Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Phaeocystis colony distribution in the North Atlantic Ocean since 1948, and interpretation of long-term changes in the Phaeocystis hotspot in the North Sea

  • Original Paper
  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Phaeocystis, major link in the biogeochemical cycling of climate-relevant elements

  • 702 Accesses

Abstract

Monitoring of Phaeocystis since 1948 during the Continuous Plankton Recorder survey indicates that over the last 5.5 decades the distribution of its colonies in the North Atlantic Ocean was not restricted to neritic waters: occurrence was also recorded in the open Atlantic regions sampled, most frequently in the spring. Apparently, environmental conditions in open ocean waters, also those far offshore, are suitable for complete lifecycle development of colonies (the only stage recorded in the survey).

In the North Sea the frequency of occurrence was also highest in spring. Its southeastern part was the Phaeocystis abundance hotspot of the whole area covered by the survey. Frequency was especially high before the 1960s and after the 1980s, i.e., in the periods when anthropogenic nutrient enrichment was relatively low. Changes in eutrophication have obviously not been a major cause of long-term Phaeocystis variation in the southeastern North Sea, where total phytoplankton biomass was related significantly to river discharge. Evidence is presented for the suggestion that Phaeocystis abundance in the southern North Sea is to a large extent determined by the amount of Atlantic Ocean water flushed in through the Dover Strait.

Since Phaeocystis plays a key role in element fluxes relevant to climate the results presented here have implications for biogeochemical models of cycling of carbon and sulphur. Sea-to-air exchange of CO2 and dimethyl sulphide (DMS) has been calculated on the basis of measurements during single-year cruises. The considerable annual variation in phytoplankton and in its Phaeocystis component reported here does not warrant extrapolation of such figures.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Antajan E, Chrétiennot-Dinet M-J, Leblanc C, Daro M-H, Lancelot C (2004) 19′Hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin may not be the appropriate pigment to trace occurrence and fate of Phaeocystis: the case of P. globosa in Belgian coastal waters. J Sea Res 52:165–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Batten SD, Walne AW, Edwards M, Groom SB (2003) Phytoplankton biomass from continuous plankton recorder data: an assessment of the phytoplankton colour index. Plankton Res 25:697–702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beaugrand G (2004) The North Sea regime shift: evidence, causes, mechanisms and consequences. Progr Oceanogr 60:245–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beaugrand G, Ibañez F, Lindley JA (2003) An overview of statistical methods applied to CPR data. Progr Oceanogr 58:253–262

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beaugrand G, Ibañez F, Reid PC (2000) Spatial, seasonal and long-term fluctuations of plankton in relation to hydrodynamic features in the English Channel, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay. Mar Ecol Progr Ser 200:93–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Beaugrand G, Reid PC, Ibañez F, Lindley JA, Edwards M (2002) Reorganization of North Atlantic marine copepod biodiversity and climate. Science 296:1692–1694

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borges AV, Frankignoulle M (2003) Distribution of surface carbon dioxide and air-sea exchange in the English Channel and adjacent areas. J Geophys Res 108(C5):3140 (doi:10. 1029/2000JC 000571)

    Google Scholar 

  • Breton E, Rousseau V, Parent J-Y, Ozer J, Lancelot C (2006) Hydroclimatic modulation of diatom/Phaeocystis blooms in nutrient-enriched Belgian coastal waters (North Sea). Limnol Oceanogr 51:1401–1409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunet C, Brylinski JM, Bodineau L, Thommelin G, Bentley D, Helde D (1996) Phytoplankton dynamics during the spring bloom in the south-eastern Channel. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 43:469–483

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadée GC, Hegeman J (1991) Historical phytoplankton data of the Marsdiep. Hydrobiol Bull 24:111–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cadée GC, Hegeman J (2002) Phytoplankton in the Marsdiep at the end of the 20th century; 30 years monitoring biomass, primary production, and Phaeocystis blooms. J Sea Res 48:97–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Colebrook JM (1975) The continuous plankton recorder survey: automatic data processing methods. Bull Mar Ecol 8:123–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Colebrook JM, Robinson GA (1964) Continuous plankton records: annual variability of plankton, 1948–1960. Bull Mar Ecol 6:52–69

    Google Scholar 

  • Corten A, van de Kamp G (1992) Natural changes in pelagic fish stocks of the North Sea in the 1980s. ICESMar Sci Symp 195:402–417

    Google Scholar 

  • Corten A, van de Kamp G (1996) Variation in the abundance of southern fish species in the southern North Sea in relation to hydrography and wind. ICES J Mar Sci 53:1113–1119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Jonge VN (1997) High remaining productivity in the Dutch Western Wadden Sea despite decreasing nutrient inputs from riverine sources. Mar Poll Bull 34:427–436

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Jonge VN, Bakker JF, van Stralen M (1996) Recent changes in the contributions of river Rhine and North Sea to the eutrophication of the western Dutch Wadden Sea. Neth J Aq Ecol 30:27–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drinkwater KF, Belgrano A, Borja A, Conversi A, Edwards M, Greene CH, Ottersoen G, Pershing AJ, Walker H (2003) The response of marine ecosystems to climate variability associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation: climatic significance and environmental impact. Geophys Monogr 134:211–234 (Amer. Geophys. Union)

    Google Scholar 

  • Edwards M, Beaugrand G, Reid PC, Rowden AA, Jones MB (2002) Ocean climate anomalies in the ecology of the North Sea. Mar Ecol Progr Ser 239:1–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Fromentin JM, Planque B (1996) Calanus and environment in the eastern North Atlantic. II. Influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on C. finmarchicus and C. helgolandicus. Mar Ecol Progr Ser 134:111–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Gieskes WWC (1974) Phytoplankton and primary productivity studies in the Southern Bight of the North Sea, eastern part, in 1972. Ann Biol 29:54–61

    Google Scholar 

  • Gieskes WWC, Kraay GW (1977a) Continuous plankton records: changes in the plankton of the North Sea and its eutrophic Southern Bight from 1948 to 1975. Neth J Sea Res 11:334–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gieskes WWC, Kraay GW (1977b) Primary production and consumption of organic matter in the southern North Sea during the spring bloom of 1975. Neth J Sea Res 11:146–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glover RS (1967) The continuous plankton recorder survey of the North Atlantic. Symp Zool Soc Lond 19:189–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Greve W, Reimers F, Nast J (1996) Biocoenotic changes of the zooplankton in the German Bight: the possible effects of eutrophication and climate. ICES J Mar Sci 53:951–956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hickel W, Eickenhoff M. Spindler H, Berg J, Raabe T, Mueller R (1996) Auswertungen von Langzeituntersuchungen von Naehrstoffen und Phytoplankton in der Deutschen Bucht. Berlin (UBA) 213 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Hovmöller E (1949) The trough and ridge diagram. Tellus 1:62–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibañez F, Fromentin JM, Castel J (1993) Application de la méthode des sommes cumulées à l’analyse des séries chronologiques océanographiques. CR Acad Sci Paris, Sciences de la vie/Life sciences 316:745–748

    Google Scholar 

  • Kane J (2005) The demography of Calanus finmarchicus (copepoda, calanoida) in the middle Atlantic Bight, USA, 1977–2001. J Plankton Res 27:401–414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laane RWPM, Groeneveld G, de Vries A, van Bennekom AJ, Sydow JS (1996) Nutrients (P, N, Si) in the Channel and the Dover Strait: seasonal and year-to-year variation and fluxes to the North Sea. Oceanol Acta 16:607–616

    Google Scholar 

  • Leterme SC, Edwards M, Seuront L, Attrill MJ, Reid PC, John AWG (2005) Decadal basin-scale changes in diatoms, dinoflagellates, and phytoplankton color across the North Atlantic. Limnol Oceanogr 50:1244–1253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lindeboom H, Raaphorst W, Beukema J, Cadée GC, Swennen C (1995) (Sudden) changes in the North Sea and Wadden Sea: oceanic influences underestimated? Dt Hydrogr Z Suppl 2:87–100

    Google Scholar 

  • Lindley JA, Roskell J, Warner AJ, Halliday N, Hunt HG, John AWG, Jonas TD (1990) Doliolids in the German Bight in 1989:evidence for exceptional inflow into the North Sea. J Mar Biol Ass UK 70:679–682

    Google Scholar 

  • Manizzi M, Metzl N, Le Quéré C (2005) Interannual variability of the ocean carbon cycle. SOLAS News 1:10–11

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin JHA, Hall WB (1975) Changes in physical, chemical and phytoplankton parameters in the northern North Sea, 1961–1970. ICES, CM 1975/C:33:1–4

    Google Scholar 

  • Otto L, Zimmermann JTF, Furnes GK, Mork M, Saetre R, Becker G (1990) Review of physical oceanography of the North Sea. Neth J Sea Res 26:161–238

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owens NJP, Cook D, Colebrook M, Hunt H, Reid PC (1989) Long-term trends in the occurrence of Phaeocystis sp. In the North-East Atlantic Ocean. J Mar Biol Ass UK 69:813–821

    Google Scholar 

  • Philippart CJM, Cadée GC, van Raaphorst W, Riegman R (2000) Long-term phytoplankton–nutrient interactions in a shallow coastal sea: algal community structure, nutrient budgets, and denitrification potential. Limnol Oceanogr 45:131–144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pingree RD (2005) North Atlantic and North Sea Climate Change: curl up, shut down, NAO and Ocean Colour. J Mar Biol Assoc UK 85:1301–1315

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prandle D (1978) Monthly mean residual flow through the Dover Strait, 1949–1972. J Mar Biol Ass UK 58:965–973

    Google Scholar 

  • Radach G (1984) Variations in the plankton in relation to the climate. Rapp P-v Reun Cons Int Explor Mer 185:234–254

    Google Scholar 

  • Radach G, Lenhart HJ (1995) Nutrient dynamics in the North Sea: fluxes and budgets in the water column derived from ERSEM. Neth J Sea Res 33:301–335

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid PC, Borges MF, Svendsen E (2001) A regime shift in the North Sea circa 1990. Fish Res 50:163–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid PC, Edwards M (2001) Long-term changes in the pelagos, benthos and fisheries of the North Sea. Senckenb Marit 31:107–115

    Google Scholar 

  • Reid PC, Edwards M, Beaugrand G, Skogen M, Stevens D (2003) Periodic changes in the zooplankton of the North Sea during the 20th century linked to oceanic inflow. Fish Oceanogr 12:260–269

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid PC, Planque B, Edwards M (1998) Is observed variability in the long-term results of the continuous plankton recorder survey a response to climate change? Fish Oceanogr 7:282–288

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson K (1989) Algal blooms in the North Sea: the good, the bad and the ugly. Dana 8:83–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson K (1997) Harmful or exceptional blooms in the marine ecosystem. Adv Mar Biol 31:301–385

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell FS (1935) On the value of certain plankton animals as indicators of water movements in the English Channel and North Sea. J Mar Biol Ass UK 20:309–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell FS (1973) A summary of the observations on the occurrence of plankton stages of fish off Plymouth, 1924–1972. J Mar Biol Ass UK 53:347–355

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell FS, Southward AJ, Boalch GT, Butler EI (1971) Changes in biological conditions in the English Channel off Plymouth during the last half-century. Nature (Lond) 234:468–470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Salomon JC, Breton M, Guéguénat P (1993) Computed residual flow through the Dover Strait. Oceanol Acta 16:449–455

    Google Scholar 

  • Savage RE (1930) The influence of Phaeocystis on the migration of the herring. Fishery Invest II, XII(2):5–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaub BEM, Gieskes WWC (1991) Eutrophication of the North Sea: the relation between Rhine river discharge and chlorophyll-a concentration in Dutch coastal waters. In: Estuaries and coasts: spatial and temporal intercomparisons. ECSA 19 Symposium. Publ. Olsen and Olsen, pp 85–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Schoemann V, Becquevort S, Stefels J, Rousseau V, Lancelot C (2005) Phaeocystis blooms in the global ocean and their controlling mechanisms: a review. J Sea Res 53:43–66

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Seuront L, Souissi S (2001) Climatic control of Phaeocystis spring bloom in the eastern English Channel (1991–2000). La Mer 40:41–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegismund F (2001) Long-term changes in the flushing times of the ICES-boxes. Senckenb Marit 31:151–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skogen M, Søiland H (1998) A user’s guide to NORWECOM v2.0. The Norwegian Ecological Model system. Tech. Rep. Fisken og Havet 18/98. Institute of marine Research, Pb.1870, N-5024 Bergen. 42 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith JA, Damm P, Skogen MD, Flather RA, Paetsch J (1996) An investigation into the variability of circulation and transport on the North-west European shelf using three hydrodynamic models. German J Hydr 8:325–348

    Google Scholar 

  • Stefansson U, Olafsson J (1991) Nutrient and fertility of Icelandic waters. Rit Fiskideildar 12:1–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor AH, Jordan MB, Stephens JA (1998) Northward shifts of the Gulf Stream following ENSO events. Nature 393:638

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas H, Bozec Y, Elkelay K, de Baar HJW (2004) Enhanced open ocean storage of CO2 from shelf sea pumping. Science 304:1005–1008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thordardottir T, Astthorsson OS (1986) Chlorophyll a and zooplankton distribution in Icelandic waters in spring 1982, 1983 and 1984. Ann Biol 41:63–66

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner A, Hays GC (1995) Sampling by the continuous plankton recorder survey. Prog Oceanogr 34:237–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weijerman M, Lindeboom H, Zuur AF (2005) Regime shifts in marine ecosystems of the North Sea and the Wadden Sea. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 298:21–39

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ocean Ecosystems, University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands

    W. W. C. Gieskes

  2. M.B.E.R.C., School University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK

    S. C. Leterme

  3. R.I.K.Z.-Rijkswaterstaat, Haren, The Netherlands

    H. Peletier

  4. S.A.H.F.O.S., Citadel Hill, Plymouth, PL1 2PB, UK

    S. C. Leterme, M. Edwards & P. C. Reid

Authors
  1. W. W. C. Gieskes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. C. Leterme
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. Peletier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Edwards
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. P. C. Reid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. C. Leterme .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Groningen, Haren, The Netherlands

    M. A. van Leeuwe , J. Stefels  & W. W. C. Gieskes ,  & 

  2. Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnment, Gif sur Yvette, France

    S. Belviso

  3. Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium

    C. Lancelot

  4. Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, Savannah, GA, USA

    P. G. Verity

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2007 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Gieskes, W.W.C., Leterme, S.C., Peletier, H., Edwards, M., Reid, P.C. (2007). Phaeocystis colony distribution in the North Atlantic Ocean since 1948, and interpretation of long-term changes in the Phaeocystis hotspot in the North Sea. In: van Leeuwe, M.A., Stefels, J., Belviso, S., Lancelot, C., Verity, P.G., Gieskes, W.W.C. (eds) Phaeocystis, major link in the biogeochemical cycling of climate-relevant elements. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6214-8_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation