marine Natural Products

KAUST Repository

Qian, Pei-Yuan

2012-01-01

With the global ban of application of organotin-based marine coatings by International Maritime Organization in 2008, there is a practical and urgent need of identifying environmentally friendly low-toxic and nontoxic antifouling compounds for marine industries. Marine natural products have been considered as one of the most promising sources of antifouling compounds in recent years. In antifouling compound screening processes, bioassay systems often play most critical/vital roles in screening efforts. To meet various needs, a variety of bioassay systems have been developed and/or adopted in both research and commercial laboratories. In this chapter, we provide a brief outline of common bioassay procedures for both antimicrofouling and antimacrofouling assays, which can serve as a general guideline for setting up bioassay systems in laboratories engaged in antifouling compound screening. Some bioassay procedures currently practiced in various laboratories are not included in this book chapter for various reasons. Individual laboratories should modify bioassay protocols based on their research interests or needs. Nevertheless, we highly recommend the research laboratories to adapt high-throughput assays as much as possible for preliminary screening assays, followed by more complex bioassay processes using multiple target species. We argue strongly for studies in mode-of-action of antifouling compounds against settling propagules, which shall lead to discovery of molecular biomarkers (genes, proteins, receptors, or receptor system) and will allow us to design more targeted bioassay systems.

Comparison between summertime and wintertime Arctic Ocean primary marine aerosol properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Zábori

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Primary marine aerosols (PMAs are an important source of cloud condensation nuclei, and one of the key elements of the remote marine radiative budget. Changes occurring in the rapidly warming Arctic, most importantly the decreasing sea ice extent, will alter PMA production and hence the Arctic climate through a set of feedback processes. In light of this, laboratory experiments with Arctic Ocean water during both Arctic winter and summer were conducted and focused on PMA emissions as a function of season and water properties. Total particle number concentrations and particle number size distributions were used to characterize the PMA population. A comprehensive data set from the Arctic summer and winter showed a decrease in PMA concentrations for the covered water temperature (Tw range between −1°C and 15°C. A sharp decrease in PMA emissions for a Tw increase from −1°C to 4°C was followed by a lower rate of change in PMA emissions for Tw up to about 6°C. Near constant number concentrations for water temperatures between 6°C to 10°C and higher were recorded. Even though the total particle number concentration changes for overlapping Tw ranges were consistent between the summer and winter measurements, the distribution of particle number concentrations among the different sizes varied between the seasons. Median particle number concentrations for a dry diameter (DpDp > 0.125μm, the particle number concentrations during winter were mostly higher than in summer (up to 50%. The normalized particle number size distribution as a function of water temperature was examined for both winter and summer measurements. An increase in Tw from −1°C to 10°C during winter measurements showed a decrease in the peak of relative particle number concentration at about a Dp of 0.180μm, while an increase was observed for particles with Dp > 1μm. Summer measurements exhibited a relative shift to smaller particle sizes for an increase of Tw in the range

Kudos to the volunteers of Qingdao Marine ProductMuseum

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

GAO Yan

2016-01-01

This paper gives a brief introduction to the organization structure, personnel management and dis -tinctive services of the volunteers of Qingdao Marine Product Museum, and shows the effect of their work onscientific popularization and social responsibility.

Redox-dependent phosphorus burial in modern and ancient marine sediments. Geologica Ultraiectina (334)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraal, P.

2011-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient in Earth’s biosphere that helps regulate marine primary productivity. Burial in sediments is the only pathway for long-term removal of P from the marine reservoir, the efficiency of which depends strongly on the redox state of the bottom waters;

Studies on photosynthesis and respiration in some marine macroalgae of the Goa coast

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Dhargalkar, V.K.

Primary production and respiration rates were measured in 14 marine macroalgal species from the Goa coast. The highest production rate was observed in Hypnea musciformis and the lowest in Laurencia papillosa. Net production rates in these 14 species...

In vitro evaluation of commercial probiotic products used for marine ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In vitro evaluation of commercial probiotic products used for marine shrimp cultivation in Thailand. ... Journal Home > Vol 10, No 22 (2011) > ... labels as regards the number and types of microorganisms and acceptability of the number of probiotic microorganisms at 10,sup>6 colony forming unit (CFU)/g in the products.

Ocean acidification of a coastal Antarctic marine microbial community reveals a critical threshold for CO2 tolerance in phytoplankton productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Deppeler, Stacy; Petrou, Katherina; Schulz, Kai G.; Westwood, Karen; Pearce, Imojen; McKinlay, John; Davidson, Andrew

2018-01-01

High-latitude oceans are anticipated to be some of the first regions affected by ocean acidification. Despite this, the effect of ocean acidification on natural communities of Antarctic marine microbes is still not well understood. In this study we exposed an early spring, coastal marine microbial community in Prydz Bay to CO2 levels ranging from ambient (343 µatm) to 1641 µatm in six 650 L minicosms. Productivity assays were performed to identify whether a CO2 threshold existed that led to a change in primary productivity, bacterial productivity, and the accumulation of chlorophyll a (Chl a) and particulate organic matter (POM) in the minicosms. In addition, photophysiological measurements were performed to identify possible mechanisms driving changes in the phytoplankton community. A critical threshold for tolerance to ocean acidification was identified in the phytoplankton community between 953 and 1140 µatm. CO2 levels ≥ 1140 µatm negatively affected photosynthetic performance and Chl a-normalised primary productivity (csGPP14C), causing significant reductions in gross primary production (GPP14C), Chl a accumulation, nutrient uptake, and POM production. However, there was no effect of CO2 on C : N ratios. Over time, the phytoplankton community acclimated to high CO2 conditions, showing a down-regulation of carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) and likely adjusting other intracellular processes. Bacterial abundance initially increased in CO2 treatments ≥ 953 µatm (days 3-5), yet gross bacterial production (GBP14C) remained unchanged and cell-specific bacterial productivity (csBP14C) was reduced. Towards the end of the experiment, GBP14C and csBP14C markedly increased across all treatments regardless of CO2 availability. This coincided with increased organic matter availability (POC and PON) combined with improved efficiency of carbon uptake. Changes in phytoplankton community production could have negative effects on the Antarctic food web and the

Ocean acidification of a coastal Antarctic marine microbial community reveals a critical threshold for CO2 tolerance in phytoplankton productivity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Deppeler

2018-01-01

Full Text Available High-latitude oceans are anticipated to be some of the first regions affected by ocean acidification. Despite this, the effect of ocean acidification on natural communities of Antarctic marine microbes is still not well understood. In this study we exposed an early spring, coastal marine microbial community in Prydz Bay to CO2 levels ranging from ambient (343 µatm to 1641 µatm in six 650 L minicosms. Productivity assays were performed to identify whether a CO2 threshold existed that led to a change in primary productivity, bacterial productivity, and the accumulation of chlorophyll a (Chl a and particulate organic matter (POM in the minicosms. In addition, photophysiological measurements were performed to identify possible mechanisms driving changes in the phytoplankton community. A critical threshold for tolerance to ocean acidification was identified in the phytoplankton community between 953 and 1140 µatm. CO2 levels  ≥ 1140 µatm negatively affected photosynthetic performance and Chl a-normalised primary productivity (csGPP14C, causing significant reductions in gross primary production (GPP14C, Chl a accumulation, nutrient uptake, and POM production. However, there was no effect of CO2 on C : N ratios. Over time, the phytoplankton community acclimated to high CO2 conditions, showing a down-regulation of carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs and likely adjusting other intracellular processes. Bacterial abundance initially increased in CO2 treatments  ≥ 953 µatm (days 3–5, yet gross bacterial production (GBP14C remained unchanged and cell-specific bacterial productivity (csBP14C was reduced. Towards the end of the experiment, GBP14C and csBP14C markedly increased across all treatments regardless of CO2 availability. This coincided with increased organic matter availability (POC and PON combined with improved efficiency of carbon uptake. Changes in phytoplankton community production could have negative

Spatial and temporal variability of chlorophyll and primary productivity in surface waters of southern Chile (41.5 43° S)

Science.gov (United States)

Iriarte, J. L.; González, H. E.; Liu, K. K.; Rivas, C.; Valenzuela, C.

2007-09-01

The southern fjord region of Chile is a unique ecosystem characterized by complex marine-terrestrial-atmospheric interactions that result in high biological production. Since organic nitrogen from terrestrial and atmospheric compartments is highly significant in this region (>40%), as is the low NO 3:PO 4 ratio in surface waters, it is suggested that fertilization from inorganic and organic nitrogen sources has a strong influence on both phytoplankton biomass/primary production and harmful algae bloom dynamics. The data presented in this paper provide an opportunity to improve our knowledge of phytoplankton dynamics on temporal and spatial mesoscales. Ocean color data from NASA (SeaWiFS) for chlorophyll and primary production estimates and in situ surface measurement of inorganic nutrients, phytoplankton biomass, and primary productivity revealed that the coastal waters of southern Chile have a classical spring and autumn chlorophyll bloom cycle in which primary production is co-limited by strong seasonal changes in light and nitrate. During spring blooms, autotrophic biomass (such as chlorophyll a, Chl- a) and primary production estimates reached 25 mg Chl- a m -3 and 23 mg C m -3 h -1, respectively, and micro-phytoplankton accounted for a significant portion of the biomass (60%) in spring. The contribution of phytoplankton size classes to total chlorophyll a revealed the dominance of nanoplankton (>50%) in winter and post-bloom periods (<1.0 mg Chl- a m -3).

Photosynthesis–irradiance parameters of marine phytoplankton: synthesis of a global data set

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. A. Bouman

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The photosynthetic performance of marine phytoplankton varies in response to a variety of factors, environmental and taxonomic. One of the aims of the MArine primary Production: model Parameters from Space (MAPPS project of the European Space Agency is to assemble a global database of photosynthesis–irradiance (P-E parameters from a range of oceanographic regimes as an aid to examining the basin-scale variability in the photophysiological response of marine phytoplankton and to use this information to improve the assignment of P-E parameters in the estimation of global marine primary production using satellite data. The MAPPS P-E database, which consists of over 5000 P-E experiments, provides information on the spatio-temporal variability in the two P-E parameters (the assimilation number, PmB, and the initial slope, αB, where the superscripts B indicate normalisation to concentration of chlorophyll that are fundamental inputs for models (satellite-based and otherwise of marine primary production that use chlorophyll as the state variable. Quality-control measures consisted of removing samples with abnormally high parameter values and flags were added to denote whether the spectral quality of the incubator lamp was used to calculate a broad-band value of αB. The MAPPS database provides a photophysiological data set that is unprecedented in number of observations and in spatial coverage. The database will be useful to a variety of research communities, including marine ecologists, biogeochemical modellers, remote-sensing scientists and algal physiologists. The compiled data are available at https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.874087 (Bouman et al., 2017.

Marine natural product peptides with therapeutic potential: Chemistry, biosynthesis, and pharmacology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gogineni, Vedanjali; Hamann, Mark T

2018-01-01

The oceans are a uniquely rich source of bioactive metabolites, of which sponges have been shown to be among the most prolific producers of diverse bioactive secondary metabolites with valuable therapeutic potential. Much attention has been focused on marine bioactive peptides due to their novel chemistry and diverse biological properties. As summarized in this review, marine peptides are known to exhibit various biological activities such as antiviral, anti-proliferative, antioxidant, anti-coagulant, anti-hypertensive, anti-cancer, antidiabetic, antiobesity, and calcium-binding activities. This review focuses on the chemistry and biology of peptides isolated from sponges, bacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi, ascidians, and other marine sources. The role of marine invertebrate microbiomes in natural products biosynthesis is discussed in this review along with the biosynthesis of modified peptides from different marine sources. The status of peptides in various phases of clinical trials is presented, as well as the development of modified peptides including optimization of PK and bioavailability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can the primary algae production be measured precisely?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olesen, M.; Lundsgaard, C.

1996-01-01

Algae production in seawater is extremely important as a basic link in marine food chains. Evaluation of the algae quantity is based on 14CO 2 tracer techniques while natural circulation and light absorption in seawater is taken insufficiently into account. Algae production can vary by 500% in similar nourishment conditions, but varying water mixing conditions. (EG)

Photosynthesis–irradiance parameters of marine phytoplankton: synthesis of a global data set

OpenAIRE

Bouman, HA; Platt, T; Doblin, M; Figueiras, FG; Gudmundsson, K; Gudfinnsson, HG; Huang, B; Hickman, A; Hiscock, M; Jackson, T; Lutz, VA; Melin, F; Rey, F; Pepin, P; Segura, V

2018-01-01

The photosynthetic performance of marine phytoplankton varies in response to a variety of factors, environmental and taxonomic. One of the aims of the MArine primary Production: model Parameters from Space (MAPPS) project of the European Space Agency is to assemble a global database of photosynthesis–irradiance (P-E) parameters from a range of oceanographic regimes as an aid to examining the basin-scale variability in the photophysiological response of marine phytoplankto...

Docosahexaenoic acid production by the marine algae Crypthecodinium cohnii

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Swaaf, M.E.

2003-01-01

This thesis focuses on the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6), an w-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid with applications in foods and pharmaceuticals, by Crypthecodinium cohnii. This chloroplastless heterotrophic marine microalga has been studied since the end of the nineteenth century and has

Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors (MMPIs from Marine Natural Products: the Current Situation and Future Prospects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Se-Kwon Kim

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs are a family of more than twenty five secreted and membrane-bound zinc-endopeptidases which can degrade extracellular matrix (ECM components. They also play important roles in a variety of biological and pathological processes. Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPIs have been identified as potential therapeutic candidates for metastasis, arthritis, chronic inflammation and wrinkle formation. Up to present, more than 20,000 new compounds have been isolated from marine organisms, where considerable numbers of these naturally occurring derivatives are developed as potential candidates for pharmaceutical application. Eventhough the quantity of marine derived MMPIs is less when compare with the MMPIs derived from terrestrial materials, huge potential for bioactivity of these marine derived MMPIs has lead to large number of researches. Saccharoids, flavonoids and polyphones, fatty acids are the most important groups of MMPIs derived from marine natural products. In this review we focus on the progress of MMPIs from marine natural products.

Marine phospholipids: The current understanding of their oxidation mechanisms and potential uses for food fortification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lu, Henna Fung Sieng; Nielsen, Nina Skall; Baron, Caroline P.

2017-01-01

reactions, namely, Strecker aldehydes, pyrroles, oxypolymers, and other impurities that may positively or negatively affect the oxidative stability and quality of marine PL. This review was undertaken to provide the industry and academia with an overview of the current understanding of the quality changes......There is a growing interest in using marine phospholipids (PL) as ingredient for food fortification due to their numerous health benefits. However, the use of marine PL for food fortification is a challenge due to the complex nature of the degradation products that are formed during the handling...... and storage of marine PL. For example, nonenzymatic browning reactions may occur between lipid oxidation products and primary amine group from phosphatidylethanolamine or amino acid residues that are present inmarine PL. Therefore, marine PL contain products from nonenzymatic browning and lipid oxidation...

Production of Metabolites as Bacterial Responses to the Marine Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro Fernandes

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Bacteria in marine environments are often under extreme conditions of e.g., pressure, temperature, salinity, and depletion of micronutrients, with survival and proliferation often depending on the ability to produce biologically active compounds. Some marine bacteria produce biosurfactants, which help to transport hydrophobic low water soluble substrates by increasing their bioavailability. However, other functions related to heavy metal binding, quorum sensing and biofilm formation have been described. In the case of metal ions, bacteria developed a strategy involving the release of binding agents to increase their bioavailability. In the particular case of the Fe3+ ion, which is almost insoluble in water, bacteria secrete siderophores that form soluble complexes with the ion, allowing the cells to uptake the iron required for cell functioning. Adaptive changes in the lipid composition of marine bacteria have been observed in response to environmental variations in pressure, temperature and salinity. Some fatty acids, including docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids, have only been reported in prokaryotes in deep-sea bacteria. Cell membrane permeability can also be adapted to extreme environmental conditions by the production of hopanoids, which are pentacyclic triterpenoids that have a function similar to cholesterol in eukaryotes. Bacteria can also produce molecules that prevent the attachment, growth and/or survival of challenging organisms in competitive environments. The production of these compounds is particularly important in surface attached strains and in those in biofilms. The wide array of compounds produced by marine bacteria as an adaptive response to demanding conditions makes them suitable candidates for screening of compounds with commercially interesting biological functions. Biosurfactants produced by marine bacteria may be helpful to increase mass transfer in different industrial processes and in the bioremediation of

Characterisation of Non-Autoinducing Tropodithietic Acid (TDA) Production from Marine Sponge Pseudovibrio Species

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harrington, Catriona; Reen, F. Jerry; Mooij, Marlies J.

2014-01-01

is the antibacterial compound tropodithietic acid (TDA). The aim of this study was to provide insight into the bioactivity of and the factors governing the production of TDA in marine Pseudovibrio isolates from a collection of marine sponges. The TDA produced by these Pseudovibrio isolates exhibited potent...

Methane production from marine macroalgae. A literature study with comments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Josefsen, K.; Aasen, I.M.

1995-06-16

This report is a survey of the published literature on fermentation of marine macroalgae to produce methane. The emphasis is placed on modern fermentation process development, including both bio-technological and economic parameters. Marine macroalgae are mostly good feedstock for methane fermentation. The main carbohydrates in seaweeds are alginate, laminaria and mannitol. Both the N and P content of kelp are usually high enough to avoid nutrient limitation. The biogass produced from marine macroalgae usually contains 50 - 65% methane. Experimentally methane yields in the order of 0.35 - 0.43 m{sup 3}/kg volatile solids (VS) have been obtained from Macrocystis pyrifera and 0.20 - 0.30 m{sup 3}/kg VS for Laminaria sp. at long retention times (50-60 days) in completely mixed reactors. The maximum reported production rate in a completely mixed reactor is 2.7 vol CH{sub 4}/reactor volume x day for M. pyrifera. In reactor configurations giving longer solids retention times (SRT) than liquid retention times (LRT), the highest reported productivity was 3.3 vol/vol x day, with loading rate 9.6 kg VS/m{sup 3} x day, HRT 10 days and SRT 23 days. There are discussions of special problems related to fermentation of marine algae, in particular the sulphur content, the toxicity of H{sub 2}S and the precipitation of heavy metals as sulphides. 72 refs., 5 figs., 13 tabs.

Marine Socio-Environmental Covariates: queryable global layers of environmental and anthropogenic variables for marine ecosystem studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeager, Lauren A; Marchand, Philippe; Gill, David A; Baum, Julia K; McPherson, Jana M

2017-07-01

Biophysical conditions, including climate, environmental stress, and habitat availability, are key drivers of many ecological processes (e.g., community assembly and productivity) and associated ecosystem services (e.g., carbon sequestration and fishery production). Furthermore, anthropogenic impacts such as coastal development and fishing can have drastic effects on the structure and function of marine ecosystems. Scientists need to account for environmental variation and human impacts to accurately model, manage, and conserve marine ecosystems. Although there are many types of environmental data available from global remote sensing and open-source data products, some are inaccessible to potential end-users because they exist as global layers in high temporal and spatial resolutions which require considerable computational power to process. Additionally, coastal locations often suffer from missing data or data quality issues which limit the utility of some global marine products for coastal sites. Herein we present the Marine Socio-Environmental Covariates dataset for the global oceans, which consists of environmental and anthropogenic variables summarized in ecologically relevant ways. The dataset includes four sets of environmental variables related to biophysical conditions (net primary productivity models corrected for shallow-water reflectance, wave energy including sheltered-coastline corrections) and landscape context (coral reef and land cover within varying radii). We also present two sets of anthropogenic variables, human population density (within varying radii) and distance to large population center, which can serve as indicators of local human impacts. We have paired global, summarized layers available for download with an online data querying platform that allows users to extract data for specific point locations with finer control of summary statistics. In creating these global layers and online platform, we hope to make the data accessible to a

Genome-Based Studies of Marine Microorganisms to Maximize the Diversity of Natural Products Discovery for Medical Treatments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin-Qing Zhao

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Marine microorganisms are rich source for natural products which play important roles in pharmaceutical industry. Over the past decade, genome-based studies of marine microorganisms have unveiled the tremendous diversity of the producers of natural products and also contributed to the efficiency of harness the strain diversity and chemical diversity, as well as the genetic diversity of marine microorganisms for the rapid discovery and generation of new natural products. In the meantime, genomic information retrieved from marine symbiotic microorganisms can also be employed for the discovery of new medical molecules from yet-unculturable microorganisms. In this paper, the recent progress in the genomic research of marine microorganisms is reviewed; new tools of genome mining as well as the advance in the activation of orphan pathways and metagenomic studies are summarized. Genome-based research of marine microorganisms will maximize the biodiscovery process and solve the problems of supply and sustainability of drug molecules for medical treatments.

Production of sugars and levulinic acid from marine biomass Gelidium amansii.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Gwi-Taek; Park, Don-Hee

2010-05-01

This study focused on optimization of reaction conditions for formation of sugars and levulinic acid from marine algal biomass Gelidium amansii using acid catalyst and by using statistical approach. By this approach, optimal conditions for production of sugars and levulinic acid were found as follows: glucose (reaction temperature of 139.4 degrees C, reaction time of 15.0 min, and catalyst concentration of 3.0%), galactose (108.2 degrees C, 45.0 min, and 3.0%), and levulinic acid (160.0 degrees C, 43.1 min, and 3.0%). While trying to optimize the conditions for the production of glucose and galactose, levulinic acid production was found to be minimum. Similarly, the production of glucose and galactose were found to be minimum while optimizing the conditions for the production of levulinic acid. In addition, optimized production of glucose required a higher reaction temperature and shorter reaction time than that of galactose. Levulinic acid was formed at a high reaction temperature, long reaction time, and high catalyst concentration. The combined results of this study may provide useful information to develop more economical and efficient systems for production of sugars and chemicals from marine biomass.

Chemical Characterization, Antioxidant and Enzymatic Activity of Brines from Scandinavian Marinated Herring Products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gringer, Nina; Osman, Ali; Nielsen, Henrik Hauch

2014-01-01

Brines generated during the last marination step in the production of marinated herring (Clupea harengus) were chemically characterized and analyzed for antioxidant and enzyme activities. The end-products were vinegar cured, spice cured and traditional barrel-salted herring with either salt...... or spices. The chemical characterization encompassed pH, dry matter, ash, salt, fatty acids, protein, polypeptide pattern, iron and nitrogen. The antioxidant activity was tested with three assays measuring: iron chelation, reducing power and radical scavenging activity. The enzymatic activity for peroxidase...

Effect of marine by-product meals on hen egg production parameters, yolk lipid composition and sensory quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Toyes-Vargas, E; Ortega-Pérez, R; Espinoza-Villavicencio, J L; Arellano-Pérez, M; Civera, R; Palacios, E

2018-04-01

The effect of including 5% marine by-product meals in feeds of laying hens on egg production, composition and sensory characteristics was tested. Marine by-product meals were prepared using two methods: (i) cooking (100°C/10 min) followed by drying (60°C/24 hr) or (ii) grinding followed by drying. The raw materials used for meal production were scallop or squid viscera, shrimp heads or whole mackerel. A total of 108 laying hens were allocated to nine diet treatments; one control diet (corn and soya bean based) and eight experimental diets, containing 95% of the control feed and 5% of the experimental meal for three weeks. Daily intake was higher in hens fed the dried mackerel and cooked shrimp meals. All the experimental treatments showed significantly higher concentration of n-3 HUFA in yolk reserves and phospholipids compared to the control (0.12-0.13 g per 100 g), especially those with scallop or squid prepared by both methods (0.53-0.95 g per 100 g). Scallop, squid and shrimp meal inclusion in the feed produced eggs with more astaxanthin (0.22 mg per 100 g) while this carotenoid was absent in the control and mackerel treatments. Visual evaluation of raw yolk colour increased with the inclusion of marine by-product meals with higher values in hens fed shrimp heads (13), followed by scallop viscera (11), squid viscera (9), and with similar values for mackerel and control (4). The taste, aroma, texture and colour of cooked eggs from different treatments were not statically different when evaluated by a panel of 60 untrained people. These results suggest that meals from marine by-products are a better alternative for improving egg yolk composition by increasing n-3 HUFA when compared to fishmeal as they also increase astaxanthin and yolk pigmentation without affecting egg sensory characteristics. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Utilization of a gamma camera in research of the concentration in marine products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Ryoichi

1981-01-01

A gamma camera was used for the study of the metabolism of micro elements in marine products. Hexagrammos otakii (rock trout) was put under anesthesia with MS-222. By cutting partly the abdomen, the internal organs were exposed. 1 - 2 mCi of technetium-99m was injected into the bulbus arteriosus. From immediately after the injection, photographs were taken consecutively, one picture every 0.5 second for 30 seconds, to a total of 60 pictures. Since the gamma camera has been developed solely for human beings, there is some inconvenience when it is applied to marine products. The advantages of using a gamma camera are the observation on the behavior of substances in a body while a marine product is alive, and the grasping of the variation in substance behavior at extremely brief intervals. The disadvantages are the low resolution of about 5 mm - 7 mm, and the difficulty in differentiating overlapping organs. (J.P.N.)

Primary production in the Kattegat - past and present

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Richardson, K.; Heilmann, Jens

1995-01-01

data collected during the period 1984-1993 are calculated using the method employed in the 1950s. It is concluded that primary production in the Kattegat has increased from less than 100 g C m(-2) y(- 1) to about 200 g C m(-2) y(-1) since the 1950s. This increase is not seen during the winter months...... to be responses to increases in primary production. However, for most areas, there are insufficient data to demonstrate whether or not increases in primary production have actually occurred. In this study, the evidence for increased primary production in the Kattegat is examined by comparing primary production...... measurements from the 1950s and measurements made in the period 1984-1993. The methods employed during the two periods differ considerably. These differences and how they may affect the validity of a comparison of the results from the studies carried out in two periods are addressed. The primary production...

Global patterns in human consumption of net primary production

Science.gov (United States)

Imhoff, Marc L.; Bounoua, Lahouari; Ricketts, Taylor; Loucks, Colby; Harriss, Robert; Lawrence, William T.

2004-06-01

The human population and its consumption profoundly affect the Earth's ecosystems. A particularly compelling measure of humanity's cumulative impact is the fraction of the planet's net primary production that we appropriate for our own use. Net primary production-the net amount of solar energy converted to plant organic matter through photosynthesis-can be measured in units of elemental carbon and represents the primary food energy source for the world's ecosystems. Human appropriation of net primary production, apart from leaving less for other species to use, alters the composition of the atmosphere, levels of biodiversity, energy flows within food webs and the provision of important ecosystem services. Here we present a global map showing the amount of net primary production required by humans and compare it to the total amount generated on the landscape. We then derive a spatial balance sheet of net primary production `supply' and `demand' for the world. We show that human appropriation of net primary production varies spatially from almost zero to many times the local primary production. These analyses reveal the uneven footprint of human consumption and related environmental impacts, indicate the degree to which human populations depend on net primary production `imports' and suggest policy options for slowing future growth of human appropriation of net primary production.

Lunge feeding in early marine reptiles and fast evolution of marine tetrapod feeding guilds.

Science.gov (United States)

Motani, Ryosuke; Chen, Xiao-hong; Jiang, Da-yong; Cheng, Long; Tintori, Andrea; Rieppel, Olivier

2015-03-10

Traditional wisdom holds that biotic recovery from the end-Permian extinction was slow and gradual, and was not complete until the Middle Triassic. Here, we report that the evolution of marine predator feeding guilds, and their trophic structure, proceeded faster. Marine reptile lineages with unique feeding adaptations emerged during the Early Triassic (about 248 million years ago), including the enigmatic Hupehsuchus that possessed an unusually slender mandible. A new specimen of this genus reveals a well-preserved palate and mandible, which suggest that it was a rare lunge feeder as also occurs in rorqual whales and pelicans. The diversity of feeding strategies among Triassic marine tetrapods reached their peak in the Early Triassic, soon after their first appearance in the fossil record. The diet of these early marine tetrapods most likely included soft-bodied animals that are not preserved as fossils. Early marine tetrapods most likely introduced a new trophic mechanism to redistribute nutrients to the top 10 m of the sea, where the primary productivity is highest. Therefore, a simple recovery to a Permian-like trophic structure does not explain the biotic changes seen after the Early Triassic.

Marine Sponge Derived Natural Products between 2001 and 2010: Trends and Opportunities for Discovery of Bioactives

Science.gov (United States)

Mehbub, Mohammad Ferdous; Lei, Jie; Franco, Christopher; Zhang, Wei

2014-01-01

Marine sponges belonging to the phylum Porifera (Metazoa), evolutionarily the oldest animals are the single best source of marine natural products. The present review presents a comprehensive overview of the source, taxonomy, country of origin or geographical position, chemical class, and biological activity of sponge-derived new natural products discovered between 2001 and 2010. The data has been analyzed with a view to gaining an outlook on the future trends and opportunities in the search for new compounds and their sources from marine sponges. PMID:25196730

Acetic acid production from marine algae. Progress report No. 2, September 30--December 31, 1977

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-01-01

Preliminary results on the production of acetic acid from marine algae by anaerobic fermentation indicate that the rate is quite fast. First order rate constants of 0.77 day/sup -1/ were observed. This rate constant gives a half-life of less than one day. In other words, with a properly designed product removal system a five day retention time would yield 98% of theoretical conversion. Determination of the theoretical conversion of marine algae to acetic acid is the subject of much experimentation. The production of one acetic acid molecule (or equivalent in higher organic acids) for each three carbon atoms in the substrate has been achieved; but it is possible that with a mixed culture more than one acetic acid molecule may be produced for each three carbons in the substrate. Work is continuing to improve the yield of acetic acid from marine algae. Marine algae have been found to be rather low in carbon, but the carbon appears to be readily available for fermentation. It, therefore, lends itself to the production of higher value chemicals in relatively expensive equipment, where the rapid conversion rate is particularly cost effective. Fixed packed bed fermenters appear to be desirable for the production of liquid products which are inhibitory to the fermentation from coarse substrates. The inhibitory products may be removed from the fermentation by extraction during recirculation. This technique lends itself to either conventional processing or low capital processing of substrates which require long retention times.

he Impact of Primary Marine Aerosol on Atmospheric Chemistry, Radiation and Climate: A CCSM Model Development Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keene, William C. [University of Virginia; Long, Michael S. [University of Virginia

2013-05-20

This project examined the potential large-scale influence of marine aerosol cycling on atmospheric chemistry, physics and radiative transfer. Measurements indicate that the size-dependent generation of marine aerosols by wind waves at the ocean surface and the subsequent production and cycling of halogen-radicals are important but poorly constrained processes that influence climate regionally and globally. A reliable capacity to examine the role of marine aerosol in the global-scale atmospheric system requires that the important size-resolved chemical processes be treated explicitly. But the treatment of multiphase chemistry across the breadth of chemical scenarios encountered throughout the atmosphere is sensitive to the initial conditions and the precision of the solution method. This study examined this sensitivity, constrained it using high-resolution laboratory and field measurements, and deployed it in a coupled chemical-microphysical 3-D atmosphere model. First, laboratory measurements of fresh, unreacted marine aerosol were used to formulate a sea-state based marine aerosol source parameterization that captured the initial organic, inorganic, and physical conditions of the aerosol population. Second, a multiphase chemical mechanism, solved using the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry's MECCA (Module Efficiently Calculating the Chemistry of the Atmosphere) system, was benchmarked across a broad set of observed chemical and physical conditions in the marine atmosphere. Using these results, the mechanism was systematically reduced to maximize computational speed. Finally, the mechanism was coupled to the 3-mode modal aerosol version of the NCAR Community Atmosphere Model (CAM v3.6.33). Decadal-scale simulations with CAM v.3.6.33, were run both with and without reactive-halogen chemistry and with and without explicit treatment of particulate organic carbon in the marine aerosol source function. Simulated results were interpreted (1) to evaluate influences

Micro-phytoplankton photosynthesis, primary production and potential export production in the Atlantic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Tilstone, Gavin H.; Lange, Priscila K.; Misra, Ankita; Brewin, Robert J. W.; Cain, Terry

2017-11-01

Micro-phytoplankton is the >20 μm component of the phytoplankton community and plays a major role in the global ocean carbon pump, through the sequestering of anthropogenic CO2 and export of organic carbon to the deep ocean. To evaluate the global impact of the marine carbon cycle, quantification of micro-phytoplankton primary production is paramount. In this paper we use both in situ data and a satellite model to estimate the contribution of micro-phytoplankton to total primary production (PP) in the Atlantic Ocean. From 1995 to 2013, 940 measurements of primary production were made at 258 sites on 23 Atlantic Meridional Transect Cruises from the United Kingdom to the South African or Patagonian Shelf. Micro-phytoplankton primary production was highest in the South Subtropical Convergence (SSTC ∼ 409 ± 720 mg C m-2 d-1), where it contributed between 38 % of the total PP, and was lowest in the North Atlantic Gyre province (NATL ∼ 37 ± 27 mg C m-2 d-1), where it represented 18 % of the total PP. Size-fractionated photosynthesis-irradiance (PE) parameters measured on AMT22 and 23 showed that micro-phytoplankton had the highest maximum photosynthetic rate (PmB) (∼5 mg C (mg Chl a)-1 h-1) followed by nano- (∼4 mg C (mg Chl a)-1 h-1) and pico- (∼2 mg C (mg Chl a)-1 h-1). The highest PmB was recorded in the NATL and lowest in the North Atlantic Drift Region (NADR) and South Atlantic Gyre (SATL). The PE parameters were used to parameterise a remote sensing model of size-fractionated PP, which explained 84 % of the micro-phytoplankton in situ PP variability with a regression slope close to 1. The model was applied to the SeaWiFS time series from 1998-2010, which illustrated that micro-phytoplankton PP remained constant in the NADR, NATL, Canary Current Coastal upwelling (CNRY), Eastern Tropical Atlantic (ETRA), Western Tropical Atlantic (WTRA) and SATL, but showed a gradual increase in the Benguela Upwelling zone (BENG) and South Subtropical Convergence (SSTC

Waste production and regional growth of marine activities an econometric model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bramati, Maria Caterina

2016-01-01

Coastal regions are characterized by intense human activity and climatic pressures, often intensified by competing interests in the use of marine waters. To assess the effect of public spending on the regional economy, an econometric model is here proposed. Not only are the regional investment and the climatic risks included in the model, but also variables related to the anthropogenic pressure, such as population, economic activities and waste production. Feedback effects of economic and demographic expansion on the pollution of coastal areas are also considered. It is found that dangerous waste increases with growing shipping and transportation activities and with growing population density in non-touristic coastal areas. On the other hand, the amount of non-dangerous wastes increases with marine mining, defense and offshore energy production activities. However, lower waste production occurs in areas where aquaculture and touristic industry are more exploited, and accompanied by increasing regional investment in waste disposal. - Highlights: • We use an econometric model as a tool for assessing the effects of regional policies on the development of economic activities related to the use of the sea and on the impact on the marine environment. • Through scenario simulation we provide strategic guidelines for policy makers and economic planners • The model features feedback effects of economic and demographic expansion on the pollution of coastal areas.

Waste production and regional growth of marine activities an econometric model.

Science.gov (United States)

Bramati, Maria Caterina

2016-11-15

Coastal regions are characterized by intense human activity and climatic pressures, often intensified by competing interests in the use of marine waters. To assess the effect of public spending on the regional economy, an econometric model is here proposed. Not only are the regional investment and the climatic risks included in the model, but also variables related to the anthropogenic pressure, such as population, economic activities and waste production. Feedback effects of economic and demographic expansion on the pollution of coastal areas are also considered. It is found that dangerous waste increases with growing shipping and transportation activities and with growing population density in non-touristic coastal areas. On the other hand, the amount of non-dangerous wastes increases with marine mining, defense and offshore energy production activities. However, lower waste production occurs in areas where aquaculture and touristic industry are more exploited, and accompanied by increasing regional investment in waste disposal. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Properties and Fluxes of Primary Marine Aerosol Generated Via Detrainment of Turbulence-Modulated Bubble Plumes from Fresh North Atlantic Seawater

Science.gov (United States)

Keene, W. C.; Long, M. S.; Duplessis, P.; Kieber, D. J.; Maben, J. R.; Frossard, A. A.; Kinsey, J. D.; Beaupre, S. R.; Lu, X.; Chang, R.; Zhu, Y.; Bisgrove, J.

2017-12-01

During a September-October 2016 cruise of the R/V Endeavor in the western North Atlantic Ocean, primary marine aerosol (PMA) was produced in a high capacity generator during day and night via detrainment of bubbles from biologically productive and oligotrophic seawater. The turbulent mixing of clean air and seawater in a Venturi nozzle produced bubble plumes with tunable size distributions. Physicochemical characteristics of size-resolved PMA and seawater were measured. PMA number production efficiencies per unit air detrained (PEnum) increased with increasing detainment rate. For given conditions, PEnum values summed over size distributions were roughly ten times greater than those for frits whereas normalized size distributions were similar. Results show that bubble size distributions significantly modulated number production fluxes but not relative shapes of corresponding size distributions. In contrast, mass production efficiencies (PEmass) decreased with increasing air detrainment and were similar to those for frits, consistent with the hypothesis that bubble rafts on the seawater surface modulate emissions of larger jet droplets that dominate PMA mass production. Production efficiencies of organic matter were about three times greater than those for frits whereas organic enrichment factors integrated over size distributions were similar.

Polyhydroxybutyrate production from marine source and its application.

Science.gov (United States)

Kavitha, Ganapathy; Rengasamy, Ramasamy; Inbakandan, Dhinakarasamy

2018-05-01

The increasing significance of non-degradable plastic wastes is an emerging concern. As a substitute, researches are being endeavoured from existing reserve to yield bioplastics based on their properties of biodegradability. Owing to their cost, now the experts are quest for a substitute source like bacteria, microalgae, actinomycetes, cyanobacteria and plants. PHB is biodegradable, environmental friendly and biocompatible thermoplastics. Varying in toughness and flexibility, depending on their formulation, they are used in various ways similar to many non-biodegradable petrochemical plastics currently in use. Promising strategies contain genetic engineering of microorganisms to introduce production pathways examined for the past two decades. Such kind of researches focusing on the use of unconventional substrates, novel extraction methods, and genetically enhanced species with assessment to make PHB from marine microbes are commercially attractive field. Hence, this biopolymer synthesis may displayed as one of the survival mechanisms of endosymbiotic, macroalgae, or sponge-associated bacteria, which exist in a highly competitive and stressful marine microenvironment. This review throws light on the promising and growing awareness of using marine microbes as PHB source, along with their applications in different fields of aquaculture, medicine, antifouling and tissue engineering. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Recent Advances in the Discovery and Development of Marine Natural Products with Cardiovascular Pharmacological Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jie-Bin; Luo, Rong; Zheng, Ying-Lin; Pang, Ji-Yan

2018-01-01

Numerous studies have indicated that marine natural products are one of the most important sources of the lead compounds in drug discovery for their unique structures, various bioactivities and less side effects. In this review, the marine natural products with cardiovascular pharmacological effects reported after 2000 will be presented. Their structural types, relevant biological activities, origin of isolation and information of strain species will be discussed in detail. Finally, by describing our studies as an example, we also discuss the chances and challenges for translating marine-derived compounds into preclinical or clinical trials. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Production of a Blue Pigment (Glaukothalin by Marine Rheinheimera spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans-Peter Grossart

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Two γ-Proteobacteria strains, that is, HP1 and HP9, which both produce a diffusible deep blue pigment, were isolated from the German Wadden Sea and from the Øresund, Denmark, respectively. Both strains affiliate with the genus Rheinheimera. Small amounts of the pigment could be extracted from HP1 grown in a 50 L fermenter and were purified chromatographically. Chemical analysis of the pigment including NMR and mass spectrometry led to a molecular formula of C34H56N4O4 (m.w. 584.85 which has not yet been reported in literature. The molecule is highly symmetrically and consists of two heterocyclic halves to which aliphatic side chains are attached. The pigment has been named glaukothalin due to its blue color and its marine origin (glaukos, gr.=blue, thalatta, gr.=sea. Production of glaukothalin on MB2216 agar plates by our Rheinheimera strains is affected in the presence of other bacterial strains either increasing or decreasing pigment production. The addition of a single amino acid, arginine (5 gl−1, greatly increases pigment production by our Rheinheimera strains. Even though the production of glaukothalin leads to inhibitory activity against three bacterial strains from marine particles, our Rheinheimera isolates are inhibited by various bacteria of different phylogenetic groups. The ecological role of glaukothalin production by Rheinheimera strains, however, remains largely unknown.

Effects of lowered pH on marine phytoplankton growth rates

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berge, Terje; Daugbjerg, Niels; Andersen, Betinna Balling

2010-01-01

concentration of seawater. Ocean acidification may potentially both stimulate and reduce primary production by marine phytoplankton. Data are scarce on the response of marine phytoplankton growth rates to lowered pH/increased CO2. Using the acid addition method to lower the seawater pH and manipulate...... the carbonate system, we determined in detail the lower pH limit for growth rates of 2 model species of common marine phytoplankton. We also tested whether growth and production rates of 6 other common species of phytoplankton were affected by ocean acidification (lowered to pH 7.0). The lower pH limits...... statistically similar in the pH range of ~7.0 to 8.5. Our results and literature reports on growth at lowered pH indicate that marine phytoplankton in general are resistant to climate change in terms of ocean acidification, and do not increase or decrease their growth rates according to ecological relevant...

Primary Productivity (PP_Master)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set included primary production for each subregion in the study (Georges Bank, Gulf of Maine, Southern New England, Middle Atlantic Bight) . The data came...

Pricing of Marine Products and Services in the Modular Age

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Liping; Al-Ajlouni, Omar

WHAT IS THE ISSUE? Pricing can be a particular challenging issue for marine suppliers with multiple products and services especially when suppliers want to address specific customer needs and at the same time achieves the efficiency in pricing. WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? Appropriate pricing of products-and-services...... in the market. Lastly, customer satisfaction and loyalty will be increased accordingly. WHAT CAN BE DONE? The pricing challenge for multiple products and services can be overcome by applying the modular concept on pricing, where each product or service is offered as a module, so suppliers can either set...

Radioactivity of marine environment: pr occupations of the Romanian Institute of Marine Research at Constanta (1977-1995)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bologa, Al.A.; Patrascu, V.

1996-01-01

A nuclear laboratory installed in the frame of Romanian Institute of Marine Research has been initially charged with the study of primary plankton productivity as a basic element of bio-productivity using the C-14 method. The results contributed with significant data to complete the ecological picture of the marine environment regarding particularly the nutrient basis of living resources. The laboratory developed its activities by a systematic space-time monitoring of the marine radioactivity making use of a large network of measuring stations extended from Danube mouths through the southern limit of Romanian seashore and occasionally offshore up to 90 miles. Currently, global beta measurements, radiochemical determinations (for Sr-90 for instance) and high resolution gamma spectroscopic measurements (especially on K-40, Cs-134, and Cs-137) are carried out. At the end of 199 a tritium determination chain has been installed to monitor continuously the environment from around Cernavoda NPP across the Dobrogea up to the sea shore. These measurements and studies were made under technical co-operation contracts with IAEA and other national or international organisations while the results were incorporated in two important documents: 'Global Inventory of Radioactivity of Mediterranean Sea (CIESEM/GIRMED)' and 'A Global Data Base of Marine Radioactivity (IAEA/GLOMARD)'

Marine cloud brightening

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Phillip; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Rob

2012-01-01

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could—subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein—have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seed-particle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud–albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100×100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action

Marine Cloud Brightening

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, H.; Connolly, P.; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Philip J.; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Robert

2012-09-07

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could - subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein - have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seedparticle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

Marine cloud brightening.

Science.gov (United States)

Latham, John; Bower, Keith; Choularton, Tom; Coe, Hugh; Connolly, Paul; Cooper, Gary; Craft, Tim; Foster, Jack; Gadian, Alan; Galbraith, Lee; Iacovides, Hector; Johnston, David; Launder, Brian; Leslie, Brian; Meyer, John; Neukermans, Armand; Ormond, Bob; Parkes, Ben; Rasch, Phillip; Rush, John; Salter, Stephen; Stevenson, Tom; Wang, Hailong; Wang, Qin; Wood, Rob

2012-09-13

The idea behind the marine cloud-brightening (MCB) geoengineering technique is that seeding marine stratocumulus clouds with copious quantities of roughly monodisperse sub-micrometre sea water particles might significantly enhance the cloud droplet number concentration, and thereby the cloud albedo and possibly longevity. This would produce a cooling, which general circulation model (GCM) computations suggest could-subject to satisfactory resolution of technical and scientific problems identified herein-have the capacity to balance global warming up to the carbon dioxide-doubling point. We describe herein an account of our recent research on a number of critical issues associated with MCB. This involves (i) GCM studies, which are our primary tools for evaluating globally the effectiveness of MCB, and assessing its climate impacts on rainfall amounts and distribution, and also polar sea-ice cover and thickness; (ii) high-resolution modelling of the effects of seeding on marine stratocumulus, which are required to understand the complex array of interacting processes involved in cloud brightening; (iii) microphysical modelling sensitivity studies, examining the influence of seeding amount, seed-particle salt-mass, air-mass characteristics, updraught speed and other parameters on cloud-albedo change; (iv) sea water spray-production techniques; (v) computational fluid dynamics studies of possible large-scale periodicities in Flettner rotors; and (vi) the planning of a three-stage limited-area field research experiment, with the primary objectives of technology testing and determining to what extent, if any, cloud albedo might be enhanced by seeding marine stratocumulus clouds on a spatial scale of around 100×100 km. We stress that there would be no justification for deployment of MCB unless it was clearly established that no significant adverse consequences would result. There would also need to be an international agreement firmly in favour of such action.

Where and What Is Pristine Marine Aerosol?

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, L. M.; Frossard, A. A.; Long, M. S.; Burrows, S. M.; Elliott, S.; Bates, T. S.; Quinn, P.

2014-12-01

The sources and composition of atmospheric marine aerosol particles have been measured by functional group composition (from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) to identify the organic composition of the pristine primary marine (ocean-derived) particles as 65% hydroxyl, 21% alkane, 6% amine, and 7% carboxylic acid functional groups [Frossard et al., 2014a,b]. Pristine but non-primary components from photochemical reactions (likely from biogenic marine vapor emissions) add carboxylic acid groups. Non-pristine contributions include shipping effluent in seawater and ship emissions, which add additional alkane groups (up to 70%), and coastal or continental emissions mix in alkane and carboxylic acid groups. The pristine primary marine (ocean-derived) organic aerosol composition is nearly identical to model generated primary marine aerosol particles from bubbled seawater, indicating that its overall functional group composition is the direct consequence of the organic constituents of the seawater source. While the seawater organic functional group composition was nearly invariant across all three ocean regions studied and the ratio of organic carbon to sodium (OC/Na+) in the generated primary marine aerosol particles remained nearly constant over a broad range of chlorophyll-a concentrations, the generated primary marine aerosol particle alkane group fraction increased with chlorophyll-a concentrations. In addition, the generated primary marine aerosol particles have a hydroxyl group absorption peak location characteristic of monosaccharides and disaccharides, where the seawater hydroxyl group peak location is closer to that of polysaccharides. References Cited Frossard, Amanda A., Lynn M. Russell, Paola Massoli, Timothy S. Bates, and Patricia K. Quinn, "Side-by-Side Comparison of Four Techniques Explains the Apparent Differences in the Organic Composition of Generated and Ambient Marine Aerosol Particles," Aerosol Science and Technology - Aerosol Research Letter

A Moessbauer and Electrochemical Characterization of the Corrosion Products Formed from Marine and Marine-Antartic Environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohanian, M.; Caraballo, R.; Dalchiele, E. A.; Quagliata, E. [Instituto de Ingenieria Quimica, Facultad de Ingenieria (Uruguay)

2003-06-15

Corrosion products formed on low alloy steel under two marine environments are characterised. Both environments are classified as C4 according to the ISO 9223 Standard. The corrosion products are identified and their relative proportion is determined by Moessbauer spectroscopy (transmission geometry). Free potentials of corrosion are measured to evaluate the activity of their surfaces. Structural characterisation by XRD were performed on selected samples. It is concluded that the principal phases are goethite, lepidocrocite, ferrihidrite and maghemite. The relative amount of each of them changes with time and with the atmospheric dynamics of each environment.

A Moessbauer and Electrochemical Characterization of the Corrosion Products Formed from Marine and Marine-Antartic Environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohanian, M.; Caraballo, R.; Dalchiele, E. A.; Quagliata, E.

2003-01-01

Corrosion products formed on low alloy steel under two marine environments are characterised. Both environments are classified as C4 according to the ISO 9223 Standard. The corrosion products are identified and their relative proportion is determined by Moessbauer spectroscopy (transmission geometry). Free potentials of corrosion are measured to evaluate the activity of their surfaces. Structural characterisation by XRD were performed on selected samples. It is concluded that the principal phases are goethite, lepidocrocite, ferrihidrite and maghemite. The relative amount of each of them changes with time and with the atmospheric dynamics of each environment.

Sensory description of marine oils through development of a sensory wheel and vocabulary.

Science.gov (United States)

Larssen, W E; Monteleone, E; Hersleth, M

2018-04-01

The Omega-3 industry lacks a defined methodology and a vocabulary for evaluating the sensory quality of marine oils. This study was conducted to identify the sensory descriptors of marine oils and organize them in a sensory wheel for use as a tool in quality assessment. Samples of marine oils were collected from six of the largest producers of omega-3 products in Norway. The oils were selected to cover as much variation in sensory characteristics as possible, i.e. oils with different fatty acid content originating from different species. Oils were evaluated by six industry expert panels and one trained sensory panel to build up a vocabulary through a series of language sessions. A total of 184 aroma (odor by nose), flavor, taste and mouthfeel descriptors were generated. A sensory wheel based on 60 selected descriptors grouped together in 21 defined categories was created to form a graphical presentation of the sensory vocabulary. A selection of the oil samples was also evaluated by a trained sensory panel using descriptive analysis. Chemical analysis showed a positive correlation between primary and secondary oxidation products and sensory properties such as rancidity, chemical flavor and process flavor and a negative correlation between primary oxidation products and acidic. This research is a first step towards the broader objective of standardizing the sensory terminology related to marine oils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Production and characterization of biosurfactant from marine Streptomyces species B3.

Science.gov (United States)

Khopade, Abhijit; Ren, Biao; Liu, Xiang-Yang; Mahadik, Kakasaheb; Zhang, Lixin; Kokare, Chandrakant

2012-02-01

The present study demonstrates the production and properties of a biosurfactant isolated from marine Streptomyces species B3. The production of the biosurfactant was found to be higher in medium containing sucrose and lower in the medium containing glycerol. Yeast extract was the best nitrogen source for the production of the biosurfactant. The isolated biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water to 29 mN/m. The purified biosurfactant was shown critical micelle concentrations of 110 mg/l. The emulsifying activity and stability of the biosurfactant was investigated at different salinities, pH, and temperature. The biosurfactant was effective at very low concentrations over a wide range of temperature, pH, and salt concentration. The purified biosurfactant was shown strong antimicrobial activity. The biosurfactant was produced from the marine Streptomyces sp. using non-hydrocarbon substrates such as sucrose that was readily available and not required extensive purification procedure. Streptomyces species B3 can be used for microbially enhanced oil recovery process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Overview of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service Products Available for the Arctic Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.L. Kholod

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service is one of six services (ocean, atmosphere, land, emergency situations, security and climate changes launched by the European Union within the EU Earth observation program. The data in the monitoring system covers both the entire World Ocean and individual European basins. The paper reviews the products of the Copernicus Marine Service operational system available in the Arctic. At the present time this region is of the increased interest both in Russia and in the world community. The system products include information on the thermodynamic, biogeochemical and bio-optical state of the marine environment. The system products are accessed through the electronic catalog of products. Selection criteria and possibilities for searching interesting information through the interactive web-portal are given in the paper. The system products containing the data of model calculations, satellite and in situ measurement results are considered. Spatial and temporal characteristics of the products are given, information on by whom, how the product was obtained and what is its accuracy is represented. The results of the system products visualization by the integrated tools (they allow one to construct and analyze time series, profiles, horizontal and vertical sections are shown. All the system data is publicly available to the registered users. Regular changes and updates of the system products as well as the mechanisms for accessing them take place. This information is sent to users by e-mail and is available on the news flash of the web-portal.

Primary Productivity of the Cengklik Dam Boyolali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

WIRYANTO

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Primary productivity dynamic of the water ecosystem was conducted faster in the last decades. This study was intended to find out the primary productivity of Cengklik dam Boyolali, Central Java to explain the ecosystem dynamic and to lead the maintenance of dam. This study used quantitative methods in completely randomized group design (CRD, and the data was analized by Analysis of Variance (ANAVA. Samples were taken horizontally in four sampling point, respectively in the riparian zone, around of the floating net (“karamba”, in the center of dam water and around of the ex-paddy fields. There were taken vertically in three-depth point in each of the sampling point, respectively 0.5 meter, 1.5 meter, and 2.5 meter. The results showed that the gross primary productivity of the dam was 11.122.500-22.545.600 mgC/m3/days, and the primary productivity differences in each of the point sampling caused by light intensity, nutrient supply, and abundance of the chlorophyll organisms.

Effects of the nuclear disaster on marine products in Fukushima

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wada, Toshihiro; Nemoto, Yoshiharu; Shimamura, Shinya; Fujita, Tsuneo; Mizuno, Takuji; Sohtome, Tadahiro; Kamiyama, Kyoichi; Morita, Takami; Igarashi, Satoshi

2013-01-01

After the release of huge amounts of radionuclides into the ocean from the devastated Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), safety concerns have arisen for marine products in Fukushima Prefecture. As of October 2012, we had inspected the radionuclide ( 131 I, 134 Cs and 137 Cs) concentrations in 6462 specimens within 169 marine species collected off the coast of Fukushima Prefecture from April 2011. Only two species exceeded the Japanese provisional regulatory limit for 131 I (2000 Bq/kg-wet) immediately after the FDNPP accident. In 2011 and 2012, 63 and 41 species respectively exceeded the Japanese regulatory limit for radioactive Cs (100 Bq/kg-wet). The overall radioactive Cs concentrations of the total marine products have decreased significantly. However, the time-series trends of radioactive Cs concentrations have differed greatly among taxa, habitats (pelagic/demersal), and spatial distributions. Higher concentrations were observed in shallower waters south of the FDNPP. Radioactive Cs concentrations decreased quickly or were below detection limits in pelagic fishes and some invertebrates, and decreased constantly in seaweed, surf clams, and other organisms. However, in some coastal demersal fishes, the declining trend was much more gradual, and concentrations above the regulatory limit have been detected frequently, indicating continued uptake of radioactive Cs through the benthic food web. The main continuing source of radioactive Cs to the benthic food web is expected to be the radioactive Cs-containing detritus in sediment. Trial fishing operations for several selected species without radioactive Cs contamination were commenced in Soma area, 50 km north of the FDNPP, from June 2012. Long-term and careful monitoring of marine products in the waters off Fukushima Prefecture, especially around the FDNPP, is necessary to restart the coastal fishery reliably and to prevent harmful rumors in the future. -- Highlights: • Radionuclide concentrations

Estimating Oceanic Primary Production Using Vertical Irradiance and Chlorophyll Profiles from Ocean Gliders in the North Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemsley, Victoria S; Smyth, Timothy J; Martin, Adrian P; Frajka-Williams, Eleanor; Thompson, Andrew F; Damerell, Gillian; Painter, Stuart C

2015-10-06

An autonomous underwater vehicle (Seaglider) has been used to estimate marine primary production (PP) using a combination of irradiance and fluorescence vertical profiles. This method provides estimates for depth-resolved and temporally evolving PP on fine spatial scales in the absence of ship-based calibrations. We describe techniques to correct for known issues associated with long autonomous deployments such as sensor calibration drift and fluorescence quenching. Comparisons were made between the Seaglider, stable isotope ((13)C), and satellite estimates of PP. The Seaglider-based PP estimates were comparable to both satellite estimates and stable isotope measurements.

Metabonomics profiling of marinated meat in soy sauce during processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Yang; Ye, Yangfang; Pan, Daodong; Sun, Yangying; Wang, Ying; Cao, Jinxuan

2018-03-01

Marinated meat in soy sauce is one of the most popular traditional cured meat products in China. Its taste quality is directly related to primary and secondary metabolites. Herein, the change of metabolite composition of marinated meat in soy sauce during processing was systematically characterised using 1 H NMR and multivariate data analysis. The marinated meat in soy sauce metabonome was dominated by 26 metabolites, including amino acids, sugars, organic acids, nucleic aides and their derivatives. PC1 and PC2 explained a total of 78.6% and 16.6% of variables, respectively. Amino acids, sugars, acetate, succinate, uracil and inosine increased during marinating, while lactate, creatine, inosine-5'-monophosphate (5'-IMP) and anserine decreased (P meat in soy sauce during the late stage of dry-ripening. These findings indicated that the potential of NMR-based metabonomics is of importance for taste quality of marinated meat in soy sauce, which could contribute to a better understanding of the changes of taste compounds in meat products during processing. Shortening the dry-ripening period could be considered to improve the taste quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Marine Lipids (Omega-3 Oil) - Stability of Oil and Enriched Products During Production and Storage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Nina Skall

2015-01-01

The awareness of health benefits of marine lipids with a high content of omega-3 poly unsaturated fatty acids from fish and algae oil has led to an increased intake as oil and in products. However, these lipids are highly susceptible to lipid oxidation, which results in the formation of undesirable...... off-flavours and gives rise to unhealthy compounds such as free radicals and reactive aldehydes. Necessary prerequisites for successful development of omega-3 enriched products are that the oil used for enrichment is of a high quality and low in oxidation products and that oxidation of the lipids...

Xylanase production from marine derived Trichoderma pleuroticola 08ÇK001 strain isolated from Mediterranean coastal sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Korkmaz, Melih N; Ozdemir, Sennur C; Uzel, Ataç

2017-10-01

Xylanases constitutes one the most important enzymes with diverse applications in different industries such as bioethanol production, animal feedstock production, production of xylo-oligosaccharides, baking industry, paper and pulp industry, xylitol production, fruit juice, and beer finishing, degumming, and agriculture. Currently, industrial xylanases are mainly produced by Aspergillus and Trichoderma members. Since the marine environments are less studied compared to terrestrial environments and harbors great microbial diversity we aimed to investigate the xylanase production of 88 marine-derived filamentous fungal strains. These strains are semi-quantitatively screened for their extracellular xylanase production and Trichoderma pleuroticola 08ÇK001 xylanase activity was further characterized. Optimum pH and temperature was determined as 5.0 and 50 °C, respectively. The enzyme preparation retained 53% of its activity at pH 5.0 after 1 h and have found resistant against several ions and compounds such as K + , Ba 2+ , Na + , β-mercaptoethanol, Triton X-100 and toluene. This study demonstrates that marine-derived fungal strains are prolific sources for xylanase production and presents the first report about the production and characterization of xylanase from a marine derived T. pleuroticola strain. The characteristics of T. pleuroticola 08ÇK001 xylanase activity indicate possible employment in some industrial processes such as animal feed, juice and wine industries or paper pulping applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Relationship between chlorophyll-a and column primary production

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Dalal, S.G.; Bhargava, R.M.S.

Relationship between surface chlorophyll a and column primary production has been established to help in estimating the latter more quickly and accurately. The equation derived is Primary Production, y = 0.54 Ln Chl a - 0.6. The relationship...

Optimization of the marinating conditions of cassava fish (Pseudotolithus sp.) fillet for Lanhouin production through application of Doehlert experimental design.

Science.gov (United States)

Kindossi, Janvier Mêlégnonfan; Anihouvi, Victor Bienvenu; Vieira-Dalodé, Générose; Akissoé, Noël Houédougbé; Hounhouigan, Djidjoho Joseph

2016-03-01

Lanhouin is a traditional fermented salted fish made from the spontaneous and uncontrolled fermentation of whole salted cassava fish (Pseudotolithus senegalensis) mainly produced in the coastal regions of West Africa. The combined effects of NaCl, citric acid concentration, and marination time on the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of the fish fillet used for Lanhouin production were studied using a Doehlert experimental design with the objective of preserving its quality and safety. The marination time has significant effects on total viable and lactic acid bacteria counts, and NaCl content of the marinated fish fillet while the pH was significantly affected by citric acid concentration and marination duration with high regression coefficient R (2) of 0.83. The experiment showed that the best conditions for marination process of fish fillet were salt ratio 10 g/100 g, acid citric concentration 2.5 g/100 g, and marination time 6 h. These optimum marinating conditions obtained present the best quality of marinated flesh fish leading to the safety of the final fermented product. This pretreatment is necessary in Lanhouin production processes to ensure its safety quality.

Bacterioplankton: a sink for carbon in a coastal marine plankton community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ducklow, H.W.; Purdie, D.A.; Williams, P.J.LeB.; Davis, J.M.

1986-01-01

Recent determinations of high production rates (up to 30% of primary production in surface waters) implicate free-living marine bacterioplankton as a link in a microbial loop that supplements phytoplankton as food for herbivores. An enclosed water column of 300 cubic meters was used to test the microbial loop hypothesis by following the fate of carbon-14-labeled bacterioplankton for over 50 days. Only 2% of the label initially fixed from carbon-14-labeled glucose by bacteria was present in larger organisms after 13 days, at which time about 20% of the total label added remained in the particulate fraction. Most of the label appeared to pass directly from particles smaller than 1 micrometer (heterotrophic bacterioplankton and some bacteriovores) to respired labeled carbon dioxide or to regenerated dissolved organic carbon-14. Secondary (and, by implication, primary) production by organisms smaller than 1 micrometer may not be an important food source in marine food chains. Bacterioplankton can be a sink for carbon in planktonic food webs and may serve principally as agents of nutrient regeneration rather than as food

Interannual Variation in Phytoplankton Primary Production at a Global Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, Cecile Severine; Gregg, Watson W.

2013-01-01

We used the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model (NOBM) combined with remote sensing data via assimilation to evaluate the contribution of four phytoplankton groups to the total primary production. First, we assessed the contribution of each phytoplankton groups to the total primary production at a global scale for the period 1998-2011. Globally, diatoms contributed the most to the total phytoplankton production ((is)approximately 50%, the equivalent of 20 PgC·y1). Coccolithophores and chlorophytes each contributed approximately 20% ((is) approximately 7 PgC·y1) of the total primary production and cyanobacteria represented about 10% ((is) approximately 4 PgC·y1) of the total primary production. Primary production by diatoms was highest in the high latitudes ((is) greater than 40 deg) and in major upwelling systems (Equatorial Pacific and Benguela system). We then assessed interannual variability of this group-specific primary production over the period 1998-2011. Globally the annual relative contribution of each phytoplankton groups to the total primary production varied by maximum 4% (1-2 PgC·y1). We assessed the effects of climate variability on group-specific primary production using global (i.e., Multivariate El Niño Index, MEI) and "regional" climate indices (e.g., Southern Annular Mode (SAM), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)). Most interannual variability occurred in the Equatorial Pacific and was associated with climate variability as indicated by significant correlation (p (is) less than 0.05) between the MEI and the group-specific primary production from all groups except coccolithophores. In the Atlantic, climate variability as indicated by NAO was significantly correlated to the primary production of 2 out of the 4 groups in the North Central Atlantic (diatoms/cyanobacteria) and in the North Atlantic (chlorophytes and coccolithophores). We found that climate variability as indicated by SAM had only a limited effect

Symbiotic Microbes from Marine Invertebrates: Driving a New Era of Natural Product Drug Discovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alix Blockley

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Invertebrates account for more than 89% of all extant organisms in the marine environment, represented by over 174,600 species (recorded to date. Such diversity is mirrored in (or more likely increased by the microbial symbionts associated with this group and in the marine natural products (or MNPs that they produce. Since the early 1950s over 20,000 MNPs have been discovered, including compounds produced by symbiotic bacteria, and the chemical diversity of compounds produced from marine sources has led to them being referred to as "blue gold" in the search for new drugs. For example, 80% of novel antibiotics stemming from the marine environment have come from Actinomycetes, many of which can be found associated with marine sponges, and compounds with anti-tumorigenic and anti-diabetic potential have also been isolated from marine symbionts. In fact, it has been estimated that marine sources formed the basis of over 50% of FDA-approved drugs between 1981 and 2002. In this review, we explore the diversity of marine microbial symbionts by examining their use as the producers of novel pharmaceutical actives, together with a discussion of the opportunities and constraints offered by “blue gold” drug discovery.

The influence of marine microbial activities on aerosol production: A laboratory mesocosm study

Science.gov (United States)

Alpert, Peter A.; Kilthau, Wendy P.; Bothe, Dylan W.; Radway, JoAnn C.; Aller, Josephine Y.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2015-09-01

The oceans cover most of the Earth's surface, contain nearly half the total global primary biomass productivity, and are a major source of atmospheric aerosol particles. Here we experimentally investigate links between biological activity in seawater and sea spray aerosol (SSA) flux, a relationship of potential significance for organic aerosol loading and cloud formation over the oceans and thus for climate globally. Bubbles were generated in laboratory mesocosm experiments either by recirculating impinging water jets or glass frits. Experiments were conducted with Atlantic Ocean seawater collected off the eastern end of Long Island, NY, and with artificial seawater containing cultures of bacteria and phytoplankton Thalassiosira pseudonana, Emiliania huxleyi, and Nannochloris atomus. Changes in SSA size distributions occurred during all phases of bacterial and phytoplankton growth, as characterized by cell concentrations, dissolved organic carbon, total particulate carbon, and transparent exopolymer particles (gel-forming polysaccharides representing a major component of biogenic exudate material). Over a 2 week growth period, SSA particle concentrations increased by a factor of less than 2 when only bacteria were present and by a factor of about 3 when bacteria and phytoplankton were present. Production of jet-generated SSA particles of diameter less than 200 nm increased with time, while production of all particle diameters increased with time when frits were used. The implications of a marine biological activity dependent SSA flux are discussed.

Valuing ecosystem services. A shadow price for net primary production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richmond, Amy; Kaufmann, Robert K.; Myneni, Ranga B.

2007-01-01

We analyze the contribution of ecosystem services to GDP and use this contribution to calculate an empirical price for ecosystem services. Net primary production is used as a proxy for ecosystem services and, along with capital and labor, is used to estimate a Cobb Douglas production function from an international panel. A positive output elasticity for net primary production probably measures both marketed and nonmarketed contributions of ecosystems services. The production function is used to calculate the marginal product of net primary production, which is the shadow price for ecosystem services. The shadow price generally is greatest for developed nations, which have larger technical scalars and use less net primary production per unit output. The rate of technical substitution indicates that the quantity of capital needed to replace a unit of net primary production tends to increase with economic development, and this rate of replacement may ultimately constrain economic growth. (author)

Chemical Investigations of Marine Filamentous and Zoosporic Fungi and Studies in Marine Microbial Chemical Ecology

OpenAIRE

Jenkins, Kelly M.

1998-01-01

The natural products chemistry of marine microorganisms is an emerging area of organic chemistry with the aim of discovering novel secondary metabolites exhibiting both biomedical and ecological activities. While marine bacteria have proven to be a productive source of new natural products, there are many groups of marine microorganisms which have not been fully investigated. In particular, marine fungi represent an untapped and potentially novel source of bioactive secondary metabolites. Whi...

Neoproterozoic marine carbonates and their paleoceanographic significance

Science.gov (United States)

Hood, Ashleigh van Smeerdijk; Wallace, Malcolm William

2018-01-01

The primary mineralogy of marine carbonate precipitates has been a crucial factor in constraining the major element composition of ancient oceans. Secular changes in Phanerozoic marine chemistry, including Mg/Ca, have been well-documented using the original carbonate mineralogy of ooids, marine cements and biominerals. However, the history of Precambrian seawater chemistry is not as well constrained, partially due to the prevalence of dolomitisation in the Precambrian geological record. The Neoproterozoic ( 1000 Ma to 541 Ma) record of primary carbonate mineralogy is documented here using a combination of literature data and new analysis of marine carbonate precipitates from the Otavi Fold Belt, Namibia, the Death Valley succession, USA and the Adelaide Fold Belt, Australia. These data suggest that the last 460 million years of the Proterozoic were dominated by aragonite and high-Mg calcite precipitation in shallow marine settings. In contrast, low-Mg calcite has only been recognised in a small number of formations. In addition to aragonite and calcite precipitation, marine dolomite precipitation was widespread in Neoproterozoic oceans, including mimetic (syn-sedimentary) dolomitisation and primary dolomite marine cementation. The combination of marine aragonite, high Mg-calcite and dolomite precipitation during the Neoproterozoic suggests extremely high seawater Mg/Ca conditions relative to Phanerozoic oceans. Marine dolomite precipitation may also be linked to widespread marine anoxia during this time.

Ice nuclei in marine air: biogenic particles or dust?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Burrows

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Ice nuclei impact clouds, but their sources and distribution in the atmosphere are still not well known. Particularly little attention has been paid to IN sources in marine environments, although evidence from field studies suggests that IN populations in remote marine regions may be dominated by primary biogenic particles associated with sea spray. In this exploratory model study, we aim to bring attention to this long-neglected topic and identify promising target regions for future field campaigns. We assess the likely global distribution of marine biogenic ice nuclei using a combination of historical observations, satellite data and model output. By comparing simulated marine biogenic immersion IN distributions and dust immersion IN distributions, we predict strong regional differences in the importance of marine biogenic IN relative to dust IN. Our analysis suggests that marine biogenic IN are most likely to play a dominant role in determining IN concentrations in near-surface-air over the Southern Ocean, so future field campaigns aimed at investigating marine biogenic IN should target that region. Climate-related changes in the abundance and emission of biogenic marine IN could affect marine cloud properties, thereby introducing previously unconsidered feedbacks that influence the hydrological cycle and the Earth's energy balance. Furthermore, marine biogenic IN may be an important aspect to consider in proposals for marine cloud brightening by artificial sea spray production.

Fermentative hydrogen production by the new marine Pantoea agglomerans isolated from the mangrove sludge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhu, Daling [College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Wang, Guangce [College of Marine Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457 (China); Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071 (China); Qiao, Hongjin; Cai, Jinling [Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266071 (China)

2008-11-15

A new fermentative hydrogen-producing bacterium was isolated from mangrove sludge and identified as Pantoea agglomerans using light microscopic examination, biological tests and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The isolated bacterium, designated as P. agglomerans BH-18, is a new strain that has never been optimized as a potential hydrogen-producing bacterium. In this study, the culture conditions and the hydrogen-producing ability of P. agglomerans BH-18 were examined. The strain was a salt-tolerant facultative anaerobe with the initial optimum pH value at 8.0-9.0 and temperature at 30 C on cell growth. During fermentation, hydrogen started to evolve when cell growth entered late-exponential phase and was mainly produced in the stationary phase. The strain was able to produce hydrogen over a wide range of initial pH from 5 to 10, with an optimum initial pH of 6. The level of hydrogen production was affected by the initial glucose concentration, and the optimum value was found to be 10 g glucose/l. The maximum hydrogen-producing yield (2246 ml/l) and overall hydrogen production rate (160 ml/l/h) were obtained at an initial glucose concentration of 10 g/l and an initial pH value of 7.2 in marine culture conditions. In particular, the level of hydrogen production was also affected by the salt concentration. Hydrogen production reached a higher level in fresh culture conditions than in marine ones. In marine conditions, hydrogen productivity was 108 ml/l/h at an initial glucose concentration of 20 g/l and pH value of 7.2, whereas, it increased by 27% in fresh conditions. In addition, this strain could produce hydrogen using glucose and many other carbon sources such as fructose, sucrose, sorbitol and so on. As a result, it is possible that P. agglomerans BH-18 is used for biohydrogen production and biological treatment of mariculture wastewater and marine organic waste. (author)

Tropical rainforest response to marine sky brightening climate engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Muri, Helene; Niemeier, Ulrike; Kristjánsson, Jón Egill

2015-04-01

Tropical forests represent a major atmospheric carbon dioxide sink. Here the gross primary productivity (GPP) response of tropical rainforests to climate engineering via marine sky brightening under a future scenario is investigated in three Earth system models. The model response is diverse, and in two of the three models, the tropical GPP shows a decrease from the marine sky brightening climate engineering. Partial correlation analysis indicates precipitation to be important in one of those models, while precipitation and temperature are limiting factors in the other. One model experiences a reversal of its Amazon dieback under marine sky brightening. There, the strongest partial correlation of GPP is to temperature and incoming solar radiation at the surface. Carbon fertilization provides a higher future tropical rainforest GPP overall, both with and without climate engineering. Salt damage to plants and soils could be an important aspect of marine sky brightening.

Decadal Changes in Global Ocean Annual Primary Production

Science.gov (United States)

Gregg, Watson; Conkright, Margarita E.; Behrenfeld, Michael J.; Ginoux, Paul; Casey, Nancy W.; Koblinsky, Chester J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS) has produced the first multi-year time series of global ocean chlorophyll observations since the demise of the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) in 1986. Global observations from 1997-present from SeaWiFS combined with observations from 1979-1986 from the CZCS should in principle provide an opportunity to observe decadal changes in global ocean annual primary production, since chlorophyll is the primary driver for estimates of primary production. However, incompatibilities between algorithms have so far precluded quantitative analysis. We have developed and applied compatible processing methods for the CZCS, using modern advances in atmospheric correction and consistent bio-optical algorithms to advance the CZCS archive to comparable quality with SeaWiFS. We applied blending methodologies, where in situ data observations are incorporated into the CZCS and SeaWiFS data records, to provide improvement of the residuals. These re-analyzed, blended data records provide maximum compatibility and permit, for the first time, a quantitative analysis of the changes in global ocean primary production in the early-to-mid 1980's and the present, using synoptic satellite observations. An intercomparison of the global and regional primary production from these blended satellite observations is important to understand global climate change and the effects on ocean biota. Photosynthesis by chlorophyll-containing phytoplankton is responsible for biotic uptake of carbon in the oceans and potentially ultimately from the atmosphere. Global ocean annual primary decreased from the CZCS record to SeaWiFS, by nearly 6% from the early 1980s to the present. Annual primary production in the high latitudes was responsible for most of the decadal change. Conversely, primary production in the low latitudes generally increased, with the exception of the tropical Pacific. The differences and similarities of the two data records provide evidence

Evaluation of the potential for using Greenlandic marine sediments for brick production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belmonte, Louise Josefine; Bertelsen, Ida Maria Gieysztor

2016-01-01

Fine grained marine sediments from near the Greenlandic towns of Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut were assessed as raw materials for local production of building bricks. The assessment included both analysis of the sediment characteristics and physical properties of miniature test brick...

Shell biofilm-associated nitrous oxide production in marine molluscs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heisterkamp, I.M.; Schramm, Andreas; Larsen, Lone Heimann

2013-01-01

Emission of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) from freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates has exclusively been ascribed to N2O production by ingested denitrifying bacteria in the anoxic gut of the animals. Our study of marine molluscs now shows that also microbial biofilms on shell surfaces...... are important sites of N2O production. The shell biofilms of Mytilus edulis, Littorina littorea and Hinia reticulata contributed 18-94% to the total animal-associated N2O emission. Nitrification and denitrification were equally important sources of N2O in shell biofilms as revealed by 15N-stable isotope...... mollusc species. Ammonium excretion by the animals was found to be sufficient to sustain N2O production in the shell biofilm. Apparently, the animals provide a nutrient-enriched microenvironment that stimulates growth and N2O production of the shell biofilm. This animal-induced stimulation...

Phytoplankton primary production in the world's estuarine-coastal ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Cloern, James E.; Foster, S.Q.; Kleckner, A.E.

2014-01-01

Estuaries are biogeochemical hot spots because they receive large inputs of nutrients and organic carbon from land and oceans to support high rates of metabolism and primary production. We synthesize published rates of annual phytoplankton primary production (APPP) in marine ecosystems influenced by connectivity to land – estuaries, bays, lagoons, fjords and inland seas. Review of the scientific literature produced a compilation of 1148 values of APPP derived from monthly incubation assays to measure carbon assimilation or oxygen production. The median value of median APPP measurements in 131 ecosystems is 185 and the mean is 252 g C m−2 yr−1, but the range is large: from −105 (net pelagic production in the Scheldt Estuary) to 1890 g C m−2 yr−1 (net phytoplankton production in Tamagawa Estuary). APPP varies up to 10-fold within ecosystems and 5-fold from year to year (but we only found eight APPP series longer than a decade so our knowledge of decadal-scale variability is limited). We use studies of individual places to build a conceptual model that integrates the mechanisms generating this large variability: nutrient supply, light limitation by turbidity, grazing by consumers, and physical processes (river inflow, ocean exchange, and inputs of heat, light and wind energy). We consider method as another source of variability because the compilation includes values derived from widely differing protocols. A simulation model shows that different methods reported in the literature can yield up to 3-fold variability depending on incubation protocols and methods for integrating measured rates over time and depth. Although attempts have been made to upscale measures of estuarine-coastal APPP, the empirical record is inadequate for yielding reliable global estimates. The record is deficient in three ways. First, it is highly biased by the large number of measurements made in northern Europe (particularly the Baltic region) and North America. Of the 1148

Methane production from the anaerobic digestion of some marine macrophytes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Habig, C.; Ryther, J.H.

1983-01-01

Recently, considerable interest has developed concerning the use of biomass as an alternative fuel source. Among the possible substrates, marine plant biomass has frequently been mentioned, primarily due to the fact that such plants do not have competing, more valuable uses for food or fiber and their cultivation does not compete for valuable agricultural lands. Also, recent research has demonstrated that at least one potential marine energy crop, the red alga Graciliaria tikvahiae, is capable of extremely high production rates that equal or exceed those of terrestrial plants, and are rivaled by the productivity of another possible aquatic energy crop, the water hyacinth. To date, seaweed energy research has emphasized cultivation, while a marked paucity of information exists regarding the comparative performance of these algae as a methanogenic substrate. Only two species, the giant kelp, Macrocystic pyrifera and Gracilaria tikvahiae, have been tested in fermentation trials. The relative merits of a red, a green, and a brown alga, run vis a vis at four different loading rates, are discussed in this report. In addition, two loading procedures were utilized to assess what if any, effect they might have on digester performance. (Refs. 14).

HANPP Collection: Global Patterns in Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Global Patterns in Net Primary Productivity (NPP) portion of the Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) Collection maps the net amount of solar...

Impacts of discarded plastic bags on marine assemblages and ecosystem functioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Dannielle Senga; Boots, Bas; Blockley, David James; Rocha, Carlos; Thompson, Richard

2015-05-05

The accumulation of plastic debris is a global environmental problem due to its durability, persistence, and abundance. Although effects of plastic debris on individual marine organisms, particularly mammals and birds, have been extensively documented (e.g., entanglement and choking), very little is known about effects on assemblages and consequences for ecosystem functioning. In Europe, around 40% of the plastic items produced are utilized as single-use packaging, which rapidly accumulate in waste management facilities and as litter in the environment. A range of biodegradable plastics have been developed with the aspiration of reducing the persistence of litter; however, their impacts on marine assemblages or ecosystem functioning have never been evaluated. A field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of conventional and biodegradable plastic carrier bags as litter on benthic macro- and meio-faunal assemblages and biogeochemical processes (primary productivity, redox condition, organic matter content, and pore-water nutrients) on an intertidal shore near Dublin, Ireland. After 9 weeks, the presence of either type of bag created anoxic conditions within the sediment along with reduced primary productivity and organic matter and significantly lower abundances of infaunal invertebrates. This indicates that both conventional and biodegradable bags can rapidly alter marine assemblages and the ecosystem services they provide.

Ocean acidification and marine microorganisms: responses and consequences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Surajit Das

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Ocean acidification (OA is one of the global issues caused by rising atmospheric CO2. The rising pCO2 and resulting pH decrease has altered ocean carbonate chemistry. Microbes are key components of marine environments involved in nutrient cycles and carbon flow in marine ecosystems. However, these marine microbes and the microbial processes are sensitive to ocean pH shift. Thus, OA affects the microbial diversity, primary productivity and trace gases emission in oceans. Apart from that, it can also manipulate the microbial activities such as quorum sensing, extracellular enzyme activity and nitrogen cycling. Short-term laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies and changing marine diversity scenarios have illustrated undesirable effects of OA on marine microorganisms and ecosystems. However, from the microbial perspective, the current understanding on effect of OA is based mainly on limited experimental studies. It is challenging to predict response of marine microbes based on such experiments for this complex process. To study the response of marine microbes towards OA, multiple approaches should be implemented by using functional genomics, new generation microscopy, small-scale interaction among organisms and/or between organic matter and organisms. This review focuses on the response of marine microorganisms to OA and the experimental approaches to investigate the effect of changing ocean carbonate chemistry on microbial mediated processes.

Production of fibrinolytic protease from Streptomyces lusitanus isolated from marine sediments

Science.gov (United States)

SudeshWarma, S.; Merlyn keziah, S.; Subathra Devi, C.

2017-11-01

This study aim was to isolate, screen, characterize and optimize marine Streptomyces for fibrinolytic enzyme production. The potent actinomycete isolate was subjected to optimization. The parameters for optimization included pH, temperature, carbon, nitrogen sources. The crude supernatant produced was purified using size exclusion gel filtration chromatography. The optimized parameters for maximum productivity were found to be pH 7, 37°C, maltose and peptone respectively. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was found to be 21kDa.

Deep primary production in coastal pelagic systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lyngsgaard, Maren Moltke; Richardson, Katherine; Markager, Stiig

2014-01-01

produced. The primary production (PP) occurring below the surface layer, i.e. in the pycnocline-bottom layer (PBL), is shown to contribute significantly to total PP. Oxygen concentrations in the PBL are shown to correlate significantly with the deep primary production (DPP) as well as with salinity...... that eutrophication effects may include changes in the structure of planktonic food webs and element cycling in the water column, both brought about through an altered vertical distribution of PP....

Statistical Research on the Bioactivity of New Marine Natural Products Discovered during the 28 Years from 1985 to 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yiwen; Chen, Jiahui; Hu, Guping; Yu, Jianchen; Zhu, Xun; Lin, Yongcheng; Chen, Shengping; Yuan, Jie

2015-01-01

Every year, hundreds of new compounds are discovered from the metabolites of marine organisms. Finding new and useful compounds is one of the crucial drivers for this field of research. Here we describe the statistics of bioactive compounds discovered from marine organisms from 1985 to 2012. This work is based on our database, which contains information on more than 15,000 chemical substances including 4196 bioactive marine natural products. We performed a comprehensive statistical analysis to understand the characteristics of the novel bioactive compounds and detail temporal trends, chemical structures, species distribution, and research progress. We hope this meta-analysis will provide useful information for research into the bioactivity of marine natural products and drug development. PMID:25574736

Evidence for methane production by the marine algae Emiliania huxleyi

Science.gov (United States)

Lenhart, Katharina; Klintzsch, Thomas; Langer, Gerald; Nehrke, Gernot; Bunge, Michael; Schnell, Sylvia; Keppler, Frank

2016-06-01

Methane (CH4), an important greenhouse gas that affects radiation balance and consequently the earth's climate, still has uncertainties in its sinks and sources. The world's oceans are considered to be a source of CH4 to the atmosphere, although the biogeochemical processes involved in its formation are not fully understood. Several recent studies provided strong evidence of CH4 production in oxic marine and freshwaters, but its source is still a topic of debate. Studies of CH4 dynamics in surface waters of oceans and large lakes have concluded that pelagic CH4 supersaturation cannot be sustained either by lateral inputs from littoral or benthic inputs alone. However, regional and temporal oversaturation of surface waters occurs frequently. This comprises the observation of a CH4 oversaturating state within the surface mixed layer, sometimes also termed the "oceanic methane paradox". In this study we considered marine algae as a possible direct source of CH4. Therefore, the coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi was grown under controlled laboratory conditions and supplemented with two 13C-labeled carbon substrates, namely bicarbonate and a position-specific 13C-labeled methionine (R-S-13CH3). The CH4 production was 0.7 µg particular organic carbon (POC) g-1 d-1, or 30 ng g-1 POC h-1. After supplementation of the cultures with the 13C-labeled substrate, the isotope label was observed in headspace CH4. Moreover, the absence of methanogenic archaea within the algal culture and the oxic conditions during CH4 formation suggest that the widespread marine algae Emiliania huxleyi might contribute to the observed spatially and temporally restricted CH4 oversaturation in ocean surface waters.

Tracking and data system support for the Mariner Mars 1971 mission. Volume 3: Orbit insertion through end of primary mission

Science.gov (United States)

Barnum, P. W.; Renzetti, N. A.; Textor, G. P.; Kelly, L. B.

1973-01-01

The Tracking and Data System (TDS) Support for the Mariner Mars 1971 Mission final report contains the deep space tracking and data acquisition activities in support of orbital operations. During this period a major NASA objective was accomplished: completion of the 180th revolution and 90th day of data gathering with the spacecraft about the planet Mars. Included are presentations of the TDS flight support pass chronology data for each of the Deep Space Stations used, and performance evaluation for the Deep Space Network Telemetry, Tracking, Command, and Monitor Systems. With the loss of Mariner 8 at launch, Mariner 9 assumed the mission plan of Mariner 8, which included the TV mapping cycles and a 12-hr orbital period. The mission plan was modified as a result of a severe dust storm on the surface of Mars, which delayed the start of the TV mapping cycles. Thus, the end of primary mission date was extended to complete the TV mapping cycles.

Method for the production of primary amines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baldenius, Kai-Uwe; Ditrich, Klaus; Breurer, Michael; Navickas, Vaidotas; Janssen, Dick; Crismaru, Ciprian; Bartsch, Sebastian

2014-01-01

The present invention relates to a novel enzymatically catalyzed method for the production of aliphatic primary amines, which method comprises the enzymatic oxidation of a primary aliphatic alcohol catalyzed by an alcohol dehydrogenase, amination of the resulting oxocompound catalyzed by a

Insight into the product film formed on Ni-advanced weathering steel in a tropical marine atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wei; Cheng, Xuequn; Hou, Huaxing; Liu, Bo; Li, Xiaogang

2018-04-01

The product film formed on Ni-advanced weathering steel in a tropical marine environment was investigated in detail through outdoor exposure by using diverse surface analysis techniques combined with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning kelvin probe measurements. The results showed that the product film was mainly composed of nanophasic goethite in the inner layer and maghemite, akaganeite, and hematite in the outer layer. Moreover, the resistance to atmospheric corrosion gradually increased from the outermost product film to the innermost film. Ni was significantly enriched in the inner layer in the form of the spinel phase NiFe2O4, which transformed lepidocrocite to fine-grained goethite, withstood the invasion of chloridion, and improved the corrosion potential of the product film in a tropical marine atmosphere.

Marine sequestration of carbon in bacterial metabolites.

Science.gov (United States)

Lechtenfeld, Oliver J; Hertkorn, Norbert; Shen, Yuan; Witt, Matthias; Benner, Ronald

2015-03-31

Linking microbial metabolomics and carbon sequestration in the ocean via refractory organic molecules has been hampered by the chemical complexity of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Here, using bioassay experiments and ultra-high resolution metabolic profiling, we demonstrate that marine bacteria rapidly utilize simple organic molecules and produce exometabolites of remarkable molecular and structural diversity. Bacterial DOM is similar in chemical composition and structural complexity to naturally occurring DOM in sea water. An appreciable fraction of bacterial DOM has molecular and structural properties that are consistent with those of refractory molecules in the ocean, indicating a dominant role for bacteria in shaping the refractory nature of marine DOM. The rapid production of chemically complex and persistent molecules from simple biochemicals demonstrates a positive feedback between primary production and refractory DOM formation. It appears that carbon sequestration in diverse and structurally complex dissolved molecules that persist in the environment is largely driven by bacteria.

Viral infection of the marine alga Emiliania huxleyi triggers lipidome remodeling and induces the production of highly saturated triacylglycerol.

Science.gov (United States)

Malitsky, Sergey; Ziv, Carmit; Rosenwasser, Shilo; Zheng, Shuning; Schatz, Daniella; Porat, Ziv; Ben-Dor, Shifra; Aharoni, Asaph; Vardi, Assaf

2016-04-01

Viruses that infect marine photosynthetic microorganisms are major ecological and evolutionary drivers of microbial food webs, estimated to turn over more than a quarter of the total photosynthetically fixed carbon. Viral infection of the bloom-forming microalga Emiliania huxleyi induces the rapid remodeling of host primary metabolism, targeted towards fatty acid metabolism. We applied a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based lipidomics approach combined with imaging flow cytometry and gene expression profiling to explore the impact of viral-induced metabolic reprogramming on lipid composition. Lytic viral infection led to remodeling of the cellular lipidome, by predominantly inducing the biosynthesis of highly saturated triacylglycerols (TAGs), coupled with a significant accumulation of neutral lipids within lipid droplets. Furthermore, TAGs were found to be a major component (77%) of the lipidome of isolated virions. Interestingly, viral-induced TAGs were significantly more saturated than TAGs produced under nitrogen starvation. This study highlights TAGs as major products of the viral-induced metabolic reprogramming during the host-virus interaction and indicates a selective mode of membrane recruitment during viral assembly, possibly by budding of the virus from specialized subcellular compartments. These findings provide novel insights into the role of viruses infecting microalgae in regulating metabolism and energy transfer in the marine environment and suggest their possible biotechnological application in biofuel production. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Does Primary Productivity Turn Up the Volume? Exploring the Relationship Between Chlorophyll a and the Soundscape of Coral Reefs in the Pacific.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher-Pool, Pollyanna I; Lammers, Marc O; Gove, Jamison; Wong, Kevin B

2016-01-01

Chlorophyll is the basis for ecosystem productivity in most marine environments. We report on an ongoing effort to examine whether ambient sounds are tied to chlorophyll levels. We hypothesized that an increase in food-web available energy will be distributed across trophic levels, eventually reaching sound-producing animals and increasing acoustic levels. To test our hypothesis, we compared reef environments to explore links between soundscapes and chlorophyll a concentrations. The study sites resided in disparate oceanographic regimes that experienced substantially different oceanographic conditions. We anticipated that the results would show differing patterns of primary productivity between sites and therefore would be reflected in the soundscapes.

Ecosystem productivity is associated with bacterial phylogenetic distance in surface marine waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Galand, Pierre E; Salter, Ian; Kalenitchenko, Dimitri

2015-12-01

Understanding the link between community diversity and ecosystem function is a fundamental aspect of ecology. Systematic losses in biodiversity are widely acknowledged but the impact this may exert on ecosystem functioning remains ambiguous. There is growing evidence of a positive relationship between species richness and ecosystem productivity for terrestrial macro-organisms, but similar links for marine micro-organisms, which help drive global climate, are unclear. Community manipulation experiments show both positive and negative relationships for microbes. These previous studies rely, however, on artificial communities and any links between the full diversity of active bacterial communities in the environment, their phylogenetic relatedness and ecosystem function remain hitherto unexplored. Here, we test the hypothesis that productivity is associated with diversity in the metabolically active fraction of microbial communities. We show in natural assemblages of active bacteria that communities containing more distantly related members were associated with higher bacterial production. The positive phylogenetic diversity-productivity relationship was independent of community diversity calculated as the Shannon index. From our long-term (7-year) survey of surface marine bacterial communities, we also found that similarly, productive communities had greater phylogenetic similarity to each other, further suggesting that the traits of active bacteria are an important predictor of ecosystem productivity. Our findings demonstrate that the evolutionary history of the active fraction of a microbial community is critical for understanding their role in ecosystem functioning. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Decomposition in pelagic marine ecosytems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lucas, M.I.

1986-01-01

During the decomposition of plant detritus, complex microbial successions develop which are dominated in the early stages by a number of distinct bacterial morphotypes. The microheterotrophic community rapidly becomes heterogenous and may include cyanobacteria, fungi, yeasts and bactivorous protozoans. Microheterotrophs in the marine environment may have a biomass comparable to that of all other heterotrophs and their significance as a resource to higher trophic orders, and in the regeneration of nutrients, particularly nitrogen, that support 'regenerated' primary production, has aroused both attention and controversy. Numerous methods have been employed to measure heterotrophic bacterial production and activity. The most widely used involve estimates of 14 C-glucose uptake; the frequency of dividing cells; the incorporation of 3 H-thymidine and exponential population growth in predator-reduced filtrates. Recent attempts to model decomposition processes and C and N fluxes in pelagic marine ecosystems are described. This review examines the most sensitive components and predictions of the models with particular reference to estimates of bacterial production, net growth yield and predictions of N cycling determined by 15 N methodology. Directed estimates of nitrogen (and phosphorus) flux through phytoplanktonic and bacterioplanktonic communities using 15 N (and 32 P) tracer methods are likely to provide more realistic measures of nitrogen flow through planktonic communities

Bioprospecting of Marine Invertebrates for New Natural Products — A Chemical and Zoogeographical Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Calado

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Bioprospecting for new marine natural products (NPs has increased significantly over the last decades, leading to an unprecedented discovery of new molecules. Marine invertebrates have been the most important source of these NPs, with researchers commonly targeting particular taxonomic groups, marine regions and/or molecules from specific chemical groups. The present review focuses on new NPs identified from marine invertebrates between 2000 and 2009, and performs a detailed analysis on: (1 the chemical groups of these NPs; (2 the association of particular chemical groups to specific marine invertebrate taxa; and (3 the yielding of molecules from the same chemical group from organisms occurring in a particular geographic region. Our survey revealed an increasing number of new terpenoids being discovered between 2000 and 2009, contrasting with the decreasing trend in the discovery of new alkaloids and aliphatic molecules. Overall, no particular association was identified between marine invertebrate taxa and chemical groups of new NPs. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that most NPs recorded from cnidarians and mollusks were terpenoids, while most NPs identified in echinoderms were aliphatic compounds or carbohydrates. The geographical trends observed in our study do not support the idea of particular chemical groups of new NPs being associated with marine invertebrates from any specific geographical region, as NPs from different chemical groups were commonly distributed worldwide.

Methanol Production by a Broad Phylogenetic Array of Marine Phytoplankton.

Science.gov (United States)

Mincer, Tracy J; Aicher, Athena C

2016-01-01

Methanol is a major volatile organic compound on Earth and serves as an important carbon and energy substrate for abundant methylotrophic microbes. Previous geochemical surveys coupled with predictive models suggest that the marine contributions are exceedingly large, rivaling terrestrial sources. Although well studied in terrestrial ecosystems, methanol sources are poorly understood in the marine environment and warrant further investigation. To this end, we adapted a Purge and Trap Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS) method which allowed reliable measurements of methanol in seawater and marine phytoplankton cultures with a method detection limit of 120 nanomolar. All phytoplankton tested (cyanobacteria: Synechococcus spp. 8102 and 8103, Trichodesmium erythraeum, and Prochlorococcus marinus), and Eukarya (heterokont diatom: Phaeodactylum tricornutum, coccolithophore: Emiliania huxleyi, cryptophyte: Rhodomonas salina, and non-diatom heterokont: Nannochloropsis oculata) produced methanol, ranging from 0.8-13.7 micromolar in culture and methanol per total cellular carbon were measured in the ranges of 0.09-0.3%. Phytoplankton culture time-course measurements displayed a punctuated production pattern with maxima near early stationary phase. Stabile isotope labeled bicarbonate incorporation experiments confirmed that methanol was produced from phytoplankton biomass. Overall, our findings suggest that phytoplankton are a major source of methanol in the upper water column of the world's oceans.

Methanol Production by a Broad Phylogenetic Array of Marine Phytoplankton

Science.gov (United States)

Mincer, Tracy J.; Aicher, Athena C.

2016-01-01

Methanol is a major volatile organic compound on Earth and serves as an important carbon and energy substrate for abundant methylotrophic microbes. Previous geochemical surveys coupled with predictive models suggest that the marine contributions are exceedingly large, rivaling terrestrial sources. Although well studied in terrestrial ecosystems, methanol sources are poorly understood in the marine environment and warrant further investigation. To this end, we adapted a Purge and Trap Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS) method which allowed reliable measurements of methanol in seawater and marine phytoplankton cultures with a method detection limit of 120 nanomolar. All phytoplankton tested (cyanobacteria: Synechococcus spp. 8102 and 8103, Trichodesmium erythraeum, and Prochlorococcus marinus), and Eukarya (heterokont diatom: Phaeodactylum tricornutum, coccolithophore: Emiliania huxleyi, cryptophyte: Rhodomonas salina, and non-diatom heterokont: Nannochloropsis oculata) produced methanol, ranging from 0.8–13.7 micromolar in culture and methanol per total cellular carbon were measured in the ranges of 0.09–0.3%. Phytoplankton culture time-course measurements displayed a punctuated production pattern with maxima near early stationary phase. Stabile isotope labeled bicarbonate incorporation experiments confirmed that methanol was produced from phytoplankton biomass. Overall, our findings suggest that phytoplankton are a major source of methanol in the upper water column of the world’s oceans. PMID:26963515

Methanol Production by a Broad Phylogenetic Array of Marine Phytoplankton.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tracy J Mincer

Full Text Available Methanol is a major volatile organic compound on Earth and serves as an important carbon and energy substrate for abundant methylotrophic microbes. Previous geochemical surveys coupled with predictive models suggest that the marine contributions are exceedingly large, rivaling terrestrial sources. Although well studied in terrestrial ecosystems, methanol sources are poorly understood in the marine environment and warrant further investigation. To this end, we adapted a Purge and Trap Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (P&T-GC/MS method which allowed reliable measurements of methanol in seawater and marine phytoplankton cultures with a method detection limit of 120 nanomolar. All phytoplankton tested (cyanobacteria: Synechococcus spp. 8102 and 8103, Trichodesmium erythraeum, and Prochlorococcus marinus, and Eukarya (heterokont diatom: Phaeodactylum tricornutum, coccolithophore: Emiliania huxleyi, cryptophyte: Rhodomonas salina, and non-diatom heterokont: Nannochloropsis oculata produced methanol, ranging from 0.8-13.7 micromolar in culture and methanol per total cellular carbon were measured in the ranges of 0.09-0.3%. Phytoplankton culture time-course measurements displayed a punctuated production pattern with maxima near early stationary phase. Stabile isotope labeled bicarbonate incorporation experiments confirmed that methanol was produced from phytoplankton biomass. Overall, our findings suggest that phytoplankton are a major source of methanol in the upper water column of the world's oceans.

Modelling the influence of changing climate in present and future marine eutrophication impacts from spring barley production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Niero, Monia

2017-01-01

Nitrate concentration and runoff are site-specific and driven by climatic factors and crop management. As such, nitrate emissions may increase in the future due to climate change, affecting the marine eutrophication mechanism. In this context, and considering the case of spring barley production...... of different normalisation references when comparing future Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) scenarios with current production systems. A parameterised characterisation model was developed to gauge the influence of future climatic-driven pressures on the marine eutrophication impact pathway. Spatial differentiation...

Emerging biopharmaceuticals from marine actinobacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Syed Shams Ul; Anjum, Komal; Abbas, Syed Qamar; Akhter, Najeeb; Shagufta, Bibi Ibtesam; Shah, Sayed Asmat Ali; Tasneem, Umber

2017-01-01

Actinobacteria are quotidian microorganisms in the marine world, playing a crucial ecological role in the recycling of refractory biomaterials and producing novel secondary metabolites with pharmaceutical applications. Actinobacteria have been isolated from the huge area of marine organisms including sponges, tunicates, corals, mollusks, crabs, mangroves and seaweeds. Natural products investigation of the marine actinobacteria revealed that they can synthesize numerous natural products including alkaloids, polyketides, peptides, isoprenoids, phenazines, sterols, and others. These natural products have a potential to provide future drugs against crucial diseases like cancer, HIV, microbial and protozoal infections and severe inflammations. Therefore, marine actinobacteria portray as a pivotal resource for marine drugs. It is an upcoming field of research to probe a novel and pharmaceutically important secondary metabolites from marine actinobacteria. In this review, we attempt to summarize the present knowledge on the diversity, chemistry and mechanism of action of marine actinobacteria-derived secondary metabolites from 2007 to 2016. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plastics in the Marine Environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Kara Lavender

2017-01-03

Plastics contamination in the marine environment was first reported nearly 50 years ago, less than two decades after the rise of commercial plastics production, when less than 50 million metric tons were produced per year. In 2014, global plastics production surpassed 300 million metric tons per year. Plastic debris has been detected worldwide in all major marine habitats, in sizes from microns to meters. In response, concerns about risks to marine wildlife upon exposure to the varied forms of plastic debris have increased, stimulating new research into the extent and consequences of plastics contamination in the marine environment. Here, I present a framework to evaluate the current understanding of the sources, distribution, fate, and impacts of marine plastics. Despite remaining knowledge gaps in mass budgeting and challenges in investigating ecological impacts, the increasing evidence of the ubiquity of plastics contamination in the marine environment, the continued rapid growth in plastics production, and the evidence-albeit limited-of demonstrated impacts to marine wildlife support immediate implementation of source-reducing measures to decrease the potential risks of plastics in the marine ecosystem.

Plastics in the Marine Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Kara Lavender

2017-01-01

Plastics contamination in the marine environment was first reported nearly 50 years ago, less than two decades after the rise of commercial plastics production, when less than 50 million metric tons were produced per year. In 2014, global plastics production surpassed 300 million metric tons per year. Plastic debris has been detected worldwide in all major marine habitats, in sizes from microns to meters. In response, concerns about risks to marine wildlife upon exposure to the varied forms of plastic debris have increased, stimulating new research into the extent and consequences of plastics contamination in the marine environment. Here, I present a framework to evaluate the current understanding of the sources, distribution, fate, and impacts of marine plastics. Despite remaining knowledge gaps in mass budgeting and challenges in investigating ecological impacts, the increasing evidence of the ubiquity of plastics contamination in the marine environment, the continued rapid growth in plastics production, and the evidence—albeit limited—of demonstrated impacts to marine wildlife support immediate implementation of source-reducing measures to decrease the potential risks of plastics in the marine ecosystem.

Sensitivity of secondary production and export flux to choice of trophic transfer formulation in marine ecosystem models

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Thomas R.; Hessen, Dag O.; Mitra, Aditee; Mayor, Daniel J.; Yool, Andrew

2013-09-01

The performance of four contemporary formulations describing trophic transfer, which have strongly contrasting assumptions as regards the way that consumer growth is calculated as a function of food C:N ratio and in the fate of non-limiting substrates, was compared in two settings: a simple steady-state ecosystem model and a 3D biogeochemical general circulation model. Considerable variation was seen in predictions for primary production, transfer to higher trophic levels and export to the ocean interior. The physiological basis of the various assumptions underpinning the chosen formulations is open to question. Assumptions include Liebig-style limitation of growth, strict homeostasis in zooplankton biomass, and whether excess C and N are released by voiding in faecal pellets or via respiration/excretion post-absorption by the gut. Deciding upon the most appropriate means of formulating trophic transfer is not straightforward because, despite advances in ecological stoichiometry, the physiological mechanisms underlying these phenomena remain incompletely understood. Nevertheless, worrying inconsistencies are evident in the way in which fundamental transfer processes are justified and parameterised in the current generation of marine ecosystem models, manifested in the resulting simulations of ocean biogeochemistry. Our work highlights the need for modellers to revisit and appraise the equations and parameter values used to describe trophic transfer in marine ecosystem models.

Ecological Genomics of Marine Picocyanobacteria†

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlan, D. J.; Ostrowski, M.; Mazard, S.; Dufresne, A.; Garczarek, L.; Hess, W. R.; Post, A. F.; Hagemann, M.; Paulsen, I.; Partensky, F.

2009-01-01

Summary: Marine picocyanobacteria of the genera Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus numerically dominate the picophytoplankton of the world ocean, making a key contribution to global primary production. Prochlorococcus was isolated around 20 years ago and is probably the most abundant photosynthetic organism on Earth. The genus comprises specific ecotypes which are phylogenetically distinct and differ markedly in their photophysiology, allowing growth over a broad range of light and nutrient conditions within the 45°N to 40°S latitudinal belt that they occupy. Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus are closely related, together forming a discrete picophytoplankton clade, but are distinguishable by their possession of dissimilar light-harvesting apparatuses and differences in cell size and elemental composition. Synechococcus strains have a ubiquitous oceanic distribution compared to that of Prochlorococcus strains and are characterized by phylogenetically discrete lineages with a wide range of pigmentation. In this review, we put our current knowledge of marine picocyanobacterial genomics into an environmental context and present previously unpublished genomic information arising from extensive genomic comparisons in order to provide insights into the adaptations of these marine microbes to their environment and how they are reflected at the genomic level. PMID:19487728

Testing the limits in a greenhouse ocean: Did low nitrogen availability limit marine productivity during the end-Triassic mass extinction?

Science.gov (United States)

Schoepfer, Shane D.; Algeo, Thomas J.; Ward, Peter D.; Williford, Kenneth H.; Haggart, James W.

2016-10-01

The end-Triassic mass extinction has been characterized as a 'greenhouse extinction', related to rapid atmospheric warming and associated changes in ocean circulation and oxygenation. The response of the marine nitrogen cycle to these oceanographic changes, and the extent to which mass extinction intervals represent a deviation in nitrogen cycling from other ice-free 'greenhouse' periods of Earth history, remain poorly understood. The well-studied Kennecott Point section in Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, Canada, was deposited in the open Panthalassic Ocean, and is used here as a test case to better understand changes in the nitrogen cycle and marine productivity from the pre-crisis greenhouse of the Rhaetian to the latest-Rhaetian crisis interval. We estimated marine productivity from the late Norian to the early Hettangian using TOC- and P-based paleoproductivity transform equations, and then compared these estimates to records of sedimentary nitrogen isotopes, redox-sensitive trace elements, and biomarker data. Major negative excursions in δ15N (to ≤ 0 ‰) correspond to periods of depressed marine productivity. During these episodes, the development of a stable pycnocline below the base of the photic zone suppressed vertical mixing and limited N availability in surface waters, leading to low productivity and increased nitrogen fixation, as well as ecological stresses in the photic zone. The subsequent shoaling of euxinic waters into the ocean surface layer was fatal for most Triassic marine fauna, although the introduction of regenerated NH4+ into the photic zone may have allowed phytoplankton productivity to recover. These results indicate that the open-ocean nitrogen cycle was influenced by climatic changes during the latest Triassic, despite having existed in a greenhouse state for over 50 million years previously, and that low N availability limited marine productivity for hundreds of thousands of years during the end-Triassic crisis.

Partitioning of organic production in marine plankton communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conan, P.; Søndergaard, Morten; Kragh, T.

2007-01-01

We investigated the partitioning of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus between particulate and dissolved production using 11-m(3) marine mesocosms (bags) in a Norwegian fjord with a salinity of 28.3, a chlorophyll concentration of 0.6 mu g L-1, an even biomass among five algal groups, and nitrogen...... between 17 and 58 in the P-replete bags. The C: P ratio of new DOM in the +Si bags was about 300 at all dosing regimes. Consequently, the range in N: P ratios was also large, with values from below 1 to about 30. Carbon-rich DOM in oceans and coastal waters is not necessarily a function of a slow...

Interannual Variation in Phytoplankton Class-Specific Primary Production at a Global Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, Cecile Severine; Gregg, Watson W.

2014-01-01

We used the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model (NOBM) combined with remote sensing data via assimilation to evaluate the contribution of 4 phytoplankton groups to the total primary production. First we assessed the contribution of each phytoplankton groups to the total primary production at a global scale for the period 1998-2011. Globally, diatoms were the group that contributed the most to the total phytoplankton production (50, the equivalent of 20 PgC y-1. Coccolithophores and chlorophytes each contributed to 20 (7 PgC y-1 of the total primary production and cyanobacteria represented about 10 (4 PgC y(sub-1) of the total primary production. Primary production by diatoms was highest in high latitude (45) and in major upwelling systems (Equatorial Pacific and Benguela system). We then assessed interannual variability of this group-specific primary production over the period 1998-2011. Globally the annual relative contribution of each phytoplankton groups to the total primary production varied by maximum 4 (1-2 PgC y-1. We assessed the effects of climate variability on the class-specific primary production using global (i.e. Multivariate El Nio Index, MEI) and regional climate indices (e.g. Southern Annular Mode (SAM), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)). Most interannual variability occurred in the Equatorial Pacific and was associated with climate variability as indicated by significant correlation (p 0.05) between the MEI and the class-specific primary production from all groups except coccolithophores. In the Atlantic, climate variability as indicated by NAO was significantly correlated to the primary production of 2 out of the 4 groups in the North Central Atlantic (diatomscyanobacteria) and in the North Atlantic (chlorophytes and coccolithophores). We found that climate variability as indicated by SAM had only a limited effect on the class-specific primary production in the Southern Ocean. These results provide a modeling and

Nitrogenase genes in non-cyanobacterial plankton: prevalence, diversity, and regulation in marine waters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riemann, Lasse; Farnelid, H.; Steward, G.F.

2010-01-01

Marine waters are generally considered to be nitrogen (N) limited and are therefore favourable environments for diazotrophs, i.e. organisms converting atmospheric N2 into ammonium or nitrogen oxides available for growth. In some regions, this import of N supports up to half of the primary...... productivity. Diazotrophic Cyanobacteria appear to be the major contributors to marine N2 fixation in surface waters, whereas the contribution of heterotrophic or chemoautotrophic diazotrophs to this process is usually regarded inconsequential. Culture-independent studies reveal that non......-cyanobacterial diazotrophs are diverse, widely distributed, and actively expressing the nitrogenase gene in marine and estuarine environments. The detection of nifH genes and nifH transcripts, even in N-replete marine waters, suggests that N2 fixation is an ecologically important process throughout the oceans. Because...

Some structures of marine natural products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finer-Moore, J.S.

1979-07-01

Applications of x-ray crystallographic methods to marine chemistry are discussed. Results of research on a biosynthetic problem: diterpenes from Dictyotaceae are discussed under the following section headings: history of the problem; dictyoxepin; dictyodial; and dictyolactone. Studies on marine ecology are reported under the following headings: symbiosis and antibiosis; metabolites from opisthobranch molluscs, including, dolabelladiene, 9-isocyanopupukeanane and 2-isocyanopupukeanane, and crispatone; metabolites of goronians and soft corals, including zooxanthellae and the metabolism of coelenterates, ophirin, sinularene, and erectene. (JGB)

Search for Hydrophilic Marine Fungal Metabolites: A Rational Approach for Their Production and Extraction in a Bioactivity Screening Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-François Biard

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In the search for bioactive natural products, our lab screens hydrophobic extracts from marine fungal strains. While hydrophilic active substances were recently identified from marine macro-organisms, there was a lack of reported metabolites in the marine fungi area. As such, we decided to develop a general procedure for screening of hydrophobic metabolites. The aim of this study was to compare different processes of fermentation and extraction, using six representative marine fungal strains, in order to define the optimized method for production. The parameters studied were (a which polar solvent to select, (b which fermentation method to choose between solid and liquid cultures, (c which raw material, the mycelium or its medium, to extract and (d which extraction process to apply. The biochemical analysis and biological evaluations of obtained extracts led to the conclusion that the culture of marine fungi by agar surface fermentation followed by the separate extraction of the mycelium and its medium by a cryo-crushing and an enzymatic digestion with agarase, respectively, was the best procedure when screening for hydrophilic bioactive metabolites. During this development, several bioactivities were detected, confirming the potential of hydrophilic crude extracts in the search for bioactive natural products.

Production of a new glycolipid biosurfactant from marine Nocardiopsis lucentensis MSA04 in solid-state cultivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiran, G Seghal; Thomas, T Anto; Selvin, Joseph

2010-06-15

Considering the need of potential biosurfactant producers and economic production processes using industrial waste, the present study aims to develop solid-state culture (SSC) of a marine actinobacterium for biosurfactant production. A potential biosurfactant producer Nocardiopsis lucentensis MSA04 was isolated from the marine sponge Dendrilla nigra. Among the substrates screened, wheat bran increased the production significantly (E(24) 25%) followed by oil seed cake and industrial waste such as tannery pretreated sludge, treated molasses (distillery waste) and pretreated molasses. Enhanced biosurfactant production was achieved under SSC conditions using kerosene as carbon source, beef extract as nitrogen source and wheat bran as substrate. The maximum production of biosurfactant by MSA04 occurred at a C/N ratio of 0.5 envisaging that a higher amount of nitrogen source is required by the strain compared to that of the carbon source. The kerosene and beef extract interactively increase the production and a stable production was attained with the influence of both factors independently. A significant interactive influence of secondary control factors such as copper sulfate and inoculum size was validated in response surface methods-based experiments. The surface active compound produced by MSA04 was characterized as glycolipid with a hydrophobic non-polar hydrocarbon chain (nonanoic acid methyl ester) and hydrophilic sugar, 3-acetyl 2,5 dimethyl furan. In conclusion, the strain N. lucentensis MSA04 was a potential source of glycolipid biosurfactant, could be used for the development of bioremediation processes in the marine environment. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of lipid oxidation products in vegetable oils and marine omega-3 supplements.

Science.gov (United States)

Halvorsen, Bente Lise; Blomhoff, Rune

2011-01-01

There is convincing evidence that replacing dietary saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) decreases risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, PUFA rich foods such as vegetable oils, fatty fish, and marine omega-3 supplements are recommended. However, PUFA are easily oxidizable and there is concern about possible negative health effects from intake of oxidized lipids. Little is known about the degree of lipid oxidation in such products. To assess the content of lipid oxidation products in a large selection of vegetable oils and marine omega-3 supplements available in Norway. Both fresh and heated vegetable oils were studied. A large selection of commercially available vegetable oils and marine omega-3 supplements was purchased from grocery stores, pharmacies, and health food stores in Norway. The content of lipid oxidation products were measured as peroxide value and alkenal concentration. Twelve different vegetable oils were heated for a temperature (225°C) and time (25 minutes) resembling conditions typically used during cooking. The peroxide values were in the range 1.04-10.38 meq/kg for omega-3 supplements and in the range 0.60-5.33 meq/kg for fresh vegetable oils. The concentration range of alkenals was 158.23-932.19 nmol/mL for omega-3 supplements and 33.24-119.04 nmol/mL for vegetable oils. After heating, a 2.9-11.2 fold increase in alkenal concentration was observed for vegetable oils. The contents of hydroperoxides and alkenals in omega-3 supplements are higher than in vegetable oils. After heating vegetable oils, a large increase in alkenal concentration was observed.

The Potential role of marine derived food products on Alzheimer\\'s disese and cognitive decline

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahsan Assadi

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Alzheimer's disese is the most frequent cause of dementia and is one of important cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. Although, there are different therapeutic options for its treatment , the results of these therapies are disappointing. Omega-3 fatty acids in marine- derived food products, affect on different mechanisms, improve cognitive function, memory.in this study, effect Omega-3 fatty acids in marine- derived food products of cognitive disorders and Alzheimer's are reviewed. Methods: The method employed in this research was a systematic bibiliographic review,in which only the double-blind placebo-controlled studies or the clinically detailed enough open-labeled studies using validated scales were retained. Results: Many studies have shown that Omega-3 fatty acids in marine- derived food products, affect by different mechanisms include decrease inflammation and oxidative stress, synaptogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and neurogenesis promotion in neuroprotection and improvement cognitive function and memory, also omega3 fatty acid could lead to a decrease in risk of Alzheimer's diseas and the other cognitive impairements. Conclusion: However, more and large clinical trials are needed to confirm the beneficial effects of omega 3 fatty acid supplementation on the management of Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline.

Primary production in the Bay of Bengal during August 1977

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Devassy, V.P.; Bhattathiri, P.M.A.; Radhakrishna, K.

Primary production, chlorophyll @ia@@, phaeophytin, phytoplankton and particulate organic carbon (POC) were studied at 14 stations in the Bay of Bengal during August 1977. Column primary production, chlorophyll @ia@@, and phaeopigments varied from 0...

Predicting Consumer Biomass, Size-Structure, Production, Catch Potential, Responses to Fishing and Associated Uncertainties in the World’s Marine Ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Jennings, Simon; Collingridge, Kate

2015-01-01

Existing estimates of fish and consumer biomass in the world’s oceans are disparate. This creates uncertainty about the roles of fish and other consumers in biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem processes, the extent of human and environmental impacts and fishery potential. We develop and use a size-based macroecological model to assess the effects of parameter uncertainty on predicted consumer biomass, production and distribution. Resulting uncertainty is large (e.g. median global biomass 4.9 billion tonnes for consumers weighing 1 g to 1000 kg; 50% uncertainty intervals of 2 to 10.4 billion tonnes; 90% uncertainty intervals of 0.3 to 26.1 billion tonnes) and driven primarily by uncertainty in trophic transfer efficiency and its relationship with predator-prey body mass ratios. Even the upper uncertainty intervals for global predictions of consumer biomass demonstrate the remarkable scarcity of marine consumers, with less than one part in 30 million by volume of the global oceans comprising tissue of macroscopic animals. Thus the apparently high densities of marine life seen in surface and coastal waters and frequently visited abundance hotspots will likely give many in society a false impression of the abundance of marine animals. Unexploited baseline biomass predictions from the simple macroecological model were used to calibrate a more complex size- and trait-based model to estimate fisheries yield and impacts. Yields are highly dependent on baseline biomass and fisheries selectivity. Predicted global sustainable fisheries yield increases ≈4 fold when smaller individuals (production estimates, which have yet to be achieved with complex models, and will therefore help to highlight priorities for future research and data collection. However, the focus on simple model structures and global processes means that non-phytoplankton primary production and several groups, structures and processes of ecological and conservation interest are not represented

From nitrogen enrichment to oxygen depletion: a mechanistic model of coastal marine ecosystems response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Koski, Marja; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

Nitrogen (N) emissions from anthropogenic sources may enrich coastal waters and lead to marine eutrophication impacts. Processes describing N-limited primary production (PP), zooplankton grazing, and bacterial respiration of sinking organic carbon, were modelled to quantify the potential dissolved...... oxygen (DO) consumption as a function of N input. Such indicator is the basis for an eXposure Factor (XF) applied in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) to estimate impacts from N enrichment. The Large Marine Ecosystems (LME) biogeographical classification system was adopted to address the spatial...

Acetic acid production from marine algae. Progress report No. 2, September 30 to December 31, 1977

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanderson, J E; Wise, D L

1978-03-10

Preliminary results on the production of acetic acid from marine algae by anaerobic fermentation indicates that the rate is quite fast. First order rate constants of 0.77 day/sup -1/ have been observed. This rate constant gives a half-life of less than one day. In other words, with a properly designed product removal system a five day retention time would yield 98% of theoretical conversion. Determination of the theoretical conversion of marine algae to acetic acid is the subject of much experimentation. The production of one acetic acid molecule (or equivalent in higher organic acids) for each three carbon atoms in the substrate has been achieved; but it is possible that with a mixed culture more than one acetic acid molecule may be produced for each three carbons in the substrate.

Methylmercury bioaccumulation in stream food webs declines with increasing primary production

Science.gov (United States)

Walters, David; D.F. Raikow,; C.R. Hammerschmidt,; M.G. Mehling,; A. Kovach,; J.T. Oris,

2015-01-01

Opposing hypotheses posit that increasing primary productivity should result in either greater or lesser contaminant accumulation in stream food webs. We conducted an experiment to evaluate primary productivity effects on MeHg accumulation in stream consumers. We varied light for 16 artificial streams creating a productivity gradient (oxygen production =0.048–0.71 mg O2 L–1 d–1) among streams. Two-level food webs were established consisting of phytoplankton/filter feeding clam, periphyton/grazing snail, and leaves/shredding amphipod (Hyalella azteca). Phytoplankton and periphyton biomass, along with MeHg removal from the water column, increased significantly with productivity, but MeHg concentrations in these primary producers declined. Methylmercury concentrations in clams and snails also declined with productivity, and consumer concentrations were strongly correlated with MeHg concentrations in primary producers. Heterotroph biomass on leaves, MeHg in leaves, and MeHg in Hyalella were unrelated to stream productivity. Our results support the hypothesis that contaminant bioaccumulation declines with stream primary production via the mechanism of bloom dilution (MeHg burden per cell decreases in algal blooms), extending patterns of contaminant accumulation documented in lakes to lotic systems.

Marine ecosystem analysis for wolsung nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J.H.; Kim, Y.H.; Cho, T.J.

1982-01-01

Environmental surveys to provide base-line data for assessing the potential impact of the operation of Wolseong NPP on marine ecosystems were performed at 3-month intervals in 1981. Physico-chemical properties of seawater and gross beta activities in seawater and marine organisms were examined. The result shows that the ecosystems are non-polluted, typical of near-shore waters. The results of ecological surveys are summarized as follows: A total of 84 taxa of phytoplankton diatom were identified. Of the species, about 70 % are described as neritic species, and the major bloom occurred in September. The analysis of diversity indices shows that the community is very stable. The dominant species of zooplankton were protozoan Noctiluca scintillans and copepods. A total of 83 species of marine algae were identified. The algal community was more diverse in September-December than in March-July, and the dominant species were Chondria crassicaulis and Corallina pilulifera. Total algal production per unit area (0.25 m 2 ) was, on the average, 20 g-dry. The biomass of bacterial population was highest in December, and the result of multiple regression analysis indicates that the important environmental factors are nutrients, salinity and temperature. Primary productivities measured by Carbon-14 method were 1.11 mg C/m 3 /hr at 1 m depth, and 1.45 mg C/m 3 /hr at 6 m depth. As a whole the marine ecosystems adjacent Wolseong NPP site are thought to be stable. (author)

FATTY ACID SIGNATURES DIFFERENTIATE MARINE MACROPHYTES AT ORDINAL AND FAMILY RANKS(1).

Science.gov (United States)

Galloway, Aaron W E; Britton-Simmons, Kevin H; Duggins, David O; Gabrielson, Paul W; Brett, Michael T

2012-08-01

Primary productivity by plants and algae is the fundamental source of energy in virtually all food webs. Furthermore, photosynthetic organisms are the sole source for ω-3 and ω-6 essential fatty acids (EFA) to upper trophic levels. Because animals cannot synthesize EFA, these molecules may be useful as trophic markers for tracking sources of primary production through food webs if different primary producer groups have different EFA signatures. We tested the hypothesis that different marine macrophyte groups have distinct fatty acid (FA) signatures by conducting a phylogenetic survey of 40 marine macrophytes (seaweeds and seagrasses) representing 36 families, 21 orders, and four phyla in the San Juan Archipelago, WA, USA. We used multivariate statistics to show that FA composition differed significantly (P macrophytes confirmed that this pattern was robust on a global scale (P macrophyte taxa shows a clear relationship between macrophyte phylogeny and FA content and strongly suggests that FA signature analyses can offer a viable approach to clarifying fundamental questions about the contribution of different basal resources to food webs. Moreover, these results imply that taxa with commercially valuable EFA signatures will likely share such characteristics with other closely related taxa that have not yet been evaluated for FA content. © 2012 Phycological Society of America.

Temperature dependence of CO2-enhanced primary production in the European Arctic Ocean, supplement to: Holding, Johnna; Duarte, Carlos M; Sanz-Martín, Marina; Mesa, E; Arrieta, J M; Chierici, Melissa; Hendriks, Iris; García-Corral, L S; Regaudie-de-Gioux, A; Delgado, A; Reigstad, M; Wassmann, P; Agustí, Susana (2015): Temperature dependence of CO2-enhanced primary production in the European Arctic Ocean. Nature Climate Change, 5(12), 1079-1082

KAUST Repository

Holding, Johnna

2016-01-01

The Arctic Ocean is warming at two to three times the global rate and is perceived to be a bellwether for ocean acidification. Increased CO2 concentrations are expected to have a fertilization effect on marine autotrophs, and higher temperatures should lead to increased rates of planktonic primary production. Yet, simultaneous assessment of warming and increased CO2 on primary production in the Arctic has not been conducted. Here we test the expectation that CO2-enhanced gross primary production (GPP) may be temperature dependent, using data from several oceanographic cruises and experiments from both spring and summer in the European sector of the Arctic Ocean. Results confirm that CO2 enhances GPP (by a factor of up to ten) over a range of 145-2,099?µatm; however, the greatest effects are observed only at lower temperatures and are constrained by nutrient and light availability to the spring period. The temperature dependence of CO2-enhanced primary production has significant implications for metabolic balance in a warmer, CO2-enriched Arctic Ocean in the future. In particular, it indicates that a twofold increase in primary production during the spring is likely in the Arctic.

Primary production in the Delta: Then and now

Science.gov (United States)

Cloern, James E.; Robinson, April; Richey, Amy; Grenier, Letitia; Grossinger, Robin; Boyer, Katharyn E.; Burau, Jon; Canuel, Elizabeth A.; DeGeorge, John F.; Drexler, Judith Z.; Enright, Chris; Howe, Emily R.; Kneib, Ronald; Mueller-Solger, Anke; Naiman, Robert J.; Pinckney, James L.; Safran, Samuel M.; Schoellhamer, David H.; Simenstad, Charles A.

2016-01-01

To evaluate the role of restoration in the recovery of the Delta ecosystem, we need to have clear targets and performance measures that directly assess ecosystem function. Primary production is a crucial ecosystem process, which directly limits the quality and quantity of food available for secondary consumers such as invertebrates and fish. The Delta has a low rate of primary production, but it is unclear whether this was always the case. Recent analyses from the Historical Ecology Team and Delta Landscapes Project provide quantitative comparisons of the areal extent of 14 habitat types in the modern Delta versus the historical Delta (pre-1850). Here we describe an approach for using these metrics of land use change to: (1) produce the first quantitative estimates of how Delta primary production and the relative contributions from five different producer groups have been altered by large-scale drainage and conversion to agriculture; (2) convert these production estimates into a common currency so the contributions of each producer group reflect their food quality and efficiency of transfer to consumers; and (3) use simple models to discover how tidal exchange between marshes and open water influences primary production and its consumption. Application of this approach could inform Delta management in two ways. First, it would provide a quantitative estimate of how large-scale conversion to agriculture has altered the Delta's capacity to produce food for native biota. Second, it would provide restoration practitioners with a new approach—based on ecosystem function—to evaluate the success of restoration projects and gauge the trajectory of ecological recovery in the Delta region.

MESA: Supporting Teaching and Learning about the Marine Environment--Primary Science Focus

Science.gov (United States)

Preston, Christine

2010-01-01

The Marine Education Society of Australasia (MESA) Inc. is a national organisation of marine educators that aims to bring together people interested in the study and enjoyment of coastal and marine environments. MESA representatives and members organise education and interpretation activities in support of schools and communities during a number…

Exposure factors for marine eutrophication impacts assessment based on a mechanistic biological model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Koski, Marja; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

2015-01-01

marine ecosystem (LME), five climate zones, and site-generic. The XFs obtained range from 0.45 (Central Arctic Ocean) to 15.9kgO2kgN-1 (Baltic Sea). While LME resolution is recommended, aggregated PE or XF per climate zone can be adopted, but not global aggregation due to high variability. The XF......Emissions of nitrogen (N) from anthropogenic sources enrich marine waters and promote planktonic growth. This newly synthesised organic carbon is eventually exported to benthic waters where aerobic respiration by heterotrophic bacteria results in the consumption of dissolved oxygen (DO......). This pathway is typical of marine eutrophication. A model is proposed to mechanistically estimate the response of coastal marine ecosystems to N inputs. It addresses the biological processes of nutrient-limited primary production (PP), metazoan consumption, and bacterial degradation, in four distinct sinking...

78 FR 49728 - Availability of Seats for National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Councils

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-15

...: Fishing (primary member); Fishing (alternate); and Education (alternate). Florida Keys National Marine... (primary member); Research and Monitoring (alternate); Tourism--Lower Keys (primary member); and Tourism--Lower Keys (alternate). Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council: Education...

The Impact of Variable Phytoplankton Stoichiometry on Projections of Primary Production, Food Quality, and Carbon Uptake in the Global Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Kwiatkowski, Lester; Aumont, Olivier; Bopp, Laurent; Ciais, Philippe

2018-04-01

Ocean biogeochemical models are integral components of Earth system models used to project the evolution of the ocean carbon sink, as well as potential changes in the physical and chemical environment of marine ecosystems. In such models the stoichiometry of phytoplankton C:N:P is typically fixed at the Redfield ratio. The observed stoichiometry of phytoplankton, however, has been shown to considerably vary from Redfield values due to plasticity in the expression of phytoplankton cell structures with different elemental compositions. The intrinsic structure of fixed C:N:P models therefore has the potential to bias projections of the marine response to climate change. We assess the importance of variable stoichiometry on 21st century projections of net primary production, food quality, and ocean carbon uptake using the recently developed Pelagic Interactions Scheme for Carbon and Ecosystem Studies Quota (PISCES-QUOTA) ocean biogeochemistry model. The model simulates variable phytoplankton C:N:P stoichiometry and was run under historical and business-as-usual scenario forcing from 1850 to 2100. PISCES-QUOTA projects similar 21st century global net primary production decline (7.7%) to current generation fixed stoichiometry models. Global phytoplankton N and P content or food quality is projected to decline by 1.2% and 6.4% over the 21st century, respectively. The largest reductions in food quality are in the oligotrophic subtropical gyres and Arctic Ocean where declines by the end of the century can exceed 20%. Using the change in the carbon export efficiency in PISCES-QUOTA, we estimate that fixed stoichiometry models may be underestimating 21st century cumulative ocean carbon uptake by 0.5-3.5% (2.0-15.1 PgC).

Determination of lipid oxidation products in vegetable oils and marine omega-3 supplements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rune Blomhoff

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Background : There is convincing evidence that replacing dietary saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats (PUFA decreases risk of cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, PUFA rich foods such as vegetable oils, fatty fish, and marine omega-3 supplements are recommended. However, PUFA are easily oxidizable and there is concern about possible negative health effects from intake of oxidized lipids. Little is known about the degree of lipid oxidation in such products. Objective : To assess the content of lipid oxidation products in a large selection of vegetable oils and marine omega-3 supplements available in Norway. Both fresh and heated vegetable oils were studied. Design : A large selection of commercially available vegetable oils and marine omega-3 supplements was purchased from grocery stores, pharmacies, and health food stores in Norway. The content of lipid oxidation products were measured as peroxide value and alkenal concentration. Twelve different vegetable oils were heated for a temperature (225°C and time (25 minutes resembling conditions typically used during cooking. Results : The peroxide values were in the range 1.04–10.38 meq/kg for omega-3 supplements and in the range 0.60–5.33 meq/kg for fresh vegetable oils. The concentration range of alkenals was 158.23–932.19 nmol/mL for omega-3 supplements and 33.24–119.04 nmol/mL for vegetable oils. After heating, a 2.9–11.2 fold increase in alkenal concentration was observed for vegetable oils. Conclusions : The contents of hydroperoxides and alkenals in omega-3 supplements are higher than in vegetable oils. After heating vegetable oils, a large increase in alkenal concentration was observed.

Evaluation of Simulated Marine Aerosol Production Using the WaveWatchIII Prognostic Wave Model Coupled to the Community Atmosphere Model within the Community Earth System Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Long, M. S. [Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA (United States). School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Keene, William C. [Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States). Dept. of Environmental Sciences; Zhang, J. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences; Reichl, B. [Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI (United States). Graduate School of Oceanography; Shi, Y. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Dept. of Atmospheric Sciences; Hara, T. [Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI (United States). Graduate School of Oceanography; Reid, J. S. [Naval Research Lab. (NRL), Monterey, CA (United States); Fox-Kemper, B. [Brown Univ., Providence, RI (United States). Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences; Craig, A. P. [National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States); Erickson, D. J. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Computer Science and Mathematics Division; Ginis, I. [Univ. of Rhode Island, Narragansett, RI (United States). Graduate School of Oceanography; Webb, A. [Univ. of Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Ocean Technology, Policy, and Environment

2016-11-08

Primary marine aerosol (PMA) is emitted into the atmosphere via breaking wind waves on the ocean surface. Most parameterizations of PMA emissions use 10-meter wind speed as a proxy for wave action. This investigation coupled the 3^rd generation prognostic WAVEWATCH-III wind-wave model within a coupled Earth system model (ESM) to drive PMA production using wave energy dissipation rate – analogous to whitecapping – in place of 10-meter wind speed. The wind speed parameterization did not capture basin-scale variability in relations between wind and wave fields. Overall, the wave parameterization did not improve comparison between simulated versus measured AOD or Na⁺, thus highlighting large remaining uncertainties in model physics. Results confirm the efficacy of prognostic wind-wave models for air-sea exchange studies coupled with laboratory- and field-based characterizations of the primary physical drivers of PMA production. No discernible correlations were evident between simulated PMA fields and observed chlorophyll or sea surface temperature.

MODIS-derived terrestrial primary production [chapter 28

Science.gov (United States)

Maosheng Zhao; Steven Running; Faith Ann Heinsch; Ramakrishna Nemani

2011-01-01

Temporal and spatial changes in terrestrial biological productivity have a large impact on humankind because terrestrial ecosystems not only create environments suitable for human habitation, but also provide materials essential for survival, such as food, fiber and fuel. A recent study estimated that consumption of terrestrial net primary production (NPP; a list of...

The 2010 spring drought reduced primary productivity in southwestern China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Li; Li Jing; Xiao Jingfeng; Wang Kun; Lei Liping; Guo Huadong

2012-01-01

Many parts of the world experience frequent and severe droughts. Summer drought can significantly reduce primary productivity and carbon sequestration capacity. The impacts of spring droughts, however, have received much less attention. A severe and sustained spring drought occurred in southwestern China in 2010. Here we examine the influence of this spring drought on the primary productivity of terrestrial ecosystems using data on climate, vegetation greenness and productivity. We first assess the spatial extent, duration and severity of the drought using precipitation data and the Palmer drought severity index. We then examine the impacts of the drought on terrestrial ecosystems using satellite data for the period 2000–2010. Our results show that the spring drought substantially reduced the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and gross primary productivity (GPP) during spring 2010 (March–May). Both EVI and GPP also substantially declined in the summer and did not fully recover from the drought stress until August. The drought reduced regional annual GPP and net primary productivity (NPP) in 2010 by 65 and 46 Tg C yr −1 , respectively. Both annual GPP and NPP in 2010 were the lowest over the period 2000–2010. The negative effects of the drought on annual primary productivity were partly offset by the remarkably high productivity in August and September caused by the exceptionally wet conditions in late summer and early fall and the farming practices adopted to mitigate drought effects. Our results show that, like summer droughts, spring droughts can also have significant impacts on vegetation productivity and terrestrial carbon cycling. (letter)

Marine biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thurman, H.V.; Webber, H.H.

1984-01-01

This book discusses both taxonomic and ecological topics on marine biology. Full coverage of marine organisms of all five kingdoms is provided, along with interesting and thorough discussion of all major marine habitats. Organization into six major parts allows flexibility. It also provides insight into important topics such as disposal of nuclear waste at sea, the idea that life began on the ocean floor, and how whales, krill, and people interact. A full-color photo chapter reviews questions, and exercises. The contents are: an overview marine biology: fundamental concepts/investigating life in the ocean; the physical ocean, the ocean floor, the nature of water, the nature and motion of ocean water; general ecology, conditions for life in the sea, biological productivity and energy transfer; marine organisms; monera, protista, mycota and metaphyta; the smaller marine animals, the large animals marine habitats, the intertidal zone/benthos of the continental shelf, the photic zone, the deep ocean, the ocean under stress, marine pollution, appendix a: the metric system and conversion factors/ appendix b: prefixes and suffixes/ appendix c: taxonomic classification of common marine organisms, and glossary, and index

Comparison of primary productivity estimates in the Baltic Sea based on the DESAMBEM algorithm with estimates based on other similar algorithms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Małgorzata Stramska

2013-02-01

Full Text Available The quasi-synoptic view available from satellites has been broadly used in recent years to observe in near-real time the large-scale dynamics of marine ecosystems and to estimate primary productivity in the world ocean. However, the standard global NASA ocean colour algorithms generally do not produce good results in the Baltic Sea. In this paper, we compare the ability of seven algorithms to estimate depth-integrated daily primary production (PP, mg C m-2 in the Baltic Sea. All the algorithms use surface chlorophyll concentration, sea surface temperature, photosynthetic available radiation, latitude, longitude and day of the year as input data. Algorithm-derived PP is then compared with PP estimates obtained from 14C uptake measurements. The results indicate that the best agreement between the modelled and measured PP in the Baltic Sea is obtained with the DESAMBEM algorithm. This result supports the notion that a regional approach should be used in the interpretation of ocean colour satellite data in the Baltic Sea.

Ethanol production from marine algal hydrolysates using Escherichia coli KO11.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Nag-Jong; Li, Hui; Jung, Kwonsu; Chang, Ho Nam; Lee, Pyung Cheon

2011-08-01

Algae biomass is a potential raw material for the production of biofuels and other chemicals. In this study, biomass of the marine algae, Ulva lactuca, Gelidium amansii,Laminaria japonica, and Sargassum fulvellum, was treated with acid and commercially available hydrolytic enzymes. The hydrolysates contained glucose, mannose, galactose, and mannitol, among other sugars, at different ratios. The Laminaria japonica hydrolysate contained up to 30.5% mannitol and 6.98% glucose in the hydrolysate solids. Ethanogenic recombinant Escherichia coli KO11 was able to utilize both mannitol and glucose and produced 0.4g ethanol per g of carbohydrate when cultured in L. japonica hydrolysate supplemented with Luria-Bertani medium and hydrolytic enzymes. The strategy of acid hydrolysis followed by simultaneous enzyme treatment and inoculation with E. coli KO11 could be a viable strategy to produce ethanol from marine alga biomass. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can fungi compete with marine sources for chitosan production?

Science.gov (United States)

Ghormade, V; Pathan, E K; Deshpande, M V

2017-11-01

Chitosan, a β-1,4-linked glucosamine polymer is formed by deacetylation of chitin. It has a wide range of applications from agriculture to human health care products. Chitosan is commercially produced from shellfish, shrimp waste, crab and lobster processing using strong alkalis at high temperatures for long time periods. The production of chitin and chitosan from fungal sources has gained increased attention in recent years due to potential advantages in terms of homogenous polymer length, high degree of deacetylation and solubility over the current marine source. Zygomycetous fungi such as Absidia coerulea, Benjaminiella poitrasii, Cunninghamella elegans, Gongrenella butleri, Mucor rouxii, Mucor racemosus and Rhizopus oryzae have been studied extensively. Isolation of chitosan are reported from few edible basidiomycetous fungi like Agaricus bisporus, Lentinula edodes and Pleurotus sajor-caju. Other organisms from mycotech industries explored for chitosan production are Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other wine yeasts. Number of aspects such as value addition to the existing applications of fungi, utilization of waste from agriculture sector, and issues and challenges for the production of fungal chitosan to compete with existing sources, metabolic engineering and novel applications have been discussed to adjudge the potential of fungal sources for commercial chitosan production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of monomethylmercury and dimethylmercury in the Arctic marine boundary layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Baya, Pascale A; Gosselin, Michel; Lehnherr, Igor; St Louis, Vincent L; Hintelmann, Holger

2015-01-06

Our understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in the Arctic is incomplete because atmospheric sources and sinks of MMHg are still unclear. We sampled air in the Canadian Arctic marine boundary layer to quantify, for the first time, atmospheric concentrations of methylated Hg species (both MMHg and dimethylmercury (DMHg)), and, estimate the importance of atmospheric deposition as a source of MMHg to Arctic land- and sea-scapes. Overall atmospheric MMHg and DMHg concentrations (mean ± SD) were 2.9 ± 3.6 and 3.8 ± 3.1 (n = 37) pg m(-3), respectively. Concentrations of methylated Hg species in the marine boundary layer varied significantly among our sites, with a predominance of MMHg over Hudson Bay (HB), and DMHg over Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) waters. We concluded that DMHg is of marine origin and that primary production rate and sea-ice cover are major drivers of its concentration in the Canadian Arctic marine boundary layer. Summer wet deposition rates of atmospheric MMHg, likely to be the product of DMHg degradation in the atmosphere, were estimated at 188 ± 117.5 ng m(-2) and 37 ± 21.7 ng m(-2) for HB and CAA, respectively, sustaining MMHg concentrations available for biomagnification in the pelagic food web.

Radioecological studies of activation products released from a nuclear power plant into the marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattsson, S.; Nilsson, M.; Holm, E.

1980-01-01

Since 1967 samples of Fucus serratus and Fucus vesi--culosus from the Swedish west-coast were collected for analysis of the concentration of fallout products, natural actinides and products released by the nuclear industry. During this time two nuclear power stations were built and began operation in this area, ''Ringhals'' in 1974 and ''Barseback'' in 1975. When detectable concentrations of Co-60 and other activation products were found in Fucus, the sampling program was intensified, both in the vicinity of ''Barseback'' and at localities up to 150 km north. Our studies have shown that measurements on Fucus can be used to map the distribution of various radionuclides from a nuclear power station in the marine environment. Knowledge of this distribution and of factors affecting it are needed to construct a radioecological model for the estimation of individual and collective dose equivalent commitment arising from intake of food and water from the marine environment of the south-west of Sweden. (H.K.)

Effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles derived from consumer products on the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana.

Science.gov (United States)

Galletti, Andrea; Seo, Seokju; Joo, Sung Hee; Su, Chunming; Blackwelder, Pat

2016-10-01

Increased manufacture of TiO 2 nanoproducts has caused concern about the potential toxicity of these products to the environment and in public health. Identification and confirmation of the presence of TiO 2 nanoparticles derived from consumer products as opposed to industrial TiO 2 NPs warrant examination in exploring the significance of their release and resultant impacts on the environment. To this end, we examined the significance of the release of these particles and their toxic effect on the marine diatom algae Thalassiosira pseudonana. Our results indicate that nano-TiO 2 sunscreen and toothpaste exhibit more toxicity in comparison to industrial TiO 2 and inhibited the growth of the marine diatom T. pseudonana. This inhibition was proportional to the exposure time and concentrations of nano-TiO 2 . Our findings indicate a significant effect, and therefore, further research is warranted in evaluation and assessment of the toxicity of modified nano-TiO 2 derived from consumer products and their physicochemical properties.

Characterisation of Non-Autoinducing Tropodithietic Acid (TDA Production from Marine Sponge Pseudovibrio Species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catriona Harrington

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The search for new antimicrobial compounds has gained added momentum in recent years, paralleled by the exponential rise in resistance to most known classes of current antibiotics. While modifications of existing drugs have brought some limited clinical success, there remains a critical need for new classes of antimicrobial compound to which key clinical pathogens will be naive. This has provided the context and impetus to marine biodiscovery programmes that seek to isolate and characterize new activities from the aquatic ecosystem. One new antibiotic to emerge from these initiatives is the antibacterial compound tropodithietic acid (TDA. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the bioactivity of and the factors governing the production of TDA in marine Pseudovibrio isolates from a collection of marine sponges. The TDA produced by these Pseudovibrio isolates exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of clinical pathogens, while TDA tolerance was frequent in non-TDA producing marine isolates. Comparative genomics analysis suggested a high degree of conservation among the tda biosynthetic clusters while expression studies revealed coordinated regulation of TDA synthesis upon transition from log to stationary phase growth, which was not induced by TDA itself or by the presence of the C10-acyl homoserine lactone quorum sensing signal molecule.

HANPP Collection: Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) by Country and Product

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) by Country and Product portion of the HANPP Collection contains tabular data on carbon-equivalents of...

A linkage between Asian dust, dissolved iron and marine export production in the deep ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Yongxiang; Zhao, Tianliang; Song, Lianchun; Fang, Xiaomin; Yin, Yan; Deng, Zuqin; Wang, Suping; Fan, Shuxian

2011-08-01

Iron-addition experiments have revealed that iron supply exerts controls on biogeochemical cycles in the ocean and ultimately influences the Earth's climate system. The iron hypothesis in its broad outlines has been proved to be correct. However, the hypothesis needs to be verified with an observable biological response to specific dust deposition events. Plankton growth following the Asian dust storm over Ocean Station PAPA (50°N, 145°W) in the North Pacific Ocean in April 2001 was the first supportive evidence of natural aeolian iron inputs to ocean; The data were obtained through the SeaWiFS satellite and robot carbon explorers by Bishop et al. Using the NARCM modeling results in this study, the calculated total dust deposition flux was 35 mg m -2 per day in PAPA region from the dust storm of 11-13 April, 2001 into 0.0615 mg m -2 d -1 (about 1100 nM) soluble iron in the surface layer at Station PAPA. It was enough for about 1100 nM to enhance the efficiency of the marine biological pump and trigger the rapid increase of POC and chlorophyll. The iron fertilization hypothesis therefore is plausible. However, even if this specific dust event can support the iron fertilization hypothesis, long-term observation data are lacking in marine export production and continental dust. In this paper, we also conducted a simple correlation analysis between the diatoms and foraminifera at about 3000 m and 4000 m at two subarctic Pacific stations and the dust aerosol production from China's mainland. The correlation coefficient between marine export production and dust storm frequency in the core area of the dust storms was significantly high, suggesting that aerosols generated by Asian dust storm are the source of iron for organic matter fixation in the North Pacific Ocean. These results suggest that there could be an interlocking chain for the change of atmospheric dust aerosol-soluble iron-marine export production.

From monsoon to marine productivity in the Arabian Sea: insights from glacial and interglacial climates

Science.gov (United States)

Le Mézo, Priscilla; Beaufort, Luc; Bopp, Laurent; Braconnot, Pascale; Kageyama, Masa

2017-07-01

The current-climate Indian monsoon is known to boost biological productivity in the Arabian Sea. This paradigm has been extensively used to reconstruct past monsoon variability from palaeo-proxies indicative of changes in surface productivity. Here, we test this paradigm by simulating changes in marine primary productivity for eight contrasted climates from the last glacial-interglacial cycle. We show that there is no straightforward correlation between boreal summer productivity of the Arabian Sea and summer monsoon strength across the different simulated climates. Locally, productivity is fuelled by nutrient supply driven by Ekman dynamics. Upward transport of nutrients is modulated by a combination of alongshore wind stress intensity, which drives coastal upwelling, and by a positive wind stress curl to the west of the jet axis resulting in upward Ekman pumping. To the east of the jet axis there is however a strong downward Ekman pumping due to a negative wind stress curl. Consequently, changes in coastal alongshore stress and/or curl depend on both the jet intensity and position. The jet position is constrained by the Indian summer monsoon pattern, which in turn is influenced by the astronomical parameters and the ice sheet cover. The astronomical parameters are indeed shown to impact wind stress intensity in the Arabian Sea through large-scale changes in the meridional gradient of upper-tropospheric temperature. However, both the astronomical parameters and the ice sheets affect the pattern of wind stress curl through the position of the sea level depression barycentre over the monsoon region (20-150° W, 30° S-60° N). The combined changes in monsoon intensity and pattern lead to some higher glacial productivity during the summer season, in agreement with some palaeo-productivity reconstructions.

Millennial-scale variability of marine productivity and terrigenous matter supply in the western Bering Sea over the past 180 kyr

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-R. Riethdorf

2013-06-01

Full Text Available We used piston cores recovered in the western Bering Sea to reconstruct millennial-scale changes in marine productivity and terrigenous matter supply over the past ~180 kyr. Based on a geochemical multi-proxy approach, our results indicate closely interacting processes controlling marine productivity and terrigenous matter supply comparable to the situation in the Okhotsk Sea. Overall, terrigenous inputs were high, whereas export production was low. Minor increases in marine productivity occurred during intervals of Marine Isotope Stage 5 and interstadials, but pronounced maxima were recorded during interglacials and Termination I. The terrigenous material is suggested to be derived from continental sources on the eastern Bering Sea shelf and to be subsequently transported via sea ice, which is likely to drive changes in surface productivity, terrigenous inputs, and upper-ocean stratification. From our results we propose glacial, deglacial, and interglacial scenarios for environmental change in the Bering Sea. These changes seem to be primarily controlled by insolation and sea-level forcing which affect the strength of atmospheric pressure systems and sea-ice growth. The opening history of the Bering Strait is considered to have had an additional impact. High-resolution core logging data (color b*, XRF scans strongly correspond to the Dansgaard–Oeschger climate variability registered in the NGRIP ice core and support an atmospheric coupling mechanism of Northern Hemisphere climates.

Assessment of the Bacteriocinogenic Potential of Marine Bacteria Reveals Lichenicidin Production by Seaweed-Derived Bacillus spp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gillian E. Gardiner

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were (1 to assess the bacteriocinogenic potential of bacteria derived mainly from seaweed, but also sand and seawater, (2 to identify at least some of the bacteriocins produced, if any and (3 to determine if they are unique to the marine environment and/or novel. Fifteen Bacillus licheniformis or pumilus isolates with antimicrobial activity against at least one of the indicator bacteria used were recovered. Some, at least, of the antimicrobials produced were bacteriocins, as they were proteinaceous and the producers displayed immunity. Screening with PCR primers for known Bacillus bacteriocins revealed that three seaweed-derived Bacillus licheniformis harbored the bli04127 gene which encodes one of the peptides of the two-peptide lantibiotic lichenicidin. Production of both lichenicidin peptides was then confirmed by mass spectrometry. This is the first definitive proof of bacteriocin production by seaweed-derived bacteria. The authors acknowledge that the bacteriocin produced has previously been discovered and is not unique to the marine environment. However, the other marine isolates likely produce novel bacteriocins, as none harboured genes for known Bacillus bacteriocins.

Clinical productivity of primary care nurse practitioners in ambulatory settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Ying; Tuttle, Jane

Nurse practitioners are increasingly being integrated into primary care delivery to help meet the growing demand for primary care. It is therefore important to understand nurse practitioners' productivity in primary care practice. We examined nurse practitioners' clinical productivity in regard to number of patients seen per week, whether they had a patient panel, and patient panel size. We further investigated practice characteristics associated with their clinical productivity. We conducted cross-sectional analysis of the 2012 National Sample Survey of Nurse Practitioners. The sample included full-time primary care nurse practitioners in ambulatory settings. Multivariable survey regression analyses were performed to examine the relationship between practice characteristics and nurse practitioners' clinical productivity. Primary care nurse practitioners in ambulatory settings saw an average of 80 patients per week (95% confidence interval [CI]: 79-82), and 64% of them had their own patient panel. The average patient panel size was 567 (95% CI: 522-612). Nurse practitioners who had their own patient panel spent a similar percent of time on patient care and documentation as those who did not. However, those with a patient panel were more likely to provide a range of clinical services to most patients. Nurse practitioners' clinical productivity was associated with several modifiable practice characteristics such as practice autonomy and billing and payment policies. The estimated number of patients seen in a typical week by nurse practitioners is comparable to that by primary care physicians reported in the literature. However, they had a significantly smaller patient panel. Nurse practitioners' clinical productivity can be further improved. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Short-term to seasonal variability in factors driving primary productivity in a shallow estuary: Implications for modeling production

Science.gov (United States)

Canion, Andy; MacIntyre, Hugh L.; Phipps, Scott

2013-10-01

The inputs of primary productivity models may be highly variable on short timescales (hourly to daily) in turbid estuaries, but modeling of productivity in these environments is often implemented with data collected over longer timescales. Daily, seasonal, and spatial variability in primary productivity model parameters: chlorophyll a concentration (Chla), the downwelling light attenuation coefficient (kd), and photosynthesis-irradiance response parameters (Pmchl, αChl) were characterized in Weeks Bay, a nitrogen-impacted shallow estuary in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Variability in primary productivity model parameters in response to environmental forcing, nutrients, and microalgal taxonomic marker pigments were analysed in monthly and short-term datasets. Microalgal biomass (as Chla) was strongly related to total phosphorus concentration on seasonal scales. Hourly data support wind-driven resuspension as a major source of short-term variability in Chla and light attenuation (kd). The empirical relationship between areal primary productivity and a combined variable of biomass and light attenuation showed that variability in the photosynthesis-irradiance response contributed little to the overall variability in primary productivity, and Chla alone could account for 53-86% of the variability in primary productivity. Efforts to model productivity in similar shallow systems with highly variable microalgal biomass may benefit the most by investing resources in improving spatial and temporal resolution of chlorophyll a measurements before increasing the complexity of models used in productivity modeling.

Modeling UV-B Effects on Primary Production Throughout the Southern Ocean Using Multi-Sensor Satellite Data

Science.gov (United States)

Lubin, Dan

2001-01-01

This study has used a combination of ocean color, backscattered ultraviolet, and passive microwave satellite data to investigate the impact of the springtime Antarctic ozone depletion on the base of the Antarctic marine food web - primary production by phytoplankton. Spectral ultraviolet (UV) radiation fields derived from the satellite data are propagated into the water column where they force physiologically-based numerical models of phytoplankton growth. This large-scale study has been divided into two components: (1) the use of Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) and Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) data in conjunction with radiative transfer theory to derive the surface spectral UV irradiance throughout the Southern Ocean; and (2) the merging of these UV irradiances with the climatology of chlorophyll derived from SeaWiFS data to specify the input data for the physiological models.

A review of ocean chlorophyll algorithms and primary production models

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingwen; Zhou, Song; Lv, Nan

2015-12-01

This paper mainly introduces the five ocean chlorophyll concentration inversion algorithm and 3 main models for computing ocean primary production based on ocean chlorophyll concentration. Through the comparison of five ocean chlorophyll inversion algorithm, sums up the advantages and disadvantages of these algorithm,and briefly analyzes the trend of ocean primary production model.

Primary Production in the Delta: Then and Now

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James E. Cloern

2016-10-01

Full Text Available doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2016v14iss3art1To evaluate the role of restoration in the recovery of the Delta ecosystem, we need to have clear targets and performance measures that directly assess ecosystem function. Primary production is a crucial ecosystem process, which directly limits the quality and quantity of food available for secondary consumers such as invertebrates and fish. The Delta has a low rate of primary production, but it is unclear whether this was always the case. Recent analyses from the Historical Ecology Team and Delta Landscapes Project provide quantitative comparisons of the areal extent of 14 habitat types in the modern Delta versus the historical Delta (pre-1850. Here we describe an approach for using these metrics of land use change to: (1 produce the first quantitative estimates of how Delta primary production and the relative contributions from five different producer groups have been altered by large-scale drainage and conversion to agriculture; (2 convert these production estimates into a common currency so the contributions of each producer group reflect their food quality and efficiency of transfer to consumers; and (3 use simple models to discover how tidal exchange between marshes and open water influences primary production and its consumption. Application of this approach could inform Delta management in two ways. First, it would provide a quantitative estimate of how large-scale conversion to agriculture has altered the Delta's capacity to produce food for native biota. Second, it would provide restoration practitioners with a new approach—based on ecosystem function—to evaluate the success of restoration projects and gauge the trajectory of ecological recovery in the Delta region.

Energy production from marine biomass (Ulva lactuca)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikolaisen, L; Daugbjerg Jensen, P; Svane Bech, K [Danish Technological Institute (DTI), Taastrup (Denmark); and others

2011-11-15

In this project, methods for producing liquid, gaseous and solid biofuel from the marine macroalgae Ulva lactuca has been studied. To get an understanding of the growth conditions of Ulva lactuca, laboratory scale growth experiments describing N, P, and CO{sub 2} uptake and possible N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4} production are carried out. The macroalgae have been converted to bioethanol and methane (biogas) in laboratory processes. Further the potential of using the algae as a solid combustible biofuel is studied. Harvest and conditioning procedures are described together with the potential of integrating macroalgae production at a power plant. The overall conclusions are: 1. Annual yield of Ulva lactuca is 4-5 times land-based energy crops. 2. Potential for increased growth rate when bubbling with flue gas is up to 20%. 3. Ethanol/butanol can be produced from pretreated Ulva of C6 and - for butanol - also C5 sugars. Fermentation inhibitors can possibly be removed by mechanical pressing. The ethanol production is 0,14 gram pr gram dry Ulva lactuca. The butanol production is lower. 4. Methane yields of Ulva are at a level between cow manure and energy crops. 5. Fast pyrolysis produces algae oil which contains 78 % of the energy content of the biomass. 6. Catalytic supercritical water gasification of Ulva lactuca is feasible and a methane rich gas can be obtained. 7. Thermal conversion of Ulva is possible with special equipment as low temperature gasification and grate firing. 8. Co-firing of Ulva with coal in power plants is limited due to high ash content. 9. Production of Ulva only for energy purposes at power plants is too costly. 10. N{sub 2}O emission has been observed in lab scale, but not in pilot scale production. 11. Analyses of ash from Ulva lactuca indicates it as a source for high value fertilizers. 12. Co-digestion of Ulva lactuca together with cattle manure did not alter the overall fertilization value of the digested cattle manure alone. (LN)

Wind-driven marine phytoplank blooms: Satellite observation and analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, DanLing

2016-07-01

Algal bloom is defined as a rapid increase or accumulation in biomass in an aquatic system. It not only can increase the primary production but also could result in negative ecological consequence, e.g.,Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). According to the classic theory for the formation of algal blooms "critical depth" and "eutrophication", oligotrophic sea area is usually difficult to form a large area of algal blooms, and actuallythe traditional observation is only sporadic capture to the existence of algal blooms.Taking full advantage of multiple data of satellite remote sensing , this study introduces "Wind-driven algal blooms in open oceans: observation and mechanisms" It explained except classic coastal Ekman transport, the wind through a variety of mechanisms affecting the formation of algal blooms. Proposed a conceptual model of "Strong wind -upwelling-nutrient-phytoplankton blooms" in Western South China Sea (SCS) to assess role of wind-induced advection transport in phytoplankton bloom formation. It illustrates the nutrient resources that support long-term offshore phytoplankton blooms in the western SCS; (2)Proposal of the theory that "typhoons cause vertical mixing, induce phytoplankton blooms", and quantify their important contribution to marine primary production; Proposal a new ecological index for typhoon. Proposed remote sensing inversion models. (3)Finding of the spatial and temporaldistributions pattern of harmful algal bloom (HAB)and species variations of HAB in the South Yellow Sea and East China Sea, and in the Pearl River estuary, and their oceanic dynamic mechanisms related with monsoon; The project developed new techniques and generated new knowledge, which significantly improved understanding of the formation mechanisms of algal blooms. The proposed "wind-pump" mechanism integrates theoretical system combined "ocean dynamics, development of algal blooms, and impact on primary production", which will benefit fisheries management. These

Worldwide Interlaboratory Comparison on the Determination of Trace Elements in the IAEA-457 Marine Sediment Sample

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

The primary goal of the IAEA Environment Laboratories is to assist Member States in the use of both stable and radioisotope analytical techniques to understand, monitor and protect the environment. In this context, the major impact of large coastal cities on marine ecosystems is an issue of primary concern for the IAEA and the IAEA Environment Laboratories. The marine pollution assessments required to understand such impacts depend on accurate knowledge of contaminant concentrations in various environmental compartments. Through the IAEA Environment Laboratories, the IAEA has been assisting national laboratories and regional laboratory networks since the early 1970s through the provision of a reference material programme for the analysis of radionuclides, trace elements and organic compounds in marine samples. Quality assurance and quality control are two fundamental requirements to ensure the reliability of analytical results. Data that are not based on adequate quality assurance and quality control can be erroneous, and their misuse can lead to poor environmental management decisions. In this regard, the IAEA has a long history of organizing interlaboratory studies, which have evolved to include an increasing array of potential contaminants in the marine environment. Relevant activities comprise global interlaboratory comparison, regional proficiency tests, the production of marine reference materials and the development of reference methods for trace elements and organic pollutants analysis in marine samples. This publication summarizes the results of the IAEA-457 interlaboratory comparison on the determination of trace elements in a marine sediment sample

Yields of primary products from chloroethylenes in air under electron beam irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakoda, Teruyuki; Hashimoto, Shoji; Kojima, Takuji

2003-01-01

The quantitative analysis of toxic primary irradiation products was carried out for the development of the purification technology of chloroethylenes/air mixtures using an electron beam (EB). Degradation of chloroethylenes in humid air proceeded through the formation of primary products retaining a carbon-carbon (C-C) bond such as chloroacetyl chlorides and chloroacetyl aldehyde as well as that of primary products of COCl 2 and HCOCl through C-C bond cleavage. Chloroethylenes having one carbon bonded to two Cl atoms was decomposed into the primary products retaining a C-C bond prior to breaking a C-C bond. The number of Cl atoms of a chloroethylene molecule enhanced the formation ratio of primary products retaining a C-C bond. On the other hand, chloroethylene having two carbons bonded to one Cl atom was degraded thought the scission of a C-C bond predominantly C-C bond maintenance. (author)

Interannual Variation in Phytoplankton Class-specific Primary Production at a Global Scale

Science.gov (United States)

Rousseaux, Cecile; Gregg, Watson

2014-01-01

Phytoplankton is responsible for over half of the net primary production on earth. The knowledge on the contribution of various phytoplankton groups to the total primary production is still poorly understood. Data from satellite observations suggest that for upwelling regions, photosynthetic rates by microplankton is higher than that of nanoplankton but that when the spatial extent is considered, the production by nanoplankton is comparable or even larger than microplankton. Here, we used the NASA Ocean Biogeochemical Model (NOBM) combined with remote sensing data via assimilation to evaluate the contribution of 4 phytoplankton groups to the total primary production. Globally, diatoms were the group that contributed the most to the total phytoplankton production (approx. 50%) followed by coccolithophores and chlorophytes. Primary production by diatoms was highest in high latitude (>45 deg) and in major upwelling systems (Equatorial Pacific and Benguela system). We assessed the effects of climate variability on the class-specific primary production using global (i.e. Multivariate El Nino Index, MEI) and 'regional' climate indices (e.g. Southern Annular Mode (SAM), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)). Most interannual variability occurred in the Equatorial Pacific and was associated with climate variability. These results provide a modeling and data assimilation perspective to phytoplankton partitioning of primary production and contribute to our understanding of the dynamics of the carbon cycle in the oceans at a global scale.

Interactions between arsenic species and marine algae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanders, J.G.

1978-01-01

The arsenic concentration and speciation of marine algae varies widely, from 0.4 to 23 ng.mg/sup -1/, with significant differences in both total arsenic content and arsenic speciation occurring between algal classes. The Phaeophyceae contain more arsenic than other algal classes, and a greater proportion of the arsenic is organic. The concentration of inorganic arsenic is fairly constant in macro-algae, and may indicate a maximum level, with the excess being reduced and methylated. Phytoplankton take up As(V) readily, and incorporate a small percentage of it into the cell. The majority of the As(V) is reduced, methylated, and released to the surrounding media. The arsenic speciation in phytoplankton and Valonia also changes when As(V) is added to cultures. Arsenate and phosphate compete for uptake by algal cells. Arsenate inhibits primary production at concentrations as low as 5 ..mu..g.1/sup -1/ when the phosphate concentration is low. The inhibition is competitive. A phosphate enrichment of > 0.3 ..mu..M alleviates this inhibition; however, the As(V) stress causes an increase in the cell's phosphorus requirement. Arsenite is also toxic to phytoplankton at similar concentrations. Methylated arsenic species did not affect cell productivity, even at concentrations of 25 ..mu..g.1/sup -1/. Thus, the methylation of As(V) by the cell produces a stable, non-reactive compound which is nontoxic. The uptake and subsequent reduction and methylation of As(V) is a significant factor in determining the arsenic biogeochemistry of productive systems, and also the effect that the arsenic may have on algal productivity. Therefore, the role of marine algae in determining the arsenic speciation of marine systems cannot be ignored. (ERB)

Design considerations of fission and corrosion product in primary system of MONJU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagisawa, T.; Akagane, K.; Yamamoto, K.; Kawashima, K.

1976-01-01

General influence of fission and corrosion products in primary system on MONJU plant design is reviewed. Various research and development works are now in progress to decrease the generation rate, to remove the products more effectively and to develop the methods of evaluation the behaviour of radioactive products. The inventory and distribution of fission and corrosion products in the primary circuit of MONJU are given. The radiation levels on the primary components are estimated to be several roentgens per hour. (author)

Methodology for impact assessment in the estuarine/marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Haven, K.F.

1975-01-01

Impacts on the estuarine/marine environment can be assessed in economic terms by tracing the impact flow out of the economic sector through the marine environment and back into the economic sector as changes in natural resource availability. An impact can then be measured by the changes created in the economic sector by changes in resource availability. Primary emphasis is placed on the development of an appropriate ecological model of the estuarine environment for this purpose. Two types, an ecological input/output model and a dynamic (difference equation) model, are proposed. Acceptability criteria for these models include the ability to track lethal and sublethal, direct and indirect (food web), and short- and long-term effects of a variety of pollutants related to the production and use of various energy resources

Carotenoids in Marine Animals

Science.gov (United States)

Maoka, Takashi

2011-01-01

Marine animals contain various carotenoids that show structural diversity. These marine animals accumulate carotenoids from foods such as algae and other animals and modify them through metabolic reactions. Many of the carotenoids present in marine animals are metabolites of β-carotene, fucoxanthin, peridinin, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin, and astaxanthin, etc. Carotenoids found in these animals provide the food chain as well as metabolic pathways. In the present review, I will describe marine animal carotenoids from natural product chemistry, metabolism, food chain, and chemosystematic viewpoints, and also describe new structural carotenoids isolated from marine animals over the last decade. PMID:21566799

Characterization of corrosion products of Zn and Zn–Mg–Al coated steel in a marine atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diler, E.; Rouvellou, B.; Rioual, S.; Lescop, B.; Nguyen Vien, G.; Thierry, D.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The corrosion behaviour of Zn–Mg–Al alloy in marine environment is characterized. • Zn–Mg–Al alloy shows a better corrosion resistance than Zn. • Strong enhancement of NaZn 4 Cl(OH) 6 SO 4 ·6H 2 O in the corrosion products is observed. • Al 3+ and Mg 2+ induced quenching effects in corrosion activity are described. - Abstract: The corrosion behaviour of pure zinc and zinc–magnesium–aluminium alloy (ZMA) has been studied during 6 months of exposure in marine environment (Brest, France). The composition of corrosion products is analysed using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). An improved corrosion resistance of ZMA is observed. This improvement is found to be connected to Mg 2+ and Al 3+ induced quenching of corrosion activity and to the enhancement of NaZn 4 Cl(OH) 6 SO 4 ·6H 2 O in the formed corrosion product

Annual cycle of the production and fate of DMS and DMSP in a marine coastal system

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kwint, RLJ; Kramer, KJM

The production of DMSP by phytoplankton and the fate through the marine system of both DMSP and DMS were followed for a period of 21 mo in the natural environment by studying a Wadden Sea tidal inlet. The major production and emission of DMS appeared to be Limited to a period of only 2 mo, which was

Sedimentary cobalt concentrations track marine redox evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Swanner, Elizabeth; Planavsky, Noah; Lalonde, Stefan; Robbins, Jamie; Bekker, Andrey; Rouxel, Olivier; Konhauser, Kurt O.; Mojzsis, Stephen J.

2013-04-01

Oxygen production by photosynthesis drove the redox evolution of the atmosphere and ocean. Primary productivity by oxygenic photosynthesizers in the modern surface ocean is limited by trace nutrients such as iron, but previous studies have also observed high Co uptake associated with natural cyanobacterial populations. Constraining the size and variation of the oceanic reservoir of Co through time will help to understand the regulation of primary productivity and hence oxygenation through time. In this study, Co concentrations from iron formations (IF), shales and marine pyrites deposited over nearly 4 billion years of Earth's history are utilized to reconstruct secular changes in the mechanisms of Co removal from the oceanic reservoir. The Co reservoir prior to ~2 Ga was dominated by hydrothermal inputs and Fe(III)oxyhydroxides were likely involved in the removal of Co from the water column. Fe(II) oxidation in the water column resulted in the deposition of IF in the Archean and Paleoproterozoic, and the Co inventory of IF records a large oceanic reservoir of Co during this time. Lower Co concentrations in sediments during the Middle Proterozoic signify a decrease in the oceanic reservoir due to the expansion euxinic environments, corresponding to the results of previous studies. A transition to an oxidized deep ocean in the Phanerozoic is evidenced by correlation between Co and manganese (Mn) concentrations in hydrothermal and exhalative deposits, and in marine pyrites. This relationship between Co and Mn, signifying deposition of Co in association with Mn(IV)oxides, does not occur in the Precambrian. Mn(II) oxidation occurs at higher redox potentials than that required for Fe(II) oxidation, and the extent of Mn redox cycling prior to full ventilation of the oceans at the end of the Neoproterozoic was likely limited to spatially restricted oxic surface waters. In this regard, Co is another valuable redox proxy for tracking the growth and decline in oxygenated

Biosurfactant production from marine hydrocarbon-degrading consortia and pure bacterial strains using crude oil as carbon source.

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniou, Eleftheria; Fodelianakis, Stilianos; Korkakaki, Emmanouela; Kalogerakis, Nicolas

2015-01-01

Biosurfactants (BSs) are "green" amphiphilic molecules produced by microorganisms during biodegradation, increasing the bioavailability of organic pollutants. In this work, the BS production yield of marine hydrocarbon degraders isolated from Elefsina bay in Eastern Mediterranean Sea has been investigated. The drop collapse test was used as a preliminary screening test to confirm BS producing strains or mixed consortia. The community structure of the best consortia based on the drop collapse test was determined by 16S-rDNA pyrotag screening. Subsequently, the effect of incubation time, temperature, substrate and supplementation with inorganic nutrients, on BS production, was examined. Two types of BS - lipid mixtures were extracted from the culture broth; the low molecular weight BS Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids. Crude extracts were purified by silica gel column chromatography and then identified by thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results indicate that BS production yield remains constant and low while it is independent of the total culture biomass, carbon source, and temperature. A constant BS concentration in a culture broth with continuous degradation of crude oil (CO) implies that the BS producing microbes generate no more than the required amount of BSs that enables biodegradation of the CO. Isolated pure strains were found to have higher specific production yields than the complex microbial marine community-consortia. The heavy oil fraction of CO has emerged as a promising substrate for BS production (by marine BS producers) with fewer impurities in the final product. Furthermore, a particular strain isolated from sediments, Paracoccus marcusii, may be an optimal choice for bioremediation purposes as its biomass remains trapped in the hydrocarbon phase, not suffering from potential dilution effects by sea currents.

A comparison of community and trophic structure in five marine ecosystems based on energy budgets and system metrics

Science.gov (United States)

Gaichas, Sarah; Skaret, Georg; Falk-Petersen, Jannike; Link, Jason S.; Overholtz, William; Megrey, Bernard A.; Gjøsæter, Harald; Stockhausen, William T.; Dommasnes, Are; Friedland, Kevin D.; Aydin, Kerim

2009-04-01

Energy budget models for five marine ecosystems were compared to identify differences and similarities in trophic and community structure. We examined the Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank in the northwest Atlantic Ocean, the combined Norwegian/Barents Seas in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, and the eastern Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska in the northeast Pacific Ocean. Comparable energy budgets were constructed for each ecosystem by aggregating information for similar species groups into consistent functional groups. Several ecosystem indices (e.g., functional group production, consumption and biomass ratios, cumulative biomass, food web macrodescriptors, and network metrics) were compared for each ecosystem. The comparative approach clearly identified data gaps for each ecosystem, an important outcome of this work. Commonalities across the ecosystems included overall high primary production and energy flow at low trophic levels, high production and consumption by carnivorous zooplankton, and similar proportions of apex predator to lower trophic level biomass. Major differences included distinct biomass ratios of pelagic to demersal fish, ranging from highest in the combined Norwegian/Barents ecosystem to lowest in the Alaskan systems, and notable differences in primary production per unit area, highest in the Alaskan and Georges Bank/Gulf of Maine ecosystems, and lowest in the Norwegian ecosystems. While comparing a disparate group of organisms across a wide range of marine ecosystems is challenging, this work demonstrates that standardized metrics both elucidate properties common to marine ecosystems and identify key distinctions useful for fisheries management.

The use of marine aquaculture solid waste for nursery production of the salt marsh plants Spartina alterniflora and Juncus roemerianus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H.M. Joesting

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Recent technological advances in marine shrimp and finfish aquaculture alleviate many of the environmental risks associated with traditional aquaculture, but challenges remain in cost-effective waste management. Liquid effluent from freshwater aquaculture systems has been shown to be effective in agricultural crop production (i.e., aquaponics, but few studies have explored the potential for reuse of marine aquaculture effluent, particularly the solid fraction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of marine aquaculture solid waste as a nutrient source for the nursery production of two salt tolerant plants commonly used in coastal salt marsh restoration, Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass and Juncus roemerianus (black needlerush. Specifically, measurements of plant biomass and tissue nitrogen and phosphorus allocation were compared between plants fertilized with dried shrimp biofloc solids and unfertilized controls, as well as between plants fertilized with dried fish solids and unfertilized controls. In both experiments, S. alterniflora plants fertilized with marine aquaculture solids showed few significant differences from unfertilized controls, whereas fertilized J. roemerianus plants had significantly greater biomass and absorbed and incorporated more nutrients in plant tissue compared to unfertilized controls. These results suggest that J. roemerianus may be a suitable plant species for the remediation of marine aquaculture solid waste. Keywords: Marine aquaculture, Salt marsh plants, Solid waste, Phytoremediation

GHG emissions from primary aluminum production in China: Regional disparity and policy implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hao, Han; Geng, Yong; Hang, Wen

2016-01-01

Highlights: • GHG emissions from primary aluminum production in China were accounted. • The impact of regional disparity of power generation was considered for this study. • GHG emissions factor of China’s primary aluminum production was 16.5 t CO_2e/t Al ingot in 2013. • Total GHG emissions from China’s primary aluminum production were 421 mt CO_2e in 2013. - Abstract: China is the world-leading primary aluminum production country, which contributed to over half of global production in 2014. Primary aluminum production is power-intensive, for which power generation has substantial impact on overall Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. In this study, we explore the impact of regional disparity of China’s power generation system on GHG emissions for the sector of primary aluminum production. Our analysis reveals that the national GHG emissions factor (GEF) of China’s primary aluminum production was 16.5 t CO_2e/t Al ingot in 2013, with province-level GEFs ranging from 8.2 to 21.7 t CO_2e/t Al ingot. There is a high coincidence of provinces with high aluminum productions and high GEFs. Total GHG emissions from China’s primary aluminum production were 421 mt CO_2e in 2013, approximately accounting for 4% of China’s total GHG emissions. Under the 2020 scenario, GEF shows a 13.2% reduction compared to the 2013 level, but total GHG emissions will increase to 551 mt CO_2e. Based on our analysis, we recommend that the government should further promote energy efficiency improvement, facilitate aluminum industry redistribution with low-carbon consideration, promote secondary aluminum production, and improve aluminum industry data reporting and disclosure.

Development of healthy marine ingredients from waste products from smoked rainbow trout

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Charlotte; Honold, Philipp; Nouard, Marie-Louise

2014-01-01

There is an increasing demand for healthy marine omega-3 oils as well as new functional proteins for human consumption. At the same time there is an increasing demand for fish oil as an ingredient in fish feed due to the growth in production of farmed fish. The aquaculture industry currently uses...... approx. 850.000 tons of fish oil per year, which is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. The demand for fish oil for human consumption has been estimated to 425.000 tons by 2017. The present production of fish oil from wild fish is 1 mio. tons/year. Due to sustainability issues...... it is not possible to increase the production of fish oil from wild fish further. A possible source of omega-3 oils for human consumption is waste products from the fish industry. At present only approximately 40 % of the fish is used for human consumption and the rest is turned into waste products. Rainbow trout...

Primary productivity of the Andaman Sea

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bhattathiri, P.M.A.; Devassy, V.P.

The average surface and column primary productivity, chl a and particulate organic carbon, estimated at 24 stations during Feb. 1979, were respectively 5.3 mg C/m3/d and 273 mg C/m2 /d; 0.03 mg/m3 and 3.64 mg/m2; and 132mg/m3 and 4.59 g/m2...

Twenty-million-year relationship between mammalian diversity and primary productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Fritz, Susanne A.; Eronen, Jussi T.; Schnitzler, Jan; Hof, Christian; Janis, Christine M.; Mulch, Andreas; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin; Graham, Catherine H.

2016-01-01

At global and regional scales, primary productivity strongly correlates with richness patterns of extant animals across space, suggesting that resource availability and climatic conditions drive patterns of diversity. However, the existence and consistency of such diversity–productivity relationships through geological history is unclear. Here we provide a comprehensive quantitative test of the diversity–productivity relationship for terrestrial large mammals through time across broad temporal and spatial scales. We combine >14,000 occurrences for 690 fossil genera through the Neogene (23–1.8 Mya) with regional estimates of primary productivity from fossil plant communities in North America and Europe. We show a significant positive diversity–productivity relationship through the 20-million-year record, providing evidence on unprecedented spatial and temporal scales that this relationship is a general pattern in the ecology and paleo-ecology of our planet. Further, we discover that genus richness today does not match the fossil relationship, suggesting that a combination of human impacts and Pleistocene climate variability has modified the 20-million-year ecological relationship by strongly reducing primary productivity and driving many mammalian species into decline or to extinction. PMID:27621451

Characterization of a Newly Isolated Marine Fungus Aspergillus dimorphicus for Optimized Production of the Anti-Tumor Agent Wentilactones

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Xu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The potential anti-tumor agent wentilactones were produced by a newly isolated marine fungus Aspergillus dimorphicus. This fungus was derived from deep-sea sediment and identified by polyphasic approach, combining phenotypic, molecular, and extrolite profiles. However, wentilactone production was detected only under static cultures with very low yields. In order to improve wentilactone production, culture conditions were optimized using the response surface methodology. Under the optimal static fermentation conditions, the experimental values were closely consistent with the prediction model. The yields of wentilactone A and B were increased about 11-fold to 13.4 and 6.5 mg/L, respectively. The result was further verified by fermentation scale-up for wentilactone production. Moreover, some small-molecule elicitors were found to have capacity of stimulating wentilactone production. To our knowledge, this is first report of optimized production of tetranorlabdane diterpenoids by a deep-sea derived marine fungus. The present study might be valuable for efficient production of wentilactones and fundamental investigation of the anti-tumor mechanism of norditerpenoids.

Deposition and incorporation of corrosion product to primary coolant suppressing method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuzuki, Yasuo; Hasegawa, Naoyoshi; Fujioka, Tsunaaki.

1992-01-01

In a PWR type nuclear power plant, the concentration of dissolved nitrogen in primary coolants is increased by controlling the nitrogen partial pressure in a volume controlling tank gas phase portion or addition of water in a primary system water supply tank containing dissolved nitrogen to a primary system. Then ammonium is formed by a reaction with hydrogen dissolved in the primary coolants in the field of radiation rays, to control the concentration of ammonium in the coolants within a range from 0.5 to 3.5 ppm, and operate the power plant. As a result, deposition and incorporation of corrosion products to the structural materials of the primary system equipments during plant operation (pH 6.8 to 8.0) are suppressed. In other words, deposition of particulate corrosion products on the surface of fuel cladding tubes and the inner surface of pipelines in the primary system main equipments is prevented and incorporation of ionic radioactive corrosion products to the oxide membranes on the inner surface of the pipelines of the primary system main equipments is suppressed, to greatly reduce the radiation dose rate of the primary system pipelines. Thus, operator's radiation exposure can be decreased upon shut down of the plant. (N.H.)

The global marine phosphorus cycle: sensitivity to oceanic circulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. P. Slomp

2007-01-01

Full Text Available A new mass balance model for the coupled marine cycles of phosphorus (P and carbon (C is used to examine the relationships between oceanic circulation, primary productivity, and sedimentary burial of reactive P and particulate organic C (POC, on geological time scales. The model explicitly represents the exchanges of water and particulate matter between the continental shelves and the open ocean, and it accounts for the redox-dependent burial of POC and the various forms of reactive P (iron(III-bound P, particulate organic P (POP, authigenic calcium phosphate, and fish debris. Steady state and transient simulations indicate that a slowing down of global ocean circulation decreases primary production in the open ocean, but increases that in the coastal ocean. The latter is due to increased transfer of soluble P from deep ocean water to the shelves, where it fuels primary production and causes increased reactive P burial. While authigenic calcium phosphate accounts for most reactive P burial ocean-wide, enhanced preservation of fish debris may become an important reactive P sink in deep-sea sediments during periods of ocean anoxia. Slower ocean circulation globally increases POC burial, because of enhanced POC preservation under anoxia in deep-sea depositional environments and higher primary productivity along the continental margins. In accordance with geological evidence, the model predicts increased accumulation of reactive P on the continental shelves during and following periods of ocean anoxia.

Identifying Sources of Marine Litter

OpenAIRE

VEIGA Joana Mira; FLEET David; KINSEY Sue; NILSSON Per; VLACHOGIANNI Thomais; WERNER Stefanie; GALGANI Francois; THOMPSON Richard; DAGEVOS Jeroen; GAGO Jesus; SOBRAL Paula; CRONIN Richard

2016-01-01

Marine litter is a global problem causing harm to marine wildlife, coastal communities and maritime activities. It also embodies an emerging concern for human health and safety. The reduction of marine litter pollution poses a complex challenge for humankind, requiring adjustments in human behaviour as well as in the different phases of the life-cycle of products and across multiple economic sectors. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires European Member States to monitor...

Preface to: Special issue on Marine mycology

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Raghukumar, C.

the fourth symposium were published in The Biology of Marine Fungi by the late S.T.Moss from the Portsmouth Polytechnic in 1986. Interestingly, the books so far were exclusively devoted to true or obligate marine fungi but several papers describing... thraustochytrids as contaminants in their primary cell cultures of marine tunicates. They are describing six closely related species of thraustochytrids, identified by molecular markers and claim that a close biological association exist between tunicates...

Impact of measurement uncertainties on determination of chlorophyll-specific absorption coefficient for marine phytoplankton

OpenAIRE

McKee, D.; Röttgers, R.; Neukermans, G.; Calzado, V.S.; Trees, C.; Ampolo-Rella, M.; Neil, C.; Cunningham, A.

2014-01-01

Understanding variability in the chlorophyll-specific absorption of marine phytoplankton, aph*Chl (λ), is essential for primary production modelling, calculation of underwater light field characteristics, and development of algorithms for remote sensing of chlorophyll concentrations. Previous field and laboratory studies have demonstrated significant apparent variability in aph*Chl (λ) for natural samples and algal cultures. However, the potential impact of measurement uncertain...

Geochemistry of a marine phosphate deposit: A signpost to phosphogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Piper, David Z.; Perkins, R.B.

2014-01-01

The Permian age Phosphoria Formation in southeastern Idaho and adjoining states represents possibly the largest marine phosphate deposit in the world. The Meade Peak Member, which contains the highest concentrations and amount of carbonate fluorapatite in the formation, was not significantly altered by mechanical reworking during deposition or subsequently by chemical weathering. Thus, its present composition reflects properties of the Phosphoria Sea that were critical to its accumulation and possibly to the accumulation of most major marine phosphate deposits. These properties included the chemistry of the water column, the hydrography, and the level of primary productivity. Calculated accumulation rates of the PO43− and trace nutrients – Cd, Cu, Ni, and Zn – recorded a dynamic upwelling rate of c.30 m year−1 that supported primary productivity of 2g C m−2day−1. High accumulation rates of the hydrogenous redox-sensitive trace metals – Cr, Mo, U, and V – reflect bottom-water redox conditions that were dominantly suboxic, maintained by a balance between the oxidation of ~ 8% of the organic detritus that settled out of the photic zone and advection of bottom water with a residence time of c.10 years. A limited flux into the basin of siliciclastic lithogenous debris contributed further to elevated concentrations of the seawater-derived sediment fractions.

Biosurfactant production from marine hydrocarbon-degrading consortia and pure bacterial strains using crude oil as carbon source

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleftheria eAntoniou

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Biosurfactants (BS are green amphiphilic molecules produced by microorganisms during biodegradation, increasing the bioavailability of organic pollutants. In this work, the BS production yield of marine hydrocarbon degraders isolated from Elefsina bay in Eastern Mediterranean Sea has been investigated. The drop collapse test was used as a preliminary screening test to confirm biosurfactant producing strains or mixed consortia. The community structure of the best consortia based on the drop collapse test was determined by 16S-rDNA pyrotag screening. Subsequently, the effect of incubation time, temperature, substrate and supplementation with inorganic nutrients, on biosurfactant production, was examined. Two types of BS - lipid mixtures were extracted from the culture broth; the low molecular weight BS Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids. Crude extracts were purified by silica gel column chromatography and then identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR. Results indicate that biosurfactant production yield remains constant and low while it is independent of the total culture biomass, carbon source, and temperature. A constant BS concentration in a culture broth with continuous degradation of crude oil implies that the BS producing microbes generate no more than the required amount of biosurfactants that enables biodegradation of the crude oil. Isolated pure strains were found to have higher specific production yields than the complex microbial marine community-consortia. The heavy oil fraction of crude oil has emerged as a promising substrate for BS production (by marine BS producers with fewer impurities in the final product. Furthermore, a particular strain isolated from sediments, Paracoccus marcusii, may be an optimal choice for bioremediation purposes as its biomass remains trapped in the hydrocarbon phase, not suffering from potential dilution effects by sea currents.

Biosurfactant production from marine hydrocarbon-degrading consortia and pure bacterial strains using crude oil as carbon source

Science.gov (United States)

Antoniou, Eleftheria; Fodelianakis, Stilianos; Korkakaki, Emmanouela; Kalogerakis, Nicolas

2015-01-01

Biosurfactants (BSs) are “green” amphiphilic molecules produced by microorganisms during biodegradation, increasing the bioavailability of organic pollutants. In this work, the BS production yield of marine hydrocarbon degraders isolated from Elefsina bay in Eastern Mediterranean Sea has been investigated. The drop collapse test was used as a preliminary screening test to confirm BS producing strains or mixed consortia. The community structure of the best consortia based on the drop collapse test was determined by 16S-rDNA pyrotag screening. Subsequently, the effect of incubation time, temperature, substrate and supplementation with inorganic nutrients, on BS production, was examined. Two types of BS – lipid mixtures were extracted from the culture broth; the low molecular weight BS Rhamnolipids and Sophorolipids. Crude extracts were purified by silica gel column chromatography and then identified by thin layer chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results indicate that BS production yield remains constant and low while it is independent of the total culture biomass, carbon source, and temperature. A constant BS concentration in a culture broth with continuous degradation of crude oil (CO) implies that the BS producing microbes generate no more than the required amount of BSs that enables biodegradation of the CO. Isolated pure strains were found to have higher specific production yields than the complex microbial marine community-consortia. The heavy oil fraction of CO has emerged as a promising substrate for BS production (by marine BS producers) with fewer impurities in the final product. Furthermore, a particular strain isolated from sediments, Paracoccus marcusii, may be an optimal choice for bioremediation purposes as its biomass remains trapped in the hydrocarbon phase, not suffering from potential dilution effects by sea currents. PMID:25904907

Bioactive Natural Products of Marine Sponges from the Genus Hyrtios

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nourhan Hisham Shady

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Marine sponges are known as a rich source for novel bioactive compounds with valuable pharmacological potential. One of the most predominant sponge genera is Hyrtios, reported to have various species such as Hyrtios erectus, Hyrtios reticulatus, Hyrtios gumminae, Hyrtios communis, and Hyrtios tubulatus and a number of undescribed species. Members of the genus Hyrtios are a rich source of natural products with diverse and valuable biological activities, represented by different chemical classes including alkaloids, sesterterpenes and sesquiterpenes. This review covers the literature until June 2016, providing a complete survey of all compounds isolated from the genus Hyrtios with their corresponding biological activities whenever applicable.

75 FR 12734 - Taking and Importing Marine Mammals; Taking Marine Mammals Incidental to Operation of Offshore...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-17

... marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including... supplies; production operations; drilling operations; pipeline design, inspection, and maintenance; routine...

Benthic primary production and mineralization in a High Arctic Fjord

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Attard, Karl M.; Hancke, Kasper; Sejr, Mikael K.

2016-01-01

Coastal and shelf systems likely exert major influence on Arctic Ocean functioning, yet key ecosystem processes remain poorly quantified. We employed the aquatic eddy covariance (AEC) oxygen (O2) flux method to estimate benthic primary production and mineralization in a High Arctic Greenland fjord....... Seabed gross primary production (GPP) within the 40 m deep photic zone was highest at 10 m (29 mmol O2 m−2 d−1) and decreased to 5 mmol O2 m−2 d−1 at 40 m, while nighttime community respiration (CR) ranged from 11 to 25 mmol O2m−2 d−1. CR decreased to ~2.5 mmol O2m−2 d−1 at 80 m and remained constant...... with further depth. Fauna activity accounted for ~50% of the CR at depths ≤60 m but was primary production...

PRODUCTION OF DMS FROM DISSOLVED DMSP IN AXENIC CULTURES OF THE MARINE-PHYTOPLANKTON SPECIES PHAEOCYSTIS SP

NARCIS (Netherlands)

STEFELS, J; VANBOEKEL, WHM

In the marine environment, production of dimethylsulfide (DMS) from dissolved dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP(d)) - an algal osmolyte - is thought to occur mainly through bacterial activity. We have investigated the possibility that phytoplankton cells convert DMSP(d) into DMS, using axenic batch

Antimycobacterial Metabolites from Marine Invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Daletos, Georgios; Ancheeva, Elena; Chaidir, Chaidir; Kalscheuer, Rainer; Proksch, Peter

2016-10-01

Marine organisms play an important role in natural product-based drug research due to accumulation of structurally unique and bioactive metabolites. The exploration of marine-derived compounds may significantly extend the scientific knowledge of potential scaffolds for antibiotic drug discovery. Development of novel antitubercular agents is especially significant as the emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains remains threateningly high. Marine invertebrates (i.e., sponges, corals, gorgonians) as a source of new chemical entities are the center of research for several scientific groups, and the wide spectrum of biological activities of marine-derived compounds encourages scientists to carry out investigations in the field of antibiotic research, including tuberculosis treatment. The present review covers published data on antitubercular natural products from marine invertebrates grouped according to their biogenetic origin. Studies on the structure-activity relationships of these important leads are highlighted as well. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

On Tour... Primary Hardwood Processing, Products and Recycling Unit

Science.gov (United States)

Philip A. Araman; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1995-01-01

Housed within the Department of Wood Science and Forest Products at Virginia Polytechnic Institute is a three-person USDA Forest Service research work unit (with one vacancy) devoted to hardwood processing and recycling research. Phil Araman is the project leader of this truly unique and productive unit, titled ãPrimary Hardwood Processing, Products and Recycling.ä The...

Amylase Production from Thermophilic Bacillus sp. BCC 021-50 Isolated from a Marine Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Altaf Ahmed Simair

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The high cost of fermentation media is one of the technical barriers in amylase production from microbial sources. Amylase is used in several industrial processes or industries, for example, in the food industry, the saccharification of starchy materials, and in the detergent and textile industry. In this study, marine microorganisms were isolated to identify unique amylase-producing microbes in starch agar medium. More than 50 bacterial strains with positive amylase activity, isolated from marine water and soil, were screened for amylase production in starch agar medium. Bacillus sp. BCC 021-50 was found to be the best amylase-producing strain in starch agar medium and under submerged fermentation conditions. Next, fermentation conditions were optimized for bacterial growth and enzyme production. The highest amylase concentration of 5211 U/mL was obtained after 36 h of incubation at 50 °C, pH 8.0, using 20 g/L molasses as an energy source and 10 g/L peptone as a nitrogen source. From an application perspective, crude amylase was characterized in terms of temperature and pH. Maximum amylase activity was noted at 70 °C and pH 7.50. However, our results show clear advantages for enzyme stability in alkaline pH, high-temperature, and stability in the presence of surfactant, oxidizing, and bleaching agents. This research contributes towards the development of an economical amylase production process using agro-industrial residues.

Role of small-sized copepods in the lipid-driven Arctic marine food web

Science.gov (United States)

Daase, M.; Boissonnot, L.; Graeve, M.; Søreide, J.; Niehoff, B.

2016-02-01

Despite of the low individual biomass of small-sized copepods such as the calanoid Pseudocalanus minutus and the cyclopoid Oithona similis, they are extremely numerous which make them an important trophic component in Arctic marine ecosystems. Due to the strong seasonality in light and thus primary production and food availability, the accumulation of lipid reserves is a key feature in Arctic marine ecosystems. However, very few studies exist on the lipid biochemistry of small copepods such as P. minutus and O. similis. In order to investigate the importance of these species in terms of transfer of lipids from primary production to higher trophic levels, feeding experiments were conducted, based on animals from Billefjorden, a high-Arctic fjord in Svalbard, Norway. A mixture of 13C labeled flagellates and diatoms was fed to the animals and the transfer and assimilation of lipid carbon, fatty acids and fatty alcohols was analyzed with gas chromatography-IRMS technique (CSIA). The results revealed that both species were incorporating dietary lipids in high quantities. The highest accumulation occurred in P. minutus in which 54.4% of the lipids were exchanged after 21 days, whereas 9.4% were assimilated in O. similis. Hence, at least this amount of carbon was used for metabolism and replaced by feeding. The lipid composition of the copepods did not reflect exactly the algal lipids, and differed between P. minutus and O. similis. Our results suggested intrinsic preferences in the accumulation of particular fatty acids, probably related to species-specific body requirements. This emphasizes the importance of also food quality in Arctic marine systems. Due to the relatively high lipid turnover rates in particularly in P. minutus, also small copepods are important drivers of the lipid-driven Arctic marine food web.

Mass extinctions: Ecological selectivity and primary production

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Melissa Clark; Thayer, Charles W.

1991-09-01

If mass extinctions were caused by reduced primary productivity, then extinctions should be concentrated among animals with starvation-susceptible feeding modes, active lifestyles, and high-energy budgets. The stratigraphic ranges (by stage) of 424 genera of bivalves and 309 genera of articulate brachiopods suggest that there was an unusual reduction of primary productivity at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary extinction. For bivalves at the K/T, there were (1) selective extinction of suspension feeders and other susceptible trophic categories relative to deposit feeders and other resistant categories, and (2) among suspension feed-ers, selective extinction of bivalves with active locomotion. During the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) extinction and Jurassic background time, extinction rates among suspension feeders were greater for articulate brachiopods than for bivalves. But during the K/T event, extinction rates of articulates and suspension-feeding bivalves equalized, possibly because the low-energy budgets of articulates gave them an advantage when food was scarce.

Work Environment and Productivity among Primary School Teachers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

User

International Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia. Vol. 5 (5), Serial No. ... work environment of Nigeria primary school teachers to greater productivity ... changes on the structure and curriculum, recommend and prescribed teaching methods and ...

Corrosion products in the primary circuits of PWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darras, R.

1983-01-01

The characteristics of PWR primary circuits are recalled, particularly the chemical specifications of the medium and the various materials used (austenitic steel, nickel alloys, cobalt-based alloys and zirconium alloys). The behaviour of these materials as regards general corrosion in nominal and transient conditions is then outlined briefly, special emphasis being laid on the effect of the determining parameters on the quantity of corrosion products formed. The release of the latter into the primary coolant is caused by two main processes: solubilization and erosion. Particular attention was given therefore to the laws governing the solubility of the oxides involved, especially as a function of temperature and pH. Erosion, or release in the form of solid particles, is relatively severe during transient events. As these corrosion products are then carried through all circuits, they cause deposits to form in favourable places on the walls as a result either of precipitation of soluble species or of sedimentation followed by consolidation of suspended particles. The presence of corrosion products in the primary circuits creates a particular impact since they become radioactive as they pass through the core and especially when they remain in it in the form of deposits; as a result, the products are capable of contaminating the entire system. Finally, although long-term reliability is obviously an essential condition for materials developed, attention must also be given to problems associated with a build-up of corrosion products in the cooling circuits and efforts made to minimize them. To that end, a number of precautions are recommended, and various remedies can be applied: selecting materials which are not readily activated, keeping structures clean, purifying fluids properly, restricting solubilization and precipitation, and perhaps, periodic decontamination. (author)

Multi-centennial Record of Labrador Sea Primary Productivity and Sea-Ice Variability Archived in Coralline Algal Ba/Ca

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Phoebe; Halfar, Jochen; Adey, Walter; Hetzinger, Steffen; Zack, Thomas; Moore, Kent; Wortmann, Ulrich; Williams, Branwen; Hou, Alicia

2017-04-01

Arctic sea-ice thickness and concentration have dropped by approximately 9% per decade since 1978. Concurrent with this sea-ice decline is an increase in rates of phytoplankton productivity, driven by shoaling of the mixed layer and enhanced transmittance of solar radiation into the surface ocean. This has recently been confirmed by phytoplankton studies in Arctic and Subarctic basins that have revealed earlier timing, prolonged duration, and increased primary productivity of the spring phytoplankton bloom. However, difficulties of navigating in remote ice-laden waters and harsh polar climates have often resulted in short and incomplete records of in-situ plankton abundance in the northwestern Labrador Sea. Alternatively, information of past ocean productivity may be gained through the study of trace nutrient distributions in the surface water column. Investigations of dissolved barium (Ba) concentrations in the Arctic reveal significant depletions of Ba in surface seawaters due to biological scavenging during the spring phytoplankton bloom. Here we apply a barium-to-calcium (Ba/Ca) and carbon isotope (δ13C) multiproxy approach to long-lived crustose coralline algae in order to reconstruct an annually-resolved multi-centennial record of Labrador Sea productivity related to sea-ice variability in Labrador, Canada that extends well into the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1646 AD). The crustose coralline alga Clathromorphum compactum is a shallow marine calcareous plant that is abundant along the eastern Canadian coastline, and produces annual growth increments which allow for the precise calendar dating and geochemical sampling of hard tissue. Algal Ba/Ca ratios can serve as a promising new proxy for surface water productivity, demonstrating a close correspondence to δ13C that does not suffer from the anthropogenically-induced carbon isotope decline (ex. Suess Effect) beginning in the 1960s. Coralline algal Ba/Ca demonstrates statistically significant correlations to both

Trends in the Discovery of New Marine Natural Products from Invertebrates over the Last Two Decades – Where and What Are We Bioprospecting?

Science.gov (United States)

Leal, Miguel Costa; Puga, João; Serôdio, João; Gomes, Newton C. M.; Calado, Ricardo

2012-01-01

It is acknowledged that marine invertebrates produce bioactive natural products that may be useful for developing new drugs. By exploring untapped geographical sources and/or novel groups of organisms one can maximize the search for new marine drugs to treat human diseases. The goal of this paper is to analyse the trends associated with the discovery of new marine natural products from invertebrates (NMNPI) over the last two decades. The analysis considers different taxonomical levels and geographical approaches of bioprospected species. Additionally, this research is also directed to provide new insights into less bioprospected taxa and world regions. In order to gather the information available on NMNPI, the yearly-published reviews of Marine Natural Products covering 1990–2009 were surveyed. Information on source organisms, specifically taxonomical information and collection sites, was assembled together with additional geographical information collected from the articles originally describing the new natural product. Almost 10000 NMNPI were discovered since 1990, with a pronounced increase between decades. Porifera and Cnidaria were the two dominant sources of NMNPI worldwide. The exception was polar regions where Echinodermata dominated. The majority of species that yielded the new natural products belong to only one class of each Porifera and Cnidaria phyla (Demospongiae and Anthozoa, respectively). Increased bioprospecting efforts were observed in the Pacific Ocean, particularly in Asian countries that are associated with the Japan Biodiversity Hotspot and the Kuroshio Current. Although results show comparably less NMNPI from polar regions, the number of new natural products per species is similar to that recorded for other regions. The present study provides information to future bioprospecting efforts addressing previously unexplored taxonomic groups and/or regions. We also highlight how marine invertebrates, which in some cases have no commercial value

Production and Utilization of Core-Textbooks in Primary School ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Production and Utilization of Core-Textbooks in Primary School System: Impact of Authors and Publishers. ... These stakeholders have specific roles to play and cannot operate in isolation. The study, therefore investigated the influence of authorship and publishers on core textbook production and utilisation in Oyo State ...

Marine Peptides: Bioactivities and Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Randy Chi Fai Cheung

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Peptides are important bioactive natural products which are present in many marine species. These marine peptides have high potential nutraceutical and medicinal values because of their broad spectra of bioactivities. Their antimicrobial, antiviral, antitumor, antioxidative, cardioprotective (antihypertensive, antiatherosclerotic and anticoagulant, immunomodulatory, analgesic, anxiolytic anti-diabetic, appetite suppressing and neuroprotective activities have attracted the attention of the pharmaceutical industry, which attempts to design them for use in the treatment or prevention of various diseases. Some marine peptides or their derivatives have high commercial values and had reached the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical markets. A large number of them are already in different phases of the clinical and preclinical pipeline. This review highlights the recent research in marine peptides and the trends and prospects for the future, with special emphasis on nutraceutical and pharmaceutical development into marketed products.

Stereopermutation on the Putative Structure of the Marine Natural Product Mucosin.

Science.gov (United States)

Antonsen, Simen G; Gallantree-Smith, Harrison; Görbitz, Carl Henrik; Hansen, Trond Vidar; Stenstrøm, Yngve H; Nolsøe, Jens M J

2017-10-13

A stereodivergent total synthesis has been executed based on the plausibly misassigned structure of the unusual marine hydrindane mucosin ( 1 ). The topological connectivity of the four contiguous all -carbon stereocenters has been examined by selective permutation on the highlighted core. Thus, capitalizing on an unprecedented stereofacial preference of the cis -fused bicycle[4.3.0]non-3-ene system when a Michael acceptor motif is incorporated, copper-mediated conjugate addition furnished a single diastereomer. Cued by the relative relationship reported for the appendices in the natural product, the resulting anti -adduct was elaborated into a probative target structure 1* .

Climate-induced interannual variability of marine primary and export production in three global coupled climate carbon cycle models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Schneider

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Fully coupled climate carbon cycle models are sophisticated tools that are used to predict future climate change and its impact on the land and ocean carbon cycles. These models should be able to adequately represent natural variability, requiring model validation by observations. The present study focuses on the ocean carbon cycle component, in particular the spatial and temporal variability in net primary productivity (PP and export production (EP of particulate organic carbon (POC. Results from three coupled climate carbon cycle models (IPSL, MPIM, NCAR are compared with observation-based estimates derived from satellite measurements of ocean colour and results from inverse modelling (data assimilation. Satellite observations of ocean colour have shown that temporal variability of PP on the global scale is largely dominated by the permanently stratified, low-latitude ocean (Behrenfeld et al., 2006 with stronger stratification (higher sea surface temperature; SST being associated with negative PP anomalies. Results from all three coupled models confirm the role of the low-latitude, permanently stratified ocean for anomalies in globally integrated PP, but only one model (IPSL also reproduces the inverse relationship between stratification (SST and PP. An adequate representation of iron and macronutrient co-limitation of phytoplankton growth in the tropical ocean has shown to be the crucial mechanism determining the capability of the models to reproduce observed interactions between climate and PP.

Seasonality of primary and secondary production in an Arctic river

Science.gov (United States)

Kendrick, M.; Huryn, A.; Deegan, L.

2011-12-01

Rivers and streams that freeze solid for 8-9 months each year provide excellent examples of the extreme seasonality of arctic habitats. The communities of organisms inhabiting these rivers must complete growth and development during summer, resulting in a rapid ramp-up and down of production over the short ice-free period. The effects of recent shifts in the timing of the spring thaw and autumn freeze-up on the duration and pattern of the period of active production are poorly understood. We are currently investigating: 1) the response of the biotic community of the Kuparuk River (Arctic Alaska) to shifts in the seasonality of the ice-free period, and 2) the community response to increases in phosphorous (P) supply anticipated as the volume of the permafrost active-layer increases in response to climate warming. Here algal production supports a 2-tier web of consumers. We tracked primary and secondary production from the spring thaw through mid-August in a reference reach and one receiving low-level P fertilization. Gross primary production/community respiration (GPP/R) ratios for both reaches were increasing through mid-July, with higher GPP/R in response to the P addition. Understanding the degree of synchrony between primary and secondary production in this Arctic river system will enhance further understanding of how shifts in seasonality affect trophic dynamics.

Primary Productivity, NASA Aqua MODIS, 4.4 km, Global, EXPERIMENTAL

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Primary Productivity is calculated from NASA Aqua MODIS Chl a SST data. THIS IS AN EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCT: intended strictly for scientific evaluation by professional...

Why is relating plankton community structure to pelagic production ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

mixing regulates primary production, and assuming certain features of food-chain length and efficiency, one can estimate fish yields. Fundamental to these arguments are assumptions concerning resource limitation which appear to be uncertain as generic marine pelagic characteristics, primarily that trophic levels are ...

Recent Advances in Marine Enzymes for Biotechnological Processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, R N; Porto, A L M

In the last decade, new trends in the food and pharmaceutical industries have increased concern for the quality and safety of products. The use of biocatalytic processes using marine enzymes has become an important and useful natural product for biotechnological applications. Bioprocesses using biocatalysts like marine enzymes (fungi, bacteria, plants, animals, algae, etc.) offer hyperthermostability, salt tolerance, barophilicity, cold adaptability, chemoselectivity, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity. Currently, enzymatic methods are used to produce a large variety of products that humans consume, and the specific nature of the enzymes including processing under mild pH and temperature conditions result in fewer unwanted side-effects and by-products. This offers high selectivity in industrial processes. The marine habitat has been become increasingly studied because it represents a huge source potential biocatalysts. Enzymes include oxidoreductases, hydrolases, transferases, isomerases, ligases, and lyases that can be used in food and pharmaceutical applications. Finally, recent advances in biotechnological processes using enzymes of marine organisms (bacterial, fungi, algal, and sponges) are described and also our work on marine organisms from South America, especially marine-derived fungi and bacteria involved in biotransformations and biodegradation of organic compounds. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, and traditional applications of marine carbohydrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Abdul Bakrudeen Ali; Adel, Mohaddeseh; Karimi, Pegah; Peidayesh, Mahvash

2014-01-01

Marine carbohydrates are most important organic molecules made by photosynthetic organisms. It is very essential for humankind: the role in being an energy source for the organism and they are considered as an important dissolve organic compound (DOC) in marine environment's sediments. Carbohydrates found in different marine environments in different concentrations. Polysaccharides of carbohydrates play an important role in various fields such as pharmaceutical, food production, cosmeceutical, and so on. Marine organisms are good resources of nutrients, and they are rich carbohydrate in sulfated polysaccharide. Seaweeds (marine microalgae) are used in different pharmaceutical industries, especially in pharmaceutical compound production. Seaweeds have a significant amount of sulfated polysaccharides, which are used in cosmeceutical industry, besides based on the biological applications. Since then, traditional people, cosmetics products, and pharmaceutical applications consider many types of seaweed as an important organism used in food process. Sulfated polysaccharides containing seaweed have potential uses in the blood coagulation system, antiviral activity, antioxidant activity, anticancer activity, immunomodulating activity, antilipidepic activity, etc. Some species of marine organisms are rich in polysaccharides such as sulfated galactans. Various polysaccharides such as agar and alginates, which are extracted from marine organisms, have several applications in food production and cosmeceutical industries. Due to their high health benefits, compound-derived extracts of marine polysaccharides have various applications and traditional people were using them since long time ago. In the future, much attention is supposed to be paid to unraveling the structural, compositional, and sequential properties of marine carbohydrate as well. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hot-spots of primary productivity: An Alternative interpretation to Conventional upwelling models

Science.gov (United States)

van Ruth, Paul D.; Ganf, George G.; Ward, Tim M.

2010-12-01

The eastern Great Australian Bight (EGAB) forms part of the Southern and Indian Oceans and is an area of high ecological and economic importance. Although it supports a commercial fishery, quantitative estimates of the primary productivity underlying this industry are open to debate. Estimates range from 500 mg C m -2 day -1. Part of this variation may be due to the unique upwelling circulation of shelf waters in summer/autumn (November-April), which shares some similarities with highly productive eastern boundary current upwelling systems, but differs due to the influence of a northern boundary current, the Flinders current, and a wide continental shelf. This study examines spatial variations in primary productivity in the EGAB during the upwelling seasons of 2005 and 2006. Daily integral productivity calculated using the vertically generalised production model (VGPM) showed a high degree of spatial variation. Productivity was low (modelled with the VGPM, which uses surface measures of phytoplankton biomass to calculate productivity. Macro-nutrient concentrations could not be used to explain the difference in the low and high productivities (silica > 1 μmol L -1, nitrate/nitrite > 0.4 μmol L -1, phosphate > 0.1 μmol L -1). Mixing patterns or micro-nutrient concentrations are possible explanations for spatial variations in primary productivity in the EGAB. On a global scale, daily rates of primary productivity of the EGAB lie between the highly productive eastern boundary current upwelling systems, and less productive coastal regions of western and south eastern Australia, and the oligotrophic ocean. However, daily productivity rates in the upwelling hotspots of the EGAB rival productivities in Benguela and Humboldt currents.

HANPP Collection: Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) by Country and Product

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Global Patterns in Human Appropriation of Net Primary Productivity (HANPP) portion of the HANPP Collection represents a digital map of human appropriation of net...

Primary productivity in nearshore waters of Thal, Maharashtra coast

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Varshney, P.K.; Nair, V.R.; Abidi, S.A.H.

Primary productivity off Thal, Maharashtra, India was evaluated at 3 stations during Feb. 1980 to Jan. 1981. The area was quite turbid and the euphotic zone never exceeded 2.5 m. Column production ranged from 0.69 to 605.21 mg C.m/2.d/2 (av. 78.2 mg...

T4 genes in the marine ecosystem: studies of the T4-like cyanophages and their role in marine ecology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Millard Andrew D

2010-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract From genomic sequencing it has become apparent that the marine cyanomyoviruses capable of infecting strains of unicellular cyanobacteria assigned to the genera Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus are not only morphologically similar to T4, but are also genetically related, typically sharing some 40-48 genes. The large majority of these common genes are the same in all marine cyanomyoviruses so far characterized. Given the fundamental physiological differences between marine unicellular cyanobacteria and heterotrophic hosts of T4-like phages it is not surprising that the study of cyanomyoviruses has revealed novel and fascinating facets of the phage-host relationship. One of the most interesting features of the marine cyanomyoviruses is their possession of a number of genes that are clearly of host origin such as those involved in photosynthesis, like the psbA gene that encodes a core component of the photosystem II reaction centre. Other host-derived genes encode enzymes involved in carbon metabolism, phosphate acquisition and ppGpp metabolism. The impact of these host-derived genes on phage fitness has still largely to be assessed and represents one of the most important topics in the study of this group of T4-like phages in the laboratory. However, these phages are also of considerable environmental significance by virtue of their impact on key contributors to oceanic primary production and the true extent and nature of this impact has still to be accurately assessed.

Consumer Preferences Toward Marine Tourism Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvy Fauziah

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The marine zone tourism is growing attracting more tourists. Pramuka Island is marine conservation area enriched with marine biodiversity in coral reefs and other natural resources. To develop this potential tourist destination, a customer-based marketing program is required to attract domestic and foreign tourists. The main vision is to understand tourist preferences for marine tourism activities and facilities. A research was conducted on Pramuka Island as a well-known marine tourism zone. The objective was to determine the key tourist preferences for marine tourism destination. Research methods utilized Cochran Q test and Conjoint analysis where the primary data were obtained from tourist respondents. The result showed that there was a tourist preference based on the five attributes considered most important, namely tourism activities, tourist attractions, types of accommodation, food and souvenirs types. This study provided marine tourism destination management with useful guidance for broader implications of the implementation of marketing programs and tourism attraction. Moreover, the results of this study consolidated the learning of a variety of academic and industrial research papers in particular for the measurement of customer preferences towards marine tourism destination.

Freshwater savings from marine protein consumption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gephart, Jessica A; Pace, Michael L; D’Odorico, Paolo

2014-01-01

Marine fisheries provide an essential source of protein for many people around the world. Unlike alternative terrestrial sources of protein, marine fish production requires little to no freshwater inputs. Consuming marine fish protein instead of terrestrial protein therefore represents freshwater savings (equivalent to an avoided water cost) and contributes to a low water footprint diet. These water savings are realized by the producers of alternative protein sources, rather than the consumers of marine protein. This study quantifies freshwater savings from marine fish consumption around the world by estimating the water footprint of replacing marine fish with terrestrial protein based on current consumption patterns. An estimated 7 600 km 3  yr −1 of water is used for human food production. Replacing marine protein with terrestrial protein would require an additional 350 km 3  yr −1 of water, meaning that marine protein provides current water savings of 4.6%. The importance of these freshwater savings is highly uneven around the globe, with savings ranging from as little as 0 to as much as 50%. The largest savings as a per cent of current water footprints occur in Asia, Oceania, and several coastal African nations. The greatest national water savings from marine fish protein occur in Southeast Asia and the United States. As the human population increases, future water savings from marine fish consumption will be increasingly important to food and water security and depend on sustainable harvest of capture fisheries and low water footprint growth of marine aquaculture. (paper)

Analysis of the marine shrimp farm production chain in Rio Grande do Sul state

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rodrigo Randow de Freitas

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This study aims to identify, describe, and analyze the main links of the marine shrimp culture production chain in the extreme south of Brazil, specifically in the Rio Grande and São José do Norte municipalities, Rio Grande do Sul state. The research was carried out through prior bibliographic, in loco research and the application of interviews and questionnaires to identify the entire local productive process from the inputs needed for production to the arrival at the final consumer. The results indicate that the production chain requires actions in the process until the product’s final commercialization. Even as a growing market in Brazil, more investments, better support from the Government for the installation of new farmers, a reduction of bureaucracy in public agencies, training of actors involved in production, and some other points identified in this study can help decision makers, inherent to the activity, to establish sustainable production strategies aimed at lasting and full development of local shrimp production.

Global distribution and climate forcing of marine organic aerosol: 1. Model improvements and evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Meskhidze

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Marine organic aerosol emissions have been implemented and evaluated within the National Center of Atmospheric Research (NCAR's Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5 with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory's 7-mode Modal Aerosol Module (MAM-7. Emissions of marine primary organic aerosols (POA, phytoplankton-produced isoprene- and monoterpenes-derived secondary organic aerosols (SOA and methane sulfonate (MS⁻ are shown to affect surface concentrations of organic aerosols in remote marine regions. Global emissions of submicron marine POA is estimated to be 7.9 and 9.4 Tg yr⁻¹, for the Gantt et al. (2011 and Vignati et al. (2010 emission parameterizations, respectively. Marine sources of SOA and particulate MS⁻ (containing both sulfur and carbon atoms contribute an additional 0.2 and 5.1 Tg yr⁻¹, respectively. Widespread areas over productive waters of the Northern Atlantic, Northern Pacific, and the Southern Ocean show marine-source submicron organic aerosol surface concentrations of 100 ng m⁻³, with values up to 400 ng m⁻³ over biologically productive areas. Comparison of long-term surface observations of water insoluble organic matter (WIOM with POA concentrations from the two emission parameterizations shows that despite revealed discrepancies (often more than a factor of 2, both Gantt et al. (2011 and Vignati et al. (2010 formulations are able to capture the magnitude of marine organic aerosol concentrations, with the Gantt et al. (2011 parameterization attaining better seasonality. Model simulations show that the mixing state of the marine POA can impact the surface number concentration of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN. The largest increases (up to 20% in CCN (at a supersaturation (S of 0.2% number concentration are obtained over biologically productive ocean waters when marine organic aerosol is assumed to be externally mixed with sea-salt. Assuming

Primary versus secondary and anthropogenic versus natural sources of aminium ions in atmospheric particles during nine coastal and marine campaigns

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, H.; Yao, X.

2017-12-01

In this study, size-segregated dimethylaminium (DMA+) and trimethylaminium (TMA+) in atmospheric particles were measured during four coastal campaigns in Qingdao, China and five campaigns cruising over marginal seas of China and the northwest Pacific Ocean. The measured averages of DMA+ and TMA+ in PM0.056-10 (the sum of chemical concentrations from 0.056 to 10 µm) during each campaign, ranged from 0.045 to 1.1 nmol m-3 and from 0.029 to 0.53 nmol m-3, respectively. Size distributions of DMA+ and TMA+ in coastal atmospheric particles suggested that primary combustion emissions featured by mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) at 0.2 µm generally yielded appreciable contributions to their observed concentrations in PM0.056-10 and sometimes dominantly contributed. In the marine atmospheres, the 0.1-0.2 µm modes of DMA+ and TMA+ also existed and sometimes dominated while they were very likely derived from primary ocean-biogenic emissions. In most of the samples during nine campaigns, secondarily-formed DMA+ and TMA+ in droplet mode with MMAD at 0.3-2 µm dominantly contributed to DMA+ and TMA+ in PM0.056-10. Overall, our results suggested that DMA+ and TMA+ in the marine atmospheric particles overwhelmingly came from ocean biogenic sources while they were likely derived from complicated anthropogenic and natural sources at the coastal sites.

Production of an antibiotic enterocin from a marine actinobacteria strain H1003 by metal-stress technique with enhanced enrichment using response surface methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassan, Syed Shamsul; Shah, Sayed Asmat Ali; Pan, Chengqian; Fu, Leilei; Cao, Xun; Shi, Yutong; Wu, Xiaodan; Wang, Kuiwu; Wu, Bin

2017-01-01

Elicitation by chemical means including heavy metals is one of a new technique for drug discoveries. In this research, the effect of heavy metals on marine actinobacteria Streptomyces sp. H-1003 for the production of enterocin, with a strong broad spectrum activity, along optimized fermented medium was firstly investigated. The optimum metal stress conditions consisted of culturing marine actinobacteria strain H-1003 with addition of cobalt ions at 2mM in optimized Gause's medium having starch at 20mg/L for 10 days at 180 revolution/min. Under these conditions, enterocin production was enhanced with a value of 5.33mg/L, which was totally absent at the normal culture of strain H-1003 and much higher than other tested metal-stress conditions. This work triumphantly announced a prodigious effect of heavy metals on marine actinobacteria with fringe benefits as a key tool of enterocin production.

Food waste quantification in primary production - The Nordic countries as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartikainen, Hanna; Mogensen, Lisbeth; Svanes, Erik; Franke, Ulrika

2018-01-01

Our understanding of food waste in the food supply chain has increased, but very few studies have been published on food waste in primary production. The overall aims of this study were to quantify the total amount of food waste in primary production in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, and to create a framework for how to define and quantify food waste in primary production. The quantification of food waste was based on case studies conducted in the present study and estimates published in scientific literature. The chosen scope of the study was to quantify the amount of edible food (excluding inedible parts like peels and bones) produced for human consumption that did not end up as food. As a result, the quantification was different from the existing guidelines. One of the main differences is that food that ends up as animal feed is included in the present study, whereas this is not the case for the recently launched food waste definition of the FUSIONS project. To distinguish the 'food waste' definition of the present study from the existing definitions and to avoid confusion with established usage of the term, a new term 'side flow' (SF) was introduced as a synonym for food waste in primary production. A rough estimate of the total amount of food waste in primary production in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark was made using SF and 'FUSIONS Food Waste' (FFW) definitions. The SFs in primary production in the four Nordic countries were an estimated 800,000 tonnes per year with an additional 100,000 tonnes per year from the rearing phase of animals. The 900,000 tonnes per year of SF corresponds to 3.7% of the total production of 24,000,000 tonnes per year of edible primary products. When using the FFW definition proposed by the FUSIONS project, the FFW amount was estimated at 330,000 tonnes per year, or 1% of the total production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anthropogenic climate change has altered primary productivity in Lake Superior.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Beirne, M D; Werne, J P; Hecky, R E; Johnson, T C; Katsev, S; Reavie, E D

2017-06-09

Anthropogenic climate change has the potential to alter many facets of Earth's freshwater resources, especially lacustrine ecosystems. The effects of anthropogenic changes in Lake Superior, which is Earth's largest freshwater lake by area, are not well documented (spatially or temporally) and predicted future states in response to climate change vary. Here we show that Lake Superior experienced a slow, steady increase in production throughout the Holocene using (paleo)productivity proxies in lacustrine sediments to reconstruct past changes in primary production. Furthermore, data from the last century indicate a rapid increase in primary production, which we attribute to increasing surface water temperatures and longer seasonal stratification related to longer ice-free periods in Lake Superior due to anthropogenic climate warming. These observations demonstrate that anthropogenic effects have become a prominent influence on one of Earth's largest, most pristine lacustrine ecosystems.

Biosurfactants, bioemulsifiers and exopolysaccharides from marine microorganisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Satpute, Surekha K; Banat, Ibrahim M; Dhakephalkar, Prashant K; Banpurkar, Arun G; Chopade, Balu A

2010-01-01

Marine biosphere offers wealthy flora and fauna, which represents a vast natural resource of imperative functional commercial grade products. Among the various bioactive compounds, biosurfactant (BS)/bioemulsifiers (BE) are attracting major interest and attention due to their structural and functional diversity. The versatile properties of surface active molecules find numerous applications in various industries. Marine microorganisms such as Acinetobacter, Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, Halomonas, Myroides, Corynebacteria, Bacillus, Alteromonas sp. have been studied for production of BS/BE and exopolysaccharides (EPS). Due to the enormity of marine biosphere, most of the marine microbial world remains unexplored. The discovery of potent BS/BE producing marine microorganism would enhance the use of environmental biodegradable surface active molecule and hopefully reduce total dependence or number of new application oriented towards the chemical synthetic surfactant industry. Our present review gives comprehensive information on BS/BE which has been reported to be produced by marine microorganisms and their possible potential future applications.

Transitional states in marine fisheries: adapting to predicted global change.

Science.gov (United States)

MacNeil, M Aaron; Graham, Nicholas A J; Cinner, Joshua E; Dulvy, Nicholas K; Loring, Philip A; Jennings, Simon; Polunin, Nicholas V C; Fisk, Aaron T; McClanahan, Tim R

2010-11-27

Global climate change has the potential to substantially alter the production and community structure of marine fisheries and modify the ongoing impacts of fishing. Fish community composition is already changing in some tropical, temperate and polar ecosystems, where local combinations of warming trends and higher environmental variation anticipate the changes likely to occur more widely over coming decades. Using case studies from the Western Indian Ocean, the North Sea and the Bering Sea, we contextualize the direct and indirect effects of climate change on production and biodiversity and, in turn, on the social and economic aspects of marine fisheries. Climate warming is expected to lead to (i) yield and species losses in tropical reef fisheries, driven primarily by habitat loss; (ii) community turnover in temperate fisheries, owing to the arrival and increasing dominance of warm-water species as well as the reduced dominance and departure of cold-water species; and (iii) increased diversity and yield in Arctic fisheries, arising from invasions of southern species and increased primary production resulting from ice-free summer conditions. How societies deal with such changes will depend largely on their capacity to adapt--to plan and implement effective responses to change--a process heavily influenced by social, economic, political and cultural conditions.

Bioactivity of marine organisms. 6. Antiviral evaluation of marine algal extracts from the Indian coast

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kamat, S.Y.; Wahidullah, S.; DeSouza, L.; Naik, C.G.; Ambiye, V.; Bhakuni, D.S.; Goel, A.K.; Garg, H.S.; Srimal, R.C.

Ethanolic extracts of Indian marine algae belonging to the Rhodophyceae, Phaeophyceae and Chlorophyceae were tested for anti-semiliki Forest (SFV), Ranikhet Disease (RDV) and Vaccinia (VV) viruses. In the primary screening of 31 seaweeds, 17...

Primary production in a tropical large lake: The role of phytoplankton composition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Darchambeau, F.; Sarmento, H.; Descy, J.-P.

2014-01-01

Phytoplankton biomass and primary production in tropical large lakes vary at different time scales, from seasons to centuries. We provide a dataset made of 7 consecutive years of phytoplankton biomass and production in Lake Kivu (Eastern Africa). From 2002 to 2008, bi-weekly samplings were performed in a pelagic site in order to quantify phytoplankton composition and biomass, using marker pigments determined by HPLC. Primary production rates were estimated by 96 in situ 14 C incubations. A principal component analysis showed that the main environmental gradient was linked to a seasonal variation of the phytoplankton assemblage, with a clear separation between diatoms during the dry season and cyanobacteria during the rainy season. A rather wide range of the maximum specific photosynthetic rate (P Bm ) was found, ranging between 1.15 and 7.21 g carbon g −1 chlorophyll a h −1 , and was best predicted by a regression model using phytoplankton composition as an explanatory variable. The irradiance at the onset of light saturation (I k ) ranged between 91 and 752 μE m −2 s −1 and was linearly correlated with the mean irradiance in the mixed layer. The inter-annual variability of phytoplankton biomass and production was high, ranging from 53 to 100 mg chlorophyll a m −2 (annual mean) and from 143 to 278 g carbon m −2 y −1 , respectively. The degree of seasonal mixing determined annual production, demonstrating the sensitivity of tropical lakes to climate variability. A review of primary production of other African great lakes allows situating Lake Kivu productivity in the same range as that of lakes Tanganyika and Malawi, even if mean phytoplankton biomass was higher in Lake Kivu. - Highlights: • We provide a 7-year dataset of primary production in a tropical great lake. • Specific photosynthetic rate was determined by community composition. • Annual primary production varied between 143 and 278 mg C m −2 y −1 . • Pelagic production was highly

Persistence of trophic hotspots and relation to human impacts within an upwelling marine ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Santora, Jarrod A; Sydeman, William J; Schroeder, Isaac D; Field, John C; Miller, Rebecca R; Wells, Brian K

2017-03-01

Human impacts (e.g., fishing, pollution, and shipping) on pelagic ecosystems are increasing, causing concerns about stresses on marine food webs. Maintaining predator-prey relationships through protection of pelagic hotspots is crucial for conservation and management of living marine resources. Biotic components of pelagic, plankton-based, ecosystems exhibit high variability in abundance in time and space (i.e., extreme patchiness), requiring investigation of persistence of abundance across trophic levels to resolve trophic hotspots. Using a 26-yr record of indicators for primary production, secondary (zooplankton and larval fish), and tertiary (seabirds) consumers, we show distributions of trophic hotspots in the southern California Current Ecosystem result from interactions between a strong upwelling center and a productive retention zone with enhanced nutrients, which concentrate prey and predators across multiple trophic levels. Trophic hotspots also overlap with human impacts, including fisheries extraction of coastal pelagic and groundfish species, as well as intense commercial shipping traffic. Spatial overlap of trophic hotspots with fisheries and shipping increases vulnerability of the ecosystem to localized depletion of forage fish, ship strikes on marine mammals, and pollution. This study represents a critical step toward resolving pelagic areas of high conservation interest for planktonic ecosystems and may serve as a model for other ocean regions where ecosystem-based management and marine spatial planning of pelagic ecosystems is warranted. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

Marine eutrophication impacts from present and future production of spring barley

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Niero, Monia

2015-01-01

Environmental emissions of nitrogen (N) from agriculture surplus may enrich coastal waters and trigger marine eutrophication impacts. We estimated these impacts for spring barley production in Denmark, under present and future climatic conditions with double carbon dioxide concentration and 5 °C...... increase. Characterised emissions of airborne (NH3 and NOx) and waterborne (NO3-) forms result in an endpoint impact of 2.35*10-12 (North Sea) and 8.47*10-12 species.yr (Baltic Sea) under present conditions per kg spring barley produced. The future scenario shows 67% increase on both spatial units. Spatial...... to hypoxia under future pressures may alter the impacts assessment....

Climate engineering and the ocean: effects on biogeochemistry and primary production

Science.gov (United States)

Lauvset, Siv K.; Tjiputra, Jerry; Muri, Helene

2017-12-01

Here we use an Earth system model with interactive biogeochemistry to project future ocean biogeochemistry impacts from the large-scale deployment of three different radiation management (RM) climate engineering (also known as geoengineering) methods: stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), marine sky brightening (MSB), and cirrus cloud thinning (CCT). We apply RM such that the change in radiative forcing in the RCP8.5 emission scenario is reduced to the change in radiative forcing in the RCP4.5 scenario. The resulting global mean sea surface temperatures in the RM experiments are comparable to those in RCP4.5, but there are regional differences. The forcing from MSB, for example, is applied over the oceans, so the cooling of the ocean is in some regions stronger for this method of RM than for the others. Changes in ocean net primary production (NPP) are much more variable, but SAI and MSB give a global decrease comparable to RCP4.5 (˜ 6 % in 2100 relative to 1971-2000), while CCT gives a much smaller global decrease of ˜ 3 %. Depending on the RM methods, the spatially inhomogeneous changes in ocean NPP are related to the simulated spatial change in the NPP drivers (incoming radiation, temperature, availability of nutrients, and phytoplankton biomass) but mostly dominated by the circulation changes. In general, the SAI- and MSB-induced changes are largest in the low latitudes, while the CCT-induced changes tend to be the weakest of the three. The results of this work underscore the complexity of climate impacts on NPP and highlight the fact that changes are driven by an integrated effect of multiple environmental drivers, which all change in different ways. These results stress the uncertain changes to ocean productivity in the future and advocate caution at any deliberate attempt at large-scale perturbation of the Earth system.

Marine Invertebrate Natural Products for Anti-Inflammatory and Chronic Diseases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kalimuthu Senthilkumar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The marine environment represents a relatively available source of functional ingredients that can be applied to various aspects of food processing, storage, and fortification. Moreover, numerous marine invertebrates based compounds have biological activities and also interfere with the pathogenesis of diseases. Isolated compounds from marine invertebrates have been shown to pharmacological activities and are helpful for the invention and discovery of bioactive compounds, primarily for deadly diseases like cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, osteoporosis, and so forth. Extensive research within the last decade has revealed that most chronic illnesses such as cancer, neurological diseases, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases exhibit dysregulation of multiple cell signaling pathways that have been linked to inflammation. On the basis of their bioactive properties, this review focuses on the potential use of marine invertebrate derived compounds on anti-inflammatory and some chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, HIV, and cancer.

The Marine Food Chain in Relation to Biodiversity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew R.G. Price

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Biodiversity provides “raw materials” for the food chain and seafood production, and also influences the capacity of ecosystems to perform these and other services. Harvested marine seafood species now exceed 100 million t y -1 and provide about 6% of all protein and 17% of animal protein consumed by humans. These resources include representatives from about nine biologically diverse groups of plants and animals. Fish account for most of the world’s marine catches, of which only 40 species are taken in abundance. Highest primary productivity and the richest fisheries are found within Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ. This narrow strip (200 nautical mile/370 km wide is not only the site of coastal “food factories” but also the area associated with heaviest perturbation to the marine environment. Structural redundancy is evident in marine ecosystems, in that many species are interchangeable in the way they characterise assemblage composition. While there is probably functional redundancy within groups, the effects of species loss on ecosystem performance cannot be easily predicted. In particular, the degree to which biodiversity per se is needed for ecosystem services, including seafood/fishery production, is poorly understood. Many human activities, including unsustainable fishing and mariculture, lead to erosion of marine biodiversity. This can undermine the biophysical cornerstones of fisheries and have other undesirable environmental side effects. Of direct concern are “species effects”, in particular the removal of target and non-target fishery species, as well as conservationally important fauna. Equally disrupting but less immediate are “ecosystem effects”, such as fishing down the food web, following a shift from harvested species of high to low trophic level. Physical and biological disturbances from trawl nets and dynamite fishing on coral reefs can also severely impact ecosystem structure and function. �

Phototoxicity of petroleum products to marine invertebrate larvae and niles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pelletier, M.C.; Burgess, R.; Ho, K.; Kuhn, A.; McKinney, R.; Ryba, S.

1995-01-01

Ultraviolet light can activate certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), inducing the production of free radicals. In biological organisms these free radicals destroy tissues, causing up to a 4,000 fold increase in toxicity. This dramatic response is a potential marker for PAH contamination in environmental samples. Ultraviolet enhancement of toxicity has ecological relevance as well. An oil spill can release large amounts of PAHs into the marine environment. Oil spill assessments to date have not included observations of any phototoxic effect on pelagic larvae or juveniles of benthic or epibenthic invertebrates. In this study, larvae and juveniles of the bivalve, Mulinia lateralis and juveniles of the mysid shrimp, Mysidopsis bahia were exposed to individual PAHs, as well as the water accommodated fractions of several petroleum products to verify the ability of this method to detect PAHs in environmental samples, and to determine if phototoxicity is a concern during and after an oil spill. Significant phototoxicity was seen in both single chemical and petroleum product exposures. Swartz's EPAH model was not applicable to the authors' results. They hoped to show causality but were not fully successful due to the need to further develop the model with their species and expand the number of PAH analyzed

USCG Local Notice to Mariners: 2007

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Department of Homeland Security — The LNM is the primary means for disseminating information concerning aids to navigation, hazards to navigation, and other items of marine information of interest to...

USCG Local Notice to Mariners: 1998

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USCG Local Notice to Mariners: 1996

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USCG Local Notice to Mariners: 1995

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Physical control of primary productivity on a seasonal scale in ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Keywords. Primary production; upwelling; winter cooling; Ekman-pumping, nutrient transport; Arabian Sea ... on the other hand, is driven by advection from the Somalia upwelling. Surface cooling and convection resulting from reduced solar radiation and increased evaporation make the northern region productive in winter.

Marine Science

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Aims and scope: The Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science provides an avenue for the wide dissem- ... consist of special issues on major events or important thematic issues. ... of sources, including plant and animal by- products.

Primary production measurements at three reservoirs in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jureidini, P.; Chinez, S.J.; Agudo, E.G.

1983-01-01

Primary production measurements were carried out at three reservoirs in the state of Sao Paulo, Barra Bonita, Paiva Castro and Ponte nova using the 14 C technique. Meanwhile, several physical and chemical parameters of these water were also evaluated, in order to find out the limnological conditions of these reservoirs. Primary production rates ranged from 7,6mg C/m 3 d at Ponte Nova, to 247,2mg C/m 3 d at Barra Bonita. There seems to be god correlation between water quality data and primary production measurements. Regarding the results, it may be stated that the Barra Bonita reservoir has reached the eutrophic level, while the other two exibit mesotrophic levels. As a way of testing the water quality data collected was used in Churchill and Nicholas model, issuing results in agreement with those of the primary production measurements. (Author) [pt

A marine eutrophication impacts assessment method in LCIA coupling coastal ecosystems exposure to nitrogen and species sensitivity to hypoxia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cosme, Nuno Miguel Dias; Koski, Marja; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

Characterisation modelling in Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) aims at quantifying potential impacts of anthropogenic emissions. It delivers substance-specific Characterisation Factors (CF) expressing ecosystem responses to marginal increments in emitted quantities. Nitrogen (N) emissions from e.......g. agriculture and industry enrich coastal marine ecosystems. Excessive algal growth and dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion typify the resulting marine eutrophication. LCIA modelling frameworks typically encompass fate, exposure and effect in the environment. The present novel method couples relevant marine...... biological processes of ecosystem’s N exposure (Exposure Factor, XF) with the sensitivity of select species to hypoxia (Effect Factor, EF). The XF converts N-inputs into a sinking carbon flux from planktonic primary production and DO consumed by bacterial respiration in bottom waters, whereas EF builds...

Primary energy and greenhouse gas implications of increasing biomass production through forest fertilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathre, Roger [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, Ostersund (Sweden); Gustavsson, Leif [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, Ostersund (Sweden); Bergh, Johan [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, Ostersund (Sweden); Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp (Sweden)

2010-04-15

In this study we analyze the primary energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) implications of increasing biomass production by fertilizing 10% of Swedish forest land. We estimate the primary energy use and GHG emissions from forest management including production and application of N and NPK fertilizers. Based on modelled growth response, we then estimate the net primary energy and GHG benefits of using biomaterials and biofuels obtained from the increased forest biomass production. The results show an increased annual biomass harvest of 7.4 million t dry matter, of which 41% is large-diameter stemwood. About 6.9 PJ/year of additional primary energy input is needed for fertilizer production and forest management. Using the additional biomass for fuel and material substitution can reduce fossil primary energy use by 150 or 164 PJ/year if the reference fossil fuel is fossil gas or coal, respectively. About 22% of the reduced fossil energy use is due to material substitution and the remainder is due to fuel substitution. The net annual primary energy benefit corresponds to about 7% of Sweden's total primary energy use. The resulting annual net GHG emission reduction is 11.9 million or 18.1 million tCO{sub 2equiv} if the reference fossil fuel is fossil gas or coal, respectively, corresponding to 18% or 28% of the total Swedish GHG emissions in 2007. A significant one-time carbon stock increase also occurs in wood products and forest tree biomass. These results suggest that forest fertilization is an attractive option for increasing energy security and reducing net GHG emission.

Primary energy and greenhouse gas implications of increasing biomass production through forest fertilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sathre, Roger; Gustavsson, Leif; Bergh, Johan

2010-01-01

In this study we analyze the primary energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) implications of increasing biomass production by fertilizing 10% of Swedish forest land. We estimate the primary energy use and GHG emissions from forest management including production and application of N and NPK fertilizers. Based on modelled growth response, we then estimate the net primary energy and GHG benefits of using biomaterials and biofuels obtained from the increased forest biomass production. The results show an increased annual biomass harvest of 7.4 million t dry matter, of which 41% is large-diameter stemwood. About 6.9 PJ/year of additional primary energy input is needed for fertilizer production and forest management. Using the additional biomass for fuel and material substitution can reduce fossil primary energy use by 150 or 164 PJ/year if the reference fossil fuel is fossil gas or coal, respectively. About 22% of the reduced fossil energy use is due to material substitution and the remainder is due to fuel substitution. The net annual primary energy benefit corresponds to about 7% of Sweden's total primary energy use. The resulting annual net GHG emission reduction is 11.9 million or 18.1 million tCO 2equiv if the reference fossil fuel is fossil gas or coal, respectively, corresponding to 18% or 28% of the total Swedish GHG emissions in 2007. A significant one-time carbon stock increase also occurs in wood products and forest tree biomass. These results suggest that forest fertilization is an attractive option for increasing energy security and reducing net GHG emission.

Primary energy and greenhouse gas implications of increasing biomass production through forest fertilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sathre, Roger; Gustavsson, Leif [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, Oestersund (Sweden); Bergh, Johan [Ecotechnology, Mid Sweden University, Oestersund (Sweden); Southern Swedish Forest Research Centre, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Alnarp (Sweden)

2010-04-15

In this study we analyze the primary energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) implications of increasing biomass production by fertilizing 10% of Swedish forest land. We estimate the primary energy use and GHG emissions from forest management including production and application of N and NPK fertilizers. Based on modelled growth response, we then estimate the net primary energy and GHG benefits of using biomaterials and biofuels obtained from the increased forest biomass production. The results show an increased annual biomass harvest of 7.4 million t dry matter, of which 41% is large-diameter stemwood. About 6.9 PJ/year of additional primary energy input is needed for fertilizer production and forest management. Using the additional biomass for fuel and material substitution can reduce fossil primary energy use by 150 or 164 PJ/year if the reference fossil fuel is fossil gas or coal, respectively. About 22% of the reduced fossil energy use is due to material substitution and the remainder is due to fuel substitution. The net annual primary energy benefit corresponds to about 7% of Sweden's total primary energy use. The resulting annual net GHG emission reduction is 11.9 million or 18.1 million tCO{sub 2equiv} if the reference fossil fuel is fossil gas or coal, respectively, corresponding to 18% or 28% of the total Swedish GHG emissions in 2007. A significant one-time carbon stock increase also occurs in wood products and forest tree biomass. These results suggest that forest fertilization is an attractive option for increasing energy security and reducing net GHG emission. (author)

Examining predator–prey body size, trophic level and body mass across marine and terrestrial mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Marlee A.; Rogers, Tracey L.

2014-01-01

Predator–prey relationships and trophic levels are indicators of community structure, and are important for monitoring ecosystem changes. Mammals colonized the marine environment on seven separate occasions, which resulted in differences in species' physiology, morphology and behaviour. It is likely that these changes have had a major effect upon predator–prey relationships and trophic position; however, the effect of environment is yet to be clarified. We compiled a dataset, based on the literature, to explore the relationship between body mass, trophic level and predator–prey ratio across terrestrial (n = 51) and marine (n = 56) mammals. We did not find the expected positive relationship between trophic level and body mass, but we did find that marine carnivores sit 1.3 trophic levels higher than terrestrial carnivores. Also, marine mammals are largely carnivorous and have significantly larger predator–prey ratios compared with their terrestrial counterparts. We propose that primary productivity, and its availability, is important for mammalian trophic structure and body size. Also, energy flow and community structure in the marine environment are influenced by differences in energy efficiency and increased food web stability. Enhancing our knowledge of feeding ecology in mammals has the potential to provide insights into the structure and functioning of marine and terrestrial communities. PMID:25377460

Simulated and observed trends in key variables of the Arctic marine carbon cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Goris, Nadine; Heinze, Christoph; Lauvset, Siv; Petrenko, Dmitry; Pozdnyakov, Dmitry; Schwinger, Jörg

2013-04-01

For the Arctic region, a thorough monitoring of the marine carbon cycle is important, as the general "polar amplification" of climate change also translates into the biogeochemical realm. As compared to the global ocean, the sink for human-produced CO2 is fairly small in the Arctic Ocean itself. Nevertheless, it is important to follow up this Arctic sink as a further control of the regional carbon budget and to record changes in the marine carbon cycle on the way towards a "blue Arctic". Since observations on the Arctic are rare, the EU FP7 MONARCH-A project tries to enable adequate descriptions of the status and evolution of the Arctic region Earth system components by generating time series of observation datasets and model hindcasts. In terms of the marine carbon cycle, this analysis focuses mainly on the key variables pCO2 and primary productivity. For oceanic pCO2, the comprehensive data-sets SOCAT and LDEO were combined, while measurements of atmospheric CO2 were collected from the GLOBALVIEW-CO2 data integration project. Monthly Primary Production fields were retrieved from the sensors MODIS and SeaWiFs. In order to get an overall picture of the behavior and trends of those key variables, in addition the physical-biogeochemical model MICOM-HAMOCC-M was employed. The investigation showed that both oceanic and atmospheric pCO2 are consistent variables which have a regular annual cycle and a similar behaviour all over the Arctic for both model and data. In contrast, primary production shows an irregular annual cycle in both range and form, varying over the Arctic. While a few well distributed measurement stations with continuous observations are sufficient to get a comprehensive picture for consistent variables like pCO2, it is relatively difficult and costly to get a comprehensive record of non-consistent variables. Since the provided data-set for primary production covers a relatively short time-scale, it was neither possible to confidently validate the model

Global net primary production and heterotrophic respiration for 1987

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hunt, R.E. Jr.; Piper, S.C.; Nemani, R. [Univ. of Montana, Missoula, MT (United States)]|[Scripps Institute of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA (United States)] [and others

1995-06-01

An ecosystem process model, BIOME-BGC, was parameterized and used to simulate the actual net primary production and heterotrophic respiration using daily climatic data, land cover type, leaf area index gridded to 1{degree} latitude by 1{degree} longitude grid cells for the year 1987. Global net primary production was 52 Pg C. These estimates were validated directly by two different methods. First, the grid cells were aggregated and used as inputs to a 3D atmospheric transport model, to compare CO{sub 2} station data with predictions. We simulated the intra-annual variation of atmospheric CO{sub 2} well for the northern hemisphere, but not for the southern hemisphere. Second, we calculated the net {sup 13}C uptake of vegetation, which is a function of water use efficiency. The {sup 13}C/{sup 12}C ratios agreed with measured data, indicating a strong limitation of global primary processes by the hydrologic cycle, especially precipitation. These are different from other global carbon models as we can simulate the year-to-year variation of climate, including El Nino, on the global carbon cycle.

HANPP Collection: Global Patterns in Net Primary Productivity (NPP)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Global Patterns in Net Primary Productivity (NPP) portion of the HANPP Collection maps the net amount of solar energy converted to plant organic matter through...

Production of bioethanol from papaya and pineapple wastes using marine associated microorganisms

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Jayaprakashvel, M.; Akila, S.; Venkatramani, M.; Vinothini, S.; Bhagat, J.; Hussain, A. J.

and methane are advantageous. In this study, an attempt was made to produce bio-ethanol by marine fungi in fermentation process with the use of fruit wastes (papaya and pine apple) as substrates. A total of 19 marine fungi were isolated from various marine...

A comprehensive Two-Fluid Model for Cavitation and Primary Atomization Modelling of liquid jets - Application to a large marine Diesel injector

Science.gov (United States)

Habchi, Chawki; Bohbot, Julien; Schmid, Andreas; Herrmann, Kai

2015-12-01

In this paper, a comprehensive two-fluid model is suggested in order to compute the in-nozzle cavitating flow and the primary atomization of liquid jets, simultaneously. This model has been applied to the computation of a typical large marine Diesel injector. The numerical results have shown a strong correlation between the in-nozzle cavitating flow and the ensuing spray orientation and atomization. Indeed, the results have confirmed the existence of an off-axis liquid core. This asymmetry is likely to be at the origin of the spray deviation observed experimentally. In addition, the primary atomization begins very close to the orifice exit as in the experiments, and the smallest droplets are generated due to cavitation pocket shape oscillations located at the same side, inside the orifice.

Including impacts of particulate emissions on marine ecosystems in life cycle assessment: the case of offshore oil and gas production.

Science.gov (United States)

Veltman, Karin; Huijbregts, Mark A J; Rye, Henrik; Hertwich, Edgar G

2011-10-01

Life cycle assessment is increasingly used to assess the environmental performance of fossil energy systems. Two of the dominant emissions of offshore oil and gas production to the marine environment are the discharge of produced water and drilling waste. Although environmental impacts of produced water are predominantly due to chemical stressors, a major concern regarding drilling waste discharge is the potential physical impact due to particles. At present, impact indicators for particulate emissions are not yet available in life cycle assessment. Here, we develop characterization factors for 2 distinct impacts of particulate emissions: an increased turbidity zone in the water column and physical burial of benthic communities. The characterization factor for turbidity is developed analogous to characterization factors for toxic impacts, and ranges from 1.4 PAF (potentially affected fraction) · m(3) /d/kg(p) (kilogram particulate) to 7.0 x 10³ [corrected] for drilling mud particles discharged from the rig. The characterization factor for burial describes the volume of sediment that is impacted by particle deposition on the seafloor and equals 2.0 × 10(-1) PAF · m(3) /d/kg(p) for cutting particles. This characterization factor is quantified on the basis of initial deposition layer characteristics, such as height and surface area, the initial benthic response, and the recovery rate. We assessed the relevance of including particulate emissions in an impact assessment of offshore oil and gas production. Accordingly, the total impact on the water column and on the sediment was quantified based on emission data of produced water and drilling waste for all oil and gas fields on the Norwegian continental shelf in 2008. Our results show that cutting particles contribute substantially to the total impact of offshore oil and gas production on marine sediments, with a relative contribution of 55% and 31% on the regional and global scale, respectively. In contrast, the

Environmental Modeling Center / Marine Modeling and Analysis Branch

Science.gov (United States)

weather and climate. Both have a history. Marine Meteorology Group Products Ocean Winds - Satellite Remote announcement list for changes to our products and services. SDM Contact Notes: Ocean Models -- Avichal Mehra Ocean Waves Sea Ice SST Marine Met. Real Time Ocean Forecasting System (RTOFS) Global RTOFS A hybrid

Contribution of transformation products towards the total herbicide toxicity to tropical marine organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercurio, Philip; Eaglesham, Geoff; Parks, Stephen; Kenway, Matt; Beltran, Victor; Flores, Florita; Mueller, Jochen F; Negri, Andrew P

2018-03-19

The toxicity of herbicide degradation (transformation) products is rarely taken into account, even though these are commonly detected in the marine environment, sometimes at concentrations higher than the parent compounds. Here we assessed the potential contribution of toxicity by transformation products of five photosystem II herbicides to coral symbionts (Symbiodinium sp.), the green algae Dunaliella sp., and prawn (Penaeus monodon) larvae. Concentration-dependent inhibition of photosynthetic efficiency (∆F/F m ') was observed for all herbicides in both microalgal species. The toxicity of solutions of aged diuron solutions containing transformation products to Symbiodinium sp. and Dunaliella sp. was greater than could be explained by the concentrations of diuron measured, indicating transformation products contributed to the inhibition of ∆F/F m '. However, the toxicity of aged atrazine, simazine, hexazinone, and ametryn solutions could be explained by the concentration of parent herbicide, indicating no contribution by transformation products. Prawn larval metamorphosis was not sensitive to the herbicides, but preliminary results indicated some toxicity of the transformation products of atrazine and diuron. Risk assessments should take into account the contribution of herbicide transformation products; however, further studies are clearly needed to test the toxicity of a far wider range of transformation products to a representative diversity of relevant taxa.

Primary production in a tropical large lake: The role of phytoplankton composition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Darchambeau, F., E-mail: francois.darchambeau@ulg.ac.be [Chemical Oceanography Unit, University of Liège, Liège (Belgium); Sarmento, H., E-mail: hugo.sarmento@gmail.com [Department of Hydrobiology, Federal University of São Carlos, 13565-905 São Carlos, São Paulo (Brazil); Descy, J.-P., E-mail: jean-pierre.descy@unamur.be [Research Unit in Environmental and Evolutionary Biology, University of Namur, Namur (Belgium)

2014-03-01

Phytoplankton biomass and primary production in tropical large lakes vary at different time scales, from seasons to centuries. We provide a dataset made of 7 consecutive years of phytoplankton biomass and production in Lake Kivu (Eastern Africa). From 2002 to 2008, bi-weekly samplings were performed in a pelagic site in order to quantify phytoplankton composition and biomass, using marker pigments determined by HPLC. Primary production rates were estimated by 96 in situ {sup 14}C incubations. A principal component analysis showed that the main environmental gradient was linked to a seasonal variation of the phytoplankton assemblage, with a clear separation between diatoms during the dry season and cyanobacteria during the rainy season. A rather wide range of the maximum specific photosynthetic rate (P{sub Bm}) was found, ranging between 1.15 and 7.21 g carbon g{sup −1} chlorophyll a h{sup −1}, and was best predicted by a regression model using phytoplankton composition as an explanatory variable. The irradiance at the onset of light saturation (I{sub k}) ranged between 91 and 752 μE m{sup −2} s{sup −1} and was linearly correlated with the mean irradiance in the mixed layer. The inter-annual variability of phytoplankton biomass and production was high, ranging from 53 to 100 mg chlorophyll a m{sup −2} (annual mean) and from 143 to 278 g carbon m{sup −2} y{sup −1}, respectively. The degree of seasonal mixing determined annual production, demonstrating the sensitivity of tropical lakes to climate variability. A review of primary production of other African great lakes allows situating Lake Kivu productivity in the same range as that of lakes Tanganyika and Malawi, even if mean phytoplankton biomass was higher in Lake Kivu. - Highlights: • We provide a 7-year dataset of primary production in a tropical great lake. • Specific photosynthetic rate was determined by community composition. • Annual primary production varied between 143 and 278 mg C m

Towards 250 m mapping of terrestrial primary productivity over Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Gonsamo, A.; Chen, J. M.

2011-12-01

Terrestrial ecosystems are an important part of the climate and global change systems. Their role in climate change and in the global carbon cycle is yet to be well understood. Dataset from satellite earth observation, coupled with numerical models provide the unique tools for monitoring the spatial and temporal dynamics of territorial carbon cycle. The Boreal Ecosystems Productivity Simulator (BEPS) is a remote sensing based approach to quantifying the terrestrial carbon cycle by that gross and net primary productivity (GPP and NPP) and terrestrial carbon sinks and sources expressed as net ecosystem productivity (NEP). We have currently implemented a scheme to map the GPP, NPP and NEP at 250 m for first time over Canada using BEPS model. This is supplemented by improved mapping of land cover and leaf area index (LAI) at 250 m over Canada from MODIS satellite dataset. The results from BEPS are compared with MODIS GPP product and further evaluated with estimated LAI from various sources to evaluate if the results capture the trend in amount of photosynthetic biomass distributions. Final evaluation will be to validate both BEPS and MODIS primary productivity estimates over the Fluxnet sites over Canada. The primary evaluation indicate that BEPS GPP estimates capture the over storey LAI variations over Canada very well compared to MODIS GPP estimates. There is a large offset of MODIS GPP, over-estimating the lower GPP value compared to BEPS GPP estimates. These variations will further be validated based on the measured values from the Fluxnet tower measurements over Canadian. The high resolution GPP (NPP) products at 250 m will further be used to scale the outputs between different ecosystem productivity models, in our case the Canadian carbon budget model of Canadian forest sector CBM-CFS) and the Integrated Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon model (InTEC).

Potential impacts of climate change on the primary production of regional seas: A comparative analysis of five European seas

Science.gov (United States)

Holt, Jason; Schrum, Corinna; Cannaby, Heather; Daewel, Ute; Allen, Icarus; Artioli, Yuri; Bopp, Laurent; Butenschon, Momme; Fach, Bettina A.; Harle, James; Pushpadas, Dhanya; Salihoglu, Baris; Wakelin, Sarah

2016-01-01

Regional seas are potentially highly vulnerable to climate change, yet are the most directly societally important regions of the marine environment. The combination of widely varying conditions of mixing, forcing, geography (coastline and bathymetry) and exposure to the open-ocean makes these seas subject to a wide range of physical processes that mediates how large scale climate change impacts on these seas' ecosystems. In this paper we explore the response of five regional sea areas to potential future climate change, acting via atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial vectors. These include the Barents Sea, Black Sea, Baltic Sea, North Sea, Celtic Seas, and are contrasted with a region of the Northeast Atlantic. Our aim is to elucidate the controlling dynamical processes and how these vary between and within these seas. We focus on primary production and consider the potential climatic impacts on: long term changes in elemental budgets, seasonal and mesoscale processes that control phytoplankton's exposure to light and nutrients, and briefly direct temperature response. We draw examples from the MEECE FP7 project and five regional model systems each using a common global Earth System Model as forcing. We consider a common analysis approach, and additional sensitivity experiments. Comparing projections for the end of the 21st century with mean present day conditions, these simulations generally show an increase in seasonal and permanent stratification (where present). However, the first order (low- and mid-latitude) effect in the open ocean projections of increased permanent stratification leading to reduced nutrient levels, and so to reduced primary production, is largely absent, except in the NE Atlantic. Even in the two highly stratified, deep water seas we consider (Black and Baltic Seas) the increase in stratification is not seen as a first order control on primary production. Instead, results show a highly heterogeneous picture of positive and negative change

Fission product behaviour in the primary circuit of an HTR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Decken, C.B. von der; Iniotakis, N.

1981-01-01

The knowledge of fission product behaviour in the primary circuit of a High Temperature Reactor (HTR) is an essential requirement for the estimations of the availability of the reactor plant in normal operation, of the hazards to personnel during inspection and repair and of the potential danger to the environment from severe accidents. On the basis of the theoretical and experimental results obtained at the ''Institute for Reactor Components'' of the KFA Juelich /1/,/2/ the transport- and deposition behaviour of the fission- and activation products in the primary circuit of the PNP-500 reference plant has been investigated thoroughly. Special work had been done to quantify the uncertainties of the investigations and to calculate or estimate the dose rate level at different components of the primary cooling circuit. The contamination and the dose rate level in the inspection gap in the reactor pressure vessel is discussed in detail. For these investigations in particular the surface structure and the composition of the material, the chemical state of the fission products in the cooling gas, the composition of the cooling gas and the influence of dust on the transport- and deposition behaviour of the fission products have been taken into account. The investigations have been limited to the nuclides Ag-110m; Cs-134 and Cs-137

Formation and growth of sulfur derived particles in the marine environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerminen, V M; Wexler, A; Hillamo, R [Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland). Air Quality Dept.

1996-12-31

Aerosol particles modify the Earth`s radiation balance directly by scattering and absorbing solar radiation, and indirectly via their influence on cloud properties. The indirect climate forcing due to aerosols probably dominates over that of the direct forcing over global scale, and is induced primary by sulfate originating from both natural and anthropogenic sources. A large portion of the global sulfur flux is due to dimethylsulfide (DMS) released from the ocean surface, where it is produced in large quantities by various biogenic processes. DMS is believed to be the primary particulate precursor over vast oceanic regions, hence having a potential to modify aerosol climatic effects over a major portion of the Earth`s surface. The connection between marine DMS emissions and the resulting climate forcing involves several steps still not properly quantified. Among the open questions related to this system, perhaps the most critical ones are when and where the DMS-derived particles are formed in the atmosphere, and how these particles grow into sizes where they are able to alter cloud properties, such as cloud albedos, lifetimes and precipitation efficiencies, that are relevant to climate. In this work, production and growth of sulfur particles has been examined using a simple, yet realistic model that simulates the processes taking place in a remote marine boundary layer. The specific questions examined include: (1) what is the role of boundary layer dynamics in affecting the condensation nuclei (CN) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) production in this system, (2) what are the factors controlling the growth of fresh CN into CCN, and (3) how does the presence of boundary layer clouds interact with CN/CCN production

Formation and growth of sulfur derived particles in the marine environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerminen, V.M.; Wexler, A.; Hillamo, R. [Finnish Meteorological Inst., Helsinki (Finland). Air Quality Dept.

1995-12-31

Aerosol particles modify the Earth`s radiation balance directly by scattering and absorbing solar radiation, and indirectly via their influence on cloud properties. The indirect climate forcing due to aerosols probably dominates over that of the direct forcing over global scale, and is induced primary by sulfate originating from both natural and anthropogenic sources. A large portion of the global sulfur flux is due to dimethylsulfide (DMS) released from the ocean surface, where it is produced in large quantities by various biogenic processes. DMS is believed to be the primary particulate precursor over vast oceanic regions, hence having a potential to modify aerosol climatic effects over a major portion of the Earth`s surface. The connection between marine DMS emissions and the resulting climate forcing involves several steps still not properly quantified. Among the open questions related to this system, perhaps the most critical ones are when and where the DMS-derived particles are formed in the atmosphere, and how these particles grow into sizes where they are able to alter cloud properties, such as cloud albedos, lifetimes and precipitation efficiencies, that are relevant to climate. In this work, production and growth of sulfur particles has been examined using a simple, yet realistic model that simulates the processes taking place in a remote marine boundary layer. The specific questions examined include: (1) what is the role of boundary layer dynamics in affecting the condensation nuclei (CN) and cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) production in this system, (2) what are the factors controlling the growth of fresh CN into CCN, and (3) how does the presence of boundary layer clouds interact with CN/CCN production

Biosynthesis of polybrominated aromatic organic compounds by marine bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Agarwal, Vinayak; El Gamal, Abrahim A.; Yamanaka, Kazuya; Poth, Dennis; Kersten, Roland D.; Schorn, Michelle; Allen, Eric E.; Moore, Bradley S.

2014-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polybrominated bipyrroles are natural products that bioaccumulate in the marine food chain. PBDEs have attracted widespread attention due to their persistence in the environment and potential toxicity to humans. However, the natural origins of PBDE biosynthesis are not known. Here we report marine bacteria as producers of PBDEs and establish a genetic and molecular foundation for their production that unifies paradigms for the elaboration of bromophenols and bromopyrroles abundant in marine biota. We provide biochemical evidence of marine brominase enzymes revealing decarboxylative-halogenation enzymology previously unknown among halogenating enzymes. Biosynthetic motifs discovered in our study were used to mine sequence databases to discover unrealized marine bacterial producers of organobromine compounds. PMID:24974229

Enhanced marine sulphur emissions offset global warming and impact rainfall.

Science.gov (United States)

Grandey, B S; Wang, C

2015-08-21

Artificial fertilisation of the ocean has been proposed as a possible geoengineering method for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The associated increase in marine primary productivity may lead to an increase in emissions of dimethyl sulphide (DMS), the primary source of sulphate aerosol over remote ocean regions, potentially causing direct and cloud-related indirect aerosol effects on climate. This pathway from ocean fertilisation to aerosol induced cooling of the climate may provide a basis for solar radiation management (SRM) geoengineering. In this study, we investigate the transient climate impacts of two emissions scenarios: an RCP4.5 (Representative Concentration Pathway 4.5) control; and an idealised scenario, based on RCP4.5, in which DMS emissions are substantially enhanced over ocean areas. We use mini-ensembles of a coupled atmosphere-ocean configuration of CESM1(CAM5) (Community Earth System Model version 1, with the Community Atmosphere Model version 5). We find that the cooling effect associated with enhanced DMS emissions beneficially offsets greenhouse gas induced warming across most of the world. However, the rainfall response may adversely affect water resources, potentially impacting human livelihoods. These results demonstrate that changes in marine phytoplankton activity may lead to a mixture of positive and negative impacts on the climate.

Oceanic arsenic detoxication: the path of arsenic in marine food chains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benson, A.A.

Arsenate appears to be readily metabolized by all marine algae. Its metabolism and mechanisms for biodegradation of the accumulated arsenolipids was investigated. The objective was to acquire sufficient understanding of the paths of arsenic in marine food chains to be able to evaluate the problems it might present to marine organisms and their effective productivity and the hazards its intermediates might present in marine products for human nutrition

Responses of primary production, leaf litter decomposition and associated communities to stream eutrophication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunck, Bárbara; Lima-Fernandes, Eva; Cássio, Fernanda; Cunha, Ana; Rodrigues, Liliana; Pascoal, Cláudia

2015-01-01

We assessed the eutrophication effects on leaf litter decomposition and primary production, and on periphytic algae, fungi and invertebrates. According to the subsidy-stress model, we expected that when algae and decomposers were nutrient limited, their activity and diversity would increase at moderate levels of nutrient enrichment, but decrease at high levels of nutrients, because eutrophication would lead to the presence of other stressors and overwhelm the subsidy effect. Chestnut leaves (Castanea sativa Mill) were enclosed in mesh bags and immersed in five streams of the Ave River basin (northwest Portugal) to assess leaf decomposition and colonization by invertebrates and fungi. In parallel, polyethylene slides were attached to the mesh bags to allow colonization by algae and to assess primary production. Communities of periphytic algae and decomposers discriminated the streams according to the trophic state. Primary production decomposition and biodiversity were lower in streams at both ends of the trophic gradient. - Highlights: • Algae and decomposers discriminated the streams according to the eutrophication level. • Primary production and litter decomposition are stimulated by moderate eutrophication. • Biodiversity and process rates were reduced in highly eutrophic streams. • Subsidy-stress model explained biodiversity and process rates under eutrophication. - Rates of leaf litter decomposition, primary production and richness of periphytic algae, fungi and invertebrates were lower in streams at both ends of the trophic gradient

Molecular biology in studies of oceanic primary production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LaRoche, J.; Falkowski, P.G.; Geider, R.

1992-01-01

Remote sensing and the use of moored in situ instrumentation has greatly improved our ability to measure phytoplankton chlorophyll and photosynthesis on global scales with high temporal resolution. However, the interpretation of these measurements and their significance with respect to the biogeochemical cycling of carbon relies on their relationship with physiological and biochemical processes in phytoplankton. For example, the use of satellite images of surface chlorophyll to estimate primary production is often based on the functional relationship between photosynthesis and irradiance. A variety of environmental factors such as light, temperature, nutrient availability affect the photosynthesis/irradiance (P vs I) relationship in phytoplankton. We present three examples showing how molecular biology can be used to provide basic insight into the factors controlling primary productivity at three different levels of complexity: 1. Studies of light intensity regulation in unicellular alga show how molecular biology can help understand the processing of environmental cues leading to the regulation of photosynthetic gene expression. 2. Probing of the photosynthetic apparatus using molecular techniques can be used to test existing mechanistic models derived from the interpretation of physiological and biophysical measurements. 3. Exploratory work on the expression of specific proteins during nutrient-limited growth of phytoplankton may lead to the identification and production of molecular probes for field studies

NWS Marine Forecast Areas

Science.gov (United States)

of Commerce Ocean Prediction Center National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Analysis & Unified Surface Analysis Ocean Ocean Products Ice & Icebergs NIC Ice Products NAIS Iceberg Analysis Social Media Facebook Twitter YouTube Search Search For Go NWS All NOAA NWS Marine Forecast Areas

Effective production of bioenergy from marine Chlorella sp. by high-pressure homogenization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Woon Yong Choi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the use of a high-pressure homogenization process for the production of high shear stress on Chlorella sp. cells in order to effectively degrade their cell walls. The high-pressure homogenization process was conducted by using various pressure conditions in the range of 68.94–275.78 MPa with different numbers of repeated cycles. The optimal high-pressure homogenization pretreatment conditions were found to be two cycles at a pressure of 206.84 MPa, which provided an extraction yield of 20.35% (w/w total cellular lipids. In addition, based on the confocal microscopic images of Chlorella sp. cells stained by using nile red, the walls of Chlorella sp. cells were disrupted more effectively using this process when compared with the disruption achieved by conventional lipid-extraction processes. By using the by-product of Chlorella sp., 47.3% ethanol was obtained from Saccharomyces cerevisiae cultures. These results showed that the high-pressure homogenization process efficiently hydrolysed this marine resource for subsequent bioethanol production by using only water.

Hydrogen Production Costs of Various Primary Energy Sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Jae Hyuk; Tak, Nam Il; Kim, Yong Hee; Park, Won Seok

2005-11-01

Many studies on the economical aspects of hydrogen energy technologies have been conducted with the increase of the technical and socioeconomic importance of the hydrogen energy. However, there is still no research which evaluates the economy of hydrogen production from the primary energy sources in consideration of Korean situations. In this study, the hydrogen production costs of major primary energy sources are compared in consideration of the Korean situations such as feedstock price, electricity rate, and load factor. The evaluation methodology is based on the report of the National Academy of Science (NAS) of U.S. The present study focuses on the possible future technology scenario defined by NAS. The scenario assumes technological improvement that may be achieved if present research and development (R and D) programs are successful. The production costs by the coal and natural gas are 1.1 $/kgH 2 and 1.36 $/kgH 2 , respectively. However, the fossil fuels are susceptible to the price variation depending on the oil and the raw material prices, and the hydrogen production cost also depends on the carbon tax. The economic competitiveness of the renewable energy sources such as the wind, solar, and biomass are relatively low when compared with that of the other energy sources. The estimated hydrogen production costs from the renewable energy sources range from 2.35 $/kgH 2 to 6.03 $/kgH 2 . On the other hand, the production cost by nuclear energy is lower than that of natural gas or coal when the prices of the oil and soft coal are above $50/barrel and 138 $/ton, respectively. Taking into consideration the recent rapid increase of the oil and soft coal prices and the limited fossil resource, the nuclear-hydrogen option appears to be the most economical way in the future

UV radiation and primary production in the Antarctic waters

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

LokaBharathi, P.A.; Krishnakumari, L.; Bhattathiri, P.M.A.; Chandramohan, D.

at 683 nm), scalar irradiance (photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), computed primary production (pp), diffuse attenuation coefficient, and UVB (308 and 320 nm) and UVA (340 and 380 nm) radiation and ocean temperature all measured as a function...

Regulation of primary productivity rate in the equatorial Pacific

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barber, R.T.; Chavez, F.P.

1991-01-01

Analysis of the Chl-specific rate of primary productivity (P B ) as a function of subsurface nutrient concentration at >300 equatorial stations provides an answer to the question: What processes regulate primary productivity rate in the high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll waters of the equatorial Pacific? In the western Pacific where there is a gradient in 60-m [NO 3 ] from 0 to ∼12 μM, the productivity rate is a linear function of nutrient concentration; in the eastern Pacific where the gradient is from 12 to 28 μM, the productivity rate is independent of nutrient concentration and limited to ∼36 mg C(mg Chl) -1 d -1 , or a mean euphotic zone C-specific growth rate (μ) of 0.47 d -1 . However, rates downstream of the Galapagos Islands are not limited; they are 46.4 mg C(mg Chl) -1 d -1 and μ = 0.57 d -1 , very close to the predicted nutrient-regulated rates in the absence of other limitation. This pattern of rate regulation can be accounted for by a combination of eolian Fe, subsurface nutrients, and sedimentary Fe derived from the Galapagos platform. In the low-nutrient western Pacific the eolian supply of Fe is adequate to allow productivity rate to be set by subsurface nutrient concentration. In the nutrient-rich easter equatorial region eolian Fe is inadequate to support productivity rates proportional to the higher nutrient concentrations, so in this region eolian Fe is rate limiting. Around the Galapagos Islands productivity rates reach levels consistent with nutrient concentrations; sedimentary Fe from the Galapagos platform seems adequate to support increased nutrient-regulated productivity rates in this region

Protection of Marine Fish Stocks at Risk of Extinction

Science.gov (United States)

J.A. Musick; S.A. Berkeley; G.M. Cailliet; M. Camhi; G. Huntsman; M. Nammack; Melvin L. Warren

2000-01-01

The American Fisheries Society (AFS) recommends that registory agencies closely scrutinize both marine fish and invertebrate stocks that may be at risk of extinction and take remedial action before populations are threatened or endungered. Initial AFS analyses of marine stocks at risk in North America show at least four primary geographic "hot spots" with...

Regionally and seasonally differentiated primary production in the North Atlantic

Science.gov (United States)

Sathyendranath, Shubha; Longhurst, Alan; Caverhill, Carla M.; Platt, Trevor

1995-10-01

A bio-geochemical classification of the N. Atlantic Basin is presented according to which the basin is first divided into four primary algal domains: Polar, West-Wind, Trades and Coastal. These are in turn sub-divided into smaller provinces. The classification is based on differences in the physical environment which are likely to influence regional algal dynamics. The seasonally-differentiated parameters of the photosynthesis-light curve ( P-I curve) and parameters that define the vertical structure in chlorophyll profile are then established for each province, based on an analysis of an archive of over 6000 chlorophyll profiles, and over 1800 P-I curves. These are then combined with satellite-derived chlorophyll data for the N. Atlantic, and information on cloud cover, to compute primary production at the annual scale. using a model that computes spectral transmission of light underwater, and spectral, photosynthetic response of phytoplankton to available light. The results are compared with earlier, satellite-derived, estimates of basin-scale primary production.

Marine Picoeukaryotes in Cold Water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Nikolaj

Picoeukaryotes form an important part of marine ecosystems, both as primary producers, bacterial grazers and parasites. The Arctic is experiencing accelerated global warming and picoeukaryotes may thus be considered to be at the forefront of climate change. This PhD thesis sets out to investigate...

Ecology of selected marine communities in Glacier Bay: Zooplankton, forage fish, seabirds and marine mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Robards, Martin D.; Drew, Gary S.; Piatt, John F.; Anson, Jennifer Marie; Abookire, Alisa A.; Bodkin, James L.; Hooge, Philip N.; Speckman, Suzann G.

2003-01-01

We studied oceanography (including primary production), secondary production, small schooling fish (SSF), and marine bird and mammal predators in Glacier Bay during 1999 and 2000. Results from these field efforts were combined with a review of current literature relating to the Glacier Bay environment. Since the conceptual model developed by Hale and Wright (1979) ‘changes and cycles’ continue to be the underlying theme of the Glacier Bay ecosystem. We found marked seasonality in many of the parameters that we investigated over the two years of research, and here we provide a comprehensive description of the distribution and relative abundance of a wide array of marine biota. Glacier Bay is a tidally mixed estuary that leads into basins, which stratify in summer, with the upper arms behaving as traditional estuaries. The Bay is characterized by renewal and mixing events throughout the year, and markedly higher primary production than in many neighboring southeast Alaska fjords (Hooge and Hooge, 2002). Zooplankton diversity and abundance within the upper 50 meters of the water column in Glacier Bay is similar to communities seen throughout the Gulf of Alaska. Zooplankton in the lower regions of Glacier Bay peak in abundance in late May or early June, as observed at Auke Bay and in the Gulf of Alaska. The key distinction between the lower Bay and other estuaries in the Gulf of Alaska is that a second smaller peak in densities occurs in August. The upper Bay behaved uniformly in temporal trends, peaking in July. Densities had begun to decline in August, but were still more than twice those observed in that region in May. The highest density of zooplankton observed was 17,870 organisms/m3 in Tarr Inlet during July. Trends in zooplankton community abundance and diversity within the lower Bay were distinct from upper-Glacier Bay trends. Whereas the lower Bay is strongly influenced by Gulf of Alaska processes, local processes are the strongest influence in the upper

Global resistance and resilience of primary production following extreme drought are predicted by mean annual precipitation

Science.gov (United States)

Stuart-Haëntjens, E. J.; De Boeck, H. J.; Lemoine, N. P.; Gough, C. M.; Kröel-Dulay, G.; Mänd, P.; Jentsch, A.; Schmidt, I. K.; Bahn, M.; Lloret, F.; Kreyling, J.; Wohlgemuth, T.; Stampfli, A.; Anderegg, W.; Classen, A. T.; Smith, M. D.

2017-12-01

Extreme drought is increasing globally in frequency and intensity, with uncertain consequences for the resistance and resilience of key ecosystem functions, including primary production. Primary production resistance, the capacity of an ecosystem to withstand change in primary production following extreme climate, and resilience, the degree to which primary production recovers, vary among and within ecosystem types, obscuring global patterns of resistance and resilience to extreme drought. Past syntheses on resistance have focused climatic gradients or individual ecosystem types, without assessing interactions between the two. Theory and many empirical studies suggest that forest production is more resistant but less resilient than grassland production to extreme drought, though some empirical studies reveal that these trends are not universal. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis of sixty-four grassland and forest sites, finding that primary production resistance to extreme drought is predicted by a common continuum of mean annual precipitation (MAP). However, grasslands and forests exhibit divergent production resilience relationships with MAP. We discuss the likely mechanisms underlying the mixed production resistance and resilience patterns of forests and grasslands, including different plant species turnover times and drought adaptive strategies. These findings demonstrate the primary production responses of forests and grasslands to extreme drought are mixed, with far-reaching implications for Earth System Models, ecosystem management, and future studies of extreme drought resistance and resilience.

A comprehensive Two-Fluid Model for Cavitation and Primary Atomization Modelling of liquid jets - Application to a large marine Diesel injector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Habchi, Chawki; Bohbot, Julien; Schmid, Andreas; Herrmann, Kai

2015-01-01

In this paper, a comprehensive two-fluid model is suggested in order to compute the in-nozzle cavitating flow and the primary atomization of liquid jets, simultaneously. This model has been applied to the computation of a typical large marine Diesel injector. The numerical results have shown a strong correlation between the in-nozzle cavitating flow and the ensuing spray orientation and atomization. Indeed, the results have confirmed the existence of an off-axis liquid core. This asymmetry is likely to be at the origin of the spray deviation observed experimentally. In addition, the primary atomization begins very close to the orifice exit as in the experiments, and the smallest droplets are generated due to cavitation pocket shape oscillations located at the same side, inside the orifice. (paper)

Local Notice to Mariners by USCG District

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — The LNM is the primary means for disseminating information concerning aids to navigation, hazards to navigation, and other items of marine information of interest to...

Exopolysaccharide production by a marine Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain isolated from Madeira Archipelago ocean sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Roca, Christophe; Lehmann, Mareen; Torres, Cristiana A V; Baptista, Sílvia; Gaudêncio, Susana P; Freitas, Filomena; Reis, Maria A M

2016-06-25

Exopolysaccharides (EPS) are polymers excreted by some microorganisms with interesting properties and used in many industrial applications. A new Pseudoalteromonas sp. strain, MD12-642, was isolated from marine sediments and cultivated in bioreactor in saline culture medium containing glucose as carbon source. Its ability to produce EPS under saline conditions was demonstrated reaching an EPS production of 4.4g/L within 17hours of cultivation, corresponding to a volumetric productivity of 0.25g/Lh, the highest value so far obtained for Pseudoalteromonas sp. strains. The compositional analysis of the EPS revealed the presence of galacturonic acid (41-42mol%), glucuronic acid (25-26mol%), rhamnose (16-22mol%) and glucosamine (12-16mol%) sugar residues. The polymer presents a high molecular weight (above 1000kDa). These results encourage the biotechnological exploitation of strain MD12-642 for the production of valuable EPS with unique composition, using saline by-products/wastes as feedstocks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A model of regional primary production for use with coarse resolution satellite data

Science.gov (United States)

Prince, S. D.

1991-01-01

A model of crop primary production, which was originally developed to relate the amount of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) to net production in field studies, is discussed in the context of coarse resolution regional remote sensing of primary production. The model depends on an approximately linear relationship between APAR and the normalized difference vegetation index. A more comprehensive form of the conventional model is shown to be necessary when different physiological types of plants or heterogeneous vegetation types occur within the study area. The predicted variable in the new model is total assimilation (net production plus respiration) rather than net production alone or harvest yield.

Mean annual precipitation predicts primary production resistance and resilience to extreme drought.

Science.gov (United States)

Stuart-Haëntjens, Ellen; De Boeck, Hans J; Lemoine, Nathan P; Mänd, Pille; Kröel-Dulay, György; Schmidt, Inger K; Jentsch, Anke; Stampfli, Andreas; Anderegg, William R L; Bahn, Michael; Kreyling, Juergen; Wohlgemuth, Thomas; Lloret, Francisco; Classen, Aimée T; Gough, Christopher M; Smith, Melinda D

2018-04-27

Extreme drought is increasing in frequency and intensity in many regions globally, with uncertain consequences for the resistance and resilience of ecosystem functions, including primary production. Primary production resistance, the capacity to withstand change during extreme drought, and resilience, the degree to which production recovers, vary among and within ecosystem types, obscuring generalized patterns of ecological stability. Theory and many observations suggest forest production is more resistant but less resilient than grassland production to extreme drought; however, studies of production sensitivity to precipitation variability indicate that the processes controlling resistance and resilience may be influenced more by mean annual precipitation (MAP) than ecosystem type. Here, we conducted a global meta-analysis to investigate primary production resistance and resilience to extreme drought in 64 forests and grasslands across a broad MAP gradient. We found resistance to extreme drought was predicted by MAP; however, grasslands (positive) and forests (negative) exhibited opposing resilience relationships with MAP. Our findings indicate that common plant physiological mechanisms may determine grassland and forest resistance to extreme drought, whereas differences among plant residents in turnover time, plant architecture, and drought adaptive strategies likely underlie divergent resilience patterns. The low resistance and resilience of dry grasslands suggests that these ecosystems are the most vulnerable to extreme drought - a vulnerability that is expected to compound as extreme drought frequency increases in the future. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The K-PG boundary: how geological events lead to collapse of marine primary producers

Science.gov (United States)

Hir guillaume, Le; frederic, Fluteau; yves, Goddéris

2017-04-01

The cause(s) of Cretaceous/Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction event is a matter of debate since three decades. A first scenario connects the K-Pg crisis with the Chicxulub impact while the second scenario evokes the emplacement of the Deccan traps in India as the cause for the K-Pg biodiversity collapse. Pierazzo et al. (1998) estimated that the extraterrestrial bolide lead to an instantaneously CO2 degassing ranging from 880 Gt to 2,960 Gt into the atmosphere, together with a massive release of SO2 ranging from 150 to 460 Gt.. Self et al. (2006, 2008) and Chenet et al. (2009) suggested that the emplacement of the Deccan traps released 15,000 Gt to 35,000 Gt of CO2 and 6,800 Gt to 17,000 Gt of SO2 over a 250 kyr-long period (Schoene et al., 2015). To decipher and quantify the long term environmental consequences of both events, we tested different scenarios: a pulse-like magmatic degassing, a bolide impact, and a combination of both. To understand the environmental changes and quantify biodiversity responses, we improve GEOCLIM, a coupled climate-carbon numerical model, by implementing a biodiversity model in which marine species are described by specific death/born rates, sensitivity to abiotic factors (temperature, pH, dissolved O2, calcite saturation state) and feeding relationships, each of these characteristics is assigned randomly. Preliminary simulations accounting for the eruption of the Deccan traps show that successive cooling events (S-aerosols effect) combined with a progressive acidification of surface water (caused by CO2 and SO2 injections) cause a major collapse of the marine biomass. Additional simulations in which Chicxulub impact, different community structures of primary producers will be discussed.

Homogentisic acid is the product of MelA, which mediates melanogenesis in the marine bacterium Shewanella colwelliana D.

OpenAIRE

Coon, S L; Kotob, S; Jarvis, B B; Wang, S; Fuqua, W C; Weiner, R M

1994-01-01

Shewanella colwelliana D is a marine procaryote which produces a diffusible brown pigment that correlates with melA gene expression. Previously, melA had been cloned, sequenced, and expressed in Escherichia coli; however, the reaction product of MelA had not been identified. This report identifies that product as homogentisic acid, provides evidence that the pigment is homogentisic acid-melanin (pyomelanin), and suggests that MelA is p-hydroxyphenylpyruvate hydroxylase. This is the first repo...

Examining predator-prey body size, trophic level and body mass across marine and terrestrial mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Marlee A; Rogers, Tracey L

2014-12-22

Predator-prey relationships and trophic levels are indicators of community structure, and are important for monitoring ecosystem changes. Mammals colonized the marine environment on seven separate occasions, which resulted in differences in species' physiology, morphology and behaviour. It is likely that these changes have had a major effect upon predator-prey relationships and trophic position; however, the effect of environment is yet to be clarified. We compiled a dataset, based on the literature, to explore the relationship between body mass, trophic level and predator-prey ratio across terrestrial (n = 51) and marine (n = 56) mammals. We did not find the expected positive relationship between trophic level and body mass, but we did find that marine carnivores sit 1.3 trophic levels higher than terrestrial carnivores. Also, marine mammals are largely carnivorous and have significantly larger predator-prey ratios compared with their terrestrial counterparts. We propose that primary productivity, and its availability, is important for mammalian trophic structure and body size. Also, energy flow and community structure in the marine environment are influenced by differences in energy efficiency and increased food web stability. Enhancing our knowledge of feeding ecology in mammals has the potential to provide insights into the structure and functioning of marine and terrestrial communities. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Single cell oil production from hydrolysate of cassava starch by marine-derived yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa TJY15a

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Mei; Liu, Guang-Lei; Chi, Zhe; Chi, Zhen-Ming [Unesco Chinese Center of Marine Biotechnology, Ocean University of China, Yushan Road, No. 5, Qingdao 266003 (China)

2010-01-15

Rhodotorula mucilaginosa TJY15a which was isolated from surface of marine fish could accumulate a large amount of lipid from hydrolysate of cassava starch. The cells contained 47.9% (w/w) oil during batch cultivation, whereas 52.9% (w/w) of lipid was obtained during the fed-batch cultivation. At the end of the fed-batch cultivation, all the starch were converted into reducing sugar and only 0.34 g dm{sup -3} of reducing sugar was left in the fermented medium. Therefore, the marine-derived R. mucilaginosa TJY15a was another candidate for single cell oil production. The fatty acids from R. mucilaginosa TJY15a were mainly composed of palmitic acid (C{sub 16:0}), palmitoleic acid (C{sub 16:1}), stearic acid (C{sub 18:0}), oleic acid (C{sub 18:1}) and linolenic acid (C{sub 18:2}), suggesting that the fatty acids could be used as feedstock for biodiesel production. (author)

Occurrence, production, and export of lipophilic compounds by hydrocarbonoclastic marine bacteria and their potential use to produce bulk chemicals from hydrocarbons.

Science.gov (United States)

Manilla-Pérez, Efraín; Lange, Alvin Brian; Hetzler, Stephan; Steinbüchel, Alexander

2010-05-01

Petroleum (or crude oil) is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons. Annually, millions of tons of crude petroleum oil enter the marine environment from either natural or anthropogenic sources. Hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria (HDB) are able to assimilate and metabolize hydrocarbons present in petroleum. Crude oil pollution constitutes a temporary condition of carbon excess coupled to a limited availability of nitrogen that prompts marine oil-degrading bacteria to accumulate storage compounds. Storage lipid compounds such as polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), or wax esters (WEs) constitute the main accumulated lipophilic substances by bacteria under such unbalanced growth conditions. The importance of these compounds as end-products or precursors to produce interesting biotechnologically relevant chemicals has already been recognized. In this review, we analyze the occurrence and accumulation of lipid storage in marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria. We further discuss briefly the production and export of lipophilic compounds by bacteria belonging to the Alcanivorax genus, which became a model strain of an unusual group of obligate hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (OHCB) and discuss the possibility to produce neutral lipids using A. borkumensis SK2.

Exploring the Potential Impact of Greenland Meltwater on Stratification, Photosynthetically Active Radiation, and Primary Production in the Labrador Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Hilde; Luo, Hao; Castelao, Renato M.; van Dijken, Gert L.; Mattingly, Kyle S.; Rosen, Joshua J.; Mote, Thomas L.; Arrigo, Kevin R.; Rennermalm, Åsa K.; Tedesco, Marco; Yager, Patricia L.

2018-04-01

In July 2012, the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) melted to an extent unprecedented over the last 100 years; we questioned the potential for such an extreme melt event to impact marine phytoplankton offshore. We hypothesized that stratification from meltwater could reduce light limitation for phytoplankton, and used a suite of numerical models to quantify the impact for 2003-2012. Because much of the 2012 meltwater discharged from southern Greenland, our study focused on the southwestern and southeastern coasts of Greenland, and the Labrador Sea. A 1-D phytoplankton model used output from a Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) coupled with a Regional Climate Model and a hydrological model of meltwater from runoff sources on the ice sheet, peripheral glaciers, and tundra. ROMS was run with and without meltwater to test the sensitivity of phytoplankton photosynthetic rates to the meltwater input. With meltwater, the pycnocline was shallower during late summer and early fall and thus light limitation on photosynthesis was reduced. Averaged over all years, added meltwater had the potential to increase gross primary production by 3-12% in the summer (July-August), and 13-60% in the fall (September-October). This meltwater effect was amplified when light was more limiting, and thus was greatest in the fall, under cloudier conditions, with higher self-shading, and with more light-sensitive phytoplankton groups. As the GrIS melt is projected to increase, late summer primary production in this region has the potential to increase as well, which could constitute an important biosphere response to high-latitude climate change.

Asymmetric responses of primary productivity to precipitation extremes: A synthesis of grassland precipitation manipulation experiments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Wilcox, K. R.; Shi, Z.; Gherardi, L. A.; Lemoine, N. P.; Koerner, S. E.; Hoover, D. L.; Bork, E.; Byrne, K. M.; Cahill, J.; Collins, S. L.; Evans, S.M.; Gilgen, Anna K.; Holub, Petr; Jiang, L.; Knapp, A. K.; LeCain, D.; Liang, J.; Garcia-Palacios, P.; Penuelas, J.; Pockman, W. T.; Smith, M. D.; Sun, S.; White, S. R.; Yahdjian, L.; Zhu, K.; Luo, Y.

2017-01-01

Roč. 23, č. 10 (2017), s. 4376-4385 ISSN 1354-1013 Institutional support: RVO:86652079 Keywords : net primary productivity * terrestrial ecosystems * temperate grassland * biomass allocation * plant-communities * tallgrass prairie * climate extremes * use efficiency * united-states * global-change * aboveground net primary productivity * belowground net primary productivity * biomass allocation * climate change * grasslands * meta-analysis * root biomass Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour OBOR OECD: Environmental sciences (social aspects to be 5.7) Impact factor: 8.502, year: 2016

Patterns of new versus recycled primary production in the terrestrial biosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) availability regulate plant productivity throughout the terrestrial biosphere, influencing the patterns and magnitude of net primary production (NPP) by land plants both now and into the future. These nutrients enter ecosystems via geologic and atmospheric pathways, a...

Sources and composition of submicron organic mass in marine aerosol particles

Science.gov (United States)

Frossard, Amanda A.; Russell, Lynn M.; Burrows, Susannah M.; Elliott, Scott M.; Bates, Timothy S.; Quinn, Patricia K.

2014-11-01

The sources and composition of atmospheric marine aerosol particles (aMA) have been investigated with a range of physical and chemical measurements from open-ocean research cruises. This study uses the characteristic functional group composition (from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) of aMA from five ocean regions to show the following: (i) The organic functional group composition of aMA that can be identified as mainly atmospheric primary marine (ocean derived) aerosol particles (aPMA) is 65 ± 12% hydroxyl, 21 ± 9% alkane, 6 ± 6% amine, and 7 ± 8% carboxylic acid functional groups. Contributions from photochemical reactions add carboxylic acid groups (15%-25%), shipping effluent in seawater and ship emissions add additional alkane groups (up to 70%), and coastal or continental emissions mix in alkane and carboxylic acid groups. (ii) The organic composition of aPMA is nearly identical to model-generated primary marine aerosol particles from bubbled seawater (gPMA, which has 55 ± 14% hydroxyl, 32 ± 14% alkane, and 13 ± 3% amine functional groups), indicating that its overall functional group composition is the direct consequence of the organic constituents of the seawater source. (iii) While the seawater organic functional group composition was nearly invariant across all three ocean regions studied and the ratio of organic carbon to sodium (OC/Na+) in the gPMA remained nearly constant over a broad range of chlorophyll a concentrations, the gPMA alkane group fraction appeared to increase with chlorophyll a concentrations (r = 0.66). gPMA from productive seawater had a larger fraction of alkane functional groups (42 ± 9%) compared to gPMA from nonproductive seawater (22 ± 10%), perhaps due to the presence of surfactants in productive seawater that stabilize the bubble film and lead to preferential drainage of the more soluble (lower alkane group fraction) organic components. gPMA has a hydroxyl group absorption peak location characteristic of

Proteomic Analysis of Anti-Cancerous Scopularide Production by a Marine Microascus brevicaulis Strain and Its UV Mutant

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kramer, Annemarie; Beck, Hans Christian; Kumar, Abhishek

2015-01-01

The marine fungus Microascus brevicaulis strain LF580 is a non-model secondary metabolite producer with high yields of the two secondary metabolites scopularides A and B, which exhibit distinct activities against tumour cell lines. A mutant strain was obtained using UV mutagenesis, showing faster...... for optimisation on strain and process level. The linkage between nutrient limitation and pellet formation in the non-model fungus M. brevicaulis is in consensus with the knowledge on model organisms like Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum....... growth and differences in pellet formation besides higher production levels. Here, we show the first proteome study of a marine fungus. Comparative proteomics were applied to gain deeper understanding of the regulation of production and of the physiology of the wild type strain and its mutant...... in the mutant strain: 189 were down- and 129 upregulated. Proteomics are a powerful tool for the understanding of regulatory aspects: The differences on proteome level could be attributed to limited nutrient availability in the wild type strain due to a strong pellet formation. This information can be applied...

FTIR microspectroscopy for rapid screening and monitoring of polyunsaturated fatty acid production in commercially valuable marine yeasts and protists.

Science.gov (United States)

Vongsvivut, Jitraporn; Heraud, Philip; Gupta, Adarsha; Puri, Munish; McNaughton, Don; Barrow, Colin J

2013-10-21

The increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) consumption has prompted research into alternative resources other than fish oil. In this study, a new approach based on focal-plane-array Fourier transform infrared (FPA-FTIR) microspectroscopy and multivariate data analysis was developed for the characterisation of some marine microorganisms. Cell and lipid compositions in lipid-rich marine yeasts collected from the Australian coast were characterised in comparison to a commercially available PUFA-producing marine fungoid protist, thraustochytrid. Multivariate classification methods provided good discriminative accuracy evidenced from (i) separation of the yeasts from thraustochytrids and distinct spectral clusters among the yeasts that conformed well to their biological identities, and (ii) correct classification of yeasts from a totally independent set using cross-validation testing. The findings further indicated additional capability of the developed FPA-FTIR methodology, when combined with partial least squares regression (PLSR) analysis, for rapid monitoring of lipid production in one of the yeasts during the growth period, which was achieved at a high accuracy compared to the results obtained from the traditional lipid analysis based on gas chromatography. The developed FTIR-based approach when coupled to programmable withdrawal devices and a cytocentrifugation module would have strong potential as a novel online monitoring technology suited for bioprocessing applications and large-scale production.

Pharmacological developments obtained from marine natural products and current pipeline perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Galeano, Elkin; Rojas, Jhon J; Martínez, Alejandro

2011-02-01

Marine organisms represent a new extensive source for bioactive molecules. They have the potential to provide new therapeutic alternatives to treat human diseases. In this paper, we describe and discuss a variety of isolated and semisynthetic molecules obtained from marine sources. These compounds are in phase II, phase III and at the commercialization stage of new drug development. A description of the mechanism of action, dosage used and side effects are also reported. The positive results obtained from these studies have triggered the development of new studies to evaluate the prospects for utilization of marine organisms.

Endangered Right Whales Enhance Primary Productivity in the Bay of Fundy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joe Roman

Full Text Available Marine mammals have recently been documented as important facilitators of rapid and efficient nutrient recycling in coastal and offshore waters. Whales enhance phytoplankton nutrition by releasing fecal plumes near the surface after feeding and by migrating from highly productive, high-latitude feeding areas to low-latitude nutrient-poor calving areas. In this study, we measured NH4+ and PO43- release rates from the feces of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis, a highly endangered baleen whale. Samples for this species were primarily collected by locating aggregations of whales in surface-active groups (SAGs, which typically consist of a central female surrounded by males competing for sexual activity. When freshly collected feces were incubated in seawater, high initial rates of N release were generally observed, which decreased to near zero within 24 hours of sampling, a pattern that is consistent with the active role of gut microflora on fecal particles. We estimate that at least 10% of particulate N in whale feces becomes available as NH4+ within 24 hours of defecation. Phosphorous was also abundant in fecal samples: initial release rates of PO43- were higher than for NH4+, yielding low N/P nutrient ratios over the course of our experiments. The rate of PO43- release was thus more than sufficient to preclude the possibility that nitrogenous nutrients supplied by whales would lead to phytoplankton production limited by P availability. Phytoplankton growth experiments indicated that NH4+ released from whale feces enhance productivity, as would be expected, with no evidence that fecal metabolites suppress growth. Although North Atlantic right whales are currently rare (approximately 450 individuals, they once numbered about 14,000 and likely played a substantial role in recycling nutrients in areas where they gathered to feed and mate. Even though the NH4+ released from fresh whale fecal material is a small fraction of total whale

Drivers of trophic amplification of ocean productivity trends in a changing climate

OpenAIRE

C. A. Stock; J. P. Dunne; J. G. John

2014-01-01

Pronounced projected 21st century trends in regional oceanic net primary production (NPP) raise the prospect of significant redistributions of marine resources. Recent results further suggest that NPP changes may be amplified at higher trophic levels. Here, we elucidate the role of planktonic food web dynamics in driving projected changes in mesozooplankton production (MESOZP) found to be, on average, twice as large as projected changes in...

Investigation of the mechanism of iron acquisition by the marine bacterium Alteromonas luteoviolaceus: Characterization of siderophore production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, R.T.; Butler, A.

1991-01-01

Iron availability in the ocean ranges from one to four orders of magnitude below typical growth requirements of bacteria. The discrepancy between Fe availability and requirements raises questions about the mechanisms that marine bacteria use to sequester Fe 3+ . Surprisingly little is known about the siderophores produced by marine bacteria. Growth conditions of an open-ocean bacterial isolate, Alteromonas luteoviolaceus, were investigated to determine the conditions which enhance siderophore production. Methods to isolate and purify the siderophores were determined. The siderophores produced by A. luteoviolaceus were partially characterized by mass spectral analysis, amino acid analysis, qualitative analytical tests, chemical degradation, and nuclear magnetic resonance. A new set of outer membrane proteins was also produced when the bacterium was grown under Fe-limited conditions

Current and potential uses of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste.

Science.gov (United States)

Suleria, Hafiz Ansar Rasul; Masci, Paul; Gobe, Glenda; Osborne, Simone

2016-03-15

Food industries produce huge amounts of processing waste that are often disposed of incurring expenses and impacting upon the environment. For these and other reasons, food processing waste streams, in particular marine processing waste streams, are gaining popularity amongst pharmaceutical, cosmetic and nutraceutical industries as sources of bioactive molecules. In the last 30 years, there has been a gradual increase in processed marine products with a concomitant increase in waste streams that include viscera, heads, skins, fins, bones, trimmings and shellfish waste. In 2010, these waste streams equated to approximately 24 million tonnes of mostly unused resources. Marine processing waste streams not only represent an abundant resource, they are also enriched with structurally diverse molecules that possess a broad panel of bioactivities including anti-oxidant, anti-coagulant, anti-thrombotic, anti-cancer and immune-stimulatory activities. Retrieval and characterisation of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste also contributes valuable information to the vast field of marine natural product discovery. This review summarises the current use of bioactive molecules from marine processing waste in different products and industries. Moreover, this review summarises new research into processing waste streams and the potential for adoption by industries in the creation of new products containing marine processing waste bioactives. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Green energy from marine algae: biogas production and composition from the anaerobic digestion of Irish seaweed species.

Science.gov (United States)

Vanegas, C H; Bartlett, J

2013-01-01

Marine algae have emerged as an alternative feedstock for the production of a number of renewable fuels, including biogas. In addition to energy potential, other characteristics make them attractive as an energy source, including their ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), higher productivity rates than land-based crops and the lack of water use or land competition. For Ireland, biofuels from marine algae can play an important role by reducing imports of fossil fuels as well as providing the necessary energy in rural communities. In this study, five potential seaweed species common in Irish waters, Saccorhiza polyschides, Ulva sp., Laminaria digitata, Fucus serratus and Saccharina latissima, were co-digested individually with bovine slurry. Batch reactors of 120ml and 1000ml were set up and incubated at 35 degrees C to investigate their suitability for production of biogas. Digesters fed with S. latissima produced the maximum methane yield (335 ml g volatile solids(-1) (g(VS)(-1) followed by S. polyschides with 255 ml g(VS)(-1). L. digitata produced 246ml g(VS)(-1) and the lowest yields were from the green seaweed Ulva sp. 191ml g(VS)(-1). The methane and CO2 percentages ranged between 50-72% and 10-45%, respectively. The results demonstrated that the seaweed species investigated are good feedstocks candidates for the production of biogas and methane as a source of energy. Their use on a large-scale process will require further investigation to increase yields and reduce production costs.

Evaluation of carbon-14 (C14) levels of terrestrial and marine food products of the environment of the site of Cogema La Hague

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-04-01

This evaluation has for object to inform about the levels in carbon 14 in the environment of the factories of La Hague. Two sectors were differentiated on one hand the terrestrial environment, and on the other hand the marine environment. The investigations concerned first and foremost food products stemming as the vegetable culture (vegetables) or individual breeding (milk, eggs) but also foodstuffs stemming from the local agriculture (cereal). In touch with the second sector, the marine environment, the sampling concerned the accessible products of the sea by all and those locally marketed (fishes, molluscs, shellfishes). The different results are presented in tables. (N.C.)

Relationships between primary production and irradiance in coral reef algal communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1985-01-01

Shallow water algal turf communities are the major primary producers on coral reefs. High rates of primary production are maintained despite extremely high light intensities and exposure to ultraviolet wavelengths. The relationships between the light intensity and primary production in these assemblages are typical of algae adapted to a high light environment [low α (initial slope), high I/sub k/ (saturating light intensity), and high I/sub c/ (compensation point light intensity)]. Seasonal variations in algal standing crop due to herbivory and daylength result in some characteristic photoadaptive changes in α I/sub k/, and I/sub c/ and changes in Pnet/sub max/ rates (maximum net photosynthetic rate achieved at light saturation) on both a chlorophyll α and an areal basis. Exposure to UV wavelength results in significantly higher respiration rates but no changes in α, Pnet/sub max/, or I/sub k/, when compared with these parameters for the same algal communities incubated at the same light intensities without UV wavelengths. The apparent lack of photoinhibition in these algae allows calculation of the daily integrated production from the P vs. I parameters. This integrated production is highest in July (3.1 +/- 0.2 g C m -2 d -1 ) and is reduced by 30% from this maximum in December (2.1 +/- 0.1 g C m -2 d -1 )

Primary production in the Bay of Bengal during southwest monsoon of 1978

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bhattathiri, P.M.A.; Devassy, V.P.; Radhakrishna, K.

Measurements of primary production, chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon were made at 33, 43 and 44 stations respectively during August-September of 1978. The average surface production, chlorophyll a and particulate organic carbon values...

Inorganic carbon addition stimulates snow algae primary productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, T. L.; Havig, J. R.

2017-12-01

Earth has experienced glacial/interglacial oscillations throughout its history. Today over 15 million square kilometers (5.8 million square miles) of Earth's land surface is covered in ice including glaciers, ice caps, and the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, most of which are retreating as a consequence of increased atmospheric CO2. Glaciers are teeming with life and supraglacial snow and ice surfaces are often red due to blooms of photoautotrophic algae. Recent evidence suggests the red pigmentation, secondary carotenoids produced in part to thrive under high irradiation, lowers albedo and accelerates melt. However, there are relatively few studies that report the productivity of snow algae communities and the parameters that constrain their growth on snow and ice surfaces. Here, we demonstrate that snow algae primary productivity can be stimulated by the addition of inorganic carbon. We found an increase in light-dependent carbon assimilation in snow algae microcosms amended with increasing amounts of inorganic carbon. Our snow algae communities were dominated by typical cosmopolitan snow algae species recovered from Alpine and Arctic environments. The climate feedbacks necessary to enter and exit glacial/interglacial oscillations are poorly understood. Evidence and models agree that global Snowball events are accompanied by changes in atmospheric CO2 with increasing CO2 necessary for entering periods of interglacial time. Our results demonstrate a positive feedback between increased CO2 and snow algal productivity and presumably growth. With the recent call for bio-albedo effects to be considered in climate models, our results underscore the need for robust climate models to include feedbacks between supraglacial primary productivity, albedo, and atmospheric CO2.

Marine Natural Product Bis-indole Alkaloid Caulerpin: Chemistry and Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunagariya, Jignesh; Bhadja, Poonam; Zhong, Shenghui; Vekariya, Rohit; Xu, Shihai

2017-09-27

Marine bis-indole alkaloids comprise a large and increasingly growing class of secondary metabolites, and continue to deliver a great variety of structural templates. The alkaloids derived from marine resources play a crucial role in medicinal chemistry and as chemical agents. In particular, bis-indole alkaloid caulerpin isolated from marine green algae Caulerpa and a red algae Chondria armata at various places around the world, and tested against several therapeutic areas such as anti-diabetic, antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-larvicidal, anti-herpes, anti-tubercular, anti-microbial and immunostimulating activity as well as means of other chemical agents. Herein, we summarized discovery of caulerpin, and its potential medicinal and chemical applications in chronological order with various aspects. Additionally, synthesis of caulerpin, its functional analogues, and structural isomer have also been reviewed. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Marine atmospheric corrosion of carbon steels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morcillo, M.; Alcantara, J.; Diaz, I.; Chico, B.; Simancas, J.; Fuente, D. de la

2015-07-01

Basic research on marine atmospheric corrosion of carbon steels is a relatively young scientific field and there continue to be great gaps in this area of knowledge. The presence of akaganeite in the corrosion products that form on steel when it is exposed to marine atmospheres leads to a notable increase in the corrosion rate. This work addresses the following issues: (a) environmental conditions necessary for akaganeite formation; (b) characterisation of akaganeite in the corrosion products formed; (c) corrosion mechanisms of carbon steel in marine atmospheres; (d) exfoliation of rust layers formed in highly aggressive marine atmospheres; (e) long-term corrosion rate prediction; and (f) behaviour of weathering steels. Field research has been carried out at Cabo Vilano wind farm (Camarinas, Galicia) in a wide range of atmospheric salinities and laboratory work involving the use of conventional atmospheric corrosion techniques and near-surface and bulk sensitive analytical techniques: scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Mossbauer spectroscopy and SEM/μRaman spectroscopy. (Author)

Primary Productivity, SeaWiFS and Pathfinder, 0.1 degrees, Global, EXPERIMENTAL

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Primary Productivity is calculated from SeaWiFS Chl a, Pathfinder SST, and SeaWiFS PAR data. THIS IS AN EXPERIMENTAL PRODUCT: intended strictly for scientific...

Anoxic and oxic phototrophic primary production during the Precambrian

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ebey-Honeycutt, Christina Marie; Bjerrum, Christian J.; Canfield, Donald Eugene

2009-01-01

of the mixed layer often lies above the base of the photic zone . Thus, an ecosystem model for the Precambrian should reflect the net primary production (NPP) of oxygenic phototrophs in the mixed layer and anoxygenic phototrophs below (NPPox and NPPred, respectively). Satelite data and a vertically generalized...

India [Marine Radioecology. Current Research and Future Scope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ganguly, A.K.; Viswanathan, R.; Patel, B.; Bhatt, Y.M.; Pillai, K.C.

1967-01-01

Present research programme (long-term) - Radioactivity studies in the marine environment of the West Coast of India: (a) To understand the radioactivity and trace-element distribution in the continental shelf in Arabian Sea. This has the twin objectives of gaining basic information on marine geochemistry and marine biochemistry and assessing the capacity of the region to receive radioactive wastes from atomic energy installations. (b) To derive maximum permissible radioactive contamination limits in sea-water, marine organisms and marine products. (c) To collaborate with IAEA in research contract (Project Marina) with objectives stated in (a) and (b) above

Modeling the impact of watershed management policies on marine ecosystem services with application to Hood Canal, WA, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, D. A.; Kim, C.; Marsik, M.; Spiridonov, G.; Toft, J.; Ruckelshaus, M.; Guerry, A.; Plummer, M.

2011-12-01

Humans obtain numerous benefits from marine ecosystems, including fish to eat; mitigation of storm damage; nutrient and water cycling and primary production; and cultural, aesthetic and recreational values. However, managing these benefits, or ecosystem services, in the marine world relies on an integrated approach that accounts for both marine and watershed activities. Here we present the results of a set of simple, physically-based, and spatially-explicit models that quantify the effects of terrestrial activities on marine ecosystem services. Specifically, we model the circulation and water quality of Hood Canal, WA, USA, a fjord system in Puget Sound where multiple human uses of the nearshore ecosystem (e.g., shellfish aquaculture, recreational Dungeness crab and shellfish harvest) can be compromised when water quality is poor (e.g., hypoxia, excessive non-point source pollution). Linked to the estuarine water quality model is a terrestrial hydrology model that simulates streamflow and nutrient loading, so land cover and climate changes in watersheds can be reflected in the marine environment. In addition, a shellfish aquaculture model is linked to the water quality model to test the sensitivity of the ecosystem service and its value to both terrestrial and marine activities. The modeling framework is general and will be publicly available, allowing easy comparisons of watershed impacts on marine ecosystem services across multiple scales and regions.

The Marine Metabolite SZ-685C Induces Apoptosis in Primary Human Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenoma Cells by Inhibition of the Akt Pathway in Vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xin Wang

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA is one of the most common types of pituitary adenoma. The marine anthraquinone derivative SZ-685C has been isolated from the secondary metabolites of the mangrove endophytic fungus Halorosellinia sp. (No. 1403 which is found in the South China Sea. Recent research has shown that SZ-685C possesses anticancer and tumor suppressive effects. The tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT assay to investigate the different effect of the marine compound SZ-685C on the proliferation of primary human NFPA cells, rat normal pituitary cells (RPCs and rat prolactinoma MMQ cell lines. Hoechst 33342 dye/propidium iodide (PI double staining and fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated Annexin V/PI (Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis assays detected an enhanced rate of apoptosis in cells treated with SZ-685C. Enhanced expression levels of caspase 3 and phosphate and tensin homolog (PTEN were determined by Western blotting. Notably, the protein expression levels of Akt were decreased when the primary human NFPA cells were treated with SZ-685C. Here, we show that SZ-685C induces apoptosis of human NFPA cells through inhibition of the Akt pathway in vitro. The understanding of apoptosis has provided the basis for novel targeted therapies that can induce death in cancer cells or sensitize them to established cytotoxic agents and radiation therapy.

Identification of marine-derived lipids in juvenile coho salmon and aquatic insects through fatty acid analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Heintz, Ron A.; Wipfli, Mark S.; Hudson, John P.

2010-01-01

The energetic benefits enjoyed by consumers in streams with salmon runs depend on how those benefits are accrued. Adult Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp. deliver significant amounts of nutrients (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) and carbon to streams when they spawn and die; these nutrient additions can have demonstrable effects on primary production in streams. Consumption of carcass tissues or eggs provides for direct energy subsidies to consumers and may have significant effects on their condition. In this study, comparisons of juvenile coho salmon O. kisutch and aquatic insects exposed to terrestrial and marine energy sources demonstrated that direct consumption of marine-derived lipids had a significant effect on the lipid reserves of consumers. Direct consumption of marine-derived tissues was verified through fatty acid analysis. Selected aquatic insects and juvenile coho salmon were reared for 6 weeks in experimental streams supplied with terrestrial or marine energy sources. Chironomid midges, nemourid stoneflies, and juvenile coho salmon exposed to the marine energy source altered their fatty acid compositions by incorporating the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids that are characteristic of marine fish. The fatty acid composition of baetid mayflies was unaffected. The direct movement of specific fatty markers indicated that direct consumption of marine-derived tissues led to increased energy reserves (triacylglycerols) in consumers. Similar results were obtained for juvenile coho salmon sampled from natural streams before and after the arrival of adult salmon runs. These data indicate that marine-derived lipids from anadromous fish runs are an important source of reserve lipids for consumers that overwinter in streams.

Studies on marine oil spills and their ecological damage

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Hong; Yin, Yanjie

2009-09-01

The sources of marine oil spills are mainly from accidents of marine oil tankers or freighters, marine oil-drilling platforms, marine oil pipelines, marine oilfields, terrestrial pollution, oil-bearing atmosphere, and offshore oil production equipment. It is concluded upon analysis that there are two main reasons for marine oil spills: (I) The motive for huge economic benefits of oil industry owners and oil shipping agents far surpasses their sense of ecological risks. (II) Marine ecological safety has not become the main concern of national security. Oil spills are disasters because humans spare no efforts to get economic benefits from oil. The present paper draws another conclusion that marine ecological damage caused by oil spills can be roughly divided into two categories: damage to marine resource value (direct value) and damage to marine ecosystem service value (indirect value). Marine oil spills cause damage to marine biological, fishery, seawater, tourism and mineral resources to various extents, which contributes to the lower quality and value of marine resources.

Production of bioactive secondary metabolites by marine Vibrionaceae

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Månsson, Maria; Gram, Lone; Larsen, Thomas Ostenfeld

2011-01-01

Bacteria belonging to the Vibrionaceae family are widespread in the marine environment. Today, 128 species of vibrios are known. Several of them are infamous for their pathogenicity or symbiotic relationships. Despite their ability to interact with eukaryotes, the vibrios are greatly underexplored...

Interview and questionnaire guide: Quantification of food losses and waste in primary production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svanes, Erik; Hartikainen, Hanna; Mogensen, Lisbeth

production in the Nordic countries. Other aims were to estimate the amount of side flow and to gain knowledge about the reasons behind it, how it can be reduced, how it is treated and how it can be better utilized.This guide contains a catalogue of questions that may be used for interviews and questionnaires...... with primary producers and other stakeholders within primary production. It also contains the justification behind the questions and some tips on how to conduct interviews.......This interview guide was developed within the Nordic project “Food losses and waste in primary production” (Franke et al. 2016). One of the main purposes of the project was to test research methods for the quantification of food losses and waste (in the project called 'side flow') from primary...

Biotechnology of marine fungi

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Damare, S.R.; Singh, P.; Raghukumar, S.

Filamentous fungi are the most widely used eukaryotes in industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Their biotechnological uses include the production of enzymes, vitamins, polysaccharides, pigments, lipids and others. Marine fungi are a still...

Effect of the fast pyrolysis temperature on the primary and secondary products of lignin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhou, Shuai; Garcia-Perez, Manuel; Pecha, Brennan; Kersten, Sascha R.A.; McDonald, Armando G.; Westerhof, Roel Johannes Maria

2013-01-01

This paper presents results on the primary pyrolysis products of organosolv lignin at temperatures between 360 and 700 °C. To study the primary products, a vacuum screen heater (heating rate of 8000 °C/s, deep vacuum of 0.7 mbar, and very fast cooling at the wall temperature of −100 °C) was used.

Methodology for assessing the concentrations of the primary marine aerosol in coastal areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barsanti, P.; Briganti, G.; Cappelletti, A.; Marri, P.

2009-01-01

European and Italian regulations (DM 60/2002) fix for atmospheric particulate matter PM10 the threshold of 50 μg/m 3 as limit not to be exceeded more than 35 times per year (24 hour mean); unfortunately, such prescriptions do not distinguish anthropic contributions from natural ones (sea salt, Saharan sand, coastal erosion, volcanic ashes, etc.). The aim of this study is to set up a methodology in order to estimate sea salt emissions, both from open sea and surf zone, and to model atmospheric dispersion of marine aerosols. The proposed methodology, applied to the coastal zone between Massa Carrara and Viareggio (Tuscany, Italy), shows specific open sea emissions are generally very low in comparison with the surf zone ones: they are not negligible only with strong winds, but such meteorological conditions are neither persistent nor very frequent in the selected area. On the contrary, sea surf contributions are much more strong (at least 1 order of magnitude), peak-shaped and persistent then the first ones, and can lead to high PM10 concentration fields up to few kilometres inland. The comparison between model outputs and observations, in two points placed at 2000 and 4000 m from the shoreline, has shown an amount of sea salt in total PM10 even greater then 70% in mass. The existence of a surf zone, which can persist many hours or days even after a storm, can produce both elevated PM concentrations and gradients, mainly for light winds perpendicular to the shoreline. This work, supported by MINNI Project (www.minni.org), is suitable for other coastal areas as well and it is aimed to furnish an overview of marine particulate production and atmospheric dispersion processes; it is the starting point of an experimental investigation program, supported by institutional air quality authorities [it

Study of Marine Ecotourism Potential of Cubadak Island West Sumatera Province

OpenAIRE

Yulan, Nofri Andri; Nasution, Syafruddin; Yoswaty, Dessy

2014-01-01

The aim of study is to identify tourist object of Cubadak island and its potential level for marine ecotourism by used of survey method. Both primary and secondary data were collected by meaning, interviewing, and investigating directly. Interviewing sampling method was used purposively, particularly for tourist sample were used as accidental sampling. The result showed that Cubadak Island has a big potential in marine tourism and possess a big chance to develop in marine ecotourism sector. I...

Marine botany. Second edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawes, C.J.

1998-01-01

Marine plants are a diverse group that include unicellular algae, seaweeds, seagrasses, salt marshes, and mangrove forests. They carry out a variety of ecological functions and serve as the primary producers in coastal wetlands and oceanic waters. The theme that connects such a wide variety of plants is their ecology, which was also emphasized in the 1981 edition. The goal of this revision is to present taxonomic, physiological, chemical, and ecological aspects of marine plants, their adaptations, and how abiotic and biotic factors interact in their communities. The data are presented in a concise, comparative manner in order to identify similarities and differences between communities such as salt marsh and mangroves or subtidal seaweeds and seagrasses. To accomplish this, the text is organized into five chapters that introduce the marine habitats, consider abiotic and biotic factors, and anthropogenic influences on the communities followed by seven chapters that deal with microalgae, seaweeds, salt marshes, mangroves, seagrasses, and coral reefs. Two appendixes are included; one presents simple field techniques and the other is a summary of seaweed uses

Marine proteomics: a critical assessment of an emerging technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Slattery, Marc; Ankisetty, Sridevi; Corrales, Jone; Marsh-Hunkin, K Erica; Gochfeld, Deborah J; Willett, Kristine L; Rimoldi, John M

2012-10-26

The application of proteomics to marine sciences has increased in recent years because the proteome represents the interface between genotypic and phenotypic variability and, thus, corresponds to the broadest possible biomarker for eco-physiological responses and adaptations. Likewise, proteomics can provide important functional information regarding biosynthetic pathways, as well as insights into mechanism of action, of novel marine natural products. The goal of this review is to (1) explore the application of proteomics methodologies to marine systems, (2) assess the technical approaches that have been used, and (3) evaluate the pros and cons of this proteomic research, with the intent of providing a critical analysis of its future roles in marine sciences. To date, proteomics techniques have been utilized to investigate marine microbe, plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate physiology, developmental biology, seafood safety, susceptibility to disease, and responses to environmental change. However, marine proteomics studies often suffer from poor experimental design, sample processing/optimization difficulties, and data analysis/interpretation issues. Moreover, a major limitation is the lack of available annotated genomes and proteomes for most marine organisms, including several "model species". Even with these challenges in mind, there is no doubt that marine proteomics is a rapidly expanding and powerful integrative molecular research tool from which our knowledge of the marine environment, and the natural products from this resource, will be significantly expanded.

Marine bioactives and potential application in sports.

Science.gov (United States)

Gammone, Maria Alessandra; Gemello, Eugenio; Riccioni, Graziano; D'Orazio, Nicolantonio

2014-04-30

An enriched diet with antioxidants, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, β-carotene and phenolic compounds, has always been suggested to improve oxidative stress, preventing related diseases. In this respect, marine natural product (MNP), such as COX inhibitors, marine steroids, molecules interfering with factors involved in the modulation of gene expression (such as NF-κB), macrolides, many antioxidant agents, thermogenic substances and even substances that could help the immune system and that result in the protection of cartilage, have been recently gaining attention. The marine world represents a reserve of bioactive ingredients, with considerable potential as functional food. Substances, such as chitin, chitosan, n-3 oils, carotenoids, vitamins, minerals and bioactive peptides, can provide several health benefits, such as the reduction of cardiovascular diseases, anti-inflammatory and anticarcinogenic activities. In addition, new marine bioactive substances with potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and thermogenic capacity may provide health benefits and performance improvement, especially in those who practice physical activity, because of their increased free radical and Reacting Oxygen Species (ROS) production during exercise, and, particularly, in athletes. The aim of this review is to examine the potential pharmacological properties and application of many marine bioactive substances in sports.

Wintertime Arctic Ocean sea water properties and primary marine aerosol concentrations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Zábori

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Sea spray aerosols are an important part of the climate system through their direct and indirect effects. Due to the diminishing sea ice, the Arctic Ocean is one of the most rapidly changing sea spray aerosol source areas. However, the influence of these changes on primary particle production is not known.

In laboratory experiments we examined the influence of Arctic Ocean water temperature, salinity, and oxygen saturation on primary particle concentration characteristics. Sea water temperature was identified as the most important of these parameters. A strong decrease in sea spray aerosol production with increasing water temperature was observed for water temperatures between −1°C and 9°C. Aerosol number concentrations decreased from at least 1400 cm⁻³ to 350 cm⁻³. In general, the aerosol number size distribution exhibited a robust shape with one mode close to dry diameter D_p 0.2 μm with approximately 45% of particles at smaller sizes. Changes in sea water temperature did not result in pronounced change of the shape of the aerosol size distribution, only in the magnitude of the concentrations. Our experiments indicate that changes in aerosol emissions are most likely linked to changes of the physical properties of sea water at low temperatures. The observed strong dependence of sea spray aerosol concentrations on sea water temperature, with a large fraction of the emitted particles in the typical cloud condensation nuclei size range, provide strong arguments for a more careful consideration of this effect in climate models.

Variation of phytoplankton biomass and primary production in Daya Bay during spring and summer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song Xingyu; Huang Liangmin; Zhang Jianlin; Huang, Xiaoping; Zhang Junbin; Yin Jianqiang; Tan Yehui; Liu Sheng

2004-01-01

Environmental factors, phytoplankton biomass (Chl a) and primary production of two water areas in Daya Bay (Dapeng'ao Bay and Aotou Bay) were investigated during the transition period from spring to summer. Chl a ranged from 3.20 to 13.62 and 13.43 to 26.49 mg m -3 in Dapeng'ao Bay and Aotou Bay respectively, if data obtained during red tides are excluded. Primary production varied between 239.7 and 1001.4 mgC m -2 d -1 in Dapeng'ao Bay. The regional distribution of Chl a and primary production were mostly consistent from spring to summer in both bays. Seasonal transition characters have been found in Daya Bay from spring to summer, including high values of DO, nitrate and silicate. Size structures of phytoplankton and its primary production do not change very much from spring to summer, with micro-phytoplankton dominating and contributing about 50% of the whole. In Daya Bay, phytoplankton is limited by nitrogen in spring, and by phosphate in summer. Artificial impacts are evident from high temperature effluent from nuclear power stations, aquaculture and sewage. During the investigation, a red tide occurred in Aotou Bay, with a maximum Chl a of 103.23 mg m -3 at surface and primary production of 2721.9 mgC m -2 d -1 in the red tide center. Raised water temperature and nutrient supply from land-sources help to stimulate annual red tides

Antimicrobial peptides in marine invertebrate health and disease

OpenAIRE

Destoumieux-Garzón, Delphine; Rosa, Rafael Diego; Schmitt, Paulina; Barreto, Cairé; Vidal-Dupiol, Jeremie; Mitta, Guillaume; Gueguen, Yannick; Bachère, Evelyne

2016-01-01

Aquaculture contributes more than one-third of the animal protein from marine sources worldwide. A significant proportion of aquaculture products are derived from marine protostomes that are commonly referred to as ‘marine invertebrates’. Among them, penaeid shrimp (Ecdysozosoa, Arthropoda) and bivalve molluscs (Lophotrochozoa, Mollusca) are economically important. Mass rearing of arthropods and molluscs causes problems with pathogens in aquatic ecosystems that are exploited by humans. Remark...

Primary production, nutrient dynamics and mineralisation in a northeastern Greenland fjord during the summer thaw

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rysgaard, S.; Finster, K.; Dahlgaard, H.

1996-01-01

This investigation represents the first integrated study of primary production, nutrient dynamics and mineralisation in a northeastern fjord of Greenland. The data presented represent conditions and activities during the early summer thaw (first 2 weeks of July). Primary production (5.3 mmol C m(...

Remote Sensing Marine Ecology: Wind-driven algal blooms in the open oceans and their ecological impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, DanLing

2016-07-01

Algal bloom not only can increase the primary production but also could result in negative ecological consequence, e.g., Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). According to the classic theory for the formation of algal blooms "critical depth" and "eutrophication", oligotrophic sea area is usually difficult to form a large area of algal blooms, and actually the traditional observation is only sporadic capture to the existence of algal blooms. Taking full advantage of multiple data of satellite remote sensing, this study: 1), introduces "Wind-driven algal blooms in open oceans: observation and mechanisms" It explained except classic coastal Ekman transport, the wind through a variety of mechanisms affecting the formation of algal blooms. Proposed a conceptual model of "Strong wind -upwelling-nutrient-phytoplankton blooms" in Western South China Sea (SCS) to assess role of wind-induced advection transport in phytoplankton bloom formation. It illustrates the nutrient resources that support long-term offshore phytoplankton blooms in the western SCS; 2), Proposal of the theory that "typhoons cause vertical mixing, induce phytoplankton blooms", and quantify their important contribution to marine primary production; Proposal a new ecological index for typhoon. Proposed remote sensing inversion models. 3), Finding of the spatial and temporaldistributions pattern of harmful algal bloom (HAB)and species variations of HAB in the South Yellow Sea and East China Sea, and in the Pearl River estuary, and their oceanic dynamic mechanisms related with monsoon; The project developed new techniques and generated new knowledge, which significantly improved understanding of the formation mechanisms of algal blooms. 1), It proposed "wind-pump" mechanism integrates theoretical system combing "ocean dynamics, development of algal blooms, and impact on primary production", which will benefit fisheries management. 2), A new interdisciplinary subject "Remote Sensing Marine Ecology"(RSME) has been