| Benthic community structure, biomass and carbon cycling in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas are hypothesized to be regulated by food supplied by variable primary production regimes in the overlying water masses. These water masses transport Pacific Ocean water northward through Bering Strait and across the shelf of the Chukchi Sea. Benthic community structure and metabolism, along with water column and sediment organic carbon, were investigated. Low surface sediment C/N ratios (5.7-7.7) suggest a higher quality, nitrogen-rich marine carbon supply to the benthos in the highly productive (... |
