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Oxygen metabolism of a fringing reef in French polynesia
Métabolisme de l'oxygène d'un récif frangeant de Polynésie Française
Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen volume 28, pages 401–410 (1976)
Extrait
La production primaire d'une station située sur le récif frangeant de Moorea (îles de la Société, Polynésie Française) est déduite des variations nycthémérales des teneurs en oxygène dissous de l'eau de mer, après correction de diffusion. La production brute est ainsi de 19,2 g O2 m−2 pour 24 heures, tandis que la production nette accuse un déficit de 3,1 g pendant la même période. Le milieu devient partiellement épuisé en oxygène dans le courant de la nuit. La courbe des accroissements horaires corrigés montre clairement une «dépression de midi». Simultanément, on mesurait les échanges d'oxygène sur des communautés benthiques enfermées dans des bocaux ou des sacs de plastique et maintenues in situ. La production brute par jour était, dans ces conditions, de 10,1 g O2 m−2 pour une communauté algale à dominance de Corallinacées(Neogoniolithon), 16,0 g pour une population mixte deWurdemannia etGelidium (Rhodophycées non calcaires), et de 3,0 g seulement pour un sable à Cyanophycées. Toutes les communautés étudiées présentaient, en 24 heures, un bilan d'oxygène positif. Les deux séries d'observations (métabolisme global d'une part, communautés isolées d'autre part) sont comparées et l'interprétation de telles données en termes d'«autotrophie» ou d'«hétérotrophie» est mise en doute.
Summary
1. Primary production was estimated during August 1975 at one station on the fringing reef of Moorea (French Polynesia) by following the diel changes of dissolved oxygen concentrations in the open water and correcting them for diffusion. Daily (24-hour) gross production amounted to 19.2 g O2 m−2 while net production showed a deficit of 3.1 g O2 m−2. Oxygen depletion occurs to a considerable extent during the night. Hourly rates provide evidence for a midday depression of photosynthesis.
2. Oxygen exchanges were also measured on benthic communities enclosed in glass jars or plastic bags. Gross production was 10.1 g O2 m−2 day−1 for an algal community dominated by Corallinaceae, 16.0 g for two non-calcareous red algae, and 3.0 g only for sands. All benthic communities produced more oxygen in a 24-hour period than they consumed.
3. The two series of observations are compared. The significance of such data with respect to “autotrophy” or “heterotrophy” is criticized.
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Sournia, A. Oxygen metabolism of a fringing reef in French polynesia. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 28, 401–410 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01610589
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01610589