A new species of Chaetozone (Polychaeta, Cirratulidae) from the Bay of Biscay offshore France, together with a review of Chaetozone species from the North Atlantic and adjacent waters
A new cirratulid species of the genus Chaetozone has been discovered offshore in fine muddy sediments in the Bay of Biscay, France. This species is unusual in having an expanded fusiform anterior body region and numerous subdermal glands along the entire body that produce an elaborate and distinctive pattern when stained with Methyl Green. The new species is compared with closely related congeners and a review of Chaetozone species from the North Atlantic Ocean is presented.
(Zootaxa. vol. 4312, n° 1175-5326, pp. 565, 30/08/2017)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Biotransformation, antioxidant and histopathological biomarker responses to contaminants in European and American yellow eels from the Gironde and St. Lawrence estuaries
Since the early 1980s, populations of American (Anguilla rostrata) and European eels (Anguilla anguilla) have suffered a sharp decline. The causes of their decline are likely multifactorial and include chemical pollution. A field study was conducted in eight sites varying in organic and metal contamination along the St. Lawrence (Eastern Canada) and Gironde (France) systems to investigate the relationships among contaminants, biological characteristics and biotransformation, antioxidant and histopathological biomarkers in eels from both species. For A. rostrata, no major influences of persistent organic contaminants on biomarkers were identified. For A. anguilla, eels from the most contaminated site expressed higher surface of MelanoMacrophage Centers (MMCs) and eels from another contaminated site expressed higher amount of spleen lipofuscin pigment. These two histopathological biomarkers were also associated with aging. Compared to eels from the cleanest French site, higher hepatic catalase activity and density of MMC in eels from contaminated sites was related to higher concentration of organic (DDT and metabolites, sum of PCBs, sum of PBDEs) and inorganic (Hg and Cd) contaminants. In both species, a higher deposition of spleen hemosiderin pigment was measured in eels from the most brackish sites compared to eels living in freshwater environments. Our results suggest an association between higher hemosiderin pigment and metal contamination (As for A. anguilla and Pb for A. rostrata). Parasitism by A. crassus was observed in European eels from freshwater sites but not in eels from brackish habitats. Overall, contamination may pose a greater risk for the health of European compared to American eels.
(Chemosphere. vol. 188, n° 0045-6535, pp. 292-303, 28/08/2017)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Phylogenetic diversity and functional characterization of the Manila clam microbiota: a culture-based approach
According to the hologenome theory, the microbiota contributes to the fitness of the holobiont having an important role in its adaptation, survival, development, health, and evolution. Environmental stress also affects the microbiota and its capability to assist the holobiont in coping with stress factors. Here, we analyzed the diversity of cultivable bacteria associated with Manila clam tissues (mantle, gills, hemolymph) in two non-contaminated sites (Portugal and France) and one metal-contaminated site (Portugal). A total of 240 isolates were obtained. Representative isolates (n = 198) of the overall diversity were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing and subjected to functional characterization. Isolates affiliated with Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bacteroidetes. Proteobacteria (mostly Pseudoalteromonadaceae and Vibrionaceae) were dominant in non-contaminated sites while Actinobacteria (mostly Microbacteriaceae) dominated in the metal-contaminated site. The main factor affecting the microbiota composition was contamination. No significant differences were observed between clam tissues and geographic regions. Several isolates tested positive for antibacterial activity, biofilm formation, protease, and siderophore production. The results show that the Manila clam harbors a diverse microbiota that may contribute to clam protection and overall fitness, as well as to its adaptation to stressful environments. In addition, the Manila clam microbiota is revealed as a promising source of novel probiotics with potential application in aquaculture.
(Environmental Science and Pollution Research. vol. 24, n° 0944-1344, pp. 21721-21732, 01/08/2017)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
Deep-sea terrigenous organic carbon transfer and accumulation: Impact of sea-level variations and sedimentation processes off the Ogooue River (Gabon)
Sedimentary, isotopic and bulk geochemical proxies measured in sediment samples of five gravity cores collected in the distal part of the Ogooue turbidite system (around 4000 m-depth) were used to develop a conceptual model to describe the accumulation of terrigenous organic matter (OM) during the last 200,000 yrs BP in the eastern part of the Gulf of Guinea. This model takes into account the influence of the different depositional processes (turbiditic vs hemipelagic sedimentation), geomorphological features and sea-level variations. Total organic carbon (TOC) and the stable organic carbon isotopes of the OM (δ13C) variability follow the highstand/lowstand (interglacial/glacial) cyclicity with a very low accumulation rate of terrigenous OM during periods of high sea-level and higher accumulation rate during period of low sea-level. A sea-level of 80–120 m below present day seems to favor the transfer of terrigenous sediments to the deep offshore environment through the turbidite system and thanks to the connection of the canyons heads with the river system presently located at the shelf edge at −120 m water depth. In this system, terrigenous OM matter delivered by the river accumulate in the sediments via two main processes. Indeed, a part of the terrigenous OM settles in combination with the finest particles forming hemipelagites, while another part, formed of very well preserved land plant debris, is transported and deposited far offshore with turbidity currents. The proportion of terrigenous OM accumulated due to turbidity currents is important as it can represent more than 70% of the carbon accumulated during sea-level lowstand. Moreover, terrigenous OM seems to preferentially accumulate in the levees and the lobes of the system notably due to the higher frequency of organic-rich turbidites. This study demonstrates that gravity flows, influenced by the sea-level variations, can significantly affect the terrigenous OM budget of the deep offshore Atlantic margins and that channel-levee complexes as well as turbidite lobes can be regarded as good sink for terrestrial organic carbon. These processes should be taken into consideration in the context of source rocks exploration but also for the estimation of the general carbon accumulation in ocean sediment.
(Marine and Petroleum Geology. vol. 85, n° 0264-8172, pp. 35-53, 01/08/2017)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS
The Congolobe project, a multidisciplinary study of Congo deep-sea fan lobe complex: Overview of methods, strategies, observations and sampling
The presently active region of the Congo deep-sea fan (around 330,000 km(2)), called the terminal lobes or lobe complex, covers an area of 2500 km(2) at 4700-5100 m water depth and 750-800 km offshore. It is a unique sedimentary area in the world ocean fed by a submarine canyon and a channel-levee system which presently deliver large amounts of organic carbon originating from the Congo River by turbidity currents. This particularity is due to the deep incision of the shelf by the Congo canyon, up to 30 km into the estuary, which funnels the Congo River sediments into the deep-sea. The connection between the river and the canyon is unique for major world rivers. In 2011, two cruises (WACS leg 2 and Congolobe) were conducted to simultaneously investigate the geology, organic and inorganic geochemistry, and micro- and macro-biology of the terminal lobes of the Congo deep-sea fan. Using this multidisciplinary approach, the morpho-sedimentary features of the lobes were characterized along with the origin and reactivity of organic matter, the recycling and burial of biogenic compounds, the diversity and function of bacterial and archaeal communities within the sediment, and the biodiversity and functioning of the faunal assemblages on the seafloor. Six different sites were selected for this study: Four distributed along the active channel from the lobe complex entrance to the outer rim of the sediment deposition zone, and two positioned cross-axis and at increasing distance from the active channel, thus providing a gradient in turbidite particle delivery and sediment age. This paper aims to provide the general context of this multidisciplinary study. It describes the general features of the site and the overall sampling strategy and provides the initial habitat observations to guide the other in-depth investigations presented in this special issue. Detailed bathymetry of each sampling site using 0.1-1 m resolution multibeam obtained with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) shows progressive widening and smoothing of the channel-levees with increasing depth and reveals a complex morphology with channel bifurcations, erosional features and massive deposits. Dense ecosystems surveyed in the study area gather high density clusters of two large-sized species of symbiotic Vesicomyidae bivalves and microbial mats. These assemblages, which are rarely observed in sedimentary zones, resemble those based on chemosynthesis at cold-seep sites, such as the active pockmarks encountered along the Congo margin, and share with these sites the dominant vesicomyid species Christineconcha regab. Sedimentation rates estimated in the lobe complex range between 0.5 and 10 cm yr(-1), which is 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than values generally encountered at abyssal depths. The bathymetry, faunal assemblages and sedimentation rates make the Congo lobe complex a highly peculiar deep-sea habitat driven by high inputs of terrigenous material delivered by the Congo channel-levee system.
(Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. vol. 142, n° 0967-0645, pp. 7-24, 01/08/2017)
LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, OCEANIS, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, LEP, EEP, IFREMER, EMBS, iSTeP, UPMC, CNRS, iSTeP, INSU - CNRS, SU, CNRS, GM, IFREMER, LM2E, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS, LDO, INSU - CNRS, UBO EPE, CNRS, LECOB, SU, CNRS, OOB, SU, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, LEMAR, IRD, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS, ABICE, AD2M, SU, CNRS, SBR, SU, CNRS, HCMR, CCMAR, UAlg, GEOTRAC, LSCE, UVSQ, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, DRF (CEA), CEA, CSTJF, [Total Energies. Anciennement : Total, TotalFina, TotalFinaElf]
An innovative and integrative assay for toxicity testing using individual fish embryos. Application to oxazepam
(Chemosphere. vol. 181, n° 0045-6535, pp. 468-477, 01/08/2017)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, ISA, UCBL, INC-CNRS, CNRS
Distinct control mechanism of fine-grained sediments from Yellow River and Kyushu supply in the northern Okinawa Trough since the last glacial
High-resolution multiproxy records, including clay minerals and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes of the claysized silicate fraction of sediments from IODP Site U1429 in the northern Okinawa Trough, provide reliable
(Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems. vol. 18, pp. 2949 - 2969, 01/08/2017)
CRPG, INSU - CNRS, UL, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, GM, IFREMER, LSU, UTokyo, UTokyo, LGO, UBS, IFREMER, UBO EPE, CNRS, GEOPS, UP11, CNRS
Bacterial periphytic communities related to mercury methylation within aquatic plant roots from a temperate freshwater lake (South-Western France)
Macrophyte floating roots are considered as hotspots for methylmercury (MeHg) production in aquatic ecosystems through microbial activity. Nevertheless, very little is known about periphyton bacterial communities and mercury (Hg) methylators in such ecological niches. The ability to methylate inorganic Hg is broadly distributed among prokaryotes; however, sulfate-reducers have been reported to be the most important MeHg producers in macrophyte floating roots. In the present work, the periphyton bacterial communities colonizing Ludwigia sp. floating roots were investigated through molecular methods. Among the 244 clones investigated, anaerobic microorganisms associated with the sulfur biogeochemical cycle were identified. Notably, members of the sulfur-oxidizing prokaryotes and the anoxygenic, purple non-sulfur bacteria (Rhodobacteraceae, Comamonadaceae, Rhodocyclaceae, Hyphomicrobiaceae) and the sulfate reducers (Desulfobacteraceae, Syntrophobacteraceae, and Desulfobulbaceae) were detected. In addition, 15 sulfate-reducing strains related to the Desulfovibrionaceae family were isolated and their Hg-methylation capacity was tested using a biosensor. The overall results confirmed that Hg methylation is a strain-specific process since the four strains identified as new Hg-methylators were closely related to non-methylating isolates. This study highlights the potential involvement of periphytic bacteria in Hg methylation when favorable environmental conditions are present in such ecological micro-niches.
(Environmental Science and Pollution Research. vol. 24, n° 0944-1344, pp. 19223-19233, 01/08/2017)
IPREM, UPPA, INC-CNRS, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, IAM, INRA, UL, ENSC, IMS, UB, CNRS, IMS, UB, CNRS, Bordeaux INP
Atmospheric correction of multi-spectral littoral images using a PHOTONS/AERONET-based regional aerosol model.
Spatial resolution is the main instrumental requirement for the multi-spectral optical space missions that address the scientific issues of marine coastal systems. This spatial resolution should be at least decametric. Aquatic color data processing associated with these environments requires specific atmospheric corrections (AC) suitable for the spectral characteristics of high spatial resolution sensors (HRS) as well as the high range of atmospheric and marine optical properties. The objective of the present study is to develop and demonstrate the potential of a ground-based AC approach adaptable to any HRS for regional monitoring and security of littoral systems. The in Situ-based Atmospheric CORrection (SACOR) algorithm is based on simulations provided by a Successive Order of Scattering code (SOS), which is constrained by a simple regional aerosol particle model (RAM). This RAM is defined from the mixture of a standard tropospheric and maritime aerosol type. The RAM is derived from the following two processes. The first process involved the analysis of a 6-year data set composed of aerosol optical and microphysical properties acquired through the ground-based PHOTONS/AERONET network located at Arcachon (France). The second process was related to aerosol climatology using the NOAA hybrid single-particle Lagrangian integrated trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. Results show that aerosols have a bimodal particle size distribution regardless of the season and are mainly represented by a mixed coastal continental type. Furthermore, the results indicate that aerosols originate from both the Atlantic Ocean (53.6%) and Continental Europe (46.4%). Based on these results, absorbing biomass burning, urban-industrial and desert dust particles have not been considered although they represent on average 19% of the occurrences. This represents the main current limitation of the RAM. An assessment of the performances of SACOR is then performed by inter-comparing the water-leaving reflectance ( ρw ) retrievals with three different AC methods (ACOLITE, MACCS and 6SV using three different standard aerosol types) using match-ups (N = 8) composed of Landsat-8/Operational Land Imager (OLI) scenes and field radiometric measurements. Results indicate consistency with the SWIR-based ACOLITE method, which shows the best performance, except in the green channel where SACOR matches well with the in-situ data (relative error of 7%). In conclusion, the study demonstrates the high potential of the SACOR approach for the retrieval of ρw . In the future, the method could be improved by using an adaptive aerosol model, which may select the most relevant local aerosol model following the origin of the atmospheric air mass, and could be applied to the latest HRS (Sentinel-2/MSI, SPOT6-7, Pleiades 1A-1B).
(Remote Sensing. vol. 9, n° 2072-4292, pp. 814, 01/08/2017)
EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS, CESBIO, IRD, UT3, Comue de Toulouse, INSU - CNRS, CNES, CNRS, INRAE, BGS, UB, CNRS, LOG, INSU - CNRS, ULCO, CNRS, IRD [Ile-de-France], ULCO
Palynofacies reveal fresh terrestrial organic matter inputs in the terminal lobes of the Congo deep-sea fan
The Congo deep-sea fan is directly connected to the Congo River by a unique submarine canyon. The Congo River delivers up to 2×1012gPOC/yr, a part of which is funnelled by the submarine canyon and feeds the deep-sea environments. The more distal part of the Congo deep-sea fan, the terminal lobe area, has a surface of 2500 km2 and is situated up to 800 km offshore at depths of 4750–5000 m. It is a remarkable place to study the fate and distribution of the organic matter transferred from the continent to the deep ocean via turbidity currents. Forty-two samples were analyzed from the terminal lobes, including sites from the active channel, one of its levees and an abandoned distal channel. Samples were collected using multitube cores and push-cores using a Victor 6000 ROV, which surveyed the dense chemosynthetic habitats that locally characterize the terminal lobes. Palynofacies reveal a remarkably well-preserved, dominantly terrestrial particulate organic matter assemblage, that has been transferred from the continent into the deep-sea by turbidity currents. Delicate plant structures, cuticle fragments and plant cellular material is often preserved, highlighting the efficiency of turbidity currents to transfer terrestrial organic matter to the sea-floor, where it is preserved. Moreover, the palynofacies data reveal a general sorting by density or buoyancy of the organic particles, as the turbulent currents escaped the active channel, feeding the levees and the more distal, abandoned channel area. Finally, in addition to aforementioned hydrodynamic factors controlling the organic matter accumulation, a secondary influence of chemosynthetic habitats on organic matter preservation is also apparent. Palynofacies is therefore a useful tool to record the distribution of organic matter in recent and ancient deep-sea fan environments, an important topic for both academic and petroleum studies.
(Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography. vol. 142, n° 0967-0645, pp. 91-108, 01/08/2017)
iSTeP, UPMC, CNRS, LECOB, OOB, UPMC, CNRS, UPMC, CNRS, EPOC, EPHE, PSL, UB, INSU - CNRS, CNRS