DISTRIBUTION AND COMPOSITION OF GELATINOUS DETRITAL MATERIAL FROM CLOSING NET HAULS IN THE NE ATLANTIC

Gelatinous, dark green, cohesive flocculent material was examined from MOCNESS hauls (333 mum mesh) at discrete depth intervals over the water column. The samples were taken in April and May 1988 at two oceanic sites in the NE Atlantic, ca. 300 km apart. The wet weight of the detrital material was measured and the composition was determined by light microscopy and different staining approaches. In May, the amount of detrital material was higher (decreasing from 2000 mg/1000 m3 at 800 m to 200 mg/1000 m3 at 3200 m) than in April (decreasing from 700 mg/1000 m3 at 800 m to 20 mg/1000 m3 at 3200 m), probably due to an advanced phytoplankton and salp bloom. The staining approaches indicated slightly depth- and time-dependent differences. Benthic algae were found incorporated in the detrital material, indicating their long-range dispersal.