European Atlantic: the hottest oil spill hotspot worldwide

Oil spills caused by maritime transport of petroleum products are still an important source of ocean pollution, especially in main production areas and along major transport routes. We here provide a historical and geographic analysis of the major oil spills (>700 t) since 1960. Spills were recorded from several key marine ecosystems and marine biodiversity hotspots. The past four decades have been characterized by an overall decrease in the number of accidents and tonnes of oil spilled in the sea, but this trend was less distinct in the European Atlantic area. Recent black tides from the Erika and Prestige vessels provided new evidence for the high risk of accidents with serious ecological impact in this area, which according to our analysis is historically the most important oil spill hotspot worldwide. The English Channel and waters around Galicia in Spain were the areas with most accidents. Maritime transport in European Atlantic waters has been predicted to continue increasing. Together with our own results this suggests that, in addition to measures for increased traffic safety, deployment of emergency capacities in the spill hotspot areas may be crucial for a sustainable conservation of sea resources and ecosystems.Electronic Supplementary Material  Supplementary material is available for this article if you access the article at . A link in the frame on the left on that page takes you directly to the supplementary material.     

Phytoplankton and pigment distributions in an anticyclonic slope water oceanic eddy (SWODDY) in the southern Bay of Biscay

An anticyclonic slope water oceanic eddy (SWODDY), named AE6, was sampled in the southern Bay of Biscay from 12 to 31 August 1998 to assess changes in the abundance and composition of phytoplankton assemblages related to the mesoscale feature. SWODDY AE6 showed characteristic biological signatures. A twofold increase in chlorophyll a concentration was found at the eddy centre relative to surrounding waters. Picoplankton cells accounted for a lower fraction of total chlorophyll a values at the eddy centre (44–50%) than outside the eddy (54–61%). Microscopic cell counts and HPLC pigment analysis showed that diatoms were almost entirely confined to the eddy centre, but both techniques yielded different results when studying other phytoplankton groups. Microscopic cell counts indicated that the spatial distribution of diatoms, dinoflagellates and unidentified flagellates was significantly influenced by SWODDY AE6, showing maximum abundance inside the mesoscale feature. HPLC pigment analysis provided more detailed information about the composition of pico–nanoplanktonic organisms. Pigment data processed by means of the CHEMTAX program showed "chlorophytes", "haptophytes" and "dinoflagellates II" (having haptophyte-like pigments and gyroxanthin-diester) as the more abundant "pigment classes" at the eddy centre, whereas dominance of "chlorophytes" and higher contribution of "cyanobacteria" (type Synechococcus) were estimated in the surrounding waters.Communicated by S.A. Poulet, Roscoff     

Feeding ecology of the three juvenile phases of the spiny lobster<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Panulirus argus</Emphasis> in a tropical reef lagoon

The three juvenile phases of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus (algal phase: 5-15 mm carapace length, CL; postalgal phase: 15-45 mm CL, and subadults: 45-80 mm CL) occur in the reef lagoon at Puerto Morelos, Mexico. The algal phase abounds in this lagoon, which is covered by extensive seagrass-algal meadows, but the density of postalgal and subadult juveniles is low, owing to the scarcity of crevice-type shelters suitable for these phases. The feeding ecology of the three juvenile phases was investigated to examine whether spatial or temporal differences in food intake, diet composition, or nutritional condition occurred among phases and could partially account for the low abundance of the larger juveniles. Juveniles were collected by divers at night, from January to November 1995, throughout the mid-lagoon and back-reef zones. Percent stomach fullness, relative weight of the digestive gland (RWDG, an index of nutritional condition), percent frequency of occurrence and percent volume of food categories in the diet were compared between sexes, juvenile phases, molt stages (postmolt, intermolt, premolt), seasons, and sampling zones (mid-lagoon and back-reef zones). Significant differences in stomach fullness occurred only among molt stages, mainly because postmolt individuals had emptier stomachs. The main food categories in all juvenile phases were crustaceans (mostly hermit crabs and brachyurans) and gastropods, but the food spectrum was wide, including many other animal taxa as well as plant matter. In June 1995, the epibenthic macrofauna was sampled in five sites in the lagoon that differed in their amount of vegetation. The most abundant taxa in all sites were decapods and gastropods, but density and diversity measures showed that the distribution of these potential prey taxa for juvenile P. argus was rather patchy. Diet overlap in juvenile lobsters was high between sexes, juvenile phases, sampling zones, seasons, and molting stages, indicating that all juveniles fed on the same general food categories throughout time. The only factor that affected the RWDG was the juvenile phase. RWDG was significantly lower in subadults than in algal and postalgal phases, suggesting a poorer nutritional condition in the largest juveniles. This may be related to the scarcity of suitable shelters for large juveniles throughout the lagoon, which may preclude subadults from exploiting food resources in areas of the lagoon where shelter is limited.     

Kinetic sodium analyses in the crab Carcinus mediterraneus

Kinetic analyses were made of the stable sodium and radioactive sodium (²²Na) in some tissues of the crab Carcinus mediterraneus CSRN. Fast ²²Na outflux constant is increased in gills, hepatopancreas, hemolymph, digestive tract and muscles. In the reproductive organs the values of the sodium outflux constant are lower. The values of the fast outflux rates (t=20°C) of sodium amount, in the whole animal, to 22.5 M Na/g/h, in the hemolymph, to 69.3 M Na/g/h; the slow outflux rates have much lower values (0.02 to 0.13 M Na/g/h). Moulting crabs show a rate of sodium outflux 6 times greater than that of intermoulting individuals.     

Defense mechanisms and antipredator behavior in two sympatric species of spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus and P. guttatus

The congeneric spiny lobsters Panulirus argus and P. guttatus co-occur throughout the Caribbean Sea, where they may share the coral reef habitat. Despite their phylogenetic closeness, both species have many different life-history traits that may partially explain their coexistence. However, even though both species may face the same predators, their defense mechanisms and antipredator strategies had not been compared. We compared the performance between species in 18 morphological and behavioral defense mechanisms commonly expressed by most spiny lobsters, including predator-avoidance mechanisms (activity schedule, sheltering behavior, delay to disturbance, and effect of conspecific damage-released scents on shelter choice) as well as antipredator mechanisms (body size, several parameters of the escape response and limb autospasy, clinging strength, antennal strength, and cooperative defense). As hypothesized, both species expressed all these defense mechanisms (except cooperative defense, shown only by P. argus), reflecting their phylogenetic closeness, but performed significantly differently in most, in accordance with their particular ontogenetic traits. Their comparative performance in individual defense mechanisms as well as the antipredator strategies displayed by groups of lobsters of each species in the presence of a common predator (the triggerfish Balistes vetula) showed that, in general, the defensive behavioral type of P. argus is more bold and that of P. guttatus more shy. Therefore, their distinct defensive behaviors contribute to their niche differentiation.     

Biology of the upper-slope cephalopod<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Octopus salutii</Emphasis> from the western Mediterranean Sea

A total of 310 individuals (124 males, 185 females, 1 indeterminate) of the octopod Octopus salutii caught throughout the year by bottom trawlers from 25 to 800 m depth in the western Mediterranean were analysed to study some general aspects of its biology. Octopus sizes ranged from 4.0 to 13.0 cm ML and 3.5 to 16.5 cm ML in males and females, respectively. The species inhabits the lower continental shelf and upper slope, primarily between 250 and 500 m depth. The scarcity of small-sized individuals in the samples and the predominance of males and females >8 and >9 cm ML, respectively, suggest two interpretations: (1) juveniles inhabit grounds inaccessible to, or unsampled by, trawlers, or they avoid capture owing to behavioural aspects; or (2) the species meet in the trawling grounds for reproduction, because in the sizes described the majority of individuals have begun sexual maturation. The reproductive period was found to occur during spring and summer. The stomach content analysis revealed a diet composed of 33 different prey items belonging to three major taxonomic groups (crustaceans, fishes and cephalopods). Quantitatively, crustaceans (Decapoda Reptantia and Natantia groups) were the most important prey, appearing in 87% of the stomachs, followed by fish (25%) and cephalopods (10%). Finally, the paper presents data on mantle length–total weight, gonad weight–total weight and ligulae length–total weight relationships, and utilises different indexes (gonadosomatic, hepatosomatic, fullness weight and emptiness) to describe changes through the three maturity stages of both sexes.Communicated by S.A. Poulet, Roscoff     

Annual reproductive cycle, spatial distribution, abundance, and size structure of Oreaster reticulatus (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in Bocas del Toro, Panama

The structure, distribution, and population abundance of Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) in 47,157 ha of shallow-water habitat in the archipelago of Bocas del Toro, Panama, were assessed from May to October 2000. The reproductive cycle of the sea star was studied in Isla Solarte, from February 2000 to February 2001. In total, 4,818 sea stars were recorded with a mean density of 149.7 ind. ha^-1, and a population of over 7 million was estimated for the archipelago. O. reticulatus was absent in ca. 50% of the evaluated areas, possibly due to high runoff and sedimentation; highest density was observed in an intermediate-runoff regime (255 ind. ha^-1). About 45% of the population was found in substrata dominated by seagrass (Thalassia testudinum) and coarse, calcareous sand, 51% occurred in habitats where coral reef patches were mixed with seagrass, and 4% exclusively on coral reefs. The average size, based on the major radius, was 9.5 cm (3-21 cm), with a population structure composed of ca. 83% juveniles and 17% adults. The average reproductive size, measured as major radius, was 15 cm, and the minimum was 7 cm. Both males and females with a maximum stage (IV) of gonad development were observed throughout the year. The gonad index showed three peaks of maximum reproductive activity, which is not comparable to studies from other localities. The reproductive cycle did not seem to be related to water temperature, which ranged from 27°C to 30°C, but may respond more closely to changes in local rainfall. This relationship was not statistically significant based on this 1-year study. These data provide a useful baseline for management of local populations in the face of an increasing harvest for the aquarium trade and as souvenirs.     

Gastrointestinal pH and development of the acid digestion in larvae and early juveniles of<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Sparus aurata</Emphasis> (Pisces: Teleostei)

Changes in digestive pH and protease activity have been determined throughout the transition from larvae to the juvenile stage in Sparus aurata in rearing conditions (from 0.04 to 100 g wet weight). Measurements of pH have been taken in the stomach and different segments along the length of the intestine using a pH microelectrode. In starved fish, the gastric pH ranged between 6.0 and 8.0 approximately, except in juveniles of intermediate size (between 1.0 and 7.0 g wet weight), which exhibited a wider pH range of 2.0–8.0. Fed fish with digestive content showed, in general, lower pH values in the stomach. A progressive decrease was observed from a pH range of 5.5–8.0 in the youngest animals (0.04 g) to a pH range of 2.0–6.2 when juveniles were approaching 1.0 g wet weight. Above this weight, the gastric pH remained constant (between 2.0 and 6.0 approximately). The pH values in the intestine ranged between 6.7 and 8.4. They were similar in the different segments and weight classes examined, and there were no significant differences between fed and starved animals. Specific acid protease activity (units per milligram soluble protein) in fed animals increased from small (0.04–1.0 g) to intermediate juveniles (1.0 and 7.0 g), but then remained similar in larger juveniles. On the contrary, specific alkaline protease activity in fed animals decreased from small to intermediate juveniles, and then remained at a similar level in larger juveniles. The results reflect a progressive transition during several months from alkaline digestion in larvae with undeveloped stomachs to the acid digestion in juveniles with fully developed stomachs. Full gastric capacity is developed in seabream juveniles of 1 g wet weight, which represents approximately 100 days post-hatching in cultured populations. Nevertheless, in the following 2.5 months, during which the intestine reaches the appropriate length, juveniles still show a transitional period in the regulatory mechanism of digestion, probably linked to the adaptation to a different feeding habit.Communicated by S.A. Poulet, RoscoffThis revised version was published in December 2003 with corrections to the legend of Fig. 3.     

Zooplankton biomass and indices of grazing and metabolism during a late winter bloom in subtropical waters

The development of the so-called late winter bloom in subtropical water was studied in an oceanic area north of the Canary Islands from January to May 2000. Zooplankton was sampled at short-term intervals (1–4 days) during the bloom (January–March), and biomass, indices of grazing (gut fluorescence) and metabolism (electron transfer system activity, ETS) were measured in four different size fractions (100–200, 200–500, 500–1000 and >1000 µm). During the bloom, ETS activity and gut fluorescence increased before the development of zooplankton biomass. At the end of February, the presence of an impressive cloud of dust formed in the Sahara desert was related to an increase in chlorophyll and small zooplankton a week later. The increments in biomass were the consequence of consumption by zooplankton as inferred from the indices of grazing and metabolism. Estimated grazing from gut fluorescence and gut evacuation rates during the period of study accounted for 55% of the assessed total ingestion from respiration and normal values of assimilation, showing the importance of the non-pigmented food in the diet of zooplankton in these waters. In contrast, the sharp decreases in zooplankton biomass observed during the bloom appeared during the dark period of the moon, the days in which the diel vertical migrants reach the shallower layers, in agreement with previous works in the area. Thus, the development of the late winter bloom in this region is suggested to be driven by the interplay between resource and consumer controls.Communicated by S.A. Poulet, Roscoff