THE MESOPLANKTON OF THE WESTERN KARA SEA AND THE BAIDARA BAY

The composition and quantative distribution of mesoplankton, sampled i n the cruises of the research vessels ''Dmitry Mendeleev'' and ''Pavel Bashmakov'' during late August - early September, 1993 is analysed. T he plankton was sampled by the 150-litre bottles, BR-nets 113/140 and Judey-nets 37/50. The seasonal condition of the community in the main part of the water area was a late summer one. The dominating mesoplank ton form was Calanus finmarchicus s.l. (54% of the total biomass on th e average), and near the coast of the Yamal peninsula the large Sagitt a elegans was of great significance. Three types of the communities ma y be specified: 1. the ones adapted to the waters of the circulation i n the south-western part of the sea; 2. the ones joined to the detritu s rich brackish waters from the eastern sea regions; and 3. the commun ities of the coastal areas of the Yamal peninsula and the Baidara Bay. The plankton distribution in the Baidara Bay was very uneven, the mid dle part of the Bay being the most rich. The similarity of the distrib ution pattern of the biomasses in the autumn of 1993 and 1991 should b e mentioned.