Abstract. We present an overview of the plankton studies conducted during the last 25 years in the epipelagic offshore waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This quasi-enclosed sea is characterized by a rich and complex physical dynamics with distinctive traits, especially in regard to the thermohaline circulation. Recent investigations have basically confirmed the long-recognised oligotrophic nature of this sea, which increases along both the west-east and the north-south directions. Nutrient availability is low, especially for phosphorous (N:P up to 60), though this limitation may be buffered by inputs from highly populated coasts and from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton biomass, as chl a, generally displays low values (less than 0.2 µg chl a l −1 ) over large areas, with a modest late winter increase. A large bloom (up to 3 µg l −1 ) is observed throughout the late winter and spring exclusively in the NW area. Relatively high biomass values are recorded in fronts and cyclonic gyres. A deep chlorophyll maximum is a permanent feature for the whole basin, except during the late winter mixing. It is found at increasingly greater depths ranging from 30 m in the Alboran Sea to 120 m in the easternmost Levantine basin. Primary production reveals a west-east decreasing trend and ranges between 59 and 150 g C m −2 y −1 (in situ measurements). Overall, the basin is largely dominated by small autotrophs, microheterotrophs and egg-carrying copepod species. The microorganisms (phytoplankton, viruses, bacteria, flagellates and ciliates) and zooplankton components reveal a considerable diversity and
The main outputs of a multidisciplinary and integrated studies are summarised. The results incorporate the latest biogeochemical researches, at basin scale, in the Aegean Sea (including thermohaline circulation studies, SPM dynamics, mass and energy fluxes, acknowledge biochemical processes in the euphotic and the benthic layer and benthic response to downward fluxes). The data were acquired within five (seasonal) research cruises, during 1997-1998. Data analysis and evaluation hence provided important new information on the functional processes of the Aegean ecosystem. In terms of water circulation, no new deep water formation in the Aegean Sea was observed, during 1997-1998, but rather intermediate water, due mainly to the mild winter conditions. All the biochemical parameters of the euphotic zone (nutrients, Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), chlorophyll-a, phytoplankton, primary and bacterial production), although high in the N. Aegean Sea reflect clearly the highly oligotrophic character of the Aegean Sea. In the N. Aegean, microbial food web was the main pathway of carbon, whereas in the S. Aegean, the food web could be classified as multivorous. An important Black Sea Water (BSW) signal was observed in the dissolved phase; this was especially pronounced in the Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC), Mn and to a lesser degree to Cd, Cu and Ni concentrations. The downward material fluxes are higher in the N. Aegean, relative to the S. Aegean. Substantially higher values of near-bottom mass fluxes were measured in the deep basins of the N. Aegean, implying significant deep lateral fluxes of POM. The N. Aegean could be classified as a ''continental margin'' ecosystem, whilst the S. Aegean is a typical ''oceanic margin'' environment. There is a close relationship and, consequently, coupling between the near-bottom mass fluxes and the accumulation rates of organic matter (OM), with the near-bottom mineralisation, bioturbation, redox potential, oxygen consumption rates, the sediment microbiological and enzymatic activity and the meio-macro-and mega fauna abundances in the
This work is a study of plankton food web structure and carbon flow in March and September 1997 in the Aegean Sea, area of outflow of Black Sea waters in the Mediterranean Sea. Biomass and production of autotrophs were measured by size fraction as well as bacterial biomass and production; furthermore, we studied heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNAN), ciliates and mesozooplankton biomass, copepod production and grazing impact on phytoplankton. The obtained low values of nutrients and plankton biomass and production confirmed the oligotrophic character of this region. Despite the fact that there was no significant horizontal variability in the spatial distribution of nutrients throughout the study area, the planktonic biomass and production revealed a gradual decrease from the Northeast Aegean (NEA) towards the South Aegean (SA). In the Northeast Aegean, a large part of the fixed carbon was channelled through the microbial food web towards copepods; in contrast there was a low transfer of energy in the South Aegean where the multivorous food web was developed. Throughout the study area, almost 60 -70% of autotrophic biomass and primary production was performed by cells < 3 Am.
Abstract. We present an overview of the plankton studies conducted during the last 25 years in the epipelagic offshore waters of the Mediterranean Sea. This quasi-enclosed sea is characterized by a rich and complex physical dynamics that includes unique thermohaline features, particular multilayer circulation, topographic gyres, and meso- and sub-mesoscale activity. Recent investigations have basically confirmed the long-recognised oligotrophic character of this sea, which enhances along both the west-east, and the north-south directions. Nutrient availability is low, especially for phosphorous (N:P up to 60), although limitation may be relaxed by inputs from highly populated coasts and from the atmosphere. Phytoplankton biomass as chl-a, generally displays low values (less than 0.2 μg chl-a l-1) over large areas, with a modest late winter increase. A large bloom (up to 3 μg l-1) throughout the late winter and early spring is only observed in the NW area. Relatively high biomass peaks are also recorded in fronts and cyclonic gyres. A deep chlorophyll maximum is a~permanent feature for the whole basin (except during the late winter mixing). It progressively deepens from the Alboran Sea (30 m) to the easternmost Levantine basin (120 m). Primary production reveals a similar west-east decreasing trend and ranges from 59 to 150 g C m-2 y-1 (in situ measurements). Overall the basin is largely dominated by small-sized autotrophs, microheterotrophs and egg-carrying copepod species. The phytoplankton, the microbial (both autotrophic and heterotrophic) and the zooplankton components reveal a considerable diversity and variability over spatial and temporal scales, the latter less explored though. Examples are the wide diversity of dinoflagellates and coccolithophores, the multifarious role of diatoms or picoeukaryotes, and the distinct seasonal or spatial patterns of the species-reach copepod genera or families which dominate in the basin. Major dissimilarities between western and eastern basins have been highlighted in species composition of phytoplankton and mesozooplankton, but also in the microbial components and in their relationships. Superimposed to these longitudinal differences, a pronounced biological heterogeneity is also observed in areas hosting deep convection, fronts, cyclonic and anti-cyclonic gyres or eddies. There, the intermittent nutrient enrichment promotes switches from a small-sized microbial community to diatom-dominated populations. A classical food web is ready to substitute the microbial food web in these cases. These switches, likely occurring within a continuum of trophic pathways, may greatly enhance the flux towards high trophic levels, in spite of an apparent heterotrophy. Basically, the system seems to be top-down controlled and characterised by a ‘multivorous web’, as shown by the great variety of feeding modes and preferences and by the significant and simultaneous grazing impact on phytoplankton and ciliates by mesozooplankton. ‘La Mediterrània, o almenys la seva zona pelàgica, seria comparable a una Amazònia marina.’ (Margalef, 1995) (The Mediterranean, or at least its pelagic zone, would be like a marine version of the Amazon forest.)
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