CHANGES IN THE ORGANIC-MATTER COMPOSITION OF MACROPHYTES IN THE WHITESEA LITTORAL-ZONE

Our studies suggest an important role of marine algae in organic matte r formation and its subsequent transformation in the shelf zone of the ocean, predominantly of its continental seas. Marine algae provide or ganic matter in three ways: release of dissolved substances in water, input in water and ground after the thallus decomposition and, finally , formation of deposits. All this suggests a large input of the organi c matter in the environment in habitats of marine algae, coastal and s helf zones, and, hence, the marine algae, whose role was underestimate d, can produce much more (by one-two orders of magnitude) organic matt er in the coastal zone than phytoplankton.