Biological Oceanography

• T-TH 10:00-11:45 • Discussion Sections Weds. 14:00-15:10 (we’ll start next week) • Textbook (not required): – Kaiser, Marine Ecology 2E – Others listed in the syllabus (optional) Biological Oceanography

• The Textbook is NOT mandatory, but it’s an excellent book. We will occasionally refer to it—if you absolutely need something from it, I will make it available.

• The older (2005, First Edition) version is also OK, but not as up to date. Biological Oceanography

• Textbooks available at the Science Library: • Oceanography: An Illustrated Guide. Summerhayes, C.P. and S.A. Thorpe. Wiley, 1998. Science Library Call # GC11.2 .O22 1996 • Marine Ecological Processes. Valiela, I.Springer, 1995. Science Library Call # QH541.5.S3.V34 1995. • Dynamics of marine ecosystems : biological-physical interactions in the oceans. Mann, K.H. and J.R.N. Lazier. Blackwell Science, 1996. QH541.5.S3.M25 1996. • Aquatic Photosynthesis. Falkowski, P.G. and J.A. Raven. Blackwell Science, 1997. QK882.F36 1997. • Concepts in biological oceanography: an interdisciplinary primer. Jumars, P.A. Oxford University Press, 1993. QH541.45.S3J85 1993. Biological Oceanography

• Class Format: – Midterm (short answer/essay) – Final Exam (short answer/essay) • Paper Assignments (from primary literature): – Approx. 2 papers on a topic per week, not required for undergraduates unless I tell you to read it – Graduate students will review papers • Proposal/Term Paper • Homework Biological Oceanography

• Papers (from literature) – Required for graduate students, not for undergrads – Written review and lead discussion (chalkboard; 2nd half of the class) • Proposal/Term Paper – Graduate students will prepare an NSF-style pre- doctoral proposal on a topic in Biological Oceanography – Undergraduates will prepare a 7-10 page term paper on a B.O. subject OR can write a 3-5 page proposal for undergraduate research Biological Oceanography

• End of Quarter: – We will hold an NSF-style panel for the graduate student proposals (and any undergrads that want class feedback on their proposals) – This is run by the class—the Program Manager position will be taken by the instructor – Each student will be assigned as the primary for one proposal, and the scribe for a second proposal – The primary person provides an overview of the proposal and leads a discussion; the scribe takes notes (to be given to the student writing the proposal) – At the end of the discussion, everyone that feels comfortable can vote on the ranking for that proposal. Biological Oceanography Waiting for a Permission Code?

• The classroom holds 75 students. There are about 10 slots still open. Please let me know if you want a permission cod Biological Oceanography

BREAK Biological Oceanography

Why is biological oceanography important? • Oceanic phytoplankton fix 40-50 Gtons C yr-1 • terrestrial systems fix 50-65 Gt C yr-1 • standing stock of phytoplankton 0.30-0.75 Gt C, with a turnover time of 2-6 d (!) • terrestrial standing stock 800 Gt C, with a 13-16 yr turnover time • 5 - 25% of protein for food derived from fishing, dependent on area • also fertilizer, poultry food, livestock food, cosmetics, etc. • regulation of global climate, both evolutionarily, climatically Biological Oceanography

Goal of biological oceanography To describe how physics (hydrography and light), chemistry (nutrients) and biology (primary production, food web processes) interact to determine:

• distributions • composition (species or biochemical) • biogeochemical activities • trophic interactions

of marine communities Biological Oceanography

What’s in the water? • Viruses, bacteria (heterotrophic, chemosynthetic), phytoplankton (prochlorophytes, cyanobacteria, eukaryotes), zooplankton (micro, meso, macro; holo-, meroplankton), nekton, benthos

100yr

10yr

1yr

1mo

1wk

1d Temporal scale

1h

1min

1sec

0.1µm1 µm 10µm100 µm1mm 1cm 10cm 1m 10m Spatial scale Biological Oceanography

We can not (or at least should not) separate biology from the environment! Biological Oceanography

Light • Provides energy for almost all marine food webs (photosynthesis) • Provides heat that stabilizes the surface layer of the ocean • The submarine light field is strongly influenced by constituents in the water (absorption, scattering, fluorescence, bioluminescence)

How does light affect marine life?

• Irradiance and photosynthesis Importance of quantity and spectral quality • Inhibition of biogeochemical transformations • Effects on trophic interactions Biological Oceanography

Primary productivity • Phytoplankton growth Photosynthesis, process and measurement Chemical composition Essential nutrients, light, temperature Loss processes

• Biogeochemical cycles Nitrogen cycle Flux of carbon

• Fate of primary production in the upper ocean Food web processes Microbial loop Biological Oceanography

Zooplankton and secondary production • Zooplankton groupings based on: Size Life-history characteristics (holo-, meroplankton) Trophic status (herbivore, omnivore, carnivore)

• Vertical distribution Hydrodynamics vs. behaviour

• Feeding Effects of food availability, behaviour Effects of the physical environment (turbulence)

• Effects on food web processes Biological Oceanography

Fisheries

• Growth, survival and recruitment of larval fish Hydrodynamics Temperature Food supply Predation

• Structure of oceanic food webs

• Exploitation of fish stocks Biological Oceanography

Benthos • Benthic organisms (microbes, micro- and macroalgae, meio-, and macrofauna) Life history characteristics

• Animal-sediment relations Effects of substrate on biota (flux of food resources, colonization, predation) Effects of biota on substrate (stabilization, bioturbation, structure formation, flow modification)

• Ecological processes Predation, competition, disturbance Biological Oceanography

Ecosystems

• North Atlantic, North Pacific • Upwelling ecosystems • Oligotrophic Gyres • HNLC Regions • Coastal and Estuarine ecosystems Biological Oceanography

Unifying themes • Quantitative approach

• Explicit consideration of interacting factors (physics, chemistry, biology)

• Focus on populations/communities/ ecosystems NOT on individuals Biological Oceanography

Organizing Structure for the class

• Boyd et al. Article on the SOIREE (Southern Ocean Iron Enrichment Experiment) as “bookends” • To understand the SOIREE experiment is to understand major concepts in B.O. • Representative of an “overview” Nature paper • Lots of methods and techniques

• The concept of an “NPZ” model as an underlying theme Biological Oceanography

Phytoplankton Zooplankton

Nutrients Phytoplankton Zooplankton

Nutrients

NO3 NO3 NO3 NO3 PO4 Fe PO4 NO3 NO3 NO3 NO3 NO3 NO3 Biological Oceanography

For Thursday, we will be discussing two papers:

1) Boyd et al., SOIREE Southern Ocean Iron Fertilization 2) Peter Franks, NPZ models

Both are available on the website: http://ic.ucsc.edu/~kudela/OS130/

You are NOT expected to understand them—we’ll return to these papers throughout the quarter as we learn more.

(note: the papers on the website are subject to change. You are welcome to read them in advance, but remember to check the assignments as the quarter continues).