358 



[chap. 17 



In general, though with a few notable exceptions, production rates in 

 tropical open-ocean waters were found to be almost uniformly and consistently 

 low, usually ranging between 0.05 and 0.15 g carbon/m 2 /day. Their con- 

 sistency, regardless of the time of year the measurements were made, make it 

 appear that the lack of seasonal coverage is not a serious omission. There is no 

 need, therefore, to consider the majority of these data in any further detail. 



One of the above-mentioned exceptions concerns the productivity of the 

 Pacific equatorial region which Holmes et al., Jitts and Rotschi, and Steemann 

 Nielsen and Jensen all found to be appreciably higher (ca. 0.50 g carbon/m 2 /day) 

 than that of waters to the north and south of the equator. The equatorial part 



528 527 526 516 525 517 524 



North Stotion No. 



Bermuda 



523 519 522 520 

 South 



Fig. 5. Primary production and the thermal structure of the upper 700 m along a section 

 between 34°N, 67°W and 25°N, 64°W in March, 1959. (After Ryther and Menzel, 

 1960.) 



of the Indian Ocean was also shown by Steemann Nielsen and Jensen to have 

 significantly higher production rates (0.20-0.25 g carbon/m 2 /day) than tropical 

 waters in general. 



Two in situ 14 C measurements in the Mediterranean two miles south of 

 Monaco gave values of 0.03 and 0.04 g carbon/m 2 /day in July and October 

 respectively (Brouardel and Rink, 1956). Three measurements by Steemann 

 Nielsen and Jensen and three by the author (unpublished) in the Caribbean 

 Sea (10°-20°N lat.) gave values between 0.10 and 0.20 g carbon/m 2 /day. The 

 Galathea section from the West Indies to Europe, which crossed the Atlantic 



