Organic Matter of the White Sea

Abstract

The concentrations of dissolved and particulate organic matter (OM), as well as their elemental (Corg, Norg, Porg) and biochemical composition (proteins, carbohydrates, lipids), in the White Sea are determined. The main biochemical component of dissolved OM is carbohydrates and particulate OM proteins. In the ecosystem of the Dvina Bay, the concentrations of OM and their distribution are mainly determined by the powerful runoff of Severnaya Dvina River and Onega Bay – by the runoff of Onega and Kem rivers. In the spring-summer period, these indicators are also affected by the intensity of phytoplankton growth. In the northern part of the Sea, these parameters are determined by the intensity of water exchange with the Barents Sea and by the intensity of primary production. In the deepest ecosystems of Kandalaksha Bay and Basin, the concentrations of OM and their biochemical composition largely depend on both the penetration of the transformed Barents Sea waters and the intensity of biological processes. The oxidation processes are intensive in Kandalaksha Bay, while the minimum rates of oxidation characterize the waters of Dvina and Onega Bays. The maximum rates of the organophosphorus mineralization occur in the Basin and in the estuaries in Onega and Kandalaksha Bays, while the lowest rates are in Dvina Bay.