Taxonomic units, civilization, volcanism: Their influence on the chemical composition of ostracod carapaces (Kagoshima Bay, Kyushu Island, Japan)

Abstract

To test the influence of both civilization and volcanism on the chemical composition of ostracod carapaces, 32 well-preserved valves from Kagoshima Bay (Kyushu Island, South Japan) were analysed by means of spark source mass spectrometry. In Kagoshima Bay, the extent of pollution corresponds to human activities. Kagoshima Bay is also an area of important volcanic activity: emissions from Sakurajima volcano are very frequent. The species analysed were Argilloecia hanaii, Callistocythere undulatifacialis, Pontocythere subjaponica and Loxoconcha tosaensis. Twenty-three chemical elements were detected. Among them, 11 were always above the limit of detection: Al, B, Cl, F, Fe, K, Na, P, S, Si and Zn. The correlation between Zn and Fe was characteristic of the volcanic environment. Two discriminant analyses were performed using either the location area or the species as grouping variables. An association between Zn and S is possible; it could be related to volcanic activity. The chemical composition of carapaces is ascribed to taxonomic units rather than the environment.

Keywords:

• Chemical composition
• civilization
• Japan
• ostracods
• Sakurajima volcano
• volcanism

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgments

Financial support for this work was in part from the Japan Society for Promotion of Science, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and University Claude Bernard, Lyon 1, France; the chemical analyses were performed in CEA (Saclay, France). Particular thanks are due to Emeritus Professor Tomio Henmi, the then captain of the RV Keiten maru and to Mr Seiji Higashikawa, the then captain of the RV Kagoshima-maru, both of the Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University. Many thanks are due to an anonymous referee, Dr Manuel Palacios-Fest and Dr Kunihiro Ishizaki who helped to improve the manuscript; Mrs Glynis Thoiron checked the English. Figures were drawn by Noël Podevigne.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark