CHAPTER IV. PRODUCTION OF MARINE COMMUNITIES 



1. Primary Production . (0. Y. Koblentz-Mishke, V. I. Vedernikov) 



The subject of this section is the primary production of organic 

 matter in the ocean. It is usually identified with the photosynthesis 

 of algae, primarily planktonic algae. Actually, primary production 

 should be identified not only with photosynthesis, but also with all 

 primary biosynthesis, which consists of photosynthesis and mineral 

 nutrition. The heterotrophic feeding of phytoplankton, although it 

 increases the same biomass which is formed in the process of primary 

 production is, strictly speaking, secondary production. The same 

 applies also to the heterotrophic feeding of bacteria and to almost all 

 forms of chemosynthesis, since the source of energy in chemosynthesis 

 generally consists of the organic compounds or products of their 

 decomposition, produced earlier in the process of photosynthesis. In 

 other words, the energy stored in these substances in the form of 

 chemical bonds is transformed solar energy, absorbed in the process of 

 photosynthesis. 



The study of the primary production of the World Ocean was begun in 

 the 1920's by the oxygen method, which is not highly sensitive. Some 

 estimates of the total value of primary production in the marginal seas 

 were produced by the method of the balance of nutrients. Extensive 

 development of the study of primary production began in 1951, when E. 

 Steemann Nielsen introduced the radiocarbon method of its measurement. 

 For some time, until approximately 1960, intensive collection of data by 

 routine methods predominated. This descriptive stage was consummated by 

 the composition of a map of primary production (see Biologiya okeana. 

 Biologicheskaya struktura okeana [Ocean Biology. The Biologic Structure 

 of the Ocean]). In the last 15 years, works on physiologic 

 interpretation of the measured values have predominated, resulting in 

 some decrease in further collection of large quantities of data. The 

 physiologic approach to the problems of primary production has resulted 

 in the use of various, basically biochemical indices and the revision of 

 the radiocarbon method. At the present time, we see a gap in the 

 "meeting point" of the results of physiologic works, which in most cases 

 are performed using cultures of algae, and the results of field 

 observations. The data produced from cultures are frequently simply 

 transferred to natural conditions without reservation, although in many 

 cases there is no sufficient basis for this. In this section, in order 

 to establish the relationships between the level of primary production, 

 structural characteristics of phytoplankton and conditions of its 

 existence, we shall utilize materials obtained under conditions as close 

 as possible to natural ones. Particular attention shall be given to a 

 differentiated approach to results obtained in the various regions of 

 the World Ocean. Comparisons have been made separately for the polar, 



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