THE KARA SEA 



221 



Fig. 93. Chart of the Kara Sea with depths and currents (according to data 

 of Arctic Institute). 



large sizes of invertebrates, very poor fish, and very low indices of biomass 

 and productivity. 



The Kara Sea is a true outpost of the high Arctic, since all the characteristic 

 features of the endemic high Arctic conditions and all the attenuating influ- 

 ences of the foreign Atlantic waters are reflected in it with extreme clarity. 



II. HISTORY OF EXPLORATION 

 First period 



The first data on the Kara Sea were collected by the Swedish expeditions of O. 

 Nordenskjold in 1875 (in the Proven), in 1876 (in the Imer) and in 1878 (in the 

 Vega). In 1882 and 1883 biological work was carried out there by a Dutch 

 expedition in the Varna and by a Danish one in the Dymphna. In 1893 the 



