Bacterioplankton in the photic layer of the Sodruzhestvo Sea area and adjoining waters consists in summer primarily of cocci, with fractions smaller than 2 ?m predominating. The average abundance and biomass of microorganisms are 427 thousand cells/ml and 438 mg C/m2, with ranges of 150-1770 thousand cells/ml and 221-1146 mg C/m2. The average daily production and bacterial destruction increase from 49 and 104 mg C/m2 at the beginning of the growth period to 85 and 180 mg C/m2 in the middle of the period and remain at this level till the end. Despite low rate of increase (daily P/B coefficient averages 0.12), because of its high abundance bacterioplankton in Antarctic waters plays a major role in destruction of organic matter, accounting for 60-85% of energy consumed by heterotrophs.

Supplement to: Samyshev, E Z (1986): Bacterioplankton of Antarctic waters: concentration, production and bacterial destruction. Oceanology, 26(4), 508-512