Plankton net community production and dark respiration in the Arabian Sea during September 1994

Plankton community net and gross production and dark respiration were determined from in vitro changes in dissolved inorganic carbon and dissolved oxygen during September 1994 along a southeast offshore transect in the Arabian Sea. Surface rates of gross production decreased from 17±0.7 mmol C m-3 d-1 at a coastal upwelling station to 3±0.8 mmol C m-3 d-1 at the most offshore station. The euphotic zone at the time of sampling was predominantly heterotrophic, with integrated net community production values ranging from 15±7 mmol C m-2 d-1 inshore to −253±32 mmol C m-2 d-1 offshore. Calculations of the respiration attributable to the major plankton groups could account for 61–87% of the dark community respiration measured at the inshore stations, but only 15–26% of the community respiration determined offshore. Comparison of the fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon and oxygen revealed a tendency for higher respiratory quotients than those calculated for organic metabolism prevailing at the offshore stations.