MARINE ZOOPLANKTONIC AND BENTHIC COMMUNITY RESPIRATION RATES AT RESOLUTE, CANADIAN HIGH ARCTIC

Benthic community respiration rates and macrozooplankton (>202 mu m) b iomass and respiration rates were measured throughout a calender year at Resolute (74 degrees 42'N, 94 degrees 50'W). The plankton averaged 7.2 g dry weight.m(-2) with no seasonal pattern and respired 82 g O.m( -2).yr(-1). Gelatinous and chaetognath predators made up 10% of macroz ooplankton biomass and respired 6.4% of planktonic respiration. The li pid content of the nongelatinous fraction fluctuated seasonaly from 64 % of dry weight in midwinter to 46% in early summer. The benthic soft- bottom community inside Resolute Bay respired about 125 g O-2.m(-2).yr (-1), with a twofold rate increase in late summer. Offshore on hard bo ttom the few measurements we obtained suggested a respiration rate of about 75 g O-2.m(-2).yr(-1). The macrozooplankton and benthos were the refore approximately equal in energy flow. The total ecosystem respira tion of 157 g O-2.m(-2).yr(-1) corroborated a previous independent est imate of photosynthesis of 60 g C.m(-2).yr(-1) for the region. Micropl ankton respiration appeared to be relatively low. Our results are cons istent with the hypothesis that the proporion of primary production ex ported to the benthos increases with decreasing water temperature and depth, increasing latitude, and increasing cell size.