a depletion of the inorganic nutrients in the upper waters by enhanced primary productivity at the subsurface level (50-75 m). Ammonium concentration fluctuates irregularly around 0.4 lM with a tendency to higher concentrations during the winter months (January to March). Nitrate and nitrite concentrations during the last five years showed a regular shift from a summer low (0.10 and 0.01 µM) to relatively high early winter values (0.6 and 0.25 µM). Phosphate concentrations are generally low during summer (*0.02 µM) and high during winter (*0.10 µM). Silicate concentrations show the same trend with 1.0 µM during summer and *2.0 µM in the winter. Dissolved oxygen concentrations at the Gulf of Aqaba show a regular pattern, inversely proportional to that of temperature, with a range of 6.4 to 7.4 mgl −1 , indicating that the effects of the other ecosystem variables are masked by temperature. Waters of the Gulf of Aqaba are very well balanced in terms of respiration and photosynthesis and well ventilated due to the annual deep mixing with a saturation of 100%.

The continuous release of organic C-rich material by reef-building corals can contribute substantially to biogeochemical processes and concomitant rapid nutrient recycling in coral reef ecosystems. However, our current understanding of these processes is limited to platform reefs exhibiting a high degree of ecosystem closure compared to the globally most common fringing reef type. This study carried out in the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) presents the first quantitative budget for coral-derived organic carbon (COC) in a fringing reef and highlights the importance of local hydrodynamics. Diel reef-wide COC release amounted to 1.1± 0.2 kmol total organic carbon (TOC) representing 1-3% of gross benthic primary production. Most COC (73%) was released as particulate organic C (POC), the bulk of which (34-63%) rapidly settled as mucus string aggregates accounting for approximately 28% of total POC sedimentation. Sedimentation of mucus strings, but also dilution of suspended and dissolved COC in reef waters retained 82% of diel COC release in the fringing reef, providing a potentially important organic source for a COC-based food web. Pelagic COC degradation represented 0.1-1.6% of pelagic microbial respiration recycling 32% of diel retained COC. Benthic COC degradation contributed substantially (29-47%) to reef-wide microbial respiration in reef sands, including 20-38% by mucus string POC, and consumed approximately 52% of all retained COC. These findings point out the importance of COC as a C carrier for different reef types. COC may further represent a source of organic carbon for faunal communities colonising reef framework cavities complementing the efficient retention and recycling of COC within fringing reef environments.

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Seasonal changes of tide signal(s), temperature, salinity and current were studied during the years [2004][2005] in the northernmost Gulf of Aqaba, which is under developmental activities, to obtain scientific bases for best management and sustainability. Spectrum analysis revealed permanent signals of tide measurements during all seasons, which represented semidiurnal and diurnal barotropic tides. The other signal periods of 8.13, 6.10-6.32, 4.16 and 1.02-1.05 h were not detected in all seasons, which were related to shallow water compound and overtides of principle solar and lunar constituents and to seiches generated in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Spatial and temporal distributions of temperature, salinity and density showed significant differences between months in the coastal and offshore region and no significant differences among the coastal sites, between the surface and bottom waters and between coastal and offshore waters. Therefore, the temporal and spatial variation of water properties in the northernmost Gulf of Aqaba behave similarly compared to other parts. The coastal current below 12 m depth was weak (3-6 cms -1 ) and fluctuated from east-northeastward to west-southwestward (parallel to the shoreline), which may be related to the effect of bottom topography and/or current density due to differential cooling between eastern and western parts in the study area, and wind-induced upwelling and downwelling in the eastern and western side, respectively. The prevailing northerly winds and stratification conditions during summer were the main causes of the southward current at 6 and 12 m depths with average speed of 28 and 12 cms -1 , respectively.

The present study investigated the variability of monthly mean sea level data and discussed its relation with climatic events in the Red Sea during 1958-2001. The data were obtained from Simple Ocean Data Assimilation (SODA), for three different locations (north, central and south) in the Red Sea. Spatial and temporal variability as well as trends and periodicity of sea level time series records in the three locations was investigated using One-way ANOVA test, weighted running mean filter and autocorrelation spectral analysis. Results revealed that mean sea level in the northern Red Sea was permanently lower than its central and southern parts. Moreover, the mean sea level during winter and spring in the three locations was significantly higher than summer and autumn seasons. Increasing and decreasing of sea level trends with respect to time were also observed. Inter-decadal variations in sea level including a fairly regular quasi 2.5-2.7 year oscillation in all seasons were detected, although its amplitude varied among different cycles. Studying the cyclicity in the hydroclimatic record can resolve some of the complexities of the hydroclimate system. The sign of Quasi Biennial Oscillation, El Niño Southern Oscillation and sunspots events may have an important influence in sea level variations of the Red Sea.