Phytoplankton Provision with Nutrients
in the Northern Part of the Sea of Okhotsk

N. V. Arzhanova, I. A. Naletova, V. V. Sapozhnikov, and A. V. Polyakova

All-Russia Research Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanography, Moscow, Russia

Received December 26, 2000; in final form, May 15, 2001

Abstract—The nutrient stocks within the euphotic layer and the “new” primary production were calculated
from the data of a survey carried out in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk. These nutrient stocks provided
values of the total primary production from 20 to 240 g C/m² a year, in which the share of the “new” production
ranges from 10 to 145 g C/m² a year. Despite the universal nitrate nitrogen deficiency, silicon was shown to play
the decisive role in the value and distribution pattern of the primary production within the water column, as well
as in the formation of the species composition of the summer phytocoenosis. The contribution of the upwellings
above the Kashevarov Bank and off the Yamskie Islands was estimated. Extrapolation of the data obtained over
the entire area studied results in an annual primary production of 0.8 10⁸ t C per year and, taking into account
the effect of the upwellings, it should, at least, be doubled.

Pleiades Publishing home page | journal home page | top

If you have any problems with this server, contact webmaster.