List of Publications
111.Piontkovski, S. A., R. Williams and T. A. Melnik. 1995. Spatial-temporal and size
structure of the Indian Ocean epipelagic ecosystems: some general trends. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 117: 219-227.
Abstract: Data from surveys carried out in 1982 and 1990 in the Arabian Sea, and the South and North Sub-equatorial Divergence regiuons of the Indian Ocean were used to analyse the spatial distribution and the size spectra of zooplankton in relation to primary production and hydrophysical dynamics on a scale of hundreds of kilometres. Spatial heterogeneity of biomass distributions increased with the size of organisms from phytoplankton to macrozooplankton. The zooplankton abundance spectra changed with hydrodynamic regimes of water dynamics (cyclonic, anticyclonic eddies, frontal zones) and could be approximated by linear regressions in logarithmic scale. From values of the normalised spatial variance of plankton biomass components (phyto-, meso-, macroplankton) it is concluded that heterogeneous 'fields' of predators exist on more uniform 'fields' of prey. Biomass ratios of phytoplankton (chlorophyll a), microzoo-, mesozoo-, and macrozooplankton form an iverted pyramid of biomass in the studied regions. Maximal slopes for zooplankton abundance size spectra have been observed in regions of maximum primary production, i.e. in regions of high primary production the smallest zooplankton dominate the total zooplankton. This is also true for regions of high phytoplankton turnover. The ratio of primary production to herbivore production indicates that the highest efficiency of transfer from autotrophs to heterotrophs is carried out by the smaller zooplankton. The ratio of primary production to zooplankton biomass increases as the spectrum slope of the zooplankton abundance increases. This means that the ratio increases when small mesoplanktonic organisms become more dominant amongst the mesoplankton size range. Both types of relationships can be approximated by diminishing non-linear equations. The values of these 2 ratios can change an order of magnitude on a scale of hundreds of kilometres.
Key words: Indian Ocean - Size spectra - Zooplankton biomass.
112.Piontkovski, S.A. & R. Williams. 1995. Multiscale variability of tropical ocean zooplankton biomass
Symposium on Zooplankton Production. ICES J. mar. Sci. 52: 643-656.
Abstract: The variability of zooplankton biomass on a scale of thousands, hundreds, and tens of kilometres was estimated from the data bank of over 40 expeditions to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and seas of the Mediterranean basin. Thirty oceanographic grid surveys were used to estimate variability on a scale of hundreds of kilometres. Continuous records within these grids were used to estimate zooplankton variability on the scale of tens of kilometres, and high-resolution sampling was used to investigate variability of kilometre scale. In the multiscale variability of zooplankton biomass, the maximum variability was observed on the thousands of kilometres scale, with the quantitative values of biomass represented in a form of normalized variance. The local peak of variability of zooplankton biomass in the range of hundreds of kilometres, in the tropical ocean, was probably due to the enhanced water dynamics with the same scale range. This activity is linked with open-ocean mesoscale eddy fields in the tropical zones of both oceans. The other typical feature of the structure of the zooplanktonic fields is its spatial anisotrophy, which indicates different properties of spatial variation of parameters along directions through space. The anisotrophy was evaluated by means of two-dimensional spatial autocorrelation functions. Two-dimensional correlation ellipses of the zooplankton biomass fields were orientated by their main axes in accordance with the direction of transport of the main water mass, the direction of motion of the eddies, and the orientation of divergence or convergence zones. The spatial heterogeneity of zooplankton biomass distribution in the horizontal plane can be characterized by the frequency of occurrence of patches. On a log scale the frequency of occurrence of different size patches diminishes proportionally with their linear size. Zooplankton biomass is distributed more heterogeneously than that of phytoplankton (chlorophyll a). Synchronous measurements of the three-level system "phytoplankton-mesozooplankton-flying fish" (where each componentacts as a prey item for the next one) exhibit the same trend of spatial autocorrelation functions, diminishing over the trophic levels on a scale from hundreds to tens of kilometres. This means that relatively heterogeneous fields of predators exist on more uniformly distributed fields of their prey.
Key words: Indian and Atlantic Oceans, spatial heterogeneity, zooplankton biomass.
114.Evstigneev, P., R. Williams, and S. A. Piontkovski. 1994 Spatial and temporal
distribution of bioluminescent invertebrates in the central Atlantic Ocean. 8th Int.
Symp. on Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence. Univ. Cambridge 5-8 Sept.
1994. Fundamentals and Applied Aspects. Eds AK Campbell, LJ Kricka and
PE Stanley. Pp.123-126. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester
Abstract: It is well known that a large percentage of planktonic organisms in the
world?s oceans generate light of varying intensity. The diversity of mechanisms of
bioluminesccence and the range of taxa which exhibit this phenomenon indicate its
adaptive role in inter and tra species communication. It has a role in sexual behaviour and
signal reaction in ?predator-prey? interactions of many planktonic species although data
on macroscale spatial distribution of bioluminecent organisms are rare. The analysis presented
is the qualitative and quantitative changes of the bioluminescent characteristics in the changing
plankton community of the central Atlantic Ocean
115.Piontkovski. S.A., R. Williams, Peterson, W. T., Yunev, O.A.
Minkina, N.I., Vladimirov, V.L. and A. Blinkov. 1997.
Spatial Hetrogeneity of the planktonic field in the mixed layer of the open ocean
. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 148: 145-154.
Abstract: Field surveys were conducted in the open ocean regions of the Indian, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean (Adriatic) Sea. Continuous records were taken along transects of several hundreds of km over the area. Zooplankton and chlorophyll "a" samples were collected from the surface layer while the ship was underway using a high capacity pump. The quantitative trends of occurrence of zooplankton biomass of different patch sizes over the studied areas were quite similar. From the averaged trend and non-linear regression analysis it was demonstrated that on the scale from tens to hundreds of km the number of patches exponentially diminishes with their size. The power spectra of temperature, chlorophyll "a" and zooplankton biomass in the surfacelayer were similar. They monotonically decrease with the decrease of the spatial wave length of oscillations of the above parameters. The typical slope of the spectra of temperature, phytoplankton and zooplankton fields are within the range of -3 to -2 in a band of wave lengths from 200 to 10km. In the western subtropical Atlantic where the internal waves are well developed in the seasonal thermocline layer the variability of zooplankton biomass has been characterised by a power spectra having several local peaks of spatial spectral density on a background of a declining curve. Nevertheless, the average spectra slope exhibits the same trend that is it diminishes with the slope of the curve within the range -3 to -2. Temperature and zooplankton biomass spectra exhibited coherent local peaks of spectral density at similar wave lengths.
KEY WORDS: zooplankton, spatial heterogeneity, Atlantic Ocean.
121. Goldberg, G.A., Piontkovski, S.A. and R. Williams. 1997. Zooplankton
field heterogeneity mesoscale formation: elements of the theory and empirical characteristics. Ecol. Monitoring. 96: 41-49.
Abstract: The continuous records of mesozooplankton biomass (with the spatial averaging of pump track every 20 km) were carried out from the surface layer (2-6 m depth) over 5 transects in the western part of the Indian Ocean during the end of the north east monsoon period. The spatial autocorrelation functions have shown that the average size of zooplankton heterogeneities on the mesoscale is close to 40km. To model the field of zooplankton biomass b(t,x) the model based on the equation of non-conservative substance diffusion was applied:
db/bt + u(db/dx) = k (d2b/dx2) + nb + a(t,x), where t-the time; x-horizontal coordinate; u-the velocity of mass transport by a current; k-the coefficient of horizontal turbulent diffusion; n-the normalised velosity of zooplankton growth. . The field a(t,x) characterises the rest of local fluctuations of zooplankton biomass not associated with mentioned processes.The techniques of solving the equation based on the spectral theory of the random fields and was solved by means of the evaluation of the field autocovariation functions
122. Tokarev, Yu. N. R. Williams and E.P. Bityukov. Abstract. The influence of
environmental conditions and anthropogenic impact on the bioluminescence of
dinoflagellates in the Mediterranean basin Seas. EMBS, Southampton, 1995.
Abstract: Plankton luminescence was studied using multiple vertical profiling of the photic layer (0-100) in the Black, Aegean and Ionian Seas in regions with known different levels of anthropogenic pollution. Bioluminescent intensity of the studied layer was used as a marker of the functional state of planktonic populations and their spatial structure. Under conditions of increasing anthropogenic impact on the plankton community (north-western part of Black Sea, southern part of Ionian Sea) the relationship between the bioluminescent intensity and abundance of dinoflagellates is considerably modified. In particular, the abundance of luminescent algae in samples taken from the southern region of the Ionian Sea, an area of anthropogenic impact from petrogenic hydrocarbons, need to be twice as abundant to produce the same intensity of bioluminescence as algae in unpolluted waters. In the Black Sea, from heavily polluted areas, the bioluminescence is depressed 3 to 4 times when compared to similar numbers of luminescent algae from clean water. This suggests that the bioluminescent field in a particular region can be used to monitor and provide an indication of the organisation and energetic characteristics of the phytoplankton.
Key words: plankton, bioluminescence, anthropogenic pressure
123. Piontkovski, S.A.,Williams, R., Peterson W. and V.N.Kosnirev. 1995.
Relationship between oceanic zooplankton and energy of eddy fields. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.128: 35-41.
Abstract: The impact of mesoscale eddies on the spatial distribution of zooplankton biomass was analysed using data from the Arabian Sea and the Black Sea. The highest values of spatial variance of zooplankton biomass in the upper 100 to 150 m were found in regions with maximum potential energy of the eddy fields. Diel temporal trends of zooplankton biomass were observed in the Arabian Sea area. However, the input of the macroscale spatial (horizontal) component of summarised spatio-temporal variability of the zooplankton fields exceeded the input of the diel temporal component.
Key words: Zooplankton biomass, Arabian Sea, Black Sea, Spatial distribution.
125. Piontkovski, S.A., Kovalev. A.V.,Williams, R. and Z.Z. Finenko. (Abstract)
The role of the Benquela Current in the formation of the biological structure and
productivity of the macroscale Anticyclonic Gyre of the South Atlantic Ocean.
Benquela Dynamics Symposium, 21-23 Nov., 1966 Cape Town S.A.
Abstract: The four geostrophic currents; the Benguela Current, the South Passsat Current, the Westerly Winds Current and the Brazilian Current form the Southern Macroscale Anticyclonic Gyre of the Atlantic Ocean that has an approximate diameter of 4500km. The first current plays a key ecological role in the spatial temporal succession of the epipelagic plankton community as it drifts from the Benguela upwelling to the centre of the Southern Atlantic Anticyclonic Gyre where macroscale convergence takes place. The Ukrainian Academy of Sciences has conducted eleven specialised expeditions (1962-1987) to study the structure and production of the plankton community from the productive waters of the Benguela Current to the oligotrophic waters of the central part of the gyre. This has involved 274 biological and 351 hydrophysical drift stations. Change of phytoplankton, zooplankton biomass, size of organisms and species diversity, within the epipelagic community, were expressed as functions of distance from the Benguela upwelling to the centre of the macroscale anticyclonic gyre. The contribution of phytoplankton biomass to the total community biomass was maximal within the enriched nutrient waters of the Benguela. This contribution diminished in samples taken along the current ring to the convergence zone. Zooplankton and bacterioplankton biomass exhibited the opposite trend. Indices of species diversity in the succession of the zooplankton community showed different temporal changes from the Benguela to the convergence region.
129. Piontkovski, S.A., Tokarev, Yu. N., Bitukov, E.P., Williams, R., Kiefer, D.A.
(1997) The bioluminescent field of the Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Ecol Prog. Ser. 156:33-41
Abstract: Data from 20 years (1970-1990) of expeditions by the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas, Ukraine to the tropical Atlantic Ocean are summarised in the form of a macroscale contour map. The bioluminescent potential of plankton in the upper 100m layer was analysed from 2924 casts. Several zones of enhanced bioluminescence are shown from the annual averages (0-100m), associated with major upwellings along the African coast and the geostrophic currents forming the westward water mass transport. The macroscale trend of spatial distribution and the pulsation component of the bioluminescence were partitioned by analysis of the autocorrelation functions. General agreement between bioluminescence and zooplankton biomass distributions was noted on an ocean basin scale. The contribution of phyto- and zooplankton fractions to the formation of the integrated bioluminescent potential can vary significantly in the upper 100m layer over regions within the tropical zone.
130. Kushnir, V.M., Tokarev, Yu. N., Williams, R., Piontkovski, S.A., Evstigneev, P.V., 1997
Spatial heterogeneity of the bioluminescence field of the tropical
Atlantic Ocean and its relationship with the internal waves. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser
Abstract: The mesoscale spatial heterogeneity of the bioluminescent field was interpreted in the framework of inertial-gravity waves theory. Field research was conducted in October 1986 in the western part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. The survey consisted of: a) transects, when the vessel was underway, of continuous bioluminescence records and b) drift stations with simultaneous measurements of bioluminescence (110m depth), temperature, salinity and density profiles (1000m depth). In general, power spectra of bioluminescence fluctuations obtained from continuous records have 2-3 peaks in the dispersion density, mostly developed at 13-15 and 5km wave lengths. The concept of the origin of fluctuations in bioluminescence by internal waves also explains the latitudinal effect of the changes in variance of the amplitudes of bioluminescence averaged latitudinally, over 50 intervals over the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean. There is a relationship between spatial (horizontal and vertical) periods of bioluminescence intensity in the upper stratified layers of the ocean and the calculated parameters of the inertial gravity waves. In the eastern tropical Atlantic the phase velocities of these waves were 2-4 cm s-1, with a period about 3 days and were generated by the tangential stress of the wind on the water surface. The waves behaved as quasi-stationary fluctuations, generating the conditions for aggregation of the bioluminescent organisms along the vertical and the horizontal planes.
Key words: bioluminescence, internal-gravity waves, mesoscale heterogeneity, Atlantic Ocean
131. Evstigneev, P.V., Cheripanov, O.V., Williams, R., Piontovski, S.A. The
identification of planktonic organisms by their bioluminescent signals.
(9th Int. Symp. Bioluminescence & Chemiluminescence, 4-8th Oct. 1996
Woods Hole, MA, USA). Bioluminescence & Chemiluminescence:
Fundamentals and Applied Aspects. Eds AK Campbell, LJ Kricka and
PE Stanley. Pp.123-126.
133. Bitukov, E.P., Tokarev, Yu, N. Piontkovski, S.A., Vasilenko, V.I.,
Williams, R., Sokolov, B.G. 1997 The bioluminescence field as an indicator
of the spatial structure of the planktonic community of the Mediterranean
Sea basin. pp. 169-171. ( 9th Int. Symp. Bioluminescence & Chemiluminescence,
4-8th Oct. 1996 Woods Hole, MA, USA) Bioluminescence and
Chemiluminescence: Molecular Reporting with Photons. Eds. JW Hastings, LJ
Kricka, PE Stanley. John Wiley & Sons
Abstract: The statistical characteristics of the spatial-temporal variability of the bioluminescent field were studied from 21 expeditions of the Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (1970-1995). The bioluminescence vertical casts had coincident measurements of phyto/ mesozooplankton, processed to species level, CTD, oxygen and nutrient sampling in the majority of cruises. A layered structure, with layers from 3 to 7 m was the most typical feature of the vertical component of the bioluminescent field. The seasonal changes of bioluminescence showed 3 times difference in oligotrophic regions (Ionian Sea) and in the mesotrophic waters (Sardinian Sea) it was higher. Bioluminescence in the layers of maximal intensity in mesotrophic waters of the Alboran Sea was approximately 30 times higher than observed in the oligotrophic waters of the Ionian Sea. There was a general trend, at macroscale, of an increase of bioluminescence, from the western Mediterranean, where the Atlantic and Mediterranean water masses interact, towards the Aegean Sea. On the mesoscale, highest values of bioluminescence were observed in cyclonic eddies and in zones of divergence of currents. On a microscale, the morphometric characteristics of bioluminescence patches i.e. their dimensions, frequency of occurrence in space, two-dimensional forms etc. were investigated and reported for a number of regions.PV Evstigneev, R Williams, SA Piontkovski, and OK Bileva. Spatio-temporal succession and distribution of bioluminescent organisms of the central Atlantic Ocean
Introduction: It is well known that a large percentage of planktonic organisms in the world?s oceans generate light of varying intensity. The diversity of mechanisms of bioluminescence and the range of taxa which exhibit this phenomenon indicate its adaptive role in inter and intra species communication. It has a role in sexual behaviour and signal reaction in ?predator-prey? interactions of many planktonic species although data on macroscale spatial distribution of bioluminescent organisms are rare. The analysis presented is the qualitative and quantitative changes of the bioluminescent characteristics in the changing plankton community of the central Atlantic Ocean.
137. Evstigneev, P., Williams, R. and Piontkovski, S.A.,. 1996. Bioluminescence of
marine copepods: general trends in relation to ontogenesis and the behaviour of the
organism. 5th International Conference on Copepods, Oldenburg, August, 1996.
Abstract: The results of 10 years experimental studies will be presented. The quantitative relationship between basic characteristics of bioluminescence of copepods and their ontogenetic development is evaluated. Changes in the swimming and feeding behaviour of copepods with different bioluminescent activity will be compared. The bioluminescent characteristics will be compared with that of other planktonic groups (bacteria, phytoplankton, ostracods, euphausiids). The role of the bioluminescent copepods in the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems is analysed.
;Williams, R. S.A. Piontkovski, Yu. Tokarev, A. Mishonov, V. Vladmirov. 1997
Data Base on Plankton Bioluminescence and Associated Parameters for the
Mediterranean Sea Basin. p. 323-Abstract Vol. Progress in Oceanography of the
Mediterranean Sea, Rome, Nov.17-19, EU, MAST
Abstract: A data base of field measurements of plankton bioluminescence together with physical and biological measurements obtained during 21 IBSS and MHI expeditions over the last 20 years to the Mediterranean Sea Basin was constructed; under sponsorship from the Office of Naval Research, USA. The research vessels primarily involved in collecting these data were the ?Akademic Kovalevsky?, ?Professor Vodyanitsky? and ?Mikhail Lomonosov?. Data were assembled from over 3 722 vertical profiles taken over this period with the IBSS bathyphotometer profiling system ?SALPA?. This system is also equipped with depth, temperature and conductivity sensors. The Inventory software (InvBase) enables viewing, on a PC, of the cruise tracks, sampling positions of all stations and full cruise information together with all sampled parameters. These data are entered into the MHI Oceanographic Data Management System (CruBase) which allows full data preparation, multi-parametric and cross-parametric data queries, data checking system for ?experts? data control, data visualisation (depth-parameter plots) and a complete full hypertext context sensitive help system. A series of vertical profiles of bioluminescence and temperature from the Black and Mediterranean Seas are used to illustrate these features of the software together with full contoured transects of bioluminescence and temperature off the western coast of Italy, southern coast of France and across the Mediterranean from the southern coast of Spain. The vertical distribution of plankton bioluminescence shows marked differences between day and night profiles and is illustrated from a series of profiles taken in the Black Sea. Further examples of the data showing the general trends of bioluminescence, in the upper 100m, on a 1800 mile transect from the Black Sea to the Alboran Sea, and from Algeria to the coast of Spain, together with the bioluminescence intensity in the mixed layer of the whole of the Mediterranean Basin , in summer, are shown. The data base is being used to investigate the quantitative relationship between the hydrological structure of eddies and fronts and parameters of plankton bioluminescence and distribution.. These data are also being used to further develop and update models of bioluminescence spatial-temporal structure and variability.
139. Williams, R., Piontkovski, S.A., Mishonov, A.V., Tokarev, Yu. N., Vladimirov V.L., (1997)
Data base on plankton bioluminescence and associated parameters for the Mediterranean Sea. In: Ocean Data Symposium. Ireland, Dublin, 1997. Summary of Proceedings, p.118.
Proceedings of the Ocean Data Symposium, Dublin 1997. Ed. B.Cahill, Irish Marine Data Centre, Marine Institute, 1998 (Intl. English), p.103, full paper on Symposium? CD-ROM.
140 . Finenko Z.Z, Piontkovski, S.A., Williams R., Mishonov A.V. (in press) Macro-scale
variability and linkages of phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass in the Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser
Abstract: Data from 20 years (1970-1990) of expiditions to the Atlantic Ocean are summarised in the form of macroscale contour maps. The chlorophyll a concentrations from the surface layer (0 to 10 m) and mesozooplankton in the upper layer (0 to 100 m) were analysed from 3000 to 1300 casts respectively. General agreement between chlorophyll concentrations and mesozooplankton biomass distributions was noted on an ocean basin scale. A comparison of chlorophyll concentration within the surface layer and CZCS data was made for individual biogeochemical provinces. For the open ocean, there was a significant correlation between in situ measured and satellite-derived chlorophyll concentration. Linear relationships were evaluated between mean chlorophyll concentration within the 0 to 10 m layer and mesozooplankton biomass within the 0 to 100 m layer for 9 provinces for two time periods; December to May and June to November. For certain provinces, statistically significant regressions were established between primary production, phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass. Phytoplankton and zooplankton stocks were quantified for all provinces of the Atlantic Ocean. The total biomass of phytoplankton was estimated at 100 million tonnes C and for mesozooplankton at 65 million tonnes C.
Key words: Phytoplankton. Zooplankton. Spatial variability. Atlantic Ocean
141 . Finenko, Z.Z., Hoepnffner, N., Williams, R., Piontkovski, S.A. (in press)
Phytoplankton carbon to chlorophyll a ratio: response to light, temperature and nutrient limitation. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser
Abstract: A review was carried out on the effects of light, temperature and nutrient limitation on the carbon to chlorophyll a ratios of 36 microalgae species from 7 taxonomic groups using the literature and our own experimental data. Under similar conditions the C: Chl a ratio for individual taxonomic groups increase in the order: Chlorophycae < Bacillariophyceae, Prochlorococcus < Prymnesiophyceae Cyanophyceae < Dinophyceae. At constant temperature, the C: Chl a ratio increases linearly as light increases and decreases exponentially as temperature declines at constant light level. The combined effect of irradiance and temperature on C: Chl a ratio is described using an equation with 3 coefficients. From the empirical equation a decrease in the light levels causes a decrease in the effect of temperature on the C: Chl a ratio. In all algae groups studied different light levels increases the C: Chl a ratio in the same way under nutrient limitation. Taking into account, the taxonomy of the phytoplankton growth rate, temperature and light intensity results from the oligo-, meso- and eutrophic waters of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the C: Chl a ratio within the mixed layer was 112, 60 and 37 gC gChl a?1 respectively. Near the Base of the Euphotic zone the ratio the ratio was 30 gC gChl a-1. From the developed equation the C: Chl a ratios in phytoplankton under different environmental conditions can be described.
Key words: Carbon. Chlorophyll Ratio. Light. Temperature. Nutrient
142. Finenko, Z.Z., Piontkovski, S.A., Williams, R. and Mishonov, A.V. 1998. The
phyto- and zooplankton fields of the Atlantic Ocean. Abstract. In: Proc. of the 23rd
General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society. Nice, France, April 1998.
Journal Annales Geophysicae, Supplement Vol. 16, Part 2,
Abstract:Data from 20 years (1970-1990) of expeditions to the Atlantic Ocean are summarised in the form of macroscale contour maps. The chlorophyll a concentrations from surface and mesozooplankton in the upper layer (0-100m) were analysed from 3000 and 1300 casts respectively. General agreement between chlorophyll concentrations and mesozooplankton biomass distributions was noted on an ocean basin scale. The comparison of chlorophyll concentration within the surface layer for some cruises and CZCS data was made for individual provinces. For the open ocean there was significant correlation between in situ measured and satellite derived chlorophyll concentration. There was a linear relationship between mean chlorophyll concentration within the 0 to 10 m layer and mesozooplankton biomass within the 0 to 100 m layer for 9 biogeochemical provinces for summed data between December to May and June to November. For certain provinces relations were established between primary production, phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass. Biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton were estimated for the biogeochemical provinces of Atlantic Ocean. The total biomass of phytoplankton was estimated at 100 mln t C, and that of mesozooplankton at 65 mln t C.
143.A.V.Mishonov &; R Willams. 1998. Historical data sets of the Marine Hydrophysical
Institute (Ukraine) for the Indian Ocean. Int. Confer. Expeditionary Research of the
world ocean and oceanographic information resources (OIR'98): Abstracts vol.
Obninsk, Russian Federation, October 1998. Eds. S. Khodkin &; M. Shaimardanov, World Data Centre-B, p. 69-70.
Abstract: Between 1966 to 1981, nine research expeditions from the Marine Hydrophysical Institute (National Academy of Science of Ukraine) were carried out in the Indian Oceanusing RV Mikhail Lomonosov (ML) and RV AkademikVernadsky (AV). In the framework of the GODAR Project (1993-1994) data were retrieved from the archives and transferred to magnetic media. These data were physical, chemical, optical and meteorological measurements obtained from cruises whose numbers and years are given in chronological order: 19 ML (1966), 5 (1972), 10 (1975), 11 (1975), 19 (1979), 21 AV (1979), 39 ML (1980), 22 (1980), and 24 AV (1981). The total data set contains 2462 oceanographic stations, which 1702 are CDT casts, 574 are Nansen bottle casts, 186 are bathythermograph casts and 546 are chemical casts (dissolved oxygen & phosphates ? 546, nitrites - 82, nitrates - 196, silicates - 443, hydrogen ions - 210, and alkalinity ? 66). There were also 186 measurements of Secchi disk depth, 554 profiles of beam attenuation coefficient, and 478 meteorological observations. Data were obtained mostly in the Arabian Sea and northern Seychelles region and some data were collected in the Bay of Bengal and off West Australia (meridional transect along 110�E). Data were double entered and passed through an input control, checked by experts and quality codes assigned to each value. Following the expert quality check, data sets were transferred to the World Data Center (NODC, Washington D.C.) and are available to the scientific community. These data are currently being used, with other data, to compile a CD on the scientific data collected by the FSU in the Indian Ocean
144. TokarevYu.N., R. Williams, S.A. Piontkovski 1998. Small-scale plankton patchiness in the Black Sea euphotic layer. Hydrobiol. 376: 363-367.
ABSTRACT. Small-scale heterogeneity of bioluminescence intensity and sound volume back scattering strength (SVBS) were studied in the central part of the Black Sea in October, 1989. Bathyphotometric casts and measurements of SVBS, were taken every 3 minutes in the surface layer over a period of several hours from a drifting vessel. Casts were accompanied by temperature profiles and zooplankton sampling. Measurements were carried out during the day and night periods. From adaptive spectral analysis it was shown that the horizontal dimensions of the bioluminescent and SVBS heterogeneities were between 75 to 1500 m and 20 to 443 m respectively. In the case of zooplankton biomass the dimensions were 85 to 818 m and 80 to 1800 m for the temperature field. Physical and dynamical factors dominate in the formation of small-scale spatial heterogeneity of the studied fields. Biological factors, such as diel vertical migrations, trophic interactions etc. will also contribute to the formation of patches at night.
145. Tokarev, Yu.N. Williams, R. and S.A. Piontkovski 1999. The identification of small
scale structure of pelagic plankton communities of the Black and Ionian Seas by
their bioluminescent characteristics. Hydrobiol. 393: 163-167.
ABSTRACT: Small-scale heterogeneity of bioluminescence intensity was studied in the offshore regions of the Black and Ionian Seas in September/October, 1989. Bathyphotometric casts were deployed every 3 minutes over a period of several hours from a drifting vessel. Casts were accompanied by temperature profiles and zooplankton sampling. Taking into account the vessel drift, the sampling interval was equal to a spatial resolution from 15 to 25 m. Measurements were carried out during the day and night periods. From adaptive spectral analysis it was shown that the horizontal dimensions of the bioluminescent heterogeneities were between 75 to 1500 m in the Black Sea and 89 to 800 m in the Ionian Sea. The horizontal dimensions of the heterogeneities were 85 to 818 m and 85 to 500 m for zooplankton biomass and 80 to1800 m and 85 to 600 m for the temperature field in the Black and Ionian Seas respectively. Therefore, it is assumed that physical and dynamical factors dominate in the formation of small-scale spatial heterogeneity of the studied fields. Biological factors, such as diel vertical migrations, trophic interactions etc. will also contribute to the formation of patches at night.
146. Piontkovski, S.A., and R. Williams (submitted). Macroscale structure
and functioning of the epipelagic community of the eastern tropical Atlantic Ocean. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.
Abstract: Field surveys were carried out from July to September 1987 at 81 stations distributed on 4 transects along longitudes 6o, 12o, 18o, 24oW, from 6oS to 4oN. Temperature, salinity, chlorophyll "a", phytoplankton, primary production, bacteria production, micro-, meso-, macrozooplankton and micronekton (i.e. mesopelagic fishes and squids) were sampled in the upper 120m layer. The biomass size spectrum of the community was different in the divergence and convergence regions. It was relatively flat within the divergence zone with the spectrum slope increasing towards the convergence zone. Basic functional characteristics of the community were associated with patterns of the biomass size spectrum. High turnover rates (the ratio of primary production to the total community biomass) were observed mainly in regions where the size spectra had the steepest slope. The ratio of primary production to the total community metabolism (i.e. the balance between production and community metabolism) showed that primary production exceeded community metabolism (the energy losses) by 3 to 5 times in regions with a steeply sloped size spectrum (i.e. slopes from -0.7 to -0.4). In regions with flat-spectra (i.e. slopes from -0.2 to 0) a balance between the primary production and the community metabolism was observed. Size spectra were also analysed at the level of single ecological groups. For macrozooplankton, the size spectra of biomass obtained in the divergence region were different from the others and were approximated by bimodal curves. The size group 20-25mm formed the second spectral peak. The amplitude of this peak increased in a longitudinal (western) direction, along the major stream of currents. From the divergence to convergence regions, the amplitude of the second peak decreased from south to north; within jets of the South Passat Current. The variation coefficient and the dispersion index (the variance to mean ratio) were used to assess the spatial variability of the biomass. Both characteristics indicated an increase of spatial variability of biomass in the sequence: "phytoplankton-mesozooplankton-macrozooplankton-micronekton ". At "high tropic levels" of a community a linear relationship between the biomass of squids and gelatinous zooplankton was evaluated, in a logarithmic scale. Squids were actively consuming gelatinous organisms in regions of abundance, although large copepods, euphausiids, amphipods, flying fishes, and myctophid fishes contributed considerably to the squid's diet. This explained the observed positiveand an index of fullness of the squid's stomach. The relationship was evaluated for the community spectrum represented in energy units and indicated that squids are fairly sensitive to the changes relationship between the size spectrum slope of a community of the community energy spectrum. They ensure maximal stomach fullness in regions with mainly flat community energy spectrum (i.e. in the macroscale divergence zones).
147.Tokarev Yu.N., E.P. Bitukov, R.Williams, V.I. Vasilenko, S.A. Piontkovski, B.G. Sokolov.1999. The bioluminescence field as an indicator of the spatial structure and physiological state of the planktonic community in the Mediterranean Sea basin . In: P.Malanotte-Rizzoli & V.N. Eremeev (Eds).- NATO-ARW. The Eastern Mediterranean as a laboratory basin for the assessment of contrasting ecosystems. Kiev, Ukraine, March 23-27, 1988. Kluwer Acad.Pub., Netherlands.- pp. 407-416.
ABSTRACT The purpose of this work is to show the possibilities of using the characteristics of the bioluminescent fields to monitor the marine planktonic communities. The data bank used contained 3500 vertical casts of bioluminescent potential and near 1000 samples of the planktonic organisms obtained at 500 oceanographic stations executed in 21 expeditions to the Mediterranean Sea basin from 1970 to 1995. Studies were carried in different seasons in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas where different trophic conditions and considerably different species composition and abundance occurred in the phytoplankton. There are of course differences between abundance of various dinoflagellates and in the intensity of bioluminescence measured, but the main features of these appeared to be similar. The intensity of bioluminescence increased in proportion to the number and physiological state of the dinoflagellates. Seasonal changes are also well developed; mainly in the Black Sea. Two intensive periods of bioluminescence were recorded, one in May-June and the other one, more intense, in October-November. The bioluminescent potential reached 1.4 10-2 microwatt cm-2 l-1, which exceeded minimum numbers in February by 500 times. Seasonal cycles were weakly developed in the oligotrophic regions of the Mediterranean Sea: differences of the bioluminescent potential between summer and winter periods were 3.5 times. Macroscale trends of bioluminescence changes within the Mediterranean basin are comparable with those of the plankton spatial distributions. The general trend was for the bioluminescence to increase, from the Aegean Sea towards the west and from the Algerian coast to Spain. Bioluminescence in the central part of the Black Sea was 3 times weaker than that in the Alboran Sea. However, it was one order higher than that in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea. There are regions which can be considered to be ?clean? and ?polluted? in both neritic and open sea waters. For example, in the Mediterranean Sea the central regions of the Alboran, Ionian and Aegean Seas, and the central part of the western gyre and Karadag marine reserve of the Black Sea were all considered to have relatively good water quality while the regions of the intensive shipping (straits, southern part of the Ionian Sea, near-Bosphorus region, Black Sea north-western part) and densely inhabited riparian zones (Crimean southern coast) were considered to be regions of ?ecological risk?. There are considerable differences between the parameters of the regression lines from the studied regions. For example, to obtain the same bioluminescence intensity in the 0-100 m layer, the quantity of dinoflagellates from polluted regions of the Mediterranean Sea would have to be twice as abundant as those from ?clean? waters. Similarly the numbers of bioluminescent algae in the Black Sea would have to increase 3-4 times to obtain the same bioluminescent intensity. As the anthropogenic pressure in the Black Sea is higher, due to the population density in the river drainage areas and to the low water exchange, the differences are more apparent. It can be presumed, that an organism?s metabolic state (and hence its bioluminescence) could serve as an indicator for the levels of pollution in the environment.
Key words: bioluminescence, plankton, spatial structure, anthropogenic pollution
Finenko, Z.Z., PiontkovskiS. A., Williams R., Mishonov A.V. Variability of phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass in the tropical Atlantic Ocean
ABSTRACT: Data from 39 years (1950-1989) of expeditions to the Atlantic Ocean are summarised in the form of macroscale contour maps. The chlorophyll a concentrations from surface and mesozooplankton in the upper layer (0-100 m) were analysed from 3000 and 1300 casts respectively. General agreement between chlorophyll concentrations and mesozooplankton biomass distributions was noted on an ocean basin scale. A comparison of chlorophyll concentration within the surface layer for some cruises and CZCS data was made for individual provinces. For the open ocean there was a significant correlation between in situ measured and satellite-derived chlorophyll concentration. There was a linear relationship between mean chlorophyll concentration within the 0 to10 m layer and mesozooplankton biomass within the 0 to100 m layer for 9 biogeochemical provinces for summed data between December to May and June to November. For certain provinces relationships were established between primary production, phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass. Biomass of phytoplankton and zooplankton were estimated for the biogeochemical provinces of Atlantic Ocean.
149. Williams, R. Tokarev, Yu. N., Mishonov, A., Piontkovski, S.A. 1999.
Bioluminescence fields of the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea Basins:
Similarities and differences. Oceanography of the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Athens, Greece, 23-26 February 1999.
Abstract:Plankton bioluminescence together with physical and biological measurements obtained during 21 IBSS and MHI expeditions over the last 20 years to the Mediterranean Sea Basin were rescued from Institute archives and transferred to digital format; under sponsorship from the Office of Naval Research, USA. The research vessels primarily involved in collecting these data were the "Akademik Kovalevsky", "Professor Vodyanitsky" and "Mikhail Lomonosov". Data were assembled from over 3 722 vertical profiles taken over this period with the IBSS bathyphotometer profiling system 'SALPA'. This system was also equipped with depth, temperature and conductivity sensors. A series of vertical profiles of bioluminescence and temperature from the Black and Mediterranean Seas were obtained. Full contoured section of bioluminescence and temperature off the west coast of Italy, southern coast of France and across the Mediterranean from the southern coast of Spain were constructed. The vertical distribution of plankton bioluminescence shows marked differences between day and night profiles and is illustrated from a series of profiles, taken in the Black Sea. The general trends of bioluminescence, in the upper 100m, on a 1800 miles section from the Black Sea to the Alboran Sea, and on a section from the Algerian coast to the coast of Spain were analysed. A map of the bioluminescence intensity in the mixed layer of the whole of the Mediterranean Basin, in summer, was compiled. The quantitative relationship between the hydrological structure of eddies and fronts and parameters of plankton bioluminescence and distribution were investigated. These data are being used to further develop and update models of bioluminescence spatial-temporal structure and variability.
150. Williams, R. Mishonov, A., Piontkovski, S.A., Tokarev, Yu. N., Bityukov, E.,
Kovalev, A., Cheripanov, O., Sokolov, B., Vasilenko, V., Geiger, M., Bird, J.L.,
Yilmaz, A., Sur, H., Demirel, M. 1999 (Abstract). Intercalibration of the
bathyphotometers SALPA (Ukraine) and HIDEX (USA) in the Marmara Sea.
Oceanography of the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Athens, Greece, 23-26 Fbruary 1999.
Plankton bioluminescence together with depth, temperature and conductivity were measured during a joint research expedition onboard R.V. Bilim in the Black and Marmara Seas in late October 1996. The work was funded under an Office of Naval Research (USA) grant. The main objective was to intercalibrate two bathyphotometers and to obtain the necessary coefficients, which would enable comparison of US and FSU databases on bioluminescence. The bathyphotometers systems were 'SALPA' (Ukraine) and ?HIDEX? (USA). Data were collected from 106 vertical profiles for 'SALPA' and 80 vertical profiles for 'HIDEX' taken over day and night periods in the Black (two stations) and Marmara (nine stations) Seas. The profiles of potential temperature, salinity, fluorescence and light transmission were measured by means of the Sea Bird CTD. The water samples (63) were taken from selected depths proceeding the profiling with the bathyphotometers. These samples together with zooplankton samples taken with the Juday net were analysed. In the Marmara Sea the steep halocline was responsible for an accumulation of phytoplankton. A 'monoculture' of the dinoflagellate Notiluca scintilans at the halocline gave a narrow band of strong bioluminescence, which was extremely useful for calibration purposes. There were differences between profiles from the two bathyphotometers with 'SALPA' seemingly recording higher level nearer the surface and measuring more peaks. The absolute values were assessed and the units of photons�s-1�l-1 ('HIDEX') were compared to those measured by 'SALPA' of m W�cm�s-2�l-1. It is our conclusion that sufficient data were collected during this cruise to enable useful comparisons to be made between these two instruments and the derived coefficients can be used by the scientific community.
152. Afonin, E., Mishonov, A., Yunev, O., R. Williams. 1999. bio-optical investigation of the amazon outflow region in different seasons. IUGG99, Birmingham, 18-30 July, 1999.
Abstract: A large data set of bio-optical parameters upwelling radiation spectra, Secchi disk depth, colour of the seawater and concentration of phytoplankton pigments was obtained in the western tropical Atlantic (60�-25�W, 2�S-16�N) during three expeditions of the RV Akademik Vernadsky (36th, 37th & 41st cruises). Research was carried out during different seasons (spring, summer & autumn) and against a background of different hydrographic situations. The region where the Amazon water mixes with oceanic water produces a wide variety of conditions in optical, biological and hydrographic properties. Remotely sensed seawater colour data for this region, obtained from CZCS and SeaWIFS sensors, were analysed to build up pictures of seasonal patterns. These patterns were correlated against ship collected spectrophotometer data and parameters measured in-situ in the three seasons. Measurements were taken of water transparency, chlorophyll concentration, number & biomass of the phytoplankton cells. These data were obtained from surface samples simultaneously together with hydrographic data. Changes in watercolour in frontal zones from the open ocean and shelf regions were investigated and described.
154. Tokarev, Yu.N., Bityukov E.P., R. Williams. (submitted). The bioluminescent field
as an index of plankton distributions over sea mounts in the Atlantic Ocean. EMBS 34, Azores, Portugal, 13-17 September, 1999.
Abstract: The bioluminescence and plankton characteristics in the photic layer over 11 seamounts in the Atlantic Ocean were measured. Samples were taken along the axis of flow over the mounts. Measurements were taken at 1m intervals to 30 m depth at 74 stations. At each station, approximately 30 profiles were taken along transects at 0.8 km intervals. Plankton samples were taken with Juday nets and submersible electric pumps with 36 m3/h performance. The bioluminescence characteristics over seamounts with different geomorphology had different properties. The hydrodynamic gyres, created by the bottom elevations, and the upwelling of water from depth, also seem to have effects on the quantitative characteristics of the plankton. The largest changes in the structure and intensity of the bioluminescence field were observed in the regions of large geomorphological formations. For example, over mountains at greater depth in the North Atlantic Ocean (Slozhnaya, Mayskaya, Hecate sea mounts) changes were observed between 5 and 16 km from their peaks, while in the regions of comparatively shallow bank, such as Valdivia, changes were seen up to distances of 110 km. The influence of sharp sea mounts (Meteor and Irving, Udachnaya bank) on the bioluminescence field and distribution of plankton was not so evident. For example, the effects of the Meteor and Irving mountains were observed only over their peaks, with the intensity of bioluminescence exceeding the background levels by 1.5-3 times. The Udachnaya bank was different being characterised by high productive potential. In the region of Valdivia bank, which has a depth similar to the Meteor and Irving sea mounts (about 250 m) the bioluminescence intensity, in the 0-100 m layer, was over 20 times that of the open ocean. Results of correlation analysis between the amplitude of the bioluminescent field and the characteristics of the plankton community for the sea mounts investigated are given