Description: Benthic oxygen and nitrogen fluxes were quantified within the years 2012 to 2014 at different time series sites in the southern North Sea with the benthic lander NuSObs (Nutrient and Suspension Observatory). In situ incubations of sediments, in situ bromide tracer studies, sampling of macrofauna and pore water investigations revealed considerable seasonal and spatial variations of oxygen and nitrogen fluxes. Seasonal and spatial variations of oxygen fluxes were observed between two different time series sites, covering different sediment types and/or different benthic macrofaunal communities. On a sediment type with a high content of fine grained particles (o63 mm) oxygen fluxes of �15.5 to �25.1 mmol m�2 d�1 (June 2012), �2.0 to �8.2 mmol m�2 d�1 (March 2013), �16.8 to �21.5 mmol m�2 d�1 (November 2013) and �6.1 mmol m�2 d�1 (March 2014) were measured. At the same site a highly diverse community of small species of benthic macrofauna was observed. On a sediment type with a low content of fine grained particles (o63 mm) high oxygen fluxes (�33.2mmol m�2 d�1 August 2012; �47.2 to �55.1 mmolm�2 d�1 November 2013; �16.6 mmol m�2 d�1 March 2014) were observed. On this sediment type a less diverse benthic macrofaunal community, which was dominated by the large bodied suspension feeder Ensis directus, was observed. Average annual rain rates of organic carbon and organic nitrogen to the seafloor of 7.44 mol Cm�2 y�1 and 1.34 mol N m�2 y�1 were estimated. On average 79% of the organic bound carbon and 95% of the organic bound nitrogen reaching the seafloor are recycled at the sediment–water interface. & 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Description: Abstract In the Arctic Seas, the West Spitsbergen continental margin represents a prominent methane seep area. In this area, free gas formation and gas ebullition as a consequence of hydrate dissociation due to global warming are currently under debate. Recent studies revealed shallow gas accumulation and ebullition of methane into the water column at more than 250 sites in an area of 665 km2. We conducted a detailed study of a subregion of this area, which covers an active gas ebullition area of 175 km2 characterized by 10 gas flares reaching from the seafloor at~245 m up to 50 m water depth to identify the fate of the released gas due to dissolution of methane from gas bubbles and subsequent mixing, transport and microbial oxidation. The oceanographic data indicated a salinity-controlled pycnocline situated ~20 m above the seafloor. A high resolution sampling program at the pycnocline at the active gas ebullition flare area revealed that the methane concentration gradient is strongly controlled by the pycnocline. While high methane concentrations of up to 524 nmol L−1 were measured below the pycnocline, low methane concentrations of less than 20 nmol L−1 were observed in the water column above. Variations in the δ 13 C CH 4 values point to a 13C depleted methane source (~−60‰ VPDB) being mainly mixed with a background values of the ambient water (~−37.5‰ VPDB). A gas bubble dissolution model indicates that ~80% of the methane released from gas bubbles into the ambient water takes place below the pycnocline. This dissolved methane will be laterally transported with the current northwards and most likely microbially oxidized in between 50 and 100 days, since microbial CH4 oxidation rates of 0.78 nmol d−1 were measured. Above the pycnocline, methane concentrations decrease to local background concentration of ~10 nmol L−1. Our results suggest that the methane dissolved from gas bubbles is efficiently trapped below the pycnocline and thus limits the methane concentration in surface water and the air–sea exchange during summer stratification. During winter the lateral stratification breaks down and fractions of the bottom water enriched in methane may be vertically mixed and thus be potentially an additional source for atmospheric methane.

Description: In coastal waters and the ocean silicic acid (Si(OH) 4 ) is a key nutrient for primary producers ( e.g . diatoms) and other siliceous organisms, because it is required for the formation of frustules and other hard parts made of biogenic silica (bSi). Especially in shallow waters like the southern North Sea, dissolution of bSi in surface sediments and the re fl ux of silicic acid from sediments into the water column is an important feedback mechanism for sustaining primary production. We investigated the temporal variability of benthic silicic acid fl uxes and the recycling ef fi ciency of bSi in surface sediments of the Helgoland Mud Area (southern North Sea). For this purpose we used different methods including a benthic chamber lander system for in situ fl ux studies of Si(OH) 4 , ex situ sediment incubations, pore water studies and sediment analysis. Our in situ measurements revealed considerable temporal variations with low silicic acid fl uxes in winter (0.3 – 1.0 mmol m � 2 d � 1 in March 2013 and 2014), increased fl uxes of 2.0 – 4.0 mmol m � 2 d � 1 in November 2013, and high fl uxes in June and August 2012 (3.6 – 8.3 mmol m � 2 d � 1 ). The relevance of biological mediated transport for the recycling of Si(OH) 4 was underlined by comparing in situ and ex situ sediment incubations, pore water studies, as well as depth pro fi les of benthic macrofauna. Mass budget calculations indicate that about 1.7 – 2.2 mol bSi m � 2 settle annually at the sea fl oor, off which about 60 – 81% are recycled within surface sediments and transported back into the water column