Particulate carbohydrates in the Arabian Sea

Abstract

Particulate carbohydrate (PECHO) was measured for 183 samples collected from 8 depths at 23 stations. The (PCHO) concentrations varied from 22 to 125 mu g.l-1 (x bar = 52.42 plus or minus 19.56 mu g.l-1 at the surface and decreased from 4.6 to 47.5 mu g.l-1 (x = 19.46 plus or minus 12.21 mu g.l-1 300 m. Below 300 m, especially at 600 to 1000 m, PCHO concentrations increased and were similar to those observed at the surface or were 2 to 4 times higher at 1000 m. Spatial and temporal variations observed for PCHO seem to parallel the distribution of chlorophyll a. The deep water PCHO maximum was found embedded within the dissolved oxygen minimum layer. The observed pattern of PCHO distribution is discussed with respect to some biological and physicochemical factors.