The group

Co-ordinator Participant 1. National University of Ireland, Galway.

http://mri.nuigalway.ie/mri.html

The National University of Ireland, Galway lies at the centre of Ireland's western marine area, with its high-quality environment, rich flora and fauna, and ready access to a broad area of the Continental Shelf and the deep sea. The marine activities of the University departments are now co-ordinated within The Martin Ryan Institute ( MRI), which was funded by the Martin Ryan University Foundation, with critical support from the EC STRIDE Programme. The Institute constitutes a highly diverse centre of Irish expertise in marine science and technology. The specific technical skills of the phytoplankton research group within the Martin Ryan Institute lie in the fields of the interactions between physical dynamics on the continental shelf and their influence on coastal phytoplankton blooms, phytoplankton taxonomy, Harmful Algal Blooms, culturing toxic phytoplankton species

Role and Main Tasks

The primary management role of NUIG is to co-ordinate the project. This builds on previous successful co-ordination of EU funded grants (MASTI, MAST III, FP4). NUIG will also manage field activities scheduled for the southwest of Ireland. NUIG has scientific responsibility for characterising the phytoplankton populations, will participate in all field experiments and will contribute to biological rate measurements in WP4 and the (biological) interpretation of physical model outputs (WP6). Through sub-contract with the Irish Marine Institute, which maintains the national phytoplankton and biotoxin monitoring programme, NUIG will oversee the participation of end-users within the project (WP7).

The key personnel is Dr. Robin Raine whose research over the last fifteen years has focused on the relationship between phytoplankton dynamics and physical oceanography on the continental shelf off the south, west and north coasts of Ireland. This research area has now become the core strength of the phytoplankton section at the Martin Ryan Institute ( MRI). A key benefit has been to understand the physical mechanisms involved in promoting exceptional blooms (K. mikimotoi) and the onset of DSP events in the aquaculturally important region of southwestern Ireland. Dr. Raine leads the nationally funded BOHAB (Biological Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms off the west coast of Ireland) project that runs from 2003-2005.

Selected publications (since 2000)

Raine, R. O'Boyle, S., O'Higgins, T., White, M., Patching, J., Cahill, B., and T. McMahon. 2001. A satellite and field portrait of a Karenia mikimotoi bloom off the south coast of Ireland, August, 1998. Hydrobiologia, 465, 187-193..

O'Boyle, S., Nolan, G. and Raine, R. 2002. Harmful phytoplankton events caused by variability in the Irish coastal Current along the west of Ireland. In (Hallegraeff et al., eds.) Harmful Algal Blooms 2000, IOC Unesco, Paris. pp. 145-148.

Raine, R., White, M. and J.D. Dodge. 2002. The summer distribution of net plankton dinoflagellates in the NE Atlantic ocean, west of Ireland. J. Plankton Res., 24, 1131-1147.

Cusack, C.K., Bates, S.S., Quilliam, M.A., Patching, J.W. and Raine, R. Conformation of domoic acid production by Pseudo-nitzschia australis (Bacillariophyceae) isolated from Irish waters. J. Phycology, 38(6), 1106-1112.

Raine, R. Marine Phytoplankton. A practical guide to the phytoplankton of the Atlantic coasts of northwestern Europe. To be published January 2004 (250 pp.).

Participant 2. IFREMER.

http://www.ifremer.fr/

Created by decree in 1984 IFREMER is a public institution placed under the joint supervision of four ministries. There are five main centres (Boulogne-sur-mer, Brest, Nantes, Toulon, Tahiti), and 72 laboratories or research departments, located in 24 stations along the entire coastline of metropolitan France and overseas. IFREMER operates 7 vessels (4 of them deep-sea vessels), 2 manned submersibles, and 1 ROV for deep-sea exploration. Fields of activity include coastal environment management, marine living resource management, ocean research, engineering and marine technology, and managing ocean research vessels and tools for underwater intervention. AmongNovember 24, 2005an ecosystems to forecast and evaluate their natural evolution and the damages they undergo, knowledge of ocean floors related to sustainable exploitation of resources (offshore oil), managing marine environment monitoring networks, developing marine biotechnologies, forecasting fisheries stocks and improving selectivity of fishing gear.

Two IFREMER institutes are involved in the HABIT proposal, the laboratories at Brest and at La Rochelle. The largest IFREMER centre is that of Brest where approximately 1000 people work in various fields of living resources (aquaculture and fisheries), ocean research (geosciences, physical oceanography, oceanography from space, deep sea environment), engineering technology and computing, and the coastal environment. The La Rochelle station is located at l'Houmeau, and houses both the coastal laboratory of the Coastal Environment Division and the joint research unit CNRS/IFREMER CREMA (Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Marine et Aquaculture de L'Houmeau).

Role and main tasks

IFREMER has two central roles within HABIT. First it will utilise the innovative sampling device, developed jointly between personnel at the La Rochelle and Brest IFREMER laboratories, which will be deployed extensively in all field activities planned for the identification and sampling of thin layers. Secondly, the 3D hydrodynamic model (MARS 3D) developed by P. Lazure ( Brest) will be employed for prediction and forecasting the formation and persistence of small scale retention zones, and hence Dinophysis infestations at the coast. Key personnel from IFREMER are Patrick GENTIEN, Pascal LAZURE and Michel LUNVEN.

Dr. Patrick Gentien is the IFREMER co-ordinator for this proposal, and is director of the Joint Research Unit CREMA ( La Rochelle). He has been principal investigator on HABs since 1988, and has developed a large experience in ship-based oceanography. Chairman of the ICES-IOC Working Group on HAB Dynamics (1996-1999), Chairman of the Scientific Steering Committee GEOHAB (Global Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms IOC- SCOR). Besides his major interest in population dynamics of Karenia mikimotoi and Dinophysis acuminata, he has contributed to the development of specific instrumentation such as an in situ particle size analyser and a video-microscope.

Michel Lunven is a research scientist at Ifremer, Brest since 1977. He is mostly interested in the development of in situ instrumentation, helped by a great knowledge in computer sciences. Development of specific probes and instruments, of user-friendly interfaces and real-time data acquisition. He has developed the specific profiler to be used in this project, including the real-time image analysis and has used them in varied biological oceanographic applications. He will be in charge of the instrumentation for the French partner.

Selected Publications (Gentien and Lunven)

Gentien P.,Lunven M., Lehaître M., Duvent J.L., 1995. In situ depth profiling of particle sizes. Dep-Sea Res., 42, 1297-1312

Kononen K., M. Huttunen M., Hällfors S., Gentien P.,Lunven M., Huttula T., Laanemets J., Lilover M., Pavelson J. and Stips A., 2003. Development of a deep chlorophyll maximum of Heterocapsatriquetra Ehrenb. At the entrance to the Gulf of Finland. Limnol. Oceanogr., 48(2), 594-607

Lunven M., P. Gentien, K. Kononen, E. Le Gall and M.M. Daniélou, 2003. In Situ video and diffraction analysis of marine particles. Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci., 57, 5-6, 1127-1138

Lunven M. & Gentien P. 2000 Suspended sediment in a macrotidal estuary : comparison and use of different sensors. Oceanologica Acta23-3, 245-260.

Marcaillou C., P. Gentien, M. Lunven, J. Le Grand, F. Mondeguer, M.M. Daniélou, M.P. Crassous and A. Youénou, 2001. Dinophysis acuminata distribution and specific toxin content in relation to mussel contamination. In Harmful Algal Blooms 2000, Hallegraeff et al. Eds, IOC 2001, pp. 356-359

Guillou L., Nezan E., Cueff V., Denn E.E.L., Cambon-Bonavita M.A., Gentien P., Barbier G., 2002. Genetic diversity and molecular detection of three toxic dinoflagellate genera (Alexandrium, Dinophysis, and Karenia) from French coasts. PROTIST 153 (3) : 223-238

Pascal Lazure is a research engineer, leading the coastal oceanography team at Brest since 1999. His interest lies in modelling oceanographic processes. He has developed a complete 2D and 3D model (MARS). These models are semi implicit finite difference models. This model allows regional modelling of the French coast at time scales from hour to decade. He has implemented numerical schemes allowing hydrodynamical local high resolution (grid size of 100 m or less) studies, and he will be in charge of improving the model and of running numerical experiments.

Allain G., Petitgas P., Lazure P., 2001. The influence of meso-scale ocean process on anchovy recruitement in the Bay of Biscay using a 3D hydrodynamical model. Fisheries Oceanography, Vol. 10 n° 2, 151-163.

Labry C., Herbland A., Delmas D., Laborde P., Lazure P., Froidefond J.M., Jegou A.M., Sautour B. 2001 : Initiation of winter phytoplankton blooms within the Gironde plume waters in the Bay of Biscay. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 212, 117-130

Ramzi A., Arino O., Koutsikopoulos C., Bousouar A., Lazure P. 2001 Modelling and numerical simulations of larval migration of the sole (Solea solea (L.)) of the Bay of Biscay. Part 2 : numerical simulations. Oceanol. Acta 24, 113-124.

Castaing P., Froidefond J.M., Lazure P., Weber O., Prud’homme R., Jouanneau J.M. 1999. Relationship between hydrology and seasonal distribution of suspended sediments on the continental shelf of the Bay of Biscay. Deep Sea Res., Vol 46, N°10 , 1979-2001.

Tartainville B., Deleersnijder E., Lazure P., Proctor R., Ruddick K.G., Uittenbogaard R.E.1998. A coastal ocean model inter-comparison study for a three- dimensional idealised test case, Applied Mathematical. Modelling 22 : 165-182.

Participant 3. Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Vigo, Spain.

http://www.ieo.es/

The Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), an autonomous organization of the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCyT) devoted to fisheries, aquaculture and marine environment studies, is a public research organization that advises the Spanish government on its oceanographic and fisheries policies and represents the country in international organisations. IEO-Vigo is one of the nine IEO coastal oceanographic centres. IEO runs a small 14 m research vessel that is utilised for sampling in the rías, and from which is carried out the routine monitoring sampling of the Galician Rías Baixas (2 days per week). The group of “Toxic Microalgae” from IEO-Vigo has a long experience in taxonomy, ecophysiology and toxin analyses of harmful microalgal species. It was in charge of the monitoring of HABs from 1977 to 1992, when this activity was transferred to the Galician autonomous government. Ever since the group focused its activities to HAB-related research projects. The centre holds a Culture Collection of Harmful Algae and the IOC-IEO Science & Communication Centre on Harmful Algae.

Role and main tasks

The main role of IEO is to lead the investigation on the behaviour and nutrition of Dinophysis communities. To this end, e quipment available at IEO-Vigo includes: Culture facilities with 3 walk-in culture rooms at different controlled temperatures and an incubator; a collection of marine microalgae specialized in harmful algae, most of them isolated from local waters by its personnel; standard and inverted light microscopes with UV epifluorescence and different filter sets; several Liquid chromatography systems with fluorescence detection, diode array and mass spectrometry. PAM (Walz) and Turner Designs fluorometers. Fluorescence and absorbance microplate readers. Nutrients analyzer (Skalar). Biospherical quantum sensor.

The key personnel is Dr. Beatriz REGUERA, Senior Scientist, Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), Oceanographic Centre of Vigo (IEO-Vigo). Expertise in phytoplankton monitoring, autoecology and ecophysiology. Principal Investigator of HAB-related projects at the IEO-Vigo since 1988. In the last years has focused herresearch on the morphological variability, cell cycle, life cycle and autecology of dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis that cause Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning events. Editor/coeditor of two HAB related books of proceedings and a regional manual. Chair of the “ICES-IOC WG on HAB Dynamics” (1991-1995). Chair of the IOC Intergovernmental Panel on Harmful Algal Blooms (IPHAB) and ex officio member of the Scientific Steering Committee for the IOC- SCOR GEOHAB Programme since October 2002.

Selected publications

Reguera B. 2003. Biology, autoecology and toxinology of the main species of the genus Dinophysis associated with Diarrheic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP), Ph D thesis (in Spanish). University of Barcelona, 298 pp.

Reguera B., Garcés E., Pazos Y., Bravo I., Ramilo, I. & González-Gil, S. 2003. Cell cycle patterns and estimates of in situ division rates of dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis by a postmitotic index. Marine Ecology Progress Series 249: 117-131.

Reguera B., E. Garcés & T. Wyatt. 2002. In situ division rates of several species of Dinophysis: values of µ from integrated samples versus values at specific depths. Oral presentation at the X International Conference on Harmful Algal Blooms, Florida, October 2002. Paper submitted to Harmful Algae.

Garcés, E., Zingone A., Montresor M., RegueraB. & B. Dale, 2002. LIFEHAB: Life histories of microalgal species causing harmful algal blooms. Research in Enclosed Seas - 12, EUR 20361, Luxemburg, 214 pp.

Reguera B. & González-Gil S. 2001. Small cell and intermediate cell formation in species of Dinophysis. Journal of Phycology 37(2): 318-333.

Participant 4. Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK

The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Cefas, is a UK-based research centre, within the fields of fisheries science and management, oceanography, environmental monitoring and assessment, fish farming and fish health. The Cefas Lowestoft laboratory specialises in the areas of physical oceanography, fisheries science and management, environmental processes and radiological environmental monitoring. It has one ocean going research vessel the 73m Endeavour. The Laboratory is in the forefront of the development of innovative automatic data capture systems and sensors for use in hostile environments.

Role and main tasks

The roles of Cefas will be the measurement of vertical and horizontal diffusion at scales pertinent to thin sub-surface layers of phytoplankton. A 3D physical model of the Celtic Sea currently in use at Cefas will be employed to study the formation and transport of small-scale structure in the northern Celtic Sea at the southwestern Ireland study site.

Dr. Liam Fernand has interests in all aspects of shelf seas processes with particular focus on high resolution instrumentation.

Paul McCloghrie combines field work and modelling and a love of Diving. His recent scientific research interests have been the application of GETM model to the North and Celtic Seas.

Selected Publications

E.F. Young, J. Brown, J.N. Aldridge, K.J. Horsburgh and L. Fernand 2003 Development and Application of a Three-Dimensional Baroclinic Model to the Study of the Seasonal Circulation in the Celtic Sea Continetal Shelf Research (in press).

Brown, J., Carillo, L., Fernand, L., Horsburgh, K.J., Hill, A.E. and Young, E.F., 2003. Observations of the physical structure and seasonal jet-like circulation of the Celtic Sea and St. George’s Channel of the Irish Sea. Continental Shelf Res 23 533 - 561

Brown, J., Fernand, L., Horsburgh, K.J., Hill, A.E. and Read, J.W., 2001. Paralytic shellfish poisoning on the east coast of the UK in relation to seasonal density-driven circulation. Journal of Plankton Research, Journal of Plankton Research, 23, 105 – 116

Horsburgh, K.J., Hill, A.E., Brown, J., Fernand, L., Garvine, R.W. and Angelico, M.M.P., 2000. Seasonal evolution of the cold pool gyre in the western Irish Sea. Progress in Oceanography, 46, 1 - 58.

Brown, J., Hill, A.E., Fernand, L. and Horsburgh, K.J., 1999. Observations of a seasonal jet-like circulation at the central North Sea cold pool margin. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Sciences. 44, 343-355.

Fernand L., 1999. High resolution observations of the velocity filed and thermohaline structure of the western Irish Sea gyre, PhD Thesis, University of Wales, Bangor, 93p.

Hill, A.E., Brown, J. and Fernand, L., 1997. The summer gyre in the western Irish Sea: shelf sea paradigms and management implications. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Sciences, 44 (Supplement A), 83 - 95.