Vertical distribution of mesoplankton in the open area of the Black Sea

In April–May 1984 mesoplankton vertical distribution in the Black Sea was studied by sampling with a 150-l waterbottle, vertical plankton nets with mesh-sizes of 180 and 500 mkm and by direct counting of the jelly-fish Aurelia aurita, the ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus, Calanus helgolandicus and the chaetognath Sagitta setosa from the manned submersible Argus. During daytime throughout the whole deep-water body of the sea near the lower oxycline boundary, plankton forms a layer of high concentration (from 2.5 to 38 g m^-3); its thickness varies from 5 to 10–20 m and it has an unchangeable vertical structure; its upper portion is formed by the ctenophore P. pileus, its middle portion by V–VI copepodites of C. helgolandicus, and its lower portion by the population of S. setosa. The lower boundary of this layer coincides with 0.4 to 0.5 ml O₂ l^-1 isooxygen surface, and the depth of its location varies in different areas of the sea from 150 to 50 m, depending on the depth location of 0.5 ml O₂ l^-1 isooxygen surface. By night the animals, which form this layer, migrate towards the surface.     

On mathematical simulation of a pelagic ecosystem in tropical waters of the ocean

Consideration is given to a finite-difference model of functioning of a pelagic community inhabiting the upper 0 to 200 m layer of the tropical waters of the ocean. The model was developed on the basis of original data, obtained mainly on the 44th cruise of the R.V. Vityaz in the western Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Changes in the system are studied in time (up to 100 days, with 1 day intervals) and in depth (from surface to 200 m depth, with 10 m intervals). The state of the system in the upwelling zone, assumed to be characterized by a homogeneous vertical distribution of all its elements, is regarded as initial. The system then develops with time while it moves with the water flow. The model was realized on a BESM-3M computor. The computations yielded a pattern of changes in time of the biomass of the elements (expressed in calories), and a pattern of their vertical distribution at different instants. The vertical distribution pattern of the major elements of the model shows a rather close correlation with their observed distribution in the ocean at the corresponding instant.     

Biotic balance and biomass assessment of the ocean population

In marine ecosystems the destruction and release of chemical pollutants occur mainly due to the activity of their biotic components via the processes of biodifferentiation and biosedimentation. These porcesses determine the assimilative capacity of the oceans and their areas. During the development (succession) of the planktonic community in the euphotic layer of the oceans changes occur of both the quantity of produced organic matter and portion transferred from the community to the deeper layers and in sediments. Waters of different trophicity correspond to different stages of the community's development. Taking into account the areas of waters with different trophicity and the characteristic biomass estimates of the basic structural components of the plankton community, the authors have tried to assess the annual primary production of the oceans. Its total amount makes up 65×10⁹ tons C. Certain estimates for phytoplankton, bacterioplankton, microzooplankton and mesozooplankton content were obtained.     

Some development patterns of plankton communities in the upwelling areas of the Pacific Ocean

The principal trophic levels, each subdivided into groups of organismic elements, are distinguished in the planktonic communities of the Eastern Equatorial and the Peruvian upwellings. Production intensity or metabolism have been determined experimentally for all elements. A scheme is suggested for computing production from data on metabolism for all the elements of a community, as well as for computing net and real production and other functional characteristics for definite trophic levels and the community as a whole. Based on the quantitative estimation of the efficiency of primary production and other functional characteristics, the development of communities is divided into production and destruction periods; they are, in turn, subdivided into steps associated with a certain degree of water trophicity. The balance of net production of the communities in the Peruvian upwelling indicates that the excess production of a community above the shelf is utilized completely in the narrow (100 to 150 sea miles) band of off-shore water. This paper describes an attempt to trace the changes taking place in the functional characteristics of plankton communities and to compare them with the changes observed in the communities of the Peruvian and East-Equatorial upwellings.