| Bacteria, meiofauna and macrofauna abundance and biomass, along with total community respiration, were measured in sediments at 58 stations in six locations along a latitudinal gradient in the northern hemisphere: Greenland; Newfoundland, Canada; Texas, Louisiana, Mexico, and, Honduras. The mean “total” benthic biomass from all sites was 3.14 ± 3.58 g C m-2. The highest total biomass was found in Conception Bay, Nfld. (9.04 ± 2.05 g C m-2), whereas the lowest biomass was recorded in the Gulf of Mexico at abyssal depths (0.43 g C m-2).; At the low-temperature stations the biomass was high relative to low metabolic activities, giving biomass turnover times that were very long, while the opposite relationship characterized the sub-tropical environments at low latitudes.; Mass-specific relationships were applied to the biomass values to estimate total respiration as well as partition infaunal metabolism among the size groups. This estimate matched total oxygen consumption measured with benthic chambers when sulfate reducers were included at enriched sites.; The biomass and respiration data were used to develop steady state models of carbon cycling within each area. On the basis of the models, the areas were then divided into three categories: “bacteria-dominated” communities, “macro/meiofauna” dominated communities, and “balanced” communities. It is hypothesized that the differences observed are related to the differing paths followed by organic matter cycling into and through each type of sediment food web. |
