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On the production, elemental composition (C, N, P) and distribution of photosynthetic organic matter in the Southern Black Sea

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Abstract

Chemical oceanographic understanding of the southernBlack Sea has been improved by recent measurements ofthe optical transparency, phytoplankton biomass (interms of chlorophyll-a and particulate organic matter)and primary productivity. During the spring-autmunperiod of 1995–1996, light generally penetrated onlyinto the upper 15–40 m, with an attenuation coefficientvarying between 0.125 and 0.350 m2122;1. The averagechlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations for the euphoticzone ranged from 0.1 to 1.5 µg l2122;1. Coherentsub-surface Chl-a maxima were formed near the base ofthe euphotic zone only in summer. Production rate variedbetween 247 and 1925 in the spring and between 405 and687 mgC m2122;2 d2122;1 in the summer-autumn period.The average POM concentrations in the euphotic zonevaried regionally and seasonally between 3.8 and28.6 µm for POC, 0.5 and 3.1 µm for PON and0.02 and 0.1 µm for PP. Atomic ratios of C/N, C/Pand N/P, derived from the regressions of POM data,ranged between 7.5 and 9.6, 109 and 165, and 11.2 and16.6, respectively. In the suboxic/anoxic interface,the elemental ratios change substantially due to anaccumulation of PP cohering to Fe and Mn oxides. Thechemocline boundaries and the distinct chemicalfeatures of the oxic/anoxic transition layer (the so-called suboxic zone) are all located at specificdensity surfaces; however, they exhibit remarkablespatial and temporal variations both in their positionand in their magnitude, which permit the definition of long-term changes in the biochemical properties of theBlack Sea upper layer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Marine Sciences, Middle East Technical University, P.O.Box 28, 33731, Erdemli-Içel, Turkey

    Ayşen Yılmaz, Süleyman Tuğrul, Dilek Ediger & Yeşim Çoban

  2. Institute of Marine Sciences and Management, Istanbul University, Müşküle Sok., No 10, Vefa-Istanbul, Turkey

    Çolpan Polat

  3. Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜBITAK), Marmara Research Center, P.O.Box 21, 41470, Gebze-Kocaeli, Turkey

    Enis Morkoç

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Yılmaz, A., Tuğrul, S., Polat, Ç. et al. On the production, elemental composition (C, N, P) and distribution of photosynthetic organic matter in the Southern Black Sea. Hydrobiologia 363, 141–155 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003150512182

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