REPORT AND ACCOUNTS OF The Scottish Association for Marine Science for the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 The Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Firth of Lorn, with the Laboratory’s larger research vessel Calanus at the pontoon (right). © John Anderson, Highland Image Contents The cold water coral Lophelia - see page 12 for report Director’s introduction 6 Geochemistry North Sea drill cuttings 8 Baltic Sea System Study 9 Restricted Exchange Environments 10 Deep-Sea Benthic Dynamics Deep-Sea macrofauna 11 Cold water coral Lophelia 12 Continental slope environmental assessment 13 Deep-Water Fish Otolith microchemistry 14 West of Scotland angler fish 15 Deep-water elasmobranchs 16 Invertebrate Biology and Mariculture Sea urchin cultivation 17 Bioaccumulation of chemotherapeutants 18 Microalgal dietary supplements 19 Amnesic shellfish poisoning 19 Marine Biotechnology Natural products research 20 Marine carotenoids 21 Microbial ecotoxicology 21 Microbial Ecology Interannual variability in Antarctic waters 22 Coastal waters of Pakistan 23 Zooplankton Dynamics 24 Clyde time-series 25 Modelling vertical migration 25 Active flux 25 Effects of delousing chemicals 26 Marine Biogenic Trace Gases Light and the dimethylsulphide cycle 27 Sediment trap investigations 28 SAMS/UHIp Marine science degree team 29 Phytoplankton and protozoan dynamics 29 Marine geomorphology of Loch Etive 30 Marine Physics 31 Biogeochemistry 32 Report from the SAMS Honorary Fellows Marine ornithology 33 Geology 34 Data Warehouse progress report 35 4 Annual Report 1999-2000 – SAMS/DML Contents The urchin Psammechinus miliaris – see page 18 for report Marine Biodiversity Measurement and maintenance 36 Effects of bioturbation 36 Biological community development 37 Juvenile flatfish migration 38 Fish Biology and Environmental Change Environmental variation and inshore fishes 39 Artificial habitat manipulation 40 Fish farming: species diversification 41 Biogeochemistry Restricted exchange environments 42 Vertical exchange in shelf seas 43 Manganese cycling 44 Coastal Impacts Modelling discharges 45 Dispersion in sea lochs 46 Diffuse effects of mariculture 47 Scottish shelf deeps 47 Marine technology Antarctic ice buoys 48 Mini drifters 49 Benthic landers 50 The DML Lander Centre 50 Internal wave studies 50 Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa Algae: a valuable resource 51 Genetic diversity 52 Toxic algal blooms 52 Scientific services Diving and small boats 53 Aquarium 54 Laboratory research vessels 55 Library 55 Obituary – Alan Ansell 56 Other Laboratory activities 57 SAMS report and accounts Secretary’s report for the year ended 31 March 2000 58 Research bursaries awarded 58 Statement of Accounts 59 Appendix 1 Staff list 66 Appendix 2 Publications and reports 67 Appendix 3 Postgraduate research projects 71 Appendix 4 Research grants and contract income 72 SAMS/DML – Annual Report 1999-2000 5 Director’s Introduction Professor Graham Shimmield Last year I wrote about "coping with change", What is the relevance of this to SAMS and little realising the impending decision of the why lead with this in an Introduction to the Annual Report 1999–2000? The NERC Council to dissolve the Centre for Coastal reason is that this decision, and the and Marine Sciences (CCMS) and the effects this consequent potential ratification by NERC would have on marine science strategy in the of SAMS as the single organisation with the responsibility for operation and UK. Although this decision was taken at the end management of the Dunstaffnage site, of June 2000, major changes within CCMS marks an historic return to the occurred at the beginning of the year when unification of scientific activity at Dunstaffnage. Over the coming months Professor Jacquie McGlade stepped down from our scientific programme, and how it will the Directorship and I was asked to take on the be funded, will be clarified and I look role of Acting Director. Over the following six forward to the end of a somewhat schizophrenic period in our history. months, staff at the Laboratory, and at our sister However, in the year recorded in these sites, engaged in major operational and pages, I present to you accounts of the financial re-organisation, producing a detailed achievements of both SAMS and DML science, commending the quality and manifesto for the future of CCMS, which was dedication of all the scientists, support abruptly terminated. staff and administration at Dunstaffnage. In this year the ability of SAMS to underpin basic and fundamental marine science in Scotland has been further endorsed. A successful bid to the Joint Infrastructure Fund, led by Professor Monty Priede of the University of Aberdeen, and with support from colleagues at the Universities of St Andrews and Bristol, has led to almost £1 million being invested in siting seabed 6 Annual Report 1999-2000 – SAMS/DML Director’s Introduction "landers" and associated infrastructure Government. Professor John Gage’s (marine) has provided excellent at Dunstaffnage. Construction work also research group continues to lead the UK’s collaborative opportunities which have commenced on the new Data Warehouse fundamental research effort into these been capitalised on by SAMS staff. facility for the University of the Highlands fascinating organisms. Dr John Gordon In July last year, Dr Alan Ansell passed and Islands project (UHIp), which will has raised both scientific and political away. Alan’s work was a cornerstone for place Dunstaffnage at the forefront of interest in the fate of deep-water fish the reputation of the SMBA and SAMS digital computational and stocks to the west of Scotland, with an over the forty years that he worked both communication development in the exemplary portfolio of scientific and at Millport and Dunstaffnage. We miss Highlands and Islands. Through major industry publications. Dr Ray Leakey his enthusiasm, warmth and humour support from Highlands and Islands continues to expand marine microbial greatly. Enterprise, and in conjunction with ecology research at SAMS whilst engaging Heriot-Watt University (Professor Brian in technology transfer with colleagues at In the months to come, clarity and Austin), the first steps in the field of the University of Karachi, Pakistan. purpose in our scientific and educational marine biotechnology have been taken Marine biogenic trace gas research has roles will be paramount. Optimism, with the creation of a new company, the consolidated with the well-earned tinged with anxiety, is the mood as we European Centre for Marine extension to Dr Angela Hatton’s NERC complete this account of our scientific Biotechnology. Work is currently Fellowship. In geochemistry, Dr Tracy activity over the reporting year. Bringing underway to consolidate this Shimmield has established the our marine science to the attention of development with an application for inductively coupled mass spectrometer both the public and politicians has never funds for a new facility at Dunstaffnage. (ICP-MS) facility for fish ear bone been more important. I pay tribute to microchemistry and palaeogeochemistry, the hard work and enthusiasm that SAMS science continues to grow in Robin Harvey and Helen Anderson have volume and stature. I particularly draw winning a variety of EU grants. The UHIp lecturers, Drs Keith Davidson, Mark Inall, put into this Annual Report and other attention to the excellent progress in activities. The work reported here is zooplankton dynamics led by Dr Geraint John Howe and Axel Miller, have emphasised their capability in winning crucial for the future of Scotland as a Tarling, following Professor Jack maritime nation. I commend it to you. Matthews’ seminal work, and Dr Maeve research grants and preparing for the Kelly in developing a considerable launch of the BSc in Marine Sciences with research portfolio in invertebrate biology the UHIp in September 2000. and mariculture. Deep-sea corals have The relationship between DML and seldom been out of the press, finding SAMS staff at the Laboratory is stronger themselves cited under the European than ever. A key new appointment of Habitats Directive in a court case Dr Chris Bolch as Head of the Culture Graham B Shimmield, FIBiol, FRSE between Greenpeace and the Collection for Algae and Protozoa Director SAMS and DML SAMS/DML – Annual Report 1999-2000 7 Geochemistry Dr Tracy Shimmield The Geochemistry Group Laboratory, field and in situ study of metal behaviour has continued to carry out and oxygen flux within a North Sea drill cuttings pile research into the effects of Over the past three years, as part of the of organic matter decomposition and human impacts on the NERC Thematic Programme MIME oxygen consumption (Fig. 3). The marine environment. (Managing Impacts in the Marine precipitation of metal mono- and Environment), we have been conducting disulphides was directly observed within The research undertaken is the simultaneous analysis of geochemical the pile. Radionuclide (210Pb) depth diverse and includes carrier substances (Mn and Fe profiles indicate that there was no radionuclide and heavy metal oxyhydroxides), 210Pb (to assess sediment sediment mixing at the station closest to geochemistry. The main aims mixing) and an indicator of drill cuttings the platform but mixing in the surface of the group are to use (Ba) to identify the major processes sediment is greater with increasing geochemistry to trace marine controlling metal behaviour within North distance from the platform. processes such as diagenesis, Sea oil and gas drill cuttings piles. This GB