Caledonian Lagoon Research Articles

Trace element accumulation in the muscles of reef fish collected from southern new Caledonian lagoon: Risk assessment for consumers and grouper Plectropomus leopardus as a possible bioindicator of mining contamination.

Flesh of 141 fish specimens collected along the southern coast of New Caledonia, close to the mining industry Prony Resources New Caledonia, were analyzed for 10 elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni and Zn). The leopard coral grouper Plectopomus leopardus revealed significant spatial variations for Cr, Fe, Mn and Zn and size-dependent accumulation of Hg. Sanitary risk assessment suggests that Hg and Me-Hg could potentially be a concern for heavy fish consumers. A previous study in New Caledonia had demonstrated the capacity of P. leopardus to differentially accumulate Ag, Cd, Cu, Hg and Zn and as such its potential as bioindicator specie to monitor contamination status in urban areas (Metian et al., 2013). Our results demonstrate that this specie can also to be used as a bioindicator to monitor the contamination status of Cr, Fe and Mn in New Caledonian lagoon in relation to mining activities.

Seasonal Shifts in Diazotrophs Players: Patterns Observed Over a Two-Year Time Series in the New Caledonian Lagoon (Western Tropical South Pacific Ocean)

Coastal and open ocean regions of the Western Tropical South Pacific ocean have been identified as a hotspot of N2 fixation. However, the environmental factors driving the temporal variability of abundance, composition, and activity of diazotrophs are still poorly understood, especially during the winter season. To address this, we quantified N2 fixation rates and the abundance of seven diazotroph phylotypes (UCYN-A1 symbiosis, UCYN-B, UCYN-C, Trichodesmium, Het-1, Het-2 and Het-3) on a monthly basis during two full years (2012 to 2014) at four stations along a coast to open ocean transect in the New Caledonian lagoon. The total nifH gene concentration (sum of all nifH gene copies) clearly decreased from the barrier reef to the shore. Apart from UCYN-B, which peaked at very high abundances (106-108nifH gene copies L-1) at two occasions at the coastal station, the UCYN-A1 symbiosis was the most abundant group at all stations, accounting for 79 % of the total nifH gene copy counts along the transect (average abundance 4.2 ± 10.3 x 104 nifH gene copies L-1). The next most abundant groups were in order Trichodesmium (accounting for 14% of the total nifH gene copies), Het-groups (6% of the total) and UCYN-C (1% of the total). Statistical analyses reveal that the UCYN-A1 symbiosis and Het groups were associated with cold ( 25°C) waters, low NOx and PO43- concentrations, strong and (mostly) easterly winds. Average N2 fixation rates over the survey were 6.5 ± 6.7 nmol N L-1 d-1 and did not differ significantly among seasons. The interannual variability was more pronounced with average integrated rates significantly higher the second year of the survey (162 ± 122 μmol N m-2 d-1) than the first year (66 ± 91 μmol N m-2 d-1), likely due to higher seawater temperature. This dataset suggests that seasonality is less pronounced than previously thought, and that relatively high N2 fixation rates are maintained in the New Caledonian lagoon all year long, despite seasonal changes in the diazotroph community composition.

Nickel and iron partitioning between clay minerals, Fe-oxides and Fe-sulfides in lagoon sediments from New Caledonia

In the tropics, continental weathering and erosion are major sources of trace metals towards estuaries and lagoons, where early diagenesis of sediments may influence their mobility and bioavailability. Determining trace metals speciation in tropical sedimentary settings is thus needed to assess their long-term fate and potential threat to fragile coastal ecosystems. In this study, we determined Fe, Ni and S speciation across a shore-to-reef gradient in sediments from the New Caledonia lagoon that receive mixed contribution from lateritic (iron-oxyhydroxides and clay minerals), volcano-sedimentary (silicates) and marine (carbonate) sources. Sulfur K-edge XANES data indicated a major contribution of pyrite (FeS2) to S speciation close to the shore. However, this contribution was found to dramatically decrease across the shore-to-reef gradient, S mainly occurring as sulfate close to the coral reef. In contrast, Fe and Ni K-edge XANES and EXAFS data indicated a minor contribution of pyrite to Fe and Ni speciation, and this contribution could be evidenced only close to the shore. The major fractions of Fe and Ni across the shore-to-reef gradient were found to occur as Ni- and Fe-bearing clay minerals consisting of smectite (~nontronite), glauconite and two types of serpentines (chrysotile and greenalite/berthierine). Among these clay minerals, greenalite/berthierine, glauconite and possibly smectite, were considered as authigenic. The low contribution of pyrite to trace metals speciation compared to clay minerals is interpreted as a result of (1) a reduced formation rate due to the low amounts of organic carbon compared to the Fe pool and (2) repeated re-oxidation events upon re-suspension of the sediments top layers due to the specific context of shallow lagoon waters. This study thus suggests that green clay authigenesis could represent a key process in the biogeochemical cycling of trace metals that are delivered to lagoon ecosystems upon continental erosion and weathering.

Metabolomic variability of four macroalgal species of the genus Lobophora using diverse approaches

Among comparative metabolomic studies used in marine sciences, only few of them are dedicated to macroalgae despite their ecological importance in marine ecosystems. Therefore, experimental data are needed to assess the scopes and limitations of different metabolomic techniques applied to macroalgal models. Species of the genus Lobophora belong to marine brown algae (Family: Dictyotaceae) and are widely distributed, especially in tropical coral reefs. The species richness of this genus has only been unveiled recently and it includes species of diverse morphologies and habitats, with some species interacting with corals. This study aims to assess the potential of different metabolomic fingerprinting approaches in the discrimination of four well known Lobophora species (L. rosacea, L. sonderii, L. obscura and L. monticola). These species present distinct morphologies and are found in various habitats in the New Caledonian lagoon (South-Western Pacific). We compared and combined different untargeted metabolomic techniques: liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and gas chromatography (GC-MS). Metabolomic separations were observed between each Lobophora species, with significant differences according to the techniques used. LC-MS was the best approach for metabotype distinction but a combination of approaches was also useful and allowed identification of chemomarkers for some species. These comparisons provide important data on the use of metabolomic approaches in the Lobophora genus and will pave the way for further studies on the sources of metabolomic variations for this ecologically important macroalgae.

High metabolic variation for seaweeds in response to environmental changes: a case study of the brown algae Lobophora in coral reefs

In the marine environment, macroalgae face changing environmental conditions and some species are known for their high capacity to adapt to the new factors of their ecological niche. Some macroalgal metabolites play diverse ecological functions and belong to the adaptive traits of such species. Because algal metabolites are involved in many processes that shape marine biodiversity, understanding their sources of variation and regulation is therefore of utmost relevance. This work aims at exploring the possible sources of metabolic variations with time and space of four common algal species from the genus Lobophora (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) in the New Caledonian lagoon using a UHPLC-HRMS metabolomic fingerprinting approach. While inter-specific differences dominated, a high variability of the metabolome was noticed for each species when changing their natural habitats and types of substrates. Fatty acids derivatives and polyolefins were identified as chemomarkers of these changing conditions. The four seaweeds metabolome also displayed monthly variations over the 13-months survey and a significant correlation was made with sea surface temperature and salinity. This study highlights a relative plasticity for the metabolome of Lobophora species.

Dissolved Organic Matter Influences N2 Fixation in the New Caledonian Lagoon (Western Tropical South Pacific)

Specialized prokaryotes performing biological dinitrogen (N2) fixation ('diazotrophs') provide an important source of fixed nitrogen in oligotrophic marine ecosystems such as tropical and subtropical oceans. In these waters, cyanobacterial photosynthetic diazotrophs are well known to be abundant and active, yet the role and contribution of non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs are currently unclear. The latter are not photosynthetic (here called 'heterotrophic') and hence require external sources of organic matter to sustain N2 fixation. Here we added the photosynthesis inhibitor 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) to estimate the N2 fixation potential of heterotrophic diazotrophs as compared to autotrophic ones. Additionally, we explored the influence of dissolved organic matter (DOM) on these diazotrophs along a coast to open ocean gradient in the surface waters of a subtropical coral lagoon (New Caledonia). Total N2 fixation (samples not amended with DCMU) ranged from 0.66 to 1.32 nmol N L-1 d-1. The addition of DCMU reduced N2 fixation by >90%, suggesting that the contribution of heterotrophic diazotrophs to overall N2 fixation activity was minor in this environment. Higher contribution of heterotrophic diazotrophs occurred in stations closer to the shore and coincided with the decreasing lability of DOM, as shown by various colored DOM and fluorescent DOM (CDOM and FDOM) indices. This suggests that heterotrophic N2 fixation is favored when labile DOM compounds are available. We tested the response of diazotrophs (in terms of nifH gene expression and bulk N2 fixation rates) upon the addition of a mix of carbohydrates ('DOC' treatment), amino acids ('DON' treatment), and phosphonates and phosphomonesters ('DOP' treatment). While nifH expression increased significantly in Trichodesmium exposed to the DOC treatment, bulk N2 fixation rates increased significantly only in the DOP treatment. The lack of nifH expression by gammaproteobacteria, in any of the DOM addition treatments applied, questions the contribution of non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs to fixed nitrogen inputs in the New Caledonian lagoon. While the metabolism and ecology of heterotrophic diazotrophs is currently elusive, a deeper understanding of their ecology and relationship with DOM is needed in the light of increased DOM inputs in coastal zones due to anthropogenic pressure.

Ephemeral and Localized Outbreaks of the Coral Predator Acanthaster cf. solaris in the Southwestern Lagoon of New Caledonia.

Mehdi Adjeroud, Mohsen Kayal, Christophe Peignon, Matthieu Juncker, Suzanne C. Mills, Ricardo Beldade, and Pascal Dumas (2018) Outbreaks of the coral predator Acanthaster spp., the crown-of-thorns seastar (COTS), cause major coral declines across the Indo-Pacific. However, the processes surrounding the initiation and propagation of COTS outbreaks are still unclear. We observed COTS outbreak abundances on several mid-shelf and inner-barrier reefs in the southern section of the New Caledonian lagoon, a multi-location initiation event that we expected to precede a broader region-wide disturbance. However, reef monitoring over 3 years revealed the highly localized and ephemeral character of these outbreaks. Outbreaks that were observed at four reef locations at the beginning of the survey simply faded away, without any specific management actions such as culling efforts. We also found no distinct reef biotope on which COTS outbreaks originated, although mid-shelf and inner-shelf barrier reefs seem to be favoured. New Caledonia has been exempted from to widespread regional COTS outbreaks, which is surprising given its proximity to the Australian Great Barrier Reef - a reef complex particularly vulnerable to COTS - and Vanuatu - where large-scale outbreaks were recorded during the same period. The availability of coral prey is probably not a limiting factor for the propagation of COTS outbreaks on New Caledonian reefs, given the high abundance and diversity of coral assemblages. Our findings reveal that localized and ephemeral COTS outbreaks can be naturally contained and do not necessarily result in widespread disturbances.

Wave forcing and morphological changes of New Caledonia lagoon islets: Insights on their possible relations

In the present study, we examine how waves may contribute to the morphological changes of islets in the New Caledonia lagoon. We collected in situ wave data to investigate their characteristics. Three types of waves are identified and quantified: (1) high-frequency waves generated within the lagoon, (2) low-frequency waves originating from swells in the Tasman Sea, and (3) infragravity waves. We found out that high-frequency waves are the dominant forcing on the islets during typical wind events throughout the year, while infragravity waves, likely generated by the breaking of low-frequency waves, dominate during seasonal swell events. During swell events, low-frequency waves can also directly propagate to the islets through channels across the barrier reef, or be tidally modulated across the barrier reef before reaching the islets. Topographic surveys and beach profiles on one islet indicate areas with seasonal morphological changes and other areas with longer, interannual or decadal, erosion patterns. Although more data are needed to validate this hypothesis, we suspect that a relation exists between wave forcing and morphological changes of the islets.

High contribution of the particulate uptake pathway to metal bioaccumulation in the tropical marine clam Gafrarium pectinatum.

The clam Gafrarium pectinatum was investigated to assess its usefulness as a bioindicator species of metal mining contamination in the New Caledonia lagoon. The uptake and depuration kinetics of Ag, Cd, Co, Cr, and Zn were determined following exposures via seawater, sediment, and food using highly sensitive radiotracer techniques (110mAg, 109Cd, 51Cr, 57Co, and 65Zn). When the clams were exposed to dissolved metals, Co, Zn, and Ag were readily incorporated in their tissues (concentration factors (CF) ranging from 181 to 4982 after 28days of exposure) and all metals were strongly retained (biological half-lives always >2months). The estimated transfer factor (TF) in clam tissues after a 35-day sediment exposure was 1 to 4 orders of magnitude lower than the estimated CF, indicating a lower bioavailability of sediment-bound metals than dissolved ones. Once incorporated, metals taken up from sediment and seawater were retained longer than metals ingested with food, indicating that the uptake pathway influences the storage processes of metals in clam tissues. Compilation of our data into a global bioaccumulation model indicated that, except for Ag that essentially originated from food (92%), sediment was the main source of metal bioaccumulation in the clam (more than 80%). These results highlight that bioaccumulation processes strongly depend from one metal to the other. The overall efficient bioaccumulation and retention capacities of the clam G. pectinatum confirm its usefulness as a bioindicator species that can provide time-integrated information about ambient contamination levels in the tropical marine coastal environment.

Genome of a giant bacteriophage from a decaying Trichodesmium bloom

De-novo assembly of a metagenomic dataset obtained from a decaying cyanobacterial Trichodesmium bloom from the New Caledonian lagoon resulted in a complete giant phage genome of 257,908bp, obtained independently with multiple assembly tools. Noteworthy, gammaproteobacteria were an abundant fraction in the sequenced samples. Mapping of the raw reads with 99% accuracy to the giant phage genome resulted in an average coverage of 262X. The closest sequenced relatives, albeit still distant, are the Pseudomonas phages PaBG from Lake Baikal and Lu11 isolated from a soil sample from the Philippines. The phage reported here might belong to the same family within the Myoviridae as PaBG and Lu11 and would thus be its first marine member, indicating a more widespread occurrence of this group. We named this phage NCTB (New Caledonia Trichodesmium Bloom) after its origin.

Mechanisms of <i>Trichodesmium</i> demise within the New Caledonian lagoon during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment

Abstract. The globally important marine diazotrophic cyanobacterium Trichodesmium is abundant in the New Caledonian lagoon (southwestern Pacific Ocean) during austral spring/summer. We investigated the cellular processes mediating Trichodesmium mortality from large surface accumulations (blooms) in the lagoon. Trichodesmium cells (and associated microbiota) were collected at the time of surface accumulation, enclosed under simulated ambient conditions, and sampled over time to elucidate the stressors and subcellular underpinning of rapid biomass demise (> 90 % biomass crashed within ∼ 24 h). Metatranscriptomic profiling of Trichodesmium biomass, 0, 8 and 22 h after incubations of surface accumulations, demonstrated upregulated expression of genes required to increase phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) availability and transport, while genes responsible for nutrient storage were downregulated. Total viral abundance oscillated throughout the experiment and showed no significant relationship with the development or demise of the Trichodesmium biomass. Enhanced caspase-specific activity and upregulated expression of a suite of metacaspase genes, as the Trichodesmium biomass crashed, implied autocatalytic programmed cell death (PCD) as the mechanistic cause. Concurrently, genes associated with buoyancy and gas vesicle production were strongly downregulated concomitant with increased production and high concentrations of transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP). The rapid, PCD-mediated, decline of the Trichodesmium biomass, as we observed from our incubations, parallels mortality rates reported from Trichodesmium blooms in situ. Our results suggest that, whatever the ultimate factor, PCD-mediated death in Trichodesmium can rapidly terminate blooms, facilitate aggregation, and expedite vertical flux to depth.

Released coral mucus does not enhance planktonic N2 fixation rates

Dinitrogen (N-2) fixation by prokaryotic microorganisms provides bioavailable nitrogen in oligotrophic marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. The widespread though largely unknown heterotrophic diazotrophs require dissolved organic matter (DOM) for their nutrition. In coral reef ecosystems, DOM-rich mucus released by corals potentially sustains heterotrophic diazotrophic growth and activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of coral mucus on planktonic N-2 fixation in in situ experiments over a seasonal cycle within a New Caledonian lagoon, as well as in in vitro experiments in which the effect of mucus was monitored for 72 h. During the field experiment, N-2 fixation rates ranged between 0.12 and 7.90 nmol N1(-1) d(-1). Despite the highest N-2 fixation being found after mucus release, no significant difference was measured between the seawater surrounding the coral before and after mucus release. Similarly, the addition of mucus during the in vitro experiment enhanced N-2 fixation rates 1.5-fold, but this increase was not significantly different from the control. The abundance of 2 dominant populations of diazotrophs associated with corals and their surrounding seawater environments (unicellular cyanobacteria and rhizobia) found within pure mucus samples was on average 18-fold higher than in the surrounding seawater in the summer period and 400-fold higher in the winter. Our results suggest that although coral mucus does not influence planktonic N-2 fixation, the release of large numbers of diazotrophic cells associated with the mucus likely influences the abundance and diversity of diazotroph populations within the lagoon waters.

Complex food webs in highly diversified coral reefs: Insights from δ13C and δ15N stable isotopes

We studied the trophic network architecture of the coral reef ecosystem of the New Caledonian lagoon. To encompass the main tropic levels, we assayed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in various organic matter sources, intermediate consumers (invertebrates and fish), and 19 species of predatory fish (total of 1229 samples). At each level, wide range of variations for δ13C and δ15N suggested multiple sources for the OM, and complex trophic relationships among the different organisms. Despite this complexity, four trophic structures were identified. 1) The predominant reef benthic food web (R-BFW) based on the OM produced by algal turf supplies most of intermediate consumers and all anguilliform fish studied. 2) The sedimentary benthic food web (S-BFW), and 3) the lagoon pelagic food web (L-PFW), respectively based on sedimentary OM (SOM) and particulate OM (POM) involve a wide range of organisms and represent complementary food webs for most anguilliform fish. 4) Finally, the detrital benthic food web (D-BFB) where the OM issued from seagrass is indirectly utilised by reef consumers plays a secondary role. Anguilliform fish are widespread sedentary predators that live in various habitats; the species sampled were respectively associated with the three main trophic structures identified, depending on their diet and habitat. This study reveals several major structures that are inter-connected to form an overall complex trophic network in the coral reefs.

Dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment in the New Caledonian lagoon

Abstract. In the marine environment, transparent exopolymeric particles (TEP) produced from abiotic and biotic sources link the particulate and dissolved carbon pools and are essential vectors enhancing vertical carbon flux. We characterized spatial and temporal dynamics of TEP during the VAHINE experiment that investigated the fate of diazotroph-derived nitrogen and carbon in three replicate dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP)-fertilized 50 m3 enclosures in the oligotrophic New Caledonian lagoon. During the 23 days of the experiment, we did not observe any depth-dependent changes in TEP concentrations in the three sampled depths (1, 6, 12 m). TEP carbon (TEP-C) content averaged 28.9 ± 9.3 and 27.0 ± 7.2 % of total organic carbon (TOC) in the mesocosms and surrounding lagoon respectively and was strongly and positively coupled with TOC during P2 (i.e., days 15–23). TEP concentrations in the mesocosms declined for the first 9 days after DIP fertilization (P1 = days 5–14) and then gradually increased during the second phase. Temporal changes in TEP concentrations paralleled the growth and mortality rates of the diatom–diazotroph association of Rhizosolenia and Richelia that predominated the diazotroph community during P1. By P2, increasing total primary and heterotrophic bacterial production consumed the supplemented P and reduced availability of DIP. For this period, TEP concentrations were negatively correlated with DIP availability and turnover time of DIP (TDIP), while positively associated with enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) that occurs when the microbial populations are P stressed. During P2, increasing bacterial production (BP) was positively correlated with higher TEP concentrations, which were also coupled with the increased growth rates and aggregation of the unicellular cyanobacterial Group C (UCYN-C) diazotrophs that bloomed during this period. We conclude that the composite processes responsible for the formation and breakdown of TEP yielded a relatively stable TEP pool available as both a carbon source and facilitating aggregation and flux throughout the experiment. TEP were probably mostly influenced by abiotic physical processes during P1, while biological activity (BP, diazotrophic growth and aggregation, export production) mainly impacted TEP concentrations during P2 when DIP availability was limited.

Heterotrophic bacterial production and metabolic balance during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment in the New Caledonia lagoon

Abstract. Studies investigating the fate of diazotrophs through the microbial food web are lacking, although N2 fixation can fuel up to 50 % of new production in some oligotrophic oceans. In particular, the role played by heterotrophic prokaryotes in this transfer is largely unknown. In the frame of the VAHINE (VAriability of vertical and tropHIc transfer of diazotroph derived N in the south wEst Pacific) experiment, three replicate large-volume (∼ 50 m3) mesocosms were deployed for 23 days in the new Caledonia lagoon and were intentionally fertilized on day 4 with dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) to stimulate N2 fixation. We specifically examined relationships between heterotrophic bacterial production (BP) and N2 fixation or primary production, determined bacterial growth efficiency and established carbon budgets. BP was statistically higher during the second phase of the experiment (P2: days 15–23), when chlorophyll biomass started to increase compared to the first phase (P1: days 5–14). Phosphatase alkaline activity increased drastically during the second phase of the experiment, showing adaptations of microbial populations after utilization of the added DIP. Notably, among autotrophs, Synechococcus abundances increased during P2, possibly related to its capacity to assimilate leucine and to produce alkaline phosphatase. Bacterial growth efficiency based on the carbon budget (27–43 %), was notably higher than generally cited for oligotrophic environments and discussed in links with the presence of abundant species of bacteria expressing proteorhodopsin. The main fates of gross primary production (particulate + dissolved) were respiration (67 %) and export through sedimentation (17 %). BP was highly correlated with particulate primary production and chlorophyll biomass during both phases of the experiment but was slightly correlated, and only during P2 phase, with N2 fixation rates. Heterotrophic bacterial production was strongly stimulated after mineral N enrichment experiments, suggesting N-limitation of heterotrophic bacteria across the experiment. N2 fixation rates corresponded to 17–37 % of the nitrogen demand of heterotrophic bacteria. Our results suggest that most of the diazotroph-derived nitrogen fuelled the heterotrophic bacterial community through indirect processes generating dissolved organic matter and detritus, like mortality, lysis and grazing of both diazotrophs and non-diazotrophs.

Contribution and pathways of diazotroph-derived nitrogen to zooplankton during the VAHINE mesocosm experiment in the oligotrophic New Caledonia lagoon

Abstract. In oligotrophic tropical and subtropical oceans, where strong stratification can limit the replenishment of surface nitrate, dinitrogen (N2) fixation by diazotrophs can represent a significant source of nitrogen (N) for primary production. The VAHINE (VAriability of vertical and tropHIc transfer of fixed N2 in the south-wEst Pacific) experiment was designed to examine the fate of diazotroph-derived nitrogen (DDN) in such ecosystems. In austral summer 2013, three large ( ∼ 50 m3) in situ mesocosms were deployed for 23 days in the New Caledonia lagoon, an ecosystem that typifies the low-nutrient, low-chlorophyll environment, to stimulate diazotroph production. The zooplankton component of the study aimed to measure the incorporation of DDN into zooplankton biomass, and assess the role of direct diazotroph grazing by zooplankton as a DDN uptake pathway. Inside the mesocosms, the diatom–diazotroph association (DDA) het-1 predominated during days 5–15 while the unicellular diazotrophic cyanobacteria UCYN-C predominated during days 15–23. A Trichodesmium bloom was observed in the lagoon (outside the mesocosms) towards the end of the experiment. The zooplankton community was dominated by copepods (63 % of total abundance) for the duration of the experiment. Using two-source N isotope mixing models we estimated a mean ∼ 28 % contribution of DDN to zooplankton nitrogen biomass at the start of the experiment, indicating that the natural summer peak of N2 fixation in the lagoon was already contributing significantly to the zooplankton. Stimulation of N2 fixation in the mesocosms corresponded with a generally low-level enhancement of DDN contribution to zooplankton nitrogen biomass, but with a peak of ∼ 73 % in mesocosm 1 following the UCYN-C bloom. qPCR analysis targeting four of the common diazotroph groups present in the mesocosms (Trichodesmium, het-1, het-2, UCYN-C) demonstrated that all four were ingested by copepod grazers, and that their abundance in copepod stomachs generally corresponded with their in situ abundance. 15N2 labelled grazing experiments therefore provided evidence for direct ingestion and assimilation of UCYN-C-derived N by the zooplankton, but not for het-1 and Trichodesmium, supporting an important role of secondary pathways of DDN to the zooplankton for the latter groups, i.e. DDN contributions to the dissolved N pool and uptake by nondiazotrophs. This study appears to provide the first evidence of direct UCYN-C grazing by zooplankton, and indicates that UCYN-C-derived N contributes significantly to the zooplankton food web in the New Caledonia lagoon through a combination of direct grazing and secondary pathways.

Introduction to the project VAHINE: VAriability of vertical and tropHIc transfer of diazotroph derived N in the south wEst Pacific

Abstract. On the global scale, N2 fixation provides the major external source of reactive nitrogen to the surface ocean, surpassing atmospheric and riverine inputs, and sustains ∼ 50 % of new primary production in oligotrophic environments. The main goal of the VAriability of vertical and tropHIc transfer of diazotroph derived N in the south wEst Pacific (VAHINE) project was to study the fate of nitrogen newly fixed by diazotrophs (or diazotroph-derived nitrogen) in oceanic food webs, and how it impacts heterotrophic bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton dynamics, stocks and fluxes of biogenic elements and particle export. Three large-volume ( ∼ 50 m3) mesocosms were deployed in a tropical oligotrophic ecosystem (the New Caledonia lagoon, south-eastern Pacific) and intentionally fertilized with ∼ 0.8 µM of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) to stimulate diazotrophy and follow subsequent ecosystem changes. VAHINE was a multidisciplinary project involving close collaborations between biogeochemists, molecular ecologist, chemists, marine opticians and modellers. This introductory paper describes in detail the scientific objectives of the project as well as the implementation plan: the mesocosm description and deployment, the selection of the study site (New Caledonian lagoon), and the logistical and sampling strategy. The main hydrological and biogeochemical conditions of the study site before the mesocosm deployment and during the experiment itself are described, and a general overview of the papers published in this special issue is presented.

Succession within the prokaryotic communities during the VAHINE mesocosms experiment in the New Caledonia lagoon

Abstract. N2 fixation fuels ∼ 50 % of new primary production in the oligotrophic South Pacific Ocean. The VAHINE experiment has been designed to track the fate of diazotroph-derived nitrogen (DDN) and carbon within a coastal lagoon ecosystem in a comprehensive way. For this, large-volume ( ∼ 50 m3) mesocosms were deployed in the New Caledonian lagoon and were intentionally fertilized with dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) to stimulate N2 fixation. This study examined the temporal dynamics of the prokaryotic community together with the evolution of biogeochemical parameters for 23 consecutive days in one of these mesocosms (M1) and in the Nouméa lagoon using MiSeq 16S rRNA gene sequencing and flow cytometry. Combining these methods allowed for inference of absolute cell numbers from 16S data. We observed clear successions within M1, some of which were not mirrored in the lagoon. The dominating classes in M1 were Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, eukaryotic microalgae, Marine Group II Euryarchaeota, Flavobacteriia, and Acidimicrobia. Enclosure led to significant changes in the M1 microbial community, probably initiated by the early decay of Synechococcus and diatoms. However, we did not detect a pronounced bottle effect with a copiotroph-dominated community. The fertilization with ∼ 0.8 µM DIP on day 4 did not have directly observable effects on the overall community within M1, as the data samples obtained from before and 4 days after fertilization clustered together, but likely influenced the development of individual populations later on, like Defluviicoccus-related bacteria and UCYN-C-type diazotrophic cyanobacteria (Cyanothece). Growth of UCYN-C led to among the highest N2-fixation rates ever measured in this region and enhanced growth of nearly all abundant heterotrophic groups in M1. We further show that different Rhodobacteraceae were the most efficient heterotrophs in the investigated system and we observed niche partitioning within the SAR86 clade. Whereas the location in- or outside the mesocosm had a significant effect on community composition, the temporal effect was significantly stronger and similar in both locations, suggesting that overarching abiotic factors were more influential than the enclosure. While temporal community changes were evident, prokaryotic diversity (Shannon index) only declined slightly from ∼ 6.5 to 5.7 or 6.05 in the lagoon and M1, respectively, throughout the experiment, highlighting the importance of multiple and varying sources of organic matter maintaining competition.

Lagoon islets as indicators of recent environmental changes in the South Pacific – The New Caledonian example

The question of the impacts of climate change and sea level rise on small islands is currently much discussed. The many thousands of Pacific islands in their different contexts (geodynamic, climatic, etc.) and the insufficient data available explain why it is difficult to clearly discern the specific role of climate change in the recent evolution of these islands. To address this question, we investigated the recent changes affecting 21 islets in New Caledonia's lagoon. These islets are either located on small patch-reefs inside the New Caledonia Island lagoon or lie directly on the barrier reef. Based on the studies we conducted (field surveys, reconstruction of changes in the islets over the last decades, shoreline changes) we were able to define a typology of the islets that includes 6 stages and a life expectancy index. Using the life expectancy index, we found that of the 21 islets studied, 19% are in a highly critical situation, meaning they are very likely to be endangered in the short term (within the next few years), 9.5% are in a critical situation, i.e., likely to disappear in the near future and very likely to disappear in the medium term (next few decades), 19% are evolving rapidly, which could lead to their disappearance in the medium term but not in the short term, 9.5% are not endangered in the short and medium term and 43% are not endangered at all (stable or accreting, large area, relatively higher altitude). In this context, the rise in sea level induced by climate change is an adverse factor which is likely to lower the resilience of the islets to erosion processes. Other factors like the degradation of the reef ecosystem due to variations in ocean salinity, temperature and acidity, lower sediment stocks on the beaches and foreshores, human visitors, coastal development and so on are other adverse factors that could modify the capacity for resilience of these islets. Due to their variety and sensitivity, New Caledonia's islets could thus serve as integrative indicators of environmental and climatic change for New Caledonia.

A Statistical Algorithm for Estimating Chlorophyll Concentration in the New Caledonian Lagoon

Spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton biomass and water turbidity can provide crucial information about the function, health and vulnerability of lagoon ecosystems (coral reefs, sea grasses, etc.). A statistical algorithm is proposed to estimate chlorophyll-a concentration ([chl-a]) in optically complex waters of the New Caledonian lagoon from MODIS-derived “remote-sensing” reflectance (Rrs). The algorithm is developed via supervised learning on match-ups gathered from 2002 to 2010. The best performance is obtained by combining two models, selected according to the ratio of Rrs in spectral bands centered on 488 and 555 nm: a log-linear model for low [chl-a] (AFLC) and a support vector machine (SVM) model or a classic model (OC3) for high [chl-a]. The log-linear model is developed based on SVM regression analysis. This approach outperforms the classical OC3 approach, especially in shallow waters, with a root mean squared error 30% lower. The proposed algorithm enables more accurate assessments of [chl-a] and its variability in this typical oligo- to meso-trophic tropical lagoon, from shallow coastal waters and nearby reefs to deeper waters and in the open ocean.