Menshutkin, 1964; Menshutkin, Prikhod'ko, 1968; Brocksen et al . , 1970; 

 Zaika, 1973; Shushkina, Kislyakov, 1975), the productivity of ecosystems 

 (Menshutkin, 1967, 1971; Smith, 1972; Gupta, Houdeshell , 1973; Steele, 

 1974; V. I. Balyayev, et al . , 1974; Winberg, Anisimov, 1969; Vinogradov 

 et al . , 1971, 1975, 1976). The significance of mathematical modelling 

 for the solution of the problem of effective utilization of the natural 

 resources of bodies of water is quite obvious (Krogius et al . , 1969; 

 Menshutkin, 1971; 1972; McKenzie, Mathisen, 1971). 



In spite of the successes achieved in the study of the rate of 

 production at various levels of organization of aquatic communities 

 (species population, trophic level, community as a whole), the available 

 data are insufficient to reveal the general regularities which define 

 the level of production of animals in various regions of the ocean and 

 in various geographic zones. However, in recent years some summarizing 

 works along this line have appeared for both marine and fresh-water 

 ecosystems (Raymont, 1966; Winberg, 1968; Mullin, 1969; Mann, 1969; 

 Greze, 1971, 1973a, b; Zaika, 1972; Gushing, 1975; Winberg et al . , 1974; 

 Bougis, 1974; Steele, 1974). 



Unfortunately, the production estimates of various authors were 

 made by diverse methods, with various degrees of accuracy, for various 

 seasons and periods of time, which makes any attempt to summarize the 

 available materials and come to any definite conclusions concerning the 

 level of production of aquatic animals in different geographic zones 

 still more difficult. Nevertheless, it is clear (Greze, 1973a) that in 

 the boreal regions of the ocean (Bering and Barents Seas, Northern 

 Pacific) the annual secondary production is lower than in the southern 

 regions (Black and Azov Seas, tropical Atlantic). The same patterns are 

 apparently true for fresh-water ecosystems (Winberg et al . , 1974; 

 Winberg, 1975). It seems desirable to attempt to summarize the 

 materials accumulated to date on the rate of production at various 

 levels in pelagic communities in waters of varying trophic levels in the 

 most studied tropical regions of the ocean and the southern seas of the 

 USSR. 



The factual material presented below was obtained primarily during 

 expeditions conducted by the Institute of Oceanography, Academy of 

 Sciences, USSR and, in order to avoid repetition, is only compared with 

 results obtained and discussed in review publications of recent years 

 (Greze, 1970, 1971, 1973a, b; Bougis, 1974; Steele, 1974; and others). 



It must be emphasized that with all methods of estimation of the 

 production rate for all trophic levels of a planktonic community, 

 complete study of the ecosystem is necessary; it is particularly 

 important that information be available on the concentrations of all 

 elements of plankton in a single sample. This allows us to avoid or at 

 least minimize the bias of estimates resulting from nonuniformity of 

 distribution of elements of the community, unavoidable when different 

 types of equipment are used to catch specimens at different times. In 

 recent years, in the expeditions of the Institute of Oceanography, high 

 capacity water bottles (100-150 a) have been used, allowing us to 

 determine the concentration of practically all plankton elements with 



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