GLACIERS CAUSED ZOOPLANKTON MORTALITY

Dead zooplankton were found in grab samples collected in Kongsfjorden (79 degrees N, Svalbard archipelago) in summer of 1995 and 1996. The c oncentration of dead plankters reached over 500 individuals of copepod s and 130 individuals of Themisto per square metre. The biomass of dea d zooplankton reached 0.17 g C m(-2) locally, and was not correlated w ith the depth of the locality nor with the surface salinity. The bulk of sedimented plankton was, however, found behind the sill of the inne r fjord basin. We assume that massive discharge of glacial waters in s ummer causes mass mortality of surface zooplankton, which drift away a nd sink in the inner fjord pool, thus supplying benthic communities wi th organic carbon.