WP5

Variables to measure at the study sites

Missing workplans

• France

• Slovenia

Sampling sediments

• Station positions: should reflect gradients of impact. The principle is that some rationale must be used to maximise the chance that one of the stations is selected in the area of maximum impact. This can be done by modelling (using an appropriate current record) or by a pre-survey which could be by: sediment sampling for redox, by acoustic methods, by video, etc.

• Want to maximise the chance of detecting a gradient and would like to consider the distance from the farm that effects of the farm can be detected. This will probably take a minimum of 5 stations per site but could require several more.

• A reference station should be at a similar depth and sediment type but not be influenced by the farm. If this is not possible, an additional station added to the transect may reveal background conditions by comparing the trend away from the farm i.e. if stations become more similar with distance.

Sediment sampling

• Replication is important - at least 4 replicates of sediment samples should be taken at each station (unless there are pressing reasons for a lower number)

• In general, samples will be taken by van Veen grab with a sampling area of order 0.1 m2. Cores may also be used where this is more practical but small core diameters should be avoided – core diameters should be of order 10cm.

• When?

• In general sampling should be done when impact is likely to be high. For most fish species, this will likely be in the summer and autumn. For Tuna this may be in the early spring. For shellfish this will be at the peak of production.

Benthos

• Macrofauna will be taken at all sites and identified to lowest practical taxon.

• Meiofauna should be taken after discussing this with Katarina. Meiofauna samples should be taken from cores collected by SCUBA or by means of a Craib-corer.

Sediment chemistry

In general, chemistry will be measured from 5 cm diameter sub-cores taken from grab samples. It is therefore essential that grabs are of good quality with as little disturbance as possible.

• Redox will be measured by profiling an electrode down a sediment core (how deep?). Duplicates from each station are required.

• Sulphide is regularly used as an indicator in Canada. However, there is some doubt about its scientific robustness which requires further investigation

• TOC and TN will be measured from sediment slices (how deep?).

• Further investigations will be made on the best method for TP

• Loss on Ignition (LOI) – by sequential combustion at 2 temperatures (250 and 500 C) – to gain information on carbon quality

• Protocol for sediment slicing?

Sampling water columnWhere

• along transects (distance, depth) - gives hydrodynamics and variable distribution – in deep systems

• consider zone A effects vs zone B (and C for reference)

When

• worst condition sampling (e.g. low water at end of night giving DO sag) - or may need to sample diel or tidal (HW-LW, or Spring-Neap) variation [must distinguish microtidal from meso- and macro- tidal sites]

• seasonally (4/year) or during extremes - e.g. Spring bloom, after heavy rain

• sample some variables at frequency corresponding to flushing time of water body (may mean weekly over year)

• relate to timing of culture cycles (months, years) and feeding time in day

Water quality variables• hydrodynamics (T, S, sigma-t, currents)

• dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, silicate); dissolved organic N and P (?)

• BOD (?)

• chlorophyll a

• Suspended particulate matter (including organic C & N)

• Secchi depth

• Light meter measurements (vertical profiles)

• bioassay

• phytoplankton taxonomic composition

Fieldwork plans at study sites

• If there are inaccuracies in the partner summaries – please shout out

• If there are data you need to provide regarding your site, please do so immediately !!

Crete - water column• T

• S

• dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, silicate)

• chlorophyll

• particulate organic matter (or C, N by elemental analysis)

• Secchi depth

• Phytoplankton community composition (microscopy?)

• Add light meter data

Crete - sediments• !! sediment cores will be collected by divers !!

• macrofauna

• meiofauna

• granulometry

• TOC

• TON

• TOP

• LOI

• redox

• sulfide (probably): will depend on the method to be used

• video

• Bioassay experiments will be set up for measuring chl, POC, PON, POP

Crete – add’l measurements

• Hydrodynamics for flushing rate

• (benthic) antibiotics concentration

• Particulate matter sedimentation rate

• oxygen consumption rates (SOD)

• (benthic?) nutrient regeneration

Fieldwork plan

• Benthic transect along direction of the predominant current. Five stations corresponding respectively to 0, 5, 10, 25, 50 m distance from the cages will be established along the transect; a sixth one, approximately 1 km upstream will be the reference station.

• For water column measurements, the transect will correspond to 0, 25, 50, 100, 200 m distance form the cages. The reference station will remain the same.

SOUNIO

5 stations

5 stations

Reference station

Siteia

Norway (Karanes) - water column

• Needed urgently: study site description w/maps

• Temperature – yes (CTD profiles?)

• Salinity – yes (CTD profiles?)

• Dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, silicate) - ??

• Dissolved organic N and P, BOD - ??

• Chlorophyll a – sampling and storage is possible (PML methods) – analytical costs an issue

• Secchi depth - yes

• Phytoplankton - we can sample for phytoplankton although we do not have suitable in house expertise (depends on the level of taxonomic resolution required for community analysis as we lack expertise at present)

• Add - light meter measurements

Norway - sediments

• Macrofauna

• Meiofauna – sample collected by APN (van Veen grab) and analysed by Katerina (UoC)

• granulometry

• TOC – dependent on analytical costs

• TON – dependent on analytical costs

• TOP – dependent on analytical costs

• LOI

• Redox? – dependent on analytical costs

• sulphide – dependent on analytical costs

Norway – add’l variables

• No bioassay envisaged

• Did not intended to measure hydrodynamics; but, if needed, for how long? and with what type current meter?

Norway - fieldwork

• Sampling planned for May/June 2006

• Transect along the direction of the predominant current.

• Five stations along the transect corresponding respectively to 0, 5, 10, 25, 50 m distance from the cages.

• One, reference station approximately 1 km upstream of the site.

• With regard to water column measurements, the transect will be modified so the stations to correspond to the 0, 25, 50, 100, 200 m distance form the cages. The reference station will remain the same. This sampling scheme was based on experience with fieldwork concerning the measurement of water column parameters in the vicinity of mariculture and the estimate of the fate of fish farm effluents.

Norway

• No maps… need maps !

Scotland-water column

• In SAMS workplan, Thom did not specify water column work!! … so I assume you will measure all of the following:

• hydrodynamics (T, S, sigma-t, currents)

• dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, phosphate, silicate); dissolved organic N and P (?)

• BOD (?)

• chlorophyll a

• Suspended particulate matter (including organic C & N)

• Secchi depth

• Light meter measurements (vertical profiles)

• bioassay

• phytoplankton taxonomic composition

Hydro-dynamics

SAMS already possess hydrodynamic data for both the

Vidlin and Creran sites, have used DEPOMOD to

establish depositional contours around the farm, and will

perform the same pre-survey exercise at Loch Creran.

SAMS strongly recommend all partners to use a suitable

model before selecting their benthic sample stations.

Sampling stations (see following slides) were not

established arbitrarily, but were selected on basis of

DEPOMOD output

Scotland - sediments• macrofauna

• granulometry

• TOC

• TON

• TOP

• LOI

• redox

• sulphide - ??

• …Additional optional data collection:– fatty acids,

– oxygen flux

– pore water nutrients

Vidlin station locations

0 m N0 m N 25 m N25 m N50 m N50 m N

25 m S25 m S50 m S50 m SRef < 500 m SWRef < 500 m SW

0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500

Easting (m)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Nor

thin

g (m

)

12

3

4

0

10

20

30

40

Depth (m)

Creran station locations

3 m NE3 m NE 75 m NE75 m NE 1050 m NE1050 m NE 2575 m NE2575 m NE

Chioggia Italy – water column• Temperature• Salinity• Dissolved Oxygen• Particulate Organic Carbon• Particulate Total Nitrogen • Suspended Matter• Particulate Phosphorus• Chlorophyll a• Turbidity• Ammonium• Nitrate• Nitrite• Phosphate• Dissolved total phosphorus*• Dissolved total nitrogen*• Dissolved Organic Carbon*• Particulate Sulphur*

Chioggia - sediments• Eh• pH• Grain size• Water content• Ashes • Dissolved Oxygen at the interface• Total Carbon (TC)• Inorganic Carbon (IC=TC-OC)• Organic Carbon (OC)• Total Nitrogen• Total Phosphorus• Inorganic Phosphorus• Total Sulphur*• Meiobenthos (in collaboration with UOC)• Will you measure LOI using the 250 – 500 combustion method?• Will you sample/measure macrobenthos?

Chioggia - Additional variables• Mytilus Galloprovincialis parameters:• Shell Length• Shell Thickness• Shell Height• Total wet weight• Shell weight• Wet weight of soft tissue• Dry weight of soft tissue (DW)• Ashes Weight (sof tissue, AW)• Ash Free Dry Weight AFDW (soft tissue, AFWD=DW-AW)• Organic carbon in soft tissue*• Total phosphorus in soft tissue*• Wet Weight of faecal and pseudofaecal pellets • Dry Weight of faecal and pseudofaecal pellets• Ashe Weight of faecal and pseudofaecal pellets• Ash Free Dry Weight of faecal and pseudofaecal pellets• Organic Carbon in faecal and pseudofaecal pellets• Total Phosphorus in faecal and pseudofaecal pellets*• Total Nitrogen in faecal and pseudofaecal pellets*• Sedimentation rates estimated by radionuclides analyses (only in July 2006)*

Chioggia - fieldwork

• water column: July 2006 & monthly from October 2006 to June 2007

• sediments: July 2006, October 2006, January 2007, April 2007

• Additional variables: monthly from October 2006 to June 2007

0 0.06 0.120.03Decimal Degrees

Visma Site – presurvey

December 2005

SURFACE SEDIMENT 0-1 cm

Parameters Samples n. Station n. Tot analyses n.Eh 1 20 20pH 1 20 20

Grain size 1 20 20Water content 1 20 20

Ash 1 20 20Total Carbon 1 20 20Total Nitrogen 1 20 20

Organic Carbon 1 20 20Inorganic Carbon 1 20 20Total Phosphorus 1 20 20

Inorganic Phosphorus 1 20 20Total Sulfide 1 20 20

Bisceglie – water column

• Secchi Disk depth will be recorded (at which stations?)• A SeaBird CTD 25 probe will be used in the water

column to record: salinity, temperature, pH, potential redox, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, turbidity. – can you add light meter data??

• Water samples will be collected by Niskin at stations A1, A2, A3, A4 at surface and near bottom. Samples will be analyzed for: NO3, NO2, NH4, TDN, PO4, TDP. Particulate matter will be processed for TSS, particulate inorganic matter, particulate organic matter (by LOI), particulate organic carbon, particulate organic nitrogen, chlorophyll-a

Bisceglie sediments

• The sediment will be collected by Van Veen grab (0.1 m2; 20 l) equipped with screen doors.

• Sediment temperature and potential redox (Eh) will be measured “in situ” in the upper layer sediment (1.5cm), with an Orion platinum electrode, and hydrogen reference electrode.

• Replicate sub samples of surface sediment will be collected from the grab to determine sulfide concentration, using Wildish et al. (1999, 2004) protocol. Additional sediment samples will be taken for total phosphorus, total carbon, total organic carbon, total nitrogen and total sulphur.

Bisceglie - benthos

• Macrobenthos

• 3 replicate Van Veen grabs will be taken at each station, sieved on a 1 mm mesh sieve, and fixed in 10% buffered formalin, preserved in 70% isopropyl alcohol and identified to lowest possible taxon and enumerated.

• Meiobenthos

• Meiofaunal samples will be collected in three replicates cores (diameter 5 cm) down to a depth of 10 cm from the Van Veen grab. The top 1 cm will be considered here for meiobenthos analysis. Sediment samples will be fixed with 4% buffered formaldehyde in filtered seawater solution. Sediment will be sieved through 1000 and 37 mm mesh nets. The fraction remaining on the 37 mm sieve will be centrifuged three times with Ludox HS and all the found animals will be identified and counted.

100 m

X XS am p ling po in ts N e t pen

A1

A2

A4

A3

AC

A5

A6

500 m A7

Sedim ent

100 m

X XS am p ling po in ts N e t pen

A1

A2

A3

500 m A4

W ater

Biscegliesampling scheme

25 m50 m

500 m

Sediment stationsWater and sediment stationsMoored current meter

Total water stations: 4Total sediment stations: 8

25 m

Bisceglie Sampling plan

Ria Formosa Portugal – water quality

• Temperature• Salinity• Nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia,

phosphate, silica ??)• Chlorophyll a• Particulate Organic Carbon• Total Suspended Solids• Samples will be taken for subsequent CHN

analysis at PML.

The Development of an Assimilative Capacity Model for the Sustainable Management of Nutrients within the Ria Formosa, Portugal

Add’l Sampling

For Model:

•Phytoplankton

•Phytobenthos

For Trophic status:

•Zooplankton

•Zoobenthos

(Ana Brito)

Ria Formosa - sediments

• No sampling or analysis planned… clams are cultured in the mud. Clam digging releases nutrients into the water column and also increases turbidity.

Ria Formosa fieldwork

• When: sampling planned every two weeks at early in the morning at “Low Water” from March to October

• Where: At 2 points - Ramalhete (an inner part of the lagoon) and Ponte (a well flushed site).Both are Water Framework Directive intercalibration sites. Historical data also exist for both sites (e.g. the OAERRE project).

• see map of these locations

The Development of an Assimilative Capacity Model for the Sustainable Management of Nutrients within the Ria Formosa, Portugal

Ramsar site

Natura 2000 candidate site

Natural Park

Caetano et al. (2002):

PML workplansTo measure (in addition to local site plans) in collaboration with the

host partner :• Dynamic physiological responses of the key shellfish species, over

the full range of environmental conditions commonly experienced at the site.

• Experimental measures of TPM, PIM, POM, ChlA, POC, PON during our working visit.

• When?• Loch Creran : 8 – 18 May 2006• Local Partner SAMS, Thom Nickell• Chioggia: 26 June - 7 July 2006• Local Partner Unive-IT, Roberto Pastres• Ria Formosa: 11 – 22 Sept 2006• Local Partner IMAR, Joao Ferreira, John Icely

PML modelling needs

• water column

• temperature, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, ammonium, nitrate and water turbidity, TPM, POM, PIM, POC, chl a, and (if possible) relative abundance of different micro-algal species.

• All to be measured at no less than monthly intervals. Number and position of stations to be agreed, to be representative of each main culture technique for each species in each location. To validate our models, environmental data must be obtained from the same depth, at or near sites of shellfish growth measures.

PML - additional needs

• Seasonal measurements of growth rates for each shellfish species as cultivated at each location, measured monthly for 30 animals for each sample, to include length, width and weight of shell, including wet and dry weights for soft tissue.

• It is essential that these measures be undertaken at the same times and at same locations as in (a) above.

PML - additional needs• For each culture environment and each target species

(i.e. Mytilus edulis and Crassostrea gigas, Tapes decussatus), we require a review of the culture practice, with information on:– The areas and techniques of cultivation.

– The seasonal timing of cultivation cycle.

– The original source and size of animals.

– Biometric data for the shellfish during culture (i.e. relations between shell wt, shell length and soft body wt from seeding to harvest).

– Harvest yields.

– Mortality data.

– Any particular limitations to sustainable and economic development of target species for each area.

• Tidal data, water height, current velocity, will be required at a series of relevant stations

Croatia - fieldwork

• Where & when:

• Dalmar (in front of Pakostane), Middle Adriatic, sea bass aquaculture - beginning of June, 2006

• Kudica, Middle Adriatic, tuna aquaculture - middle of July, 2006

• Krka estuary, mussels aquaculture - end of September, 2006

Croatia – water column

• CTD (what variables will this include??)

• Secchi (can you collect light meter data with your CTD?)

• DO (how?)

• NH4+ (what about nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicate?)

• sediment traps

Croatia - sediments

• TOC• TON• TP• redox potential• depth of oxic layer• macrobenthos species and abundance including

indicator species.• - What about granulometry? LOI?

meiofauna?

Croatia – additional work

• Video & photography of sediments

• Bioassay - ?

• Hydrodynamics: ADCP – where, for how long?

• In Krka, under mussels aquaculture, also plan to measure mucopolysacharides.

Almeria, Spain

• When

• mid-April 2006 (i.e. done)

• Where

• Garrucha (Almería, Spain). Fish farm = Naturpesca

Spain – water column• Secchi disk depth and CTD profile at all 23 stations, including:

– T

– S

– pH

– dissolved oxygen

– Chlorophyll

– light transmission

– PAR.

• At representative stations (A-2, A-5, A-7, A-8, A-9, A-10, A-12, A-14, A-15, A-16, A-17, A-19, and A-22), three Niskin bottles (surface, 15 m and bottom) in order to analyse: – dissolved nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, silicate)

– total N

– total P

– suspended solids

– turbidity

Spain - sediments

• at 18 sampling locations van Veen grab (or if too deep - box-core) for:– granulometry – C (is this TOC??)– N (is this TN? TON?)– LOI – redox potential

• In stations B1 to B10, 4 additional replicates were sampled for macrofauna (identification to species level, abundance and biomass).

• What about meiofauna to be analysed in Crete?

Spain – additional variables

• At B-6, B-7, S-17 and B-8 stations, a towed video camera will take some pictures of the seafloor.

• Two current meters will be deployed: one at 10m and another at 30m depth, to obtain data, every 20 minutes, during 1 month. In addition to current direction and speed, they will also obtain T, S, dissolved oxygen and turbidity.