Seasonal variationof bioluminescence in the

Mediterranean Sea

Jessica Craig, Alan Jamieson, Jessica Craig, Alan Jamieson, Phil Bagley & Monty PriedePhil Bagley & Monty Priede

Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UKOceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UKwww.oceanlab.abdn.ac.ukwww.oceanlab.abdn.ac.uk

Bioluminescent sources (BL)Bioluminescent sources (BL)

Talk outline

Measurement techniqueMeasurement technique

BL Distribution in the Mediterranean SeaBL Distribution in the Mediterranean Sea

Seasonal variation at NEMO & NESTORSeasonal variation at NEMO & NESTOR

Differences between NEMO & NESTORDifferences between NEMO & NESTOR

Bioluminescent sources

BACTERIA BACTERIA - Steady baseline source of light - Steady baseline source of light

MesoplanktonMesoplankton – 0.2-20 mm – 0.2-20 mm

(e.g. copepods)(e.g. copepods)

MacroplanktonMacroplankton – 20-200 mm – 20-200 mm

(e.g. euphausiids)(e.g. euphausiids)

MegaplanktonMegaplankton – 200-2000 mm – 200-2000 mm

(e.g. medusae & large colonial(e.g. medusae & large colonial

organisms (e.g. pyrosomes))organisms (e.g. pyrosomes))

ANIMALS ANIMALS - Non steady-state flashes- Non steady-state flashes

Two types:

(Dussart et al. 1965, Sieburth et al. 1978)(Dussart et al. 1965, Sieburth et al. 1978)

Bioluminescent sources

Quantum emission (photons.flash-1)Quantum emission (photons.flash-1)

BL wavelength centred on 480nm

(Heger, 2007)(Heger, 2007)

BL requires a stimulusBL requires a stimulus

Measurement method

ICDeep profilerCamera

Mesh

ICDeep - ICCD camera - Gain control- To 5 x 10-7 lux (min faceplate sens.)

Mesh - 500 x 400 mm

ICDeep deployment sites in the MS

BL in the Mediterranean Sea

 Algerian Basin

W Ionian Sea (NEMO)

Mid Ionian SeaE Ionian Sea (NESTOR)

Depth Mean BL ± SD Mean BL ± SD Mean BL ± SD Mean BL ± SD

500-1000 25.27 ± 11.02 13.58 ± 5.53 8.71 ± 1.97 7.89 ± 5.79

1000-2000 10.39 ± 4.55 9.67 ± 7.22     1.32 ± 1.45

2000-3000     1.70 ± 1.88     0.33 ± 0.31

3000-end     0.30 ± 0.23     0.11 ± 0.15

June 09

May 09

May 09

Sept 08

Sept 08 May09

May 09

Oct 08

May 09

NEMO NESTOR

BL analysis

1. Is there seasonal variation in BL at NEMO and NESTOR?

2. Is there a difference in BL between NEMO and NESTOR?

Generalised Additive Modelling (GAM)

- models non-linear relationships

Seasonal variation

Table 2. GAM analysis results - difference between spring and autumn BL density in the E and W Ionian Sea.

W Ionian Sea (NEMO) E Ionian Sea (NESTOR)

p-value <0.001 0.07

NEMO NESTOR

Seasonal variationNEMO

NE Atlantic Ocean- Observation of autumnal deep maxima

(Gillibrand et al. 2007)

Autumnal deep maxima attributed to enhanced biomass fed by export of spring surface primary productivity to deeper water

Difference in BL between sites

Table 2. GAM analysis results - difference between BL density in the E and W Ionian Sea in the spring and autumn

Spring Autumn

p-value <0.001 <0.001

Seasonal difference between sitesNEMO NESTOR

(Mean BL sources. m-3 )

Autumn 12.96 1.78

Spring 4.35 3.17

500 - 2500 m

2500 - 3500 mNEMO NESTOR

(Mean BL sources.m-3 )

Autumn 0.42 0.24

Spring 0.63 0.17

NEMO NESTORMean Flashes.hour-1

Autumn 4 2

Spring 6 2

2

animalsphere1

2

ø

2

ø.simpacts

Impacts with OM (Priede et al. 2008)

Summary

Significant seasonal variation at the NEMO site- BL density 3x higher in autumn 500-2500 m cf. spring

- What is the fate of this deep peak?

BL decreases towards the East MS

- consistent with previous studies where ANTARES and NESTOR sites

were compared (Priede et al. 2008, Craig et al. 2009)

Significant difference in BL between NEMO & NESTOR- 2-3x higher at the NEMO site at depth 2500-3500 m

Thanks to:

Harilaos Kontoyiannis (HCMR) and crew of the RV Aegaeo

Gian Pietro Gasparini (CNR-ISMAR) and crew of RV Urania

Francesc Sarda (ICM-CSIC) and crew of RV Sarmiento de Gamboa

KM3NeT Project

UK Natural Environment Research Council

Thank you!

Acknowledgements

References

Craig J, Jamieson A, Heger A, Priede I G (2009)  Distribution of bioluminescent organisms in the Mediterranean Sea and predicted effects on a deep-sea neutrino telescope, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A, 602(1):224-226  doi:10.1016/j.nima.2008.12.043 

Dussart B.H. , Les différentes catégories de plancton, Hydrobiologia 26 (1965), pp. 72–74.

Gillibrand E.J.V., Jamieson A.J., Bagley P.M., Zuur A.F., Priede I.G.  (2007) Seasonal development of a deep pelagic bioluminescent layer in the temperate Northeast Atlantic Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series.  341: 37-44

Heger, A. 2007. In situ observations of bioluminescence in the deep sea: benthic and pelagic measurements in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. PhD, University of Aberdeen

Priede I G,  Jamieson A, Heger A, Craig J, Zuur A F (2008) The potential influence of bioluminescence from marine animals on a deep sea underwater neutrino telescope array in the Mediterranean Sea, Deep Sea Research Part I, 55:1474-1483. doi:10.1016/j.dsr.2008.07.001

Sieburth J.McN. , V. Smetacek and J. Lenz, Pelagic ecosystem structure: heterotrophic compartments of the plankton and their relationship to plankton size fractions, Limnology and Oceanography 23 (1978), pp. 1256–1263.

NEMO TS