Search

The importance of energy budgets in understanding the ecology, conservation and production of crayfishes has long been recognized. Standard metabolic rate (SMR) estimates the minimum metabolic rate required for basic maintenance of an organism while at rest, and is a critical parameter for investigating energy balance and metabolism. Estimating SMR involves quantifying oxygen uptake under specific conditions. Standard methodology for estimating SMR has been described and evaluated for fishes, but not thoroughly investigated for crayfishes. We adapted a recommended protocol developed for fishes in order to determine appropriate methodologies for measuring SMR in crayfishes. Study animals consisted of 18 individuals of Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) collected in Alabama, USA. Respiration rates were measured using an optical respirometry system (Loligo Systems®; Viborg, Denmark) and intermittent respirometry techniques. Crayfish respiration stabilized the morning after initiation of the trial indicating that a 12 h overnight period was sufficient to acclimate crayfish to respirometry chambers. After 12 h of daylight, respiration of acclimated crayfish typically exhibited a short spike when lights were turned off, indicating data collected within ~2 h following a light change should be excluded from the dataset used to calculate SMR. When calculating SMR, a quantile approach was typically more appropriate than the mean of the lowest normal distribution approach. SMR calculated during the day was only marginally higher than SMR calculated during the night, indicating that SMR can be estimated during either period if shelters are provided in the respiration chambers. Due to the wide diversity of crayfish species and ranges, our recommendations may not be appropriate for every crayfish species or subpopulation. The recommendations can serve, however, as a valuable starting point and the described methodology provides a standardized approach for determining appropriate protocols to measure SMR of crayfish species of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus can utilize glucose as a source of carbon. However, the relative importance of inorganic and organic carbon assimilation and the timing of glucose assimilation are still poorly understood in these numerically dominant cyanobacteria. Here, we investigated whole microbial community and group-specific primary production and glucose assimilation using incubations with radioisotopes combined with flow cytometry cell sorting. We also studied changes in the microbial community structure in response to glucose enrichments and analyzed the transcription of Prochlorocccus genes involved in carbon metabolism and photosynthesis. Our results showed a diel variation for glucose assimilation in Prochlorococcus, with maximum assimilation at midday and minimum at midnight (~2-fold change), which was different from that of the total microbial community. This suggests that the timing in glucose assimilation in Prochlorococcus is coupled to photosynthetic light reactions producing energy, it being more convenient for Prochlorococcus to show maximum glucose uptake precisely when the rest of microbial populations have their minimum glucose uptake. Many transcriptional responses to glucose enrichment occurred after 12- and 24-h periods, but community composition did not change. High-light Prochlorococcus strains were the most impacted by glucose addition, with transcript-level increases observed for genes in pathways for glucose metabolism, such as the pentose phosphate pathway, the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, glycolysis, respiration, and glucose transport. While Prochlorococcus C assimilation from glucose represented less than 0.1% of the bacteriums photosynthetic C fixation, increased assimilation during the day and glcH gene upregulation upon glucose enrichment indicate an important role of mixotrophic C assimilation by natural populations of Prochlorococcus. IMPORTANCE Several studies have demonstrated that Prochlorococcus, the most abundant photosynthetic organism on Earth, can assimilate organic molecules, such as amino acids, amino sugars, ATP, phosphonates, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate. This autotroph can also assimilate small amounts of glucose, supporting the hypothesis that Prochlorococcus is mixotrophic. Our results show, for the first time, a diel variability in glucose assimilation by natural populations of Prochlorococcus with maximum assimilation during midday. Based on our previous results, this indicates that Prochlorococcus could maximize glucose uptake by using ATP made during the light reactions of photosynthesis. Furthermore, Prochlorococcus showed a different timing of glucose assimilation from the total population, which may offer considerable fitness advantages over competitors temporal niches. Finally, we observed transcriptional changes in some of the genes involved in carbon metabolism, suggesting that Prochlorococcus can use both pathways previously proposed in cyanobacteria to metabolize glucose.

Biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play key roles in coral reef ecosystems, where, together with dimethylated sulfur compounds, they are indicators of ecosystem health and are used as defense strategies and infochemicals. Assessment and prediction of the exchange rates of VOCs between the oceans and atmosphere, with implications for atmospheric reactivity and climate, are hampered by poor knowledge of the regulating processes and their temporal variability, including diel cycles. Here, we measured the variation over 36h of the concentrations of DMSPCs (dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP)-related compounds, namely DMSP, dimethylsulfoxide, acrylate, dimethylsulfide, and methanethiol as dimethyl disulfide) and VOCs (COS, CS2, isoprene, the iodomethanes CH3I and CH2ClI, and the bromomethanes CHBr3 and CH2Br2), in surface waters inside the shallow, northern coral-reef lagoon of Mo’orea (French Polynesia) and 4 km offshore, in the tropical open ocean. Comparisons with concurrent measurements of sea surface temperature, solar radiation, biogeochemical variables (nutrients, organic matter), and the abundances and taxonomic affiliations of microbial plankton were conducted with the aim to explain interconnections between DMSPCs, VOCs, and their environment across diel cycles. In open ocean waters, deeper surface mixing and low nutrient levels resulted in low phytoplankton biomass and bacterial activity. Consequently, the diel patterns of VOCs were more dependent on photochemical reactions, with daytime increases for several compounds including dissolved dimethylsulfoxide, COS, CS2, CH3I, and CH2ClI. A eukaryotic phytoplankton assemblage dominated by dinoflagellates and haptophytes provided higher cell-associated DMSP concentrations, yet the occurrence of DMSP degradation products (dimethylsulfide, dimethyl disulfide) was limited by photochemical loss. Conversely, in the shallow back reef lagoon the proximity of seafloor sediments, corals and abundant seaweeds resulted in higher nutrient levels, more freshly-produced organic matter, higher bacterial activity, and larger algal populations of Mamiellales, diatoms and Cryptomonadales. Consequently, DMSP and dimethylsulfoxide concentrations were lower but those of most VOCs were higher. A combination of photobiological and photochemical processes yielded sunny-daytime increases and nighttime decreases of dimethylsulfide, dimethyl disulfide, COS, isoprene, iodomethanes and bromomethanes. Our results illustrate the important role of solar radiation in DMSPC and VOC cycling, and are relevant for the design of sampling strategies that seek representative and comparable measurements of these compounds.

Global warming is increasing mean temperatures and altering temperature variability at multiple temporal scales. To better understand the consequences of changes in thermal variability for ectotherms it is necessary to consider thermal variation at different time scales (i.e., acute, diel, and annual) and the responses of organisms within and across generations. Thermodynamics constrain acute responses to temperature, but within these constraints and over longer time periods, organisms have the scope to adaptively acclimate or evolve. Yet, hypotheses and predictions about responses to future warming tend not to explicitly consider the temporal scale at which temperature varies. Here, focusing on multicellular ectothermic animals, we argue that consideration of multiple processes and constraints associated with various timescales is necessary to better understand how altered thermal variability because of climate change will affect ectotherms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The marine cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus can utilize glucose as a source of carbon. However, the relative importance of inorganic and organic carbon assimilation and the timing of glucose assimilation are still poorly understood in these numerically dominant cyanobacteria. Here, we investigated whole microbial community and group-specific primary production and glucose assimilation using incubations with radioisotopes combined with flow cytometry cell sorting. We also studied changes in the microbial community structure in response to glucose enrichments and analyzed the transcription of Prochlorocccus genes involved in carbon metabolism and photosynthesis. Our results showed a diel variation for glucose assimilation in Prochlorococcus, with maximum assimilation at midday and minimum at midnight (~2-fold change), which was different from that of the total microbial community. This suggests that the timing in glucose assimilation in Prochlorococcus is coupled to photosynthetic light reactions producing energy, it being more convenient for Prochlorococcus to show maximum glucose uptake precisely when the rest of microbial populations have their minimum glucose uptake. Many transcriptional responses to glucose enrichment occurred after 12- and 24-h periods, but community composition did not change. High-light Prochlorococcus strains were the most impacted by glucose addition, with transcript-level increases observed for genes in pathways for glucose metabolism, such as the pentose phosphate pathway, the Entner-Doudoroff pathway, glycolysis, respiration, and glucose transport. While Prochlorococcus C assimilation from glucose represented less than 0.1% of the bacterium’s photosynthetic C fixation, increased assimilation during the day and glcH gene upregulation upon glucose enrichment indicate an important role of mixotrophic C assimilation by natural populations of Prochlorococcus. IMPORTANCE Several studies have demonstrated that Prochlorococcus, the most abundant photosynthetic organism on Earth, can assimilate organic molecules, such as amino acids, amino sugars, ATP, phosphonates, and dimethylsulfoniopropionate. This autotroph can also assimilate small amounts of glucose, supporting the hypothesis that Prochlorococcus is mixotrophic. Our results show, for the first time, a diel variability in glucose assimilation by natural populations of Prochlorococcus with maximum assimilation during midday. Based on our previous results, this indicates that Prochlorococcus could maximize glucose uptake by using ATP made during the light reactions of photosynthesis. Furthermore, Prochlorococcus showed a different timing of glucose assimilation from the total population, which may offer considerable fitness advantages over competitors “temporal niches.” Finally, we observed transcriptional changes in some of the genes involved in carbon metabolism, suggesting that Prochlorococcus can use both pathways previously proposed in cyanobacteria to metabolize glucose.

Microbial community dynamics are influenced not only by biological but also physical and chemical phenomena (e.g., temperature, sunlight, pH, wave energy) that vary on both short and long-time scales. In this study, samples of continental shelf waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean were periodically collected from pre-sunrise to post-sunset and at multiple depths over summers of 2016 and 2017. Metatranscriptomic analyses revealed expression of photosynthetic genes in surface water samples corresponding to a diel relationship with sunlight. Photosynthetic genes originated from known phototrophs including Aureococcus, Ostreococcous, Synechocococus, and Prochlorococcus. Photosynthetic gene expression occurred pre-sunrise, suggesting the community initiates transcription before sunlight exposure, ostensibly to harvest energy more efficiently when the anticipated increase in light occurs. Transcripts from photoheterotrophic members of the SAR11 clade were also documented in surface samples, with rhodopsin expression being more abundant pre-sunrise and post-sunrise. Conversely, samples taken from the aphotic layer exhibited expression of transcripts related to nitrification that did not vary over the diel cycle. Nitrification gene transcripts, specifically amoA, nirK, hao, and norAB, were taxonomically related to well-known genera of ammonia oxidizers, such as Nitrospira, Candidatus Nitrosomarinus, Nitrosospira, and Nitrosopumilus. Overall, this study documents the role of light (varying with time and depth) in shaping the photosynthetic microbial community activity in the surface ocean, and further demonstrates that this diel regulation of photosynthesis is decoupled from the activity of the nitrifying microbial community in deeper and darker waters.

To better understand the hydrodynamic and hydrographic conditions experienced by larvae in the nearshore (within 1 km of shore), and the role that larval behavior plays in mediating shoreward transport to adult benthic habitats, we examined the vertical distribution and concentration of barnacle cyprids in a shallow, nearshore region in southern California, United States. We collected high-resolution physical measurements of currents and temperature at 3 stations (8, 5, and 4 m depths), and high-frequency measurements of barnacle larvae at a 4 m deep station ∼300 m from shore. Larvae were sampled from distinct 1 m depth intervals between the surface and the bottom (0–1 m, 1–2 m, 2–3 m, 3 m-bottom), each hour for overnight periods that ranged between 13 to 24 h in five cruises during the summers of 2017 and 2018. Barnacle cyprids of Chthamalus fissus predominated in all samples. Thermal stratification decreased closer to shore, but when the nearshore-most station remained stratified (Δ°C m–1 ≥ 0.1), C. fissus cyprid concentrations were high to extremely abundant (exceeding 200 and 4,000 individuals m–3, respectively). There were significant positive correlations between thermal stratification and the log-transformed C. fissus concentration at cruise-to-cruise scales, and between stratification and vertical variability in the high-frequency cross-shore currents at 2-day scales. Additionally, estimated larval transport was relatively high and shoreward when nearshore thermal stratification was greatest. Significant, albeit small, diel differences in cyprid distributions were also observed, with the proportion of cyprids increasing near the surface at night, and concentrations greater during the day than at night. Collectively, these results suggest that thermal stratification increases larval supply to the nearshore, and may enhance onshore larval transport to augment chances of successful settlement and recruitment to the intertidal adult habitat.

The 24-h cycle of light and darkness governs daily rhythms of complex behaviors across all domains of life. Intracellular photoreceptors sense specific wavelengths of light that can reset the internal circadian clock and/or elicit distinct phenotypic responses. In the surface ocean, microbial communities additionally modulate nonrhythmic changes in light quality and quantity as they are mixed to different depths. Here, we show that eukaryotic plankton in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre transcribe genes encoding light-sensitive proteins that may serve as light-activated transcription factors, elicit light-driven electrical/chemical cascades, or initiate secondary messenger-signaling cascades. Overall, the protistan community relies on blue light-sensitive photoreceptors of the cryptochrome/photolyase family, and proteins containing the Light-Oxygen-Voltage (LOV) domain. The greatest diversification occurred within Haptophyta and photosynthetic stramenopiles where the LOV domain was combined with different DNA-binding domains and secondary signal-transduction motifs. Flagellated protists utilize green-light sensory rhodopsins and blue-light helmchromes, potentially underlying phototactic/photophobic and other behaviors toward specific wavelengths of light. Photoreceptors such as phytochromes appear to play minor roles in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre. Transcript abundance of environmental light-sensitive protein-encoding genes that display diel patterns are found to primarily peak at dawn. The exceptions are the LOV-domain transcription factors with peaks in transcript abundances at different times and putative phototaxis photoreceptors transcribed throughout the day. Together, these data illustrate the diversity of light-sensitive proteins that may allow disparate groups of protists to respond to light and potentially synchronize patterns of growth, division, and mortality within the dynamic ocean environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual species can have profound effects on ecological communities, but, in hyperdiverse systems, it can be challenging to determine the underlying ecological mechanisms. Simplifying species' responses by trophic level or functional group may be useful, but characterizing the trait structure of communities may be better related to niche processes. A largely overlooked trait in such community-level analyses is behaviour. In the Neotropics, epiphytic tank bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) harbour a distinct fauna of terrestrial invertebrates that is mainly composed of predators, such as ants and spiders. As these bromeliad-associated predators tend to forage on the bromeliads' support tree, they may influence the arboreal invertebrate fauna. We examined how, by increasing associated predator habitat, bromeliads may affect arboreal invertebrates. Specifically, we observed the trophic and functional group composition, and the behaviour and interspecific interactions of arboreal invertebrates in trees with and without bromeliads. Bromeliads modified the functional composition of arboreal invertebrates, but not the overall abundance of predators and herbivores. Bromeliads did not alter the overall behavioural profile of arboreal invertebrates, but did lead to more positive interactions in the day than at night, with a reverse pattern on trees without bromeliads. In particular, tending behaviours were influenced by bromeliad-associated predators. These results indicate that detailed examination of the functional affiliations and behaviour of organisms can reveal complex effects of habitat-forming species like bromeliads, even when total densities of trophic groups are insensitive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Movement of soil moisture associated with tree root‐water uptake is ecologically important but technically challenging to measure. Here, the self‐potential (SP) method, a passive electrical geophysical method, is used to characterize water flow in situ. Unlike tensiometers, which use a measurement of state (i.e., matric pressure) at two locations to infer fluid flow, the SP method directly measures signals generated by water movement. We collected SP measurements in a two‐dimensional array at the base of a Douglas‐fir tree (Pseudotsuga menziesii) in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in western Oregon over 5 months to provide insight on the propagation of transpiration signals into the subsurface under variable soil moisture. During dry conditions, SP data appear to show downward unsaturated flow, whereas nearby tensiometer data appear to suggest upward flow during this period. After the trees enter dormancy in the fall, precipitation‐induced vertical flow dominates in the SP and tensiometer data. Diel variations in SP data correspond to periods of tree transpiration. Changes in volumetric water content occurring from soil moisture movement during transpiration are not large enough to appear in volumetric water content data. Fluid flow and electrokinetic coupling (i.e., electrical potential distribution) were simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics to explore the system controls on field data. The coupled model, which included a root‐water uptake term, reproduced components of both the long‐term and diel variations in SP measurements, thus indicating that SP has potential to provide spatially and temporally dense measurements of transpiration‐induced changes in water flow. This manuscript presents the first SP measurements focusing on the movement of soil moisture in response to tree transpiration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cleaning is a ubiquitous interspecific interaction on shallow tropical, subtropical, and temperate reefs, involving hundreds of species in all ocean basins. This remarkable mutualism encompasses fish and/or shrimp "cleaners" that remove and consume organic debris, parasites, tissue, and mucus from "client" invertebrates (e.g., anemones, crabs, octopuses) and vertebrates (e.g., sharks, bony fishes, turtles, iguanas, and cetaceans. Often regarded as a facilitative interaction, cleaning may be an important driver of reef community structure. Cleaning evolved independently in several unrelated taxa, resulting in a remarkable diversity of interaction types and behaviors. Besides the burden of epibionts, wounds, and parasites, visual and tactile signaling comprise the proximate causation of cleaning interactions. However, there are a few examples of nocturnal cleaning on marine ecosystems, which always involve shrimps acting as cleaners. Here, we report on caridean shrimps (Decapoda: Caridea) cleaning four species of carnivorous fishes in the disphotic-aphotic transition zone (280–320 m depth), based on submersible observations at the continental shelf slope off Northeastern Brazil. This is the first record of shrimp-fish cleaning interactions in deep-cold waters, and our observations support the idea that tactile signaling is of foremost importance in such interactions. We hypothesize that the complex daytime behavior and other adaptations of dedicated cleaner shrimps may have evolved from incidental cleaning by shrimps seeking food on nocturnal shelters of larger fish, or on deep water, where vision plays a minor role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sub-daily variations in the rates and dominance of the main controls of stream dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration (production, mobility and instream processes) have the potential to create a subtle sub-daily rhythm of DOC variation in streams. We used high-frequency data, covering the spring-summer-autumn period, which included discharge, specific conductivity, pH, groundwater levels, temperature, evapotranspiration and solar radiation to investigate the interplay between factors potentially driving diel DOC cycles in northern catchments. We focused on a peatland dominated 1st order stream (0.65 km 2 ) before investigating the propagation of the signals downstream to a 2nd order stream (3.2 km 2 ), with a lower percentage of peat fringing the stream channel. DOC cycles in the 1st order stream had a median peak time of 14:00 h and temporally varying amplitude, with a median of 0.61 mg l −1 . Results supported the hypothesis that diel DOC cycles at the site are driven by hydrological processes, specifically the viscosity-effect theory: viscosity-driven increases in flow from the riparian area in the afternoon flush DOC from the peat to the stream. The temporal variability in the amplitude of the diel DOC cycle was controlled by antecedent temperature. Downstream, the diel DOC signal was weaker, with around 4-fold lower amplitudes and minima in the afternoon. The lower proportion of riparian peat downstream appeared to reduce the influence of terrestrial processes on DOC cycles. In-stream photodegradation and decomposition likely became more dominant as connectivity between DOC sources and stream reduced. The study highlighted that even in climates such as the Scottish Highlands, where energy input is relatively low and precipitation frequent, sub-daily hydrological and biogeochemical rhythms occur. Unravelling the intricacy of such diel cycles is fundamental to fully understanding stream functioning and the global carbon cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrolabile reduced manganese (II) has been monitored by voltammetry during two periods of one month in summer 2014 and at the end of winter 2015 in a small river (the Marque River) located in northern France and going through a suburban area with agricultural activities. Diel variations, evolution within the one-month periods and seasonal differences have been observed. Taking into consideration the multiple physical, biological and chemical reactions regulating manganese speciation in aquatic systems, it has been demonstrated that manganese speciation is probably controlled by the competition of two antagonist reactions: the photoreduction of manganese oxides (in broad sense and represented thereafter by MnOx) and the biotic oxidation of Mn(II). Depending on the season, the biological activity in the river and the amount of luminosity reaching the MnOx, either the production of reduced labile Mn(II) or the precipitation of MnOx can become the dominant process. Other punctual events such as the drop of oxygen concentration due to large inputs of biodegradable organic matter and eutrophication phenomena, rainy events and high luminosity periods can also affect the behaviour of dissolved Mn(II) in the Marque River and so, of other contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the remoteness and challenging environmental conditions on sub-Antarctic Marion Island, continuous high-resolution studies of the island's natural water systems are rare. Subsequently, current understanding of the island's hydrochemistry is based entirely on manual point-based measurements. To address this research gap we analysed continuous, in-situ highfrequency physicochemical measurements (pH, water temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and electrical conductivity (EC)) from the Soft Plume River over the period 21 April 2015-26 April 2015. We observed a sharp, short-term response from all measurements to a precipitation event that was superimposed on consistent but subtle diel (i.e. 24 h) cycles throughout the study. Total variation in pH and electrical conductivity amounted to 1.3 units and 27.7 μS/cm respectively. Stream water temperature was less variable (6.2°C) than air surface temperature (14.2°C). Total variation in DO was 2.0 mg/L. Aside from the precipitation-induced response, diel oscillations were small and only visible through the use of continuous, highresolution monitoring. Findings highlight the advantages of continuous high-frequency monitoring in capturing the range of daily variation and elucidating diel cycles in stream water physicochemistry on sub-Antarctic Marion Island that have not previously been accounted for. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Associations between minerals and organic matter represent one of the most important carbon storage mechanisms in soils. Plant roots are major sources of soil carbon, and resolving the dynamics and dominance of microbial consumption versus mineral sorption of root-derived carbon is critical to understanding soil carbon storage. Here we integrate in-situ rhizosphere microsensor and plant physiological measurements with a 3-D plant-soil reactive transport model to explore the fate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the rhizosphere, particularly its microbial consumption and interaction with Fe oxide minerals. Over several days, microdialysis probes at the root-soil interface of growing Vicia faba roots in live soil, revealed clear diel patterns of DOC concentration in the pore water. Daytime DOC spikes coincided with peaks in leaf-level photosynthesis rates and were accompanied by declining redox potential and dissolved oxygen as well as increasing pH in the rhizosphere. Incorporating microsensor data into our modeling framework showed that the measured rapid loss of DOC after each mid-day spike could not be explained by consumption via aerobic respiration, nor via anaerobic respiration dominated by Fe oxide reduction. Rather, in the model, a large fraction of rhizosphere DOC was rapidly immobilized each day by adsorption to Fe oxides. Further, modeled microbial Fe reduction (fueled by DOC) did not mobilize significant organic carbon from Fe oxides during the day. Instead, the model predicted equilibrium desorption of organic carbon from Fe oxides at night. This new mechanistic modeling framework, which couples aboveground plant physiological measurements with non-destructive high-resolution monitoring of rhizosphere processes, has great potential for exploring the dynamics and balance of the various microbial reactions and mineral interactions controlling carbon storage in soils. [Display omitted] • Integrated rhizosphere microsensor data with plant-soil reactive transport model. • Explored the fate and impact of root exudates in the rhizosphere over diel cycles. • Results highlight dynamic competition between microbes and minerals for root exudates. • Promising approach for resolving mechanisms controlling the fate of root carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viruses are fundamental components of marine microbial communities that significantly influence oceanic productivity, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem processes. Despite their importance, the temporal activities and dynamics of viral assemblages in natural settings remain largely unexplored. Here we report the transcriptional activities and variability of dominant dsDNA viruses in the open ocean's euphotic zone over daily and seasonal timescales. While dsDNA viruses exhibited some fluctuation in abundance in both cellular and viral size fractions, the viral assemblage was remarkably stable, with the most abundant viral types persisting over many days. More extended time series indicated that long-term persistence (>1 y) was the rule for most dsDNA viruses observed, suggesting that both core viral genomes as well as viral community structure were conserved over interannual periods. Viral gene transcription in host cell assemblages revealed diel cycling among many different viral types. Most notably, an afternoon peak in cyanophage transcriptional activity coincided with a peak in Prochlorococcus DNA replication, indicating coordinated diurnal coupling of virus and host reproduction. In aggregate, our analyses suggested a tightly synchronized diel coupling of viral and cellular replication cycles in both photoautotrophic and heterotrophic bacterial hosts. A surprising consequence of these findings is that diel cycles in the ocean's photic zone appear to be universal organizing principles that shape ecosystem dynamics, ecological interactions, and biogeochemical cycling of both cellular and acellular community components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diel temperature patterns are changing because of global warming, with higher temperatures being predicted to be more pronounced at night. Biological reactions are temperature dependent, with some occurring only during the daylight hours (e.g., light photosynthesis) and other during the entire day (e.g., respiration). Consequently, we expect the modification of daily temperature cycles to alter microbial biological reactions in stream sediments. Here, we aimed to study the effect of warming and changes of the diel temperature patterns on stream sediment biofilm functions tied to organic carbon decomposition, as well as on biofilm meiofaunal community structure. We performed an eight-week experiment with 12 artificial streams subjected to three different diel temperature patterns: warming, warmer nights and control. Significant effects of warming on biofilm function and structure were mainly detected in the long term. Our results showed that warming altered biofilm function, especially in the warmer nights' treatment, which enhanced β-glucosidase enzyme activity. Interestingly, clear opposite diel patterns were observed for dissolved organic carbon and β-glucosidase activity, suggesting that, at night, sediment bacteria quickly consume the input of photosynthetic dissolved organic carbon labile compounds created during light-time. The biofilm structure was also altered by warming, as both warming and warmer night treatments enhanced copepod abundance and diminished abundances of turbellaria and nematodes, which, in turn, controlled bacterial, algal and ciliate communities. Overall, we conclude that warming has strong effect on sediment biofilm structure and enhanced microbial organic matter degradation which might, consequently, affect higher trophic levels and river carbon cycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se evaluó la abundancia y recambio de las especies ícticas que habitan en la laguna de Celestún en función de los ciclos de luz y oscuridad y del tipo de hábitats. Para ello se realizaron 6 muestreos bimestrales en una red de 4 estaciones; 2 localizadas en la boca y 2 en la zona interna de la laguna. Los sitios de cada zona comprenden un fondo con vegetación acuática y otro sin ésta (VAS, FSV). En cada sitio se registraron parámetros hidrológicos para determinar su relación con la estructura de la comunidad. Los peces se recolectaron con un chinchorro (15 × 1.5 m, 2.5cm luz de malla) en un periodo diurno (10:00-3:00), crepuscular (18:00-21:00) y nocturno (02:00-05:00). Para su análisis se utilizaron diferentes estadísticos multivariados no parámetricos (NPMANOVA, NMDS, betadisper). Se encontraron diferencias en composición de especies de peces entre hábitats con VAS y FSV (F=2.6108, p=0.0114). La tasa de recambio de especies es baja entre hábitats y entre ciclos de luz-oscuridad. Los ensamblajes de peces entre hábitats son más dinámicos que nictimeralmente, debido a que las praderas de vegetación sumergida soportan un mayor número de especies por su función en la alimentación y/o como protección.The abundance and turnover of fish species inhabiting Celestún lagoon were evaluated according to day-night cycles, as well as habitat type. Bimonthly sampling was done at 4 sites of the lagoon, 2 at the mouth and 2 at the inner zone. The sites for each zone include bottoms with and without submerged aquatic vegetation (VAS, FSV). At each site hydrologic parameters were registered to determine their relationship with fish community structure. Fish specimens were collected using a beach seine (15 ×1.5 m, 2.5cm mesh) at day (10:00-13:00), twilight (18:00-21:00) and night (02:00-05:00). Multivariate non-parametric (NPMANOVA, NMDS, betadisper) statistics were used for the analysis. Difference in fish species were found between habitats with VAS and FSV (F=2.6108, p=0.0114). The betadisper test indicated that species rate of replacement is low between habitats and during day-night cycles. Fish assemblages between habitats are more dynamic than day-night cycles, due to seagrass meadows that host great numbers of species providing protection and food availability.

Water is the main limiting resource for natural and human systems, but the effect of hydroclimatic variability on woody species in water-limited environments at sub-monthly time scales is not fully understood. Plant-water relationships of single-leaf pinyon pine ( Pinus monophylla) were investigated using hourly dendrometer and environmental data from May 2006 to October 2011 in the Great Basin Desert, one of the driest regions of North America. Average radial stem increments showed an annual range of variation below 1.0 mm, with a monotonic steep increase from May to July that yielded a stem enlargement of about 0.5 mm. Stem shrinkage up to 0.2 mm occurred in late summer, followed by an abrupt expansion of up to 0.5 mm in the fall, at the arrival of the new water year precipitation. Subsequent winter shrinkage and enlargement were less than 0.3 mm each. Based on 4 years with continuous data, diel cycles varied in both timing and amplitude between months and years. Phase shifts in circadian stem changes were observed between the growing season and the dormant one, with stem size being linked to precipitation more than to other water-related indices, such as relative humidity or soil moisture. During May-October, the amplitude of the phases of stem contraction, expansion, and increment was positively related to their duration in a nonlinear fashion. Changes in precipitation regime, which affected the diel phases especially when lasting more than 5-6 h, could substantially influence the dynamics of water depletion and replenishment in single-leaf pinyon pine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on 14 C uptake assays, in vivo chlorophyll (chl) a fluorescence and HPLC pigment analysis, phytoplankton photosynthetic physiology and productivity in 24-h diel cycles were characterized at three stations in April and August 2012 in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. The results indicated the sub-pycnocline primary production accounted for 5–48% of the total integrated primary production, emphasizing the important influence of euphotic zone in shallow coastal areas. During the diel cycles, chl a -specific light-saturated photosynthesis ( P m a x B ) as measured with photosynthesis versus irradiance curves ( P–I ) and the photoprotective pigment pool (diadinoxanthin, diatoxanthin, chl a ) showed phytoplankton acclimation to be strongly influenced by water column structure (mixing versus stratification). Changes in chl a fluorescence and transformations between photoprotective pigments were most recognizable in surface samples. The dominate phytoplankton groups (diatoms and cyanobacteria in April and August respectively) also influenced the measured photosynthetic parameters. The Northern Gulf of Mexico is a typical coastal ecosystem with high variability of nutrients, light (intensity and attenuation) and mixing. Our study provided evidence that phytoplankton in this area are adapted to changing environmental conditions by means of fast responses as well as long-term photoacclimation strategies. Understanding the major drivers could help us to improve models involving the calculation of primary productivity, such as those focused towards understanding mechanisms controlling hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planktonic microbial communities in the ocean are typically dominated by several cosmopolitan clades of Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya characterized by their ribosomal RNA gene phylogenies and genomic features. Although the environments these communities inhabit range from coastal to open ocean waters, how the biological dynamics vary between such disparate habitats is not well known. To gain insight into the differential activities of microbial populations inhabiting different oceanic provinces we compared the daily metatranscriptome profiles of related microbial populations inhabiting surface waters of both a coastal California upwelling region (CC) as well as the oligotrophic North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). Transcriptional networks revealed that the dominant photoautotrophic microbes in each environment (Ostreococcus in CC, Prochlorococcus in NPSG) were central determinants of overall community transcriptome dynamics. Furthermore, heterotrophic bacterial clades common to both ecosystems (SAR11, SAR116, SAR86, SAR406, and Roseobacter) displayed conserved, genome-wide inter- and intrataxon transcriptional patterns and diel cycles. Populations of SAR11 and SAR86 clades in particular exhibited tightly coordinated transcriptional patterns in both coastal and pelagic ecosystems, suggesting that specific biological interactions between these groups are widespread in nature. Our results identify common diurnally oscillating behaviors among diverse planktonic microbial species regardless of habitat, suggesting that highly conserved temporally phased biotic interactions are ubiquitous among planktonic microbial communities worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Never before observed or cited in Dinophysis studies, deformations in Dinophysis acuminata and Dinophysis sacculus are reported throughout their cellular division phases (cytokinesis, and sulcal list regeneration) in 5 in situ cell cycle studies in the Punic harbors of Carthage (northern Tunisia). Two types of deformation were observed: invaginations in the ventral and dorsal margin and protuberances at the base of the left sulcal list. No virus or bacteria were detected with Syber green stain. In situ division rates ( μ ) varied among seasons and stations for the same species. D. acuminata exhibited moderate (0.22 day −1 ) to high (0.68 day −1 ) μ rates which were however very low (0.02–0.17 day −1 ) for D. sacculus in autumn and moderate (0.21–0.35 day −1 ) in late spring. In 2009 the seasonal distribution of Dinophysis indicates maximum Dinophysis cf. ovum abundance in March and a high number of D. acuminata in early June, while in 2010 maximum abundance of the same species was found in mid-June. Molecular and genetic studies and staining with specific fluorescent strains should be addressed to hopefully explain these Dinophysis cell deformations during their in situ division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal trait variation is of fundamental importance to forecasting the impacts of environmental change on lizard diversity. Here, we review the literature for patterns of variation in traits of upper and lower sub-lethal temperature limits, temperature preference and active body temperature in the field, in relation to space, time and phylogeny. Through time, we focus on the direction and magnitude of trait change within days, among seasons and as a consequence of acclimation. Across space, we examine altitudinal and latitudinal patterns, incorporating inter-specific analyses at regional and global scales. This synthesis highlights the consistency or lack thereof, of thermal trait responses, the relative magnitude of change among traits and several knowledge gaps identified in the relationships examined. We suggest that physiological information is becoming essential for forecasting environmental change sensitivity of lizards by providing estimates of plasticity and evolutionary scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the effect of light pollution, Microcystis aeruginosa was grown with and without low levels of night lighting. Significant differences were observed between the treatments in the maximum quantum yield of charge separation, the intracellular chlorophyll a concentration, the functional absorption cross-section of photosystem II, the number of Rubisco per cell and per chlorophyll a, the number of photosystem I per chlorophyll a, and the chlorophyll a fraction not bound to the photosystems and IsiA. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The 24-hourcycle in solar radiation and subsequent primary productivity by submerged vegetation controls the diel cycles of trace metal concentrations in streams directly, via photochemical reactions and autotrophic assimilation, and indirectly through changes in mineral saturation states, redox conditions, and adsorption reactions. Most prior studies have focused on streams with elevated metal concentrations and thus cycling is not as well understood in pristine streams where the effects of submerged plant metabolism may be critical in controlling the availability and diel cycling of metals. To assess controls on diel metal cycling in an alkaline river with naturally low metal concentrations, water samples were collected every 1–2h for>24hours in three seasons between March 2009 and May 2010 in the Ichetucknee River, north-central Florida (USA), a large (Q>6m3/s), spring-fed river flowing over a carbonate karst terrain. Ca2+, Ba, Fe, and U concentrations exhibit statistically significant diel cycles regardless of season, while Mn, and possibly Sr, cycles were present only in the spring. Mn, Ba and Ca2+ concentrations increased at night, out of phase with the cycles in pH and carbonate saturation state. Daytime precipitation of calcium carbonate could partially control Mn, and to a lesser extent Ba, cycles through co-precipitation. Fe and U concentrations cycled in phase with solar radiation, pH, and DO concentrations, reaching maxima in late afternoon. Adsorption of cationic Mn and Ba species and anionic U and Fe species could explain the opposing cycles of these two sets of metals as could the photo-reduction of Fe, enhanced by the high water clarity. The diel cycles of Mn, Fe and Ba also appear to be directly controlled by autotrophic assimilation based on estimates of net carbon fixation by submerged vegetation and the metal stoichiometry of the dominant submerged macrophyte and algae in the river. These results demonstrate how multiple biogeochemical processes resulting from solar radiation and associated aquatic plant metabolism likely control diel and seasonal cycles of metals and illustrate the importance of these linked processes in mediating the water quality and environmental availability of metals in pristine streams with naturally low metal concentrations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dimethylsulfide (DMS) is a biogenic gas with potential climatic effects, and its marine emission depends on the interplay between microbial activity and physical forcing in the oceanic upper mixed layer. We investigated the diel cycling patterns of DMS and its precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in four experiments (28 to 48 h long) performed in mesotrophic to ultraoligotrophic Mediterranean and Sargasso Sea waters. Samples taken every 4 or 6 h were analyzed for dimethylated sulfur pools and incubated to measure DMS and DMSP cycling rates, as well as primary and bacterial production. In all four experiments, DMS budgets showed pronounced day versus night variability. In the three summer experiments, gross community DMS production (GPDMS) increased by twofold to threefold from nighttime to daytime, peaking 0-4 h after solar noon. This excess GPDMS was balanced by higher photochemical and microbial sinks during the day, effectively buffering DMS concentrations. In the only winter experiment, GPDMS exhibited opposed temporal dynamics and peaked at nighttime in parallel to total DMSP consumption. Community DMSP to DMS conversion yields were generally <10% throughout the winter experiment and at night in summer, and increased to >15% (even >50%) during the day in summer, presumably due to phytoplankton radiative stress. Our data suggest that (1) diel variability should be taken into account in process studies, diagnostic, and prognostic models of DMS cycling and (2) the community DMS yield is a key variable that defines characteristic DMS cycling regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Diel cycles in stream discharge during baseflow periods in a headwater stream in La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica, a tropical wet forest site, appear to be associated with groundwater withdrawal by the forest for evapotranspiration (ET). Analysis of the cycles indicates a strong correlation of stage change with ET demand, similar to the variation found in riparian water table elevation by previous researchers. Links between daily forest ET demand cycles and stream discharge cycles have been reported in temperate humid and semi-arid regions, but the frequent flood hydrographs of the wet tropics tend to obscure this daily signal. This study modifies and combines two established empirical methods for analyzing the diel ET signal in streamflow which lead to estimates of riparian ET derived from groundwater (ETG ) at hourly time scales and spatial extent of the riparian area. The model has a direct dependence on the estimate of specific yield, a difficult to constrain parameter, which we estimate from previously published soil analyses. For the six baseflow periods analyzed, the model estimates groundwater ET losses ranging from 1.8 to 3.9mm/day within the riparian area. These estimates are 52–81% of the total ET estimated with the Penman–Monteith equation (ETPM ). The signal of ETG in the stream lags ETPM by 1.5–3h, with apparent peak decay and signal duration lengthening during propagation. Model results indicate that the area of the riparian zone that influences streamflow by means of ET withdrawal increases with stream stage and ranges from 2.5% to 6.6% of the total basin area. Variations in the rate of change of nightly stream stage recovery suggest possible variations in the relative importance of subsurface hydraulic properties. At high stages, the rate of stream stage recovery from ET losses decreases throughout the night, whereas at low stages the rate of stream stage recovery increases throughout the night. Future work with numerical models could explore mechanistic controls on these empirically-derived recovery functions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This research addresses the hypothesis that environmental conditions affect temporal connectivity between daily transcription of ribulose-1,5 bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) genes and photosynthetic capacity among phytoplankton. From surface samples collected in the Mississippi River plume (MRP) and Orinoco River plume (ORP), we made size-fractionated measurements of Rubisco ( rbcL) mRNA from four phytoplankton groups (heterokonts, haptophytes, Synechococcus, and Prochlorococcus) and chlorophyll-normalized photosynthesis-irradiance parameters (including light-saturated photosynthetic rate- P), plus nutrient uptake and inorganic carbon. Chlorophyll, photosynthesis, nutrient uptake, and total rbcL mRNA levels were substantially greater in the MRP. Rubisco mRNA and P exhibited characteristic diel patterns. Regressions with temporally offset data revealed photosynthesis cycles correlated to rbcL mRNA, but with a time lag. This delay was greater in the MRP, and greater among cells >2 μm. At both sites, P of <2 μm cells exhibited an earlier increase and closer temporal coupling to rbcL mRNA, suggesting carbon fixation is under tighter transcriptional control in picoplankton. The data support our hypothesis such that in the MRP, high productivity and apparent nutrient stress (perhaps including pCO) resulted in earlier transcription and longer delay to increasing P among larger phytoplankton. Under stress, larger eukaryotic cells may need longer time to translate adequate Rubisco enzyme because of cellular resource limitation or diversion to nutrient acquisition. In the relatively oligotrophic ORP, phytoplankton may conserve cellular resources by restricting the time for Rubisco translation. These findings provide an interesting glimpse into ways marine algae can modulate the physiology of carbon fixation in response to environmental challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Movement of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) through the hydrologic cycle is an important component of global carbon budgets, but there is considerable uncertainty about the controls of DIC transmission from landscapes to streams, and through river networks to the oceans. In this study, diel measurements of DIC, δ13C-DIC, dissolved oxygen (O2), δ18O-O2, alkalinity, pH, and other parameters were used to assess the relative magnitudes of biological and geochemical controls on DIC cycling and flux in a nutrient-rich, net autotrophic stream. Rates of photosynthesis (P), respiration (R), groundwater discharge, air–water exchange of CO2, and carbonate precipitation/dissolution were quantified through a time-stepping chemical/isotope (12C and 13C, 16O and 18O) mass balance model. Groundwater was the major source of DIC to the stream. Primary production and carbonate precipitation were equally important sinks for DIC removed from the water column. The stream was always super-saturated with respect to carbonate minerals, but carbonate precipitation occurred mainly during the day when P increased pH. We estimated more than half (possibly 90%) of the carbonate precipitated during the day was retained in the reach under steady baseflow conditions. The amount of DIC removed from the overlying water through carbonate precipitation was similar to the amount of DIC generated from R. Air–water exchange of CO2 was always from the stream to the atmosphere, but was the smallest component of the DIC budget. Overall, the in-stream DIC reactions reduced the amount of CO2 evasion and the downstream flux of groundwater-derived DIC by about half relative to a hypothetical scenario with groundwater discharge only. Other streams with similar characteristics are widely distributed in the major river basins of North America. Data from USGS water quality monitoring networks from the 1960s to the 1990s indicated that 40% of 652 stream monitoring stations in the contiguous USA were at or above the equilibrium saturation state for calcite, and 77% of all stations exhibited apparent increases in saturation state from the 1960/70s to the 1980/90s. Diel processes including partially irreversible carbonate precipitation may affect net carbon fluxes from many such watersheds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effect of phototrophic biofilm activity on advective transport of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and lead (Pb) in sandy sediments was examined using percolated columns. Cd and Ni in the effluent exhibited clear diel cycles in biofilm-containing columns, with concentrations at the end of dark periods exceeding those during illumination by up to 4.5- and 10-fold for Ni and Cd, respectively. Similar cycles were not observed for Pb or Cu. Breakthrough of the latter metals was greatly retarded and incomplete relative to Cd and Ni, and trends in biofilm treatments did not differ greatly from those in control columns. Inhibition of photosystem II by DCMU (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) proved that diel cycles of Cd and Ni were controlled by oxygenic photosynthesis, and microsensor measurements showed that metal cycles closely matched metabolic activity-driven pH variations. The sorption edge pH for the sand/biofilm substrate followed the order Ni > Cd > Cu > Pb, and for Ni and Cd, was within the pH 7-10 range observed in the biofilm-containing column. Adsorption dynamics over the light periods matched pH increases, but desorption during dark periods was incomplete and slower than the rate of change of pH. Over a diel cycle, desorption was less than adsorption, resulting in net binding of dissolved metals due to the biofilm metabolic activity. Extraction with selective reagents indicated that the adsorbed metals were readily exchangeable, and potentially bioavailable. Thus, phototrophic benthic biofilms can control the transport of some metals across the sand-water interface, and processes in this very thin surficial layer should be considered when evaluating chemical fluxes in permeable sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ontogenetic niche shifts are characteristic of organisms with complex life cycles such as many marine invertebrates. Research has focused primarily on changes in habitat or diet. However, ontogenetic changes can also occur in the temporal pattern of foraging. Gnathiid isopods feed on fish blood throughout their larval stages and are the primary food item for cleaning organisms on coral reefs. At sites in Australia and the Caribbean, gnathiid larvae exhibit size-related differences in diel activity. However, it is unclear whether this is due to interspecific or intraspecific variation in behavior. Fish were deployed in cages near sunset on shallow reefs off St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands and allowed to be infected with larval gnathiids. Larvae collected from fish retrieved near midnight developed into adults, with most developing into females. In contrast, approximately 80% of gnathiids collected after first light developed into second or third stage larvae, and nearly all of the remaining, large, individuals developed into males. Comparison of ITS2 gene regions from individuals collected in emergence traps from the same reefs during the day versus during the night revealed no differences in this highly variable region. Thus, gnathiid larvae at this locality shift their time of activity as they develop, and larvae developing into males remain active over a longer time period than those developing into females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional telemetry methods have been used to quantify the horizontal and vertical displacement of marine species, but are unable to identify specific physical activities such as swimming or gliding, resting, foraging, or spawning. We tested the utility of an acceleration data logger to quantify activity patterns of three captive whitetip reef sharks (Triaenodon obesus) in an enclosed lagoon using internal and external attachment methods. Data obtained using both attachment methods allowed swimming and resting behavior to be differentiated. All sharks showed constant swimming for 5-14 hours post-tagging before adopting a pattern of daytime rest and nocturnal activity throughout the 6-16 day deployments. Sharks showed a diel activity pattern, spending 10-24% of their time swimming during the day, and 42-67% swimming at night. Overall, sharks spent an average of 35 ± 11% (mean ± SD) of their time swimming. Mean tailbeat frequency was found to be 0.89 ± 0.03 beats s-1 in one shark for which it was measured. Respirometry experiments that measured the metabolic rate of two neonate whitetips showed significantly higher metabolic rates at night compared to the day. When taken in conjunction with the acceleration data, these results suggest that whitetips are nocturnally active and show diel circadian rhythms shortly after birth. Our study demonstrates that acceleration data loggers can be used to quantify activity patterns and offer promise for quantifying energy budgets of various reef sharks both in captivity and in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Diel sampling was performed during an early spring survey in the Northern Adriatic Sea at a coastal station off the Po River delta. Samples were taken every 6h at spring tide maxima and minima in the sub-superficial layer, at the maximum fluorescence depth (∼3m). Variations in microbial community structure and its processes were assessed by considering heterotrophic bacteria, picocyanobacteria, viruses, exoenzymatic activities, microphytoplankton, nanoplankton and bacterial/cyanobacterial Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles. A considerable diatom bloom, mostly supported by Skeletonema marinoi was detected. All microbial parameters except viruses, showed a sinusoidal trend with a 12h period; only picocyanobacteria expressed relative maxima during high tide, showing a phase in opposition to the other parameters. No substantial changes in DGGE band patterns were detected. Even though the results showed bacterial activities to be influenced by the phytoplankton bloom, all microbial parameters'' diel trends (except viruses) preferentially followed the tidal fluctuation rather than the light:dark cycle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Two phenomena are integral to the foraging behaviour of leaf-cutting ants in the genus Atta: hitchhiking (where small ants ride on leaf fragments carried by larger workers) and rhythmic foraging (where foraging activity shows marked fluctuations over time). While parasitism by phorid flies has been implicated in eliciting both behaviours, recent research suggests fungal contaminants and the need to procure sap also play a key role in eliciting hitchhiking. For wild colonies of Atta cephalotes L. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), we investigated the extent to which hitchhiking frequency varied in space and time and the foraging performance of day-time and night-time workers. Day-time foragers were considerably smaller than nocturnal foragers, a trend previously described as a response to diurnal phorids. Despite their smaller size, day-time foragers had higher foraging performance, perhaps as a consequence of decreased trail congestion. Larger leaf-carriers were more likely to carry hitchhikers and hitchhiking frequency was higher at night, an observation that conflicts with the parasitoid defence hypothesis, but not with the leaf sap and fungal defence hypotheses. Hitchhikers constitute a major proportion (typically 12%) of the loads carried by workers, and have three times the effect of leaf fragment mass on forager velocity. However, they reduced energetic efficiency by only 2.6% and provisioning rate by 5.9%. Our results provide partial support for the parasitoid defence hypothesis, but suggest that both the risks of parasitism and the opportunity-cost to foraging associated with carrying hitchhikers may be low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zwolinski, J., Morais, A., Marques, V., Stratoudakis, Y., and Fernandes, P. G. 2007. Diel variation in the vertical distribution and schooling behaviour of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) off Portugal. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 963–972. Diel patterns in the schooling behaviour and vertical distribution of pelagic fish schools were studied by examining their echotraces from repeated acoustic survey transects at three inshore sites off the Portuguese coast. At two sites, sardine was the dominant pelagic species, and echotrace characteristics of fish schools were similar to those reported in the literature. At the third site, where there was a multispecies pelagic assemblage that included sardine, there was more variability in several of the school descriptors. At all sites, fish schools expanded after sunset, enlarging their cross-sectional area along the horizontal plane and reducing their mean internal acoustic density, while maintaining their overall mean abundance. Downward migration was rapid (within 1 h) after sunset and simultaneous with school expansion. School-like aggregations with total backscattering similar to daytime schools were present throughout the night, although the proportion of small schools and scattered fish appeared to increase at that time. At dawn, sardine rose back up the water column and rapidly reformed into the typical daytime schools. This pattern of diel vertical migration is opposite to that described for most clupeoids worldwide. The implications of this behaviour on abundance estimation by acoustic monitoring surveys for small pelagic fish are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. We examined the relative changes in light intensity that initiate night-time locomotor activity changes in nymphs of the mayfly, Stenonema modestum (Heptageniidae). Tests were carried out in a laboratory stream to examine the hypothesis that nymphs increase their locomotion in response to the large and sustained reductions in relative light intensity that take place during twilight but not to short-term daytime light fluctuations or a minimum light intensity threshold. Ambient light intensity was reduced over a range of values representative of evening twilight. Light was reduced over the same range of intensities either continuously or in discrete intervals while at the same time nymph activity on unglazed tile substrata was video recorded. 2. Nymphs increased their locomotor activity during darkness in response to large, sustained relative light decreases, but not in response to short-term, interrupted periods of light decrease. Nymphs did not recognise darkness unless an adequate light stimulus, such as large and sustained relative decrease in light intensity, had taken place. 3. We show that nymphs perceive light change over time and respond only after a lengthy period of accumulation of light stimulus. The response is much lengthier than reported for other aquatic organisms and is highly adaptive to heterogeneous stream environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 2-year study was made, using continuous recording, of changes in thermal structure in the upper layer of an English lake during summer stratification. Diel, seasonal and irregular episodic events are related to weather variables. Marked diel change of temperature, with short-term stratification, is associated with high daily input of solar radiation and low daily wind-run. There is further correlation, probably mostly secondary, with high daily maximum air temperature. The diel cycles may be largely repetitive in appropriate weather episodes, or show progressive modification that can, by vertical heat transfer, extend the more persistent seasonal metalimnion and thermocline. Occasional inverse stratification can occur, especially around dawn, with an indication of subsequent penetrative convection. Examples are given in which regular diel patterns of thermal stratification are modified by increased wind stress, including the development of temperature oscillations. Such modification can disperse higher depth-maxima of the dinoflagellate Ceratium, that are capable of later re-formation. Metalimnetic maxima of Ceratium are more persistent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At a selected location in the Barents Sea, acoustic observations were made and bottom- and pelagic-trawl data were collected over a 10-day period. A large proportion of fish were found in the acoustic bottom dead zone. Only during a few hours in the daytime were high acoustic values obtained, mainly consisting of large haddock ascending from the bottom. Small haddock and redfish dominated the acoustic recordings at night. The bottom-trawl catches showed greater variability and higher average catch rates during the day than at night, but the diel variations were relatively less pronounced than those of the acoustic recordings. The largest reductions in catch rates from day to night were observed in small haddock and redfish. This was consistent with the observation that these species were pelagic at night. The acoustic observations and the bottom-trawl catch rates were found to be correlated with diel cycles in observed light level and semi-diel cycles in current speed. The results are interpreted in terms of the variable availability and efficiency of the bottom trawl and of the variable availability of the echosounder. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Water inherent optical properties (IOPs) contain integrative information on the optical constituents of surface waters. In lakes, IOP measurements have not been traditionally collected. This study describes how high-frequency IOP profiles can be used to document short-term physical and biogeochemical processes that ultimately influence the long-term trajectory of lake ecosystems. Between October 2018 and May 2020, we collected 1373 high-resolution hyperspectral IOP profiles in the uppermost 50 m of the large mesotrophic Lake Geneva (Switzerland-France), using an autonomous profiler. A data set of this size and content does not exist for any other lake. Results showed seasonal variations in the IOPs, following the expected dynamic of phytoplankton. We found systematic diel patterns in the IOPs. Phases of these diel cycles were consistent year-round, and amplitudes correlated to the diurnal variations of dissolved oxygen, clarifying the link between IOPs and phytoplankton metabolism. Diel amplitudes were largest in spring and summer under low wind condition. Wind-driven changes in thermal stratification impacted the dynamic of the IOPs, illustrating the potential of high-frequency profiles of water optical properties to increase our understanding of carbon cycling in lake ecosystems.

Two species of Echinometra are found on tropical western Atlantic reefs. E. viridis and E. lucunter. Both are grazers and bioeroders, and on some disturbed reefs E. viridis has become the dominant herbivore, particularly since the disease-caused decline of the much larger echinoid Diadema antillarum. Thus, it is critical to understand factors affecting herbivory by Echinometra , including foraging behaviors and distances, diel and lunar cycles of foraging, and densities of Echinometra , particularly E. viridis, across habitats and locations. Twenty-four hour tracking studies undertaken in the San Blas Islands of Panama, conducted at different times in the lunar cycle, revealed that on new moons both species of Echinometra primarily moved and fed at night, but the pattern reversed on full moons. These data suggest that vulnerability to predators and/or aggression by damselfishes during the night on full moons may be a significant selective force affecting diel foraging behavior. Daily distances moved (minimum estimate) averaged 19 cm for E. viridis and 11 cm for E. lucunter. The average foraging range for E. viridis was estimated to be 0.3–5% the size of that of D. antillarum , while per capita daily algal consumption by E. viridis is 20% that of D. antillarum.These results suggest more intense, localized grazing by E. viridis compared to D. antillarum. A review of published densities of E. viridis show that 50% of studied sites (location/habitat combination) have densities less than 5 m−2, a level unlikely to produce a strong herbivory effect. Densities greater than 15 m−2 were found at 25% of sites, including the San Blas Islands, Panama patch reefs in this study, which averaged 26 m−2. Where high densities are combined with low predator numbers due to fishing, E. viridis can have strong direct effects on algal assemblages, with potential indirect effects on corals and other benthic invertebrates. However, available published data indicate E. viridis has strong regional variation in abundance, as yet unexplained, that limits its potential Caribbean-wide role as a reef herbivore. Morphological traits of E. viridis that are likely related to vulnerability to predation varied across habitats. A newly-described melanic color morph comprised 4–16% of the population, with significant variation in frequency across habitat types. Body sizes (test diameter) also varied among habitats, with larger individuals much more common in habitats with fewer shelter sites. Similarly, in habitats offering less protection from predators, spine lengths were longer relative to test diameter. Morphological traits that reduce predator detection or vulnerability to predation, as well as the refuges afforded by habitat, will ultimately affect both the number of E. viridis on a particular reef and their ability to forage in the presence of predators. • Diel patterns of Echinometra foraging reversed over the lunar cycle. • The foraging range of E. viridis was 0.3–5% that of Diadema antillarum. • High densities of E. viridis occurred at 25% of sites in the Greater Caribbean. • Most areas have low densities of E. viridis , restricting its herbivory potential. • Morphological traits affecting vulnerability to predation varied across habitat types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light fuels photosynthesis and organic matter production by primary producers in the sunlit ocean. The quantity and quality of the organic matter produced influence community function, yet in situ measurements of metabolites, the products of cellular metabolism, over the diel cycle are lacking. We evaluated community-level biochemical consequences of oscillations of light in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre by quantifying 79 metabolites in particulate organic matter from 15 m every 4 h over 8 days. Total particulate metabolite concentration peaked at dusk and represented up to 2% of total particulate organic carbon (POC). The concentrations of 55/79 (70%) individual metabolites exhibited significant 24-h periodicity, with daily fold changes from 1.6 to 12.8, often greater than those of POC and flow cytometry-resolvable biomass, which ranged from 1.2 to 2.8. Paired metatranscriptome analysis revealed the taxa involved in production and consumption of a subset of metabolites. Primary metabolites involved in anabolism and redox maintenance had significant 24-h periodicity and diverse organisms exhibited diel periodicity in transcript abundance associated with these metabolites. Compounds with osmotic properties displayed the largest oscillations in concentration, implying rapid turnover and supporting prior evidence of functions beyond cell turgor maintenance. The large daily oscillation of trehalose paired with metatranscriptome and culture data showed that trehalose is produced by the nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Crocosphaera , likely to store energy for nighttime metabolism. Together, paired measurements of particulate metabolites and transcripts resolve strategies that microbes use to manage daily energy and redox oscillations and highlight dynamic metabolites with cryptic roles in marine microbial ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Fueled by light, phytoplankton produce the organic matter that supports ocean ecosystems and carbon sequestration. Ocean change impacts microbial metabolism with repercussions for biogeochemical cycling. As the small molecule products of cellular metabolism, metabolites often change rapidly in response to environmental conditions and form the basis of energy and nutrient management and storage within cells. By pairing measurements of metabolites and gene expression in the stratified surface ocean, we reveal strategies of microbial energy management over the day-night cycle and hypothesize that oscillating metabolites are important substrates for dark respiration by phytoplankton. These high-resolution diel measurements of in situ metabolite concentrations form the basis for future work into the specific roles these compounds play in marine microbial communities., (Copyright © 2021 Boysen et al.)