A visual examination of the distribution patterns presented here 

 shows approximate agreement with the ratios of Si:X:P deter- 

 mined for intermediate depths of the Athintic Ocean by Richards 

 (1958). A ratio that approximates 15:15:1 is seen, for example 

 in the nutrient maxima at 1,000-2,500 meters in the Labrador Sea. 

 With the limited data available, no more precise estimate of the ratio 

 between nutrients has been attempted. In the isolated deep water of 

 Baffin Bay, higher concentrations of silicate are found than would be 

 expected from the amount of phosphate present. Richards suggests 

 for similar areas where this same phenomenon occurs that the excess 

 silicate may originate from in situ re-solution of skeletal remains of 

 diatoms or from re-solution of bottom deposits followed by upward 

 diffusion. Increases of nitrate and phosphate in the bottom water of 

 Baffin Bay presumablv represent regeneration products from the 

 residues of surface production. This is also suggested by the addi- 

 tional oxygen utilization which is seen in the region. 



The present survey of nutrient distribution thus adds evidence to 

 support the circulation pattern deduced from other data and intro- 

 duces some speculations of a biological nature. Xo greater elabora- 

 tion of detail is possible in the absence of additional quantitative 

 biological data. 



REFERENCES 



DiGBY, P. S. B. 1953. Plankton production in Scoresby Sound, 

 East Greenland. Jour. Anim. Ecol. 22: 289-322. 



Hagen, S. KuHXEL. 1931. Die Godthaabexpedition 1928. Bericht 

 liber die chemischen arbeiten. I. Medd. om Gronland. Komm. 

 Vidensk. Undersogelser i Gronland. Bd. 78 Xo. 2. 28 pp. 



Hagen, S. KtJHXEL. 1936. Die Godthaabexpedition 1928. Bericht 

 iiber die chemischen arbeiten. II. Verteilung von Phosphat und 

 X'itrat im Gewasser zwischen Gronland und Kanada. Medd. om 

 Gronland. Komm. Vidensk. Undersogelser i Gronland. Bd. 78 

 Xo. 4. 36 pp. 



Harvey, H. W. 1948. The estimation of phosphate and of total 

 phosphorus in sea waters. Jour. Mar. Bio. Assoc. U.K. 26 (2) : 

 337-359. 



Holmes, R. W. 1956. The annual cycle of phytoplankton in the 

 Labrador Sea. 1950-51. Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Coll. 16 (1) : 

 1-74. 



Ketchum, B. H., X". CoRwiN and D. J. Keen. 1955. The signif- 

 icance of organic phosphorus determinations in ocean waters. 

 Deep Sea Res. 2: 172-181. 



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