Biological Oceanography
in a Changing Ocean

Climate change will significantly impact global marine fish biomass, leading ecosystems into unprecedented states. The ToE is when such a shift occurs. This study investigates the ToE of marine fish biomass using climate‐to‐fish simulations. The results suggest that the emergence of global mean fish biomass occurs in the historical period (before 2020) and is controlled by small size organisms (mesozooplankton) through food availability. It also shows that the ToE strongly depends on organism size and varies regionally. Furthermore, it demonstrates that implementing mitigation policies significantly reduces the areas where marine ecosystems emerge, thereby limiting the potential negative impacts

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Read the paper here

Population growth in coastal tourist areas is leading to enhanced waste production, raising concerns about potential nutrient release increases and the resulting impact on marine ecosystems through eutrophication. With the aim of assessing the effects of nutrient input on biomass, primary production (PP) and recycling processes by phytoplankton, zooplankton, and bacterioplankton, we simulated three nutrient discharge intensities (Low, Medium, and High), with daily additions of 0.1, 1, and 10 μmol L− 1 of nitrate, respectively, along with phosphate and silicate. We observed that PP, chlorophyll a (Chl-a), and biomass increased linearly with nutrient input, except in the High treatment, where CO2 depletion (<1.0 μmol L− 1) and an alkalinity increase (>2500 μmol L− 1) resulted in reduced PP. Under CO2 depletion, diatoms experienced a decline in the High treatment, leading to the proliferation of potentially mixotrophic dinoflagellates. Our findings provide valuable insights into the responses of plankton communities to varying nutrient inputs and emphasize the importance of considering the effects of CO2 depletion, along with changes in total alkalinity, in eutrophication scenarios as well as in ocean alkalinity enhancement experiments aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

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Read the paper here

We have studied the successional dynamics of free-living and particle-associated communities in eight simulated upwelling scenarios of varying intensity and duration (single vs. recurring pulses) by adding nutrient-rich mesopelagic waters into large-scale mesocosms containing oligotrophic surface waters from the subtropical North Atlantic. We observed that despite differences in activity, prokaryotes seemed to be more influenced by processes taking place within the community than by phytoplankton bloom patterns, with similar succession dynamics even under widely distinct blooms. These findings can help advance our understanding on prokaryotic ecology and its relation to organic matter cycling across different upwelling scenarios.

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Read the paper here.

This study contributes to the inaugural exploration of non-equilibrated ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). Total alkalinity (TA) was manipulated, with silicate and calcium-based delta TA gradients ranging from 0 to 600 μmol L-1, without prior CO2 sequestration, under natural conditions and at a mesocosm scale (~60m3). Implemented in a neritic system under post-bloom conditions, a midway mixing event was simulated. After the inorganic nutrient addition, mild delays in bloom formation were observed. These delays were related to the delta TA gradient, as indicated by the gross production, net community production, and chlorophyll a  concentrations. Notably, the delay was more pronounced for the calcium treatment set compared to the silicate one, with the low-TA treatments exhibiting earlier responses than the high-TA ones. This delay is likely due to species-specific negative relationships between high pH/low pCO2 conditions and phytoplankton growth rates. It is anticipated that a greater delay in bloom formation would be evident with a larger non-equilibrated TA gradient, highlighting the importance of exploring variations in TA thresholds for a comprehensive understanding of OAE’s impacts.

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Read the paper here.

In this study we investigated the response of a natural plankton community to CO2-equilibrated OAE across a gradient from ambient alkalinity to double.  Abundance and biomass of phytoplankton and microzooplankton were insensitive to OAE across all size classes, nutritional modes  and taxonomic groups These findings suggest a high tolerance of phytoplankton and microzooplankton to CO2-equilibrated OAE in the oligotrophic ocean.

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Read the paper here.

The XXVI Ocean Optics conference was held in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from October 6th to 11th, 2024. Our PhD candidate Laura Marín and our postdoc Nauzet Hernández presented their work to the scientific community. Laura shared key results from our eIMPACT project’s research cruises in her talk, “Testing active fluorometry for studying primary production at high spatial resolution across cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies”. Nauzet contributed with a poster from our FLUXES project, “Comparing primary production models in the Canary Boundary Upwelling System”.

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Click here to go to the symposium website

A new study reveals that mesoscale eddies play a significant role in the distribution of nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, which are crucial for marine productivity and carbon cycling. Researchers focused on non-cyanobacterial diazotrophs (NCDs), a less understood group, in the subtropical North Atlantic.

By examining particles collected with a marine snow catcher along a transect of the e-IMPACT2 oceanographical cruise, they found that both cyanobacterial diazotrophs and NCDs were equally abundant. The study highlighted that the diversity of these organisms is influenced by the structure of the eddy. These findings shed light on the ecological roles of NCDs and their impact on ocean biogeochemistry, emphasizing the intricate relationship between marine microorganisms and ocean currents.

This work is part of the e-IMPACT project coordinated by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and was carried out by researchers at the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography (MIO), Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (CSIC), and the Biological Oceanography Group-IOCAG (ULPGC).

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Read the paper here.

A new paper has been published on ocean based negative emission technologies (NETs): "Assessing the impact of CO2-equilibrated ocean alkalinity enhancement on microbial metabolic rates in an oligotrophic system". The study reveals that ocean alkalinity enhancement, a promising climate mitigation strategy, is safe for phytoplankton—the foundation of marine ecosystems. Also, it highlights a potential benefit: up to a certain threshold, increased ocean alkalinity can enhance photosynthesis in some phytoplankton species. This finding opens new avenues for effective and environmentally safe climate solutions. This publication is part of the research conducted by Laura Marín Samper for her doctoral thesis.

Read the paper here.

In their journey from the surface to the bottom of the ocean, marine particles act as mediators of the biological carbon pump. These particles, also known as marine snow because of their resemblance to falling snowflakes, are the principal mechanisms for sequestering CO2 into the deep ocean, playing a key role in the ocean’s mitigation of climate change.

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An oceanographic cruise aboard the R/V Sarmiento de Gamboa took place during the month of May as part of the project "Microbial Colonization of Ocean Particles (MICOLOR)" led by the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC, Barcelona, Spain). The objective is to understand how marine particles are colonized by microbes and how the microbial settlers evolve on their long journey to the ocean floor. Furthermore, the project aims to untangle how particles are affected by microbial organisms and the surrounding environment. Our postdoc, Nauzet Hernández, has joined the scientific team to help study microbial respiration associated with these particles.

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Click here to visit the project's blog.

Javier Arístegui, director of the UNESCO Chair of Marine and Coastal Sustainability, one of the 5 UNESCO Chairs of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), spoke about the work carried out for the project alongside other researchers during the international congress Bridge to Africa, hosted by the University. The conference serves to concentrate all academic initiatives in an african knowledge hub through a service infrastructure that contributes to growth and mutual learning. 

The Canary Region is strategic in the understanding of climate change effects, blue economy initiatives, and the development of interdisciplinary marine sciences. Through our work with the Chair, we contribute to scientific disseminarion, relevant research, and blue skill development opportunities.

The OceanICU's Annual Science Meeting (ASM), which took place this week, provided a robust forum for knowledge sharing, and learning, across disciplines, featuring leading ocean observation experts and renowned modelers. Understanding ocean carbon is key for a sustainable future. The GOB-IOCAG (ULPGC) contributes to the project by co-leading Work Package 4 (WP4) concerning Ecosystem controls of the biological carbon pump, and by leading a task on WP3, regarding the impact of aerosols on surface biogeochemistry and plankton communities under a warming ocean.

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Read about OceanICU here.

Coastal upwelling systems, renowned for their productivity, significantly impact global biogeochemical cycles, particularly in carbon and nutrient cycling. Recent research, contributed to by the Biological Oceanography Group (GOB), highlights their pivotal role in greenhouse gas (GHG) dynamics, notably contributing to atmospheric CO2, N2O, and CH4 levels. While low-latitude systems act as carbon sources, higher latitude ones serve as weak sinks or remain neutral. Despite uncertainties, future changes in upwelling systems due to climate change pose challenges, necessitating a deeper understanding for accurate predictions and mitigation strategies. 

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Read the article here.

A new multi-week mesocosm experiment to explore the potential of ocean alkalinity enhancement in combatting climate change has been launched by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, Germany, as part of the international Ocean Alk-Align project, involving 36 researchers from around the globe. This study is the first to focus on possible seasonal effects using rock powder instead of pre-dissolved alkalinity. By adding rock powder to seawater, they aim to boost its ability to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, besides mitigating ocean acidification. The findings will inform of crucial insights into this Carbon Dioxde Removal's (CDR) impacts on marine ecosystems and guide future climate strategies. Our PhD student, Laura Marín-Samper, has joined them to help identify impacts on microbial community metabolic rates.

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Read more on GEOMAR's page. 

Photo by: Sarah Kaehlert, GEOMAR

Last week, an oceanographic cruise aboard R/V Sarmiento de Gamboa took place to update and replenish a mooring with sediment traps at the European Oceanic Time Series Station of the Canaries (ESTOC). This mooring is part of the FLUCARO project, funded by the Canarian Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI) and the European Fund for Regional Development (FEDER) and managed by the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). The cruise was coordinated by the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) in collaboration with ULPGC. The material collected with the sediment traps will provide crucial information on particle fluxes and carbon sequestration in the ocean, contributing vital knowledge to the evaluation of climate change.

Check out how it happened step by step here, and more here.

We have recently participated in a study led by researchers from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), aimed at evaluating microbial networks across pelagic zones. The study, published in Nature Communications, characterizes microbial ecosystems from the deep ocean in tropical and subtropical regions. This information was previously only available for surface oceans. Results from this study may help assess the effects of climate change on microbial communities.
 

Read more here.

The e-IMPACT project team, composed of members from research groups at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), and the Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), held their final project meeting to discuss the results obtained during two research cruises carried out in 2022. The main goal of the project was to study the linkage in the dynamics of mesoscale and sub-mesoscale processes occurring along the life history of cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies in the Canary Eddy Corridor, and their effects on the structure and metabolism of the planktonic community, as well as their role in the vertical carbon flux to the deep ocean. We would like to acknowledge the scientific collaboration from foreign research centers: the Université Aix-Marseille, MIO, IRD, France; the University of Vienna, Austria; GEOMAR, Germany; and the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The Biological Oceanography Group (GOB) participated in a study lead by the Institut de Ciències Mar from the Consejo Superior de Investigación Científica (ICM-CSIC) to determine the mechanisms that structure the smallest plankton communities across the oceans. 

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Read more here.

As part of work for her thesis, our PhD candidate Laura Marin-Samper, along with researchers from the Biological Oceanography Group (GOB), the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research and the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, have shared their latest work: "Assessing the impact of CO2 equilibrated ocean alkalinity enhancement on microbial metabolic rates in an oligotrophic system". 

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It is currently open for discussion and you can access it through this link.

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This week, the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN), the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) and the University of Georgia (UGA) have launched their summer glider mission ESTOC2023_3 as part of their seasonal ocean-observing program in the Canary Islands with the collaboration of the FLUCARO Project. 

FLUCARO, an infrastructure project financed by the Canarian Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI) and the European Fund for Regional Development (FEDER), has allowed the installation of an Underwater Vision Profiler 6 (UVP6), an imaging sensor of particle size spectra and plankton, in the SeaExplorer glider operated by PLOCAN.  

The glider will carry out a section you can follow live! It will collect important oceanographic data that will aid the assessment of the surrounding perimeter of the ESTOC Station, which will complement the time series generated by the ESTOC mooring.

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Read more here.​

Recent proliferation of the cyanobacteria Trichodesmium in local, and highly frequented, beaches in the Canary Islands has prompted society to question the health risks associated to the blooms.

Our PI, Javier Arístegui, and our postdoctoral researcher, Beatriz Fernández, had the opportunity to be featured in local news to inform of this natural phenomena that has been aggravated by Climate Change. Trichodesmium blooms have been studied by GOB scientists for over 15 years and there is no evidence that shows that they are toxic to humans, nor that they are related to anthropogenic water contamination as in the case of sewage water.

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Read one of their statements here.

Our students Álvaro Delgado (right), from the Marine Sciences degree, and Jorge Santos (left) from the Oceanography Master's degree have successfully defended their undergrad and grad theses, respectively, both obtaining the maximum scores. They were supervised by our PI Dr. Javier Arístegui, and our post-doc, Dr. Nauzet Hernández-Hernández.

Alvaro's work, titled "Fine-scale distribution of phytoplaktonic communities and their photo-acclimation during early stages of eddy formation south of the Canary Islands", assessed data obtained during our e-IMPACT scientific cruises, in which he personally collected samples.

Jorge's work, titled "Exploring the maximum impact of nutrient fertilization on primary production in oligotrophic regions using artificial upwelling" analyzed data from artificial upwelling mesocosm experiments carried out in Gran Canaria.

Early career researchers learn about the latest methods and technologies used to measure, and model, mesopelagic respiration in the ocean on a course given by the Scientific Committee of Ocean Research (SCOR) Working Group 161 members. Read more here.

On the 13th of April, our PhD student Markel defended his thesis "Response of Prokaryotic Communities to Deep Water Upwelling". The defence ceremony took place in the auditorium of the Parque Científico Tecnológico Marino de Taliarte with the presence of the whole scientific group that was there to support him in this remarkable day of his career as a researcher. Our doctoral student gave a wonderful lecture of his thesis and was praised by the tribunal made up of Laura Alonso, Eva Ortega and María Dolores Gelado.

We are glad to announce that our PhD student Markel Gómez-Letona will be presenting his thesis. Markel joined our group more the 6 years ago, and he has participated in 8 scientific articles, being the main author for 5 of them. After focusing on phytoplankton during his bachelor and master projects, he moved on to studying oceanic prokaryotic communities, and he has also participated in ocean artificial upwelling mesocosm experiments and several oceanographic cruises.

Today we want to present his thesis titled:

Response of Prokaryotic Communities to Deep Water Upwelling

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This thesis carries out a study of prokaryotes in upwelling environments combining mesocosm experiments and large-scale field sampling, with special attention to the relationship prokaryotes show with organic matter. The first two chapters focus on the experimental study of the effect of upwelling events on the prokaryotic community of surface waters. The second half of the thesis studies in situ if the upwelling influence is limited to surface communities or if, on the contrary, it propagates to deep layers through vertical connectivity mediated by particle sinking.

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The presentation will be held this Thursday 13th of April at 11 am (UTC+1) in the auditorium located at Parque Científico Tecnológico Marino de Taliarte in Gran Canaria. For those interested in attending the event online, we have made available this link through Microsoft Teams.

An experiment on the island of Helgoland examines a potential solution for the long-term removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere with the help of the ocean. In a large-scale experiment that has just begun on the island of Helgoland, a team of 30 researchers is testing to which extent the ocean is able to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. In mesocosms, free-floating closed experimental facilities, the group investigates whether the ocean can absorb more carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere through the addition of slaked lime and what influence this has on plankton communities in the sea. The experiment is part of the research consortium RETAKE of the research mission “Marine carbon sinks in decarbonisation pathways” (CDRmare) of the German Marine Research Alliance (Deutsche Allianz Meeresforschung, DAM). The consortium aims to provide society and politics with actionable knowledge about the feasibility, potential and risks of alkalinity enhancement in a cross-disciplinary approach.

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The GOB-IOCAG has participated in the experiment through Laura Marín, PhD student of our group, studying oxygen metabolism in microbial communities.

Javier Arístegui gave a lecture on the GO2NE Webinar on Ocean Deoxygenation, entitled "Estimating dark-ocean respiration through ETS activity". The talks of the webinar are available at the IOC-UNESCO Ocean YouTube channel.

El viernes 17 de marzo tuvo lugar en la sede de la Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria la presentación de resultados del proyecto "Investiga en Las Canteras” en el que el GOB participa desde 2020 cuando la iniciativa se puso en marcha entre el Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria y la ULPGC. Durante la presentación en el Aula de Piedra nuestra investigadora María Fernanda Montero expuso algunas conclusiones relevantes sobre la evaluación inicial de las comunidades de microorganismos y los parámetros ambientales analizados a lo largo de 8 puntos de muestreo distribuidos en las playas de Las Canteras y El Confital. Las primeras muestras fueron tomadas en la primavera de 2020 coincidiendo con el cierre durante 44 días de las playas, una oportunidad única para tomar datos del medio marino, teniendo continuidad en la actualidad.

On Friday, March 17, the presentation of the results of the project "Investiga en Las Canteras" was held at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The group has participated since 2020, when the initiative was launched between the City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the University. During the presentation at Aula de Piedra, our researcher María Fernanda Montero presented some relevant conclusions about the initial evaluation of the microorganism communities and the environmental parameters analyzed throughout 8 sampling points distributed in Las Canteras and El Confital beaches. The first samples were taken in the spring of 2020 coinciding with the 44-day closure of the beaches, a unique opportunity to collect data from the marine environment, still continuing today.

Conocer de forma precisa cómo funciona el ciclo del carbono en el océano y evaluar el potencial de las intervenciones humanas en el mismo es el objetivo de Horizon Europe Ocean – ICU (Increasing Carbon Understanding), un proyecto europeo en el que participa la ULPGC a través del Grupo de Oceanografía Biológica (GOB), adscrito al Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global (IOCAG) y el Grupo de Tecnologías, Gestión y Biogeoquímica Ambiental. El proyecto está coordinado por el Norwegian Research Centre (NORCE) y reúne a 23 instituciones académicas europeas y más de 7 instituciones británicas con una duración de 5 años (2022-2027).

Esta semana los estudiantes del Máster en Oceanografía completaron sus prácticas sobre un estudio experimental desarrollado a partir de una comunidad costera de plancton. Analizaron satisfactoriamente la evolución temporal de las poblaciones con equipos de nuestros laboratorios, donde midieron la producción primaria y los diferentes grupos planctónicos.

The first meeting of the Ocean-ICU project took place in Copenhagen last week, in order to present the main work packages, coordinate the upcoming tasks and meet the lead researchers. This project will develop new knowledge on ocean carbon to underpin scenarios and decision-making in global carbon and Climate Change.

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Our PI Javier Arístegui attended the meeting with our PhD Aja Trebec, since he is coleading Work Package 4: Ecosystem Controls on Carbon Sequestration together with Stephanie Henson, and leading the task Impacts of climate stressors on surface production of biogenic matter within Work Package 3: Impacts of abiotic climate stressors (pH, O2& T) on the Biological C pump. Also, our PhD student Aja Trebec will be developing her thesis on the impact of aerosol inputs on surface biogeochemistry and plankton community composition under the influence of multi-stressors (T, pH, O2), which constitutes one of the assignments of the mentioned task.

Newly published research by Jens Hartmann on Ocean Alakilinity Enhacement, where our group collaborated. This research was conducted during the OceanNETs mesocosm experiment carried out during September 2021 in Gran Canaria. Their results indicate that using an alkaline solution instead of reactive alkaline particles can avoid carbonate formation, unless alkalinity addition via solutions shifts the system beyond critical supersaturation levels. To avoid the loss of alkalinity and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) from seawater, the application of reactor techniques can be considered. These techniques produce an equilibrated solution from alkaline solids and CO2 prior to application. Differing behaviours of tested materials suggest that standardized engineered materials for OAE need to be developed to achieve safe and sustainable OAE with solids, if reactors technologies should be avoided.

Last week we had the pleasure of having the researcher Susanne Dunker from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). During her stay she introduced our team into different techniques and analysis in the ANMIS imaging flow cytometer to develop new experiments and get new data for current and future projects.

Esta semana el presidente del Cabildo de Gran Canaria, Antonio Morales, y el rector de la Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Lluís Serra, visitaron las instalaciones de ambas entidades ubicadas en el Puerto de Taliarte. Les recibimos en nuestro laboratorio donde pudimos hablar sobre las principales investigaciones que estamos desarrollando tanto a nivel regional, como nacional e internacional. Aprovechamos para destacar la participación en  el proyecto pionero OceanNETs, financiado por el programa Horizon2020 de la Unión Europea  y cuyo objetivo es determinar la potencial contribución de tecnologías de emisión negativas basadas en el océano en las vías para llegar a la neutralidad climática y alcanzar los objetivos del Acuerdo de París. Es reconocido que urge realizar  un esfuerzo mayor para limitar el calentamiento global del planeta a 1,5 ºC.  De ahí la trascendencia de investigar desde el inicio  en los experimentos pioneros de los mesocosmos instalados en la Bahía de Taliarte (noticia recogida en National Geographic). Nuestro grupo ha participado tanto en los experimentos de fertilización como de alcalinización oceánica para remover dióxido de carbono (CDR, por las siglas en inglés) y poder determinar el potencial impacto y beneficio de actuaciones en el océano. Para saber más sobre el proyecto puedes visitar el siguiente enlace: https://www.oceannets.eu/

Today part of our group, together with some students from the ULPGC, will embark on R/V Sarmiento de Gamboa to participate in the first scientific cruise of the e-IMPACT project. This is actually led by our PI Javier Arístegui, and the main goal of this first cruise will be to study the biogeochemical implications of the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy fields in the "Canary Eddy Corridor", during the generation period (South of the Canary Islands) at high resolution (0,1-10 km). During the cruise we will be sharing the scientists experience on board so you can all learn all the different techniques that we use to obtain our data and you can learn a little bit more about the life onboard a research vessel.

After two months and a half of intense work our researchers come back from the amazing experience this experiment has been, which is part of the European Project OceanNETs. They have been working everyday to get the best samples possible to study the possible effects of ocean alkalinity enhacement (OAE) on the metabolic balance between the respiration and primary production rates to see how the whole ecosystem behaves.⁣ Now it is time to analyze the results and start to discuss them to publish as soon as posible. We are really excited about this project and can't wait for the upcoming papers.

Last week we participated in the VIII International Symposium on Marine Sciences (ISMS 2022) in the iconic Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. The group had the opportunity to share their latest scientific findings and meet with researchers from around the world to discuss their studies. Events like this are always a great opportunity to create new connections and future collaborations, as well as improving communication skills for future conferences.

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At the same time this was a great opportunity to present the UNESCO Chair in Environmental and Marine Resources Management to other researchers around the world. These events are an important part of the UNESCO Chair since scientific communication and capacity development and education are two of the main strategic lines.

The VIII International Symposium on Marine Sciences (ISMS 2022) will be hosted in the Alfredo Kraus Auditorium in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from July 6th to 8th, 2022, and our researchers will be presenting their work to the sicence community. Here we leave the full list of oral sessions and posters, including the schedule:

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Oral Sessions - Wednesday 7th

• ​12:15-12:30 Pérez-Barrancos et al. PHYTOPLANKTON AND HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIA RESPONSE TO ATMOSPHERIC DUST DEPOSITION IN THE MAURITANIAN-SENEGALESE UPWELLING REGION - SIQUIMAR Session: Chemical Oceanography, global Change and Biogeochemistry (Sala Tenerife)

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• 13:30-13:45 Gómez-Letona et al. ARTIFICIAL UPWELLING INTENSITY AND MODE HAVE A MAJOR IMPRINT IN DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER DYNAMICS - ISMS Session: Climate Change and the ocean/Polar Marine Research (Sala Jerónimo Saavedra)

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• 17:00-17:15 Hernández-Hernández et al. SHORT-TERM VARIABILITY IN PICOPLANKTON INDUCED BY A SUBMESOSCALE FRONT SOUTH OF GRAN CANARIA (CANARY ISLANDS) -  ISMS Session: Technologies and data management/The physical bases of Marine Sciences (Sala Jerónimo Saavedra)

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Poster Sessions - Wednesday 7th & Thursday 8th from 18:30 to 20:00

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• Fernández-Gómez et al. FERTILIZATION OF THE COASTAL WATERS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS BY THE DIAZOTROPHIC CYANOBACTERIUM TRICHODESMIUM

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• De La Guardia et al. MARINE MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES AS A PROXY TO EVALUATE WATER QUALITY: LAS CANTERAS BEACH (GRAN CANARIA ISLAND) AS A CASE STUDY

Part of our team spent the last few days in La Palma sampling in the surroundings of the lave delta originated by the recent volcanic eruption of Cumbre Vieja. The goal of this project is to provide information and data with high spatial and temporal resolution of the environment of the lava delta by observing the essential variables of the maritime area affected by the volcano. As part of this project we are monitoring the state of planktonic communities (from bacteria to zooplankton): their evolution, dynamics, and response to both natural and anthropogenic stressors. On the other hand, it is intended to see the effect of this variability on the flows and sequestration of carbon in the seabed.

Joaquín Ortiz, PhD at GEOMAR, published under Ulf Riebesell and Javier Arístegui coordination his second paper on artificial upwelling, which is the main theme of his thesis. This was part of a mesocosm experiment which had the goal to assess in situ the effects of artificial upwelling on the pelagic community. In this study they focus on the phytoplankton response through size-fractionated 14C primary production rates (PP), Chlorophyll a and biomass.

Our PhD Laura Marín explains her experience in an excursion to the mesocosms at night to videotape the small top predatory species living in the mesocosm bags. Some of these are cod larvae, jellyfish, and the herring larvae raised at the University of Bergen by Greg Börner (University of Hamburg), Dr. Arild Folkvord (Universitet I Bergen), Dra. Marta Moyano (Universitet I Agder), Maria Couret (Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), and Daniel Bruggermann (GEOMAR), specifically for this experiment.

Durante el fin de semana del 20 al 22 de mayo se celebró la Feria Internacional del Mar en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, donde la organización nos invitó un año más para poder realizar labores de divulgación científica. Pudimos explicar al público general los diferentes proyectos que llevamos a cabo, dando a conocer también el Observatorio Canario de Algas Nocivas. Además, estuvo presente la Cátedra UNESCO de Gestión Ambiental y de los Recursos Marinos.

La Red de Observadores del Medio Marino en Canarias (RedPROMAR) celebrará el próximo martes 7 de  junio el seminario online "Actuación en playas para personal y agentes de la autoridad, la seguridad, la sanidad y el medio ambiente". Este evento online se desarrollará en horario de mañana, entre las 9:00 y las 11:30 horas. En él se aportará información valiosa y útil sobre cómo actuar correctamente ante diferentes situaciones que se pueden dar en el litoral canario, vinculadas con la biodiversidad marina de las islas, la gestión ambiental y la salud pública. Entre los temas tratados estará el proyecto Trichodesmium del Grupo de Oceanografía Biológica.

Our PhD student Markel Gómez, in collaboration with other researchers, just published this paper where they studied the relationship between fluorescent dissolved organic matter and prokaryotic community composition in meso- and bathypelagic water masses along a surface productivity gradient crossing the subtropical and tropical Atlantic Ocean. 

In this study, Hallstrom et al investigated dinitrogen (N2) fixation activity and diazotroph community composition across the Cape Verde Frontal Zone, from photic epipelagic waters (0-200 m) to aphotic meso- (200–1000 m) and bathypelagic (>1000 m) waters. Results show that cross-frontal advection of cyanobacterial diazotrophs can occur via intrusions of surface water. Salinity, temperature, and mixed layer depth were the main determinants of the diazotroph composition and distribution of the key cyanobacteria. Thus, the front appeared to act as a dynamic barrier controlling the distribution of cyanobacterial diazotrophs.

How can carbon dioxide (CO2) be removed from the atmosphere and stored safely and permanently in the ocean? This question is being investigated by scientists from seven nations, including Javier Arístegui (PI) and Laura Marín (PhD student) from our research group. This experiment, led by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kielin, just started in the Raunefjord near Bergen, Norway. In mesocosms, free-floating, experimental enclosures, they are exploring whether the ocean can absorb additional CO2 from the atmosphere through the addition of alkaline minerals – known as ocean alkalinisation – and what influence this has on marine communities. The study will last until mid-July and takes place as part of the Ocean-based Negative Emission Technologies (OceanNETs) project funded by the European Union.

La Feria Internacional del Mar se celebra los días 20, 21 y 22 de mayo en el entorno de la terminal del muelle de cruceros, en Santa Catalina. Como parte de la Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC) estaremos presentes en este evento junto con el Observatorio Canario de Algas Nocivas y muchos otros grupos, dando a conocer las principales investigaciones que desarrollamos. Además, la Feria Internacional del Mar conserva en este 2022 su fuerte convicción divulgativa, ofreciendo al público una completa relación de charlas de libre asistencia, donde nuestra investigadora postdoctoral Beatriz Fernández nos hablará de "Los océanos, nuestros mayores aliados contra el cambio climático".

El periódico Tinerfeño El Día se hace eco del experimento de alcalinización oceánica que se llevó a cabo durante los meses de septiembre y octubre en el muelle de Taliarte, al lado de las instalaciones del Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global. Nuestro grupo de investigación, que pertenece al IOCAG, participó en todo el proceso y en los próximos meses podremos ver los resultados que hemos obtenido.

This newspapper from Tenerife talks about the ocean alkalinization experiment carried out during september and october in the pier of Taliarte (Gran Canaria). Our research group participated in the whole process and, in the following months, we will be able to present the results.

This meeting will bring together PhD students, early career scientists and world experts to understand, review, and synthesize what is known about dynamics, sensitivity, vulnerability and resilience of Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems and their living resources to climate variability, change and extreme events. The event has been developed  by a very diverse organizing committee, from institutions all around the world, including the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, represented by our main researcher Javier Arístegui.

The Conference will take place, from July 6th to 8th, 2022, in the iconic Alfredo Kraus Auditorium. This event is promoted by all the Faculties of Marine Sciences in Spain (Alicante, Barcelona, ​​Cádiz, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Católica de Valencia and Vigo), and it is a consolidated meeting point between marine researchers and professionals and an excellent opportunity for students and recent graduates to present the results of their Degree Final Projects. For this reason, most researchers from our group will assist to present the latest results from the projects we develop.

Nauzet Hernández has been part of the Biological Oceanography Group for more than 8 years now, participating in 12 scientific articles, being the main author for 3 of them. His previous research has focused on the effects of submesoscale processes on primary production and phytoplankton community structure, plus, he has also participated in ocean acidification mesocosm experiments. But today we want to present his thesis:

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧

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This thesis presents novel results on phytoplankton spatiotemporal distribution and variability at submesoscale range, and on the potential effects of climate change over primary productivity in the oligotrophic waters of the Canary region.

If you want to attend his thesis presentation to learn more about this amazing topic click here.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝟗:𝟑𝟎 𝐚𝐦 (𝐆𝐌𝐓).

Dentro del Convenio de colaboración iniciado en 2020 entre la ULPGC y el Ayuntamiento de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Ciudad del Mar) para desarrollar acciones y estudios multidisciplinares en el litoral Bahía del Confital-Las Canteras nuestro grupo de investigación ha venido participando en un estudio de monitorización mensual a lo largo de la bahía con el objetivo de determinar la calidad del agua marina y conocer el estado de salud ambiental de la playa de Las Canteras. Claudia de la Guardia Hernández, estudiante del grado en Ciencias del Mar, ha desarrollado las prácticas externas durante este estudio y acaba de defender su Trabajo de Fin de Grado (TFG) titulado “Microbial communities in Las Canteras beach: relationship with water quality”.

With the aim of monitoring potential impacts on the beach of Las Canteras, a recent multidisciplinary study was launched in January 2020, in a collaboration agreement between the University of  Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and the City Council of Las Palmas (Ciudad del Mar).  The main aim is to determine the marine water quality and hence the environmental health status of Las Canteras beach. Claudia de la Guardia Hernández, student in the Marine Science degree, has developed her internship during this study and she just presented her Bachelors' Thesis titled “Microbial communities in Las Canteras beach: relationship with water quality”.