PRELIMINARY OVERVIEW OF ZOOPLANKTON DISTR IBUTION ABOVE THE PROVENCALSHELF EDGE

Zooplanktonic biomass over the Provencal shelf edge is bring assessed by different methods on several cruises since 1992. In order to enable a long term assessment of advective transfer under the influence of t he Liguro-Provencal current and the hydrological conditions prevailing in the area, zooplankton abundance (number of individuals per cubic m eter), dry weight and carbon equivalents are determined. This prelimin ary outline is based on the results of two cruises carried out in the axis of the Planier and Cassidaigne Canyons, located in the Southeaste rn area of the Gulf of Marseilles. In fact the pelagic and the neritic zooplankton are taken into account, as is the benthoplankton. The lat ter supply sometimes provides an important proportion of the total bio mass. A large proportion of the biomass carried by the Ligurian curren t in this area may concentrate over the northern continental shelf, in cluding that of the gulf of Marseilles. The values of dry weight confi rm the oligotrophic character of the Provencal continental margin and the carbon % values, like the C/N ratio, enable differentiation of the different zooplankton groups.