Different spreading of Somali and Arabian coastal upwelled waters in the northern Indian Ocean: A case study

The spreading pathways of the Somali and Arabian coastal upwelled waters in the northern Indian Ocean are identified from an ocean re-analysis data set of a single year using numerical passive tracers in a transport model. The Somali and Arabian coastal upwelled waters are found to have entirely different spreading pathways in the northern Indian ocean. The former circulates anticyclonically, is mixed vertically, and is advected to the eastern Indian Ocean along the north equatorial region; while the later intrudes into the northern Arabian Sea, circulates anticyclonically and is advected to the south in the central Arabian Sea and then to the eastern Indian Ocean. The seasonal surface mixing by strong monsoon winds and sheared currents due to dominant eddies of the Somali region are found responsible for mixing 25% of Somali upwelled water with the subsurface and affecting the resultant pathways. The effect of mixing is, however, found negligible in the case of Arabian coastal upwelled water pathways. The seasonal reversal of circulation and eddy dominance during the southwest monsoon cause the Somali upwelled water to spread over the northern Indian Ocean faster than the simultaneously upwelled Arabian coastal water.     

Denitrification in the Arabian Sea: A 3D ecosystem modelling study

A three-dimensional hydrodynamic-ecosystem model was used to examine the factors determining the spatio-temporal distribution of denitrification in the Arabian Sea. The ecosystem model includes carbon and nitrogen as currencies, cycling of organic matter via detritus and dissolved organic matter, and both remineralization and denitrification as sinks for material exported below the euphotic zone. Model results captured the marked seasonality in plankton dynamics of the region, with characteristic blooms of chlorophyll in the coastal upwelling regions and central Arabian Sea during the southwest monsoon, and also in the northern Arabian Sea during the northeast monsoon as the mixed layer shoals. Predicted denitrification was 26.2 Tg N yr⁻¹,the greatest seasonal contribution being during the northeast monsoon when primary production is co-located with the zone of anoxia. Detritus was the primary organic substrate consumed in denitrification (97%), with a small (3%) contribution by dissolved organic matter. Denitrification in the oxygen minimum zone was predicted to be fuelled almost entirely by organic matter supplied by particles sinking vertically from the euphotic zone above (0.73 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹) rather than from lateral transport of organic matter from elsewhere in the Arabian Sea (less than 0.01 mmol N m⁻² d⁻¹). Analysis of the carbon budget in the zone of denitrification (north of 10°N and east of 55°E) indicates that the modelled vertical export flux of detritus, which is similar in magnitude to estimates from field data based on the ²³⁴Th method, is sufficient to account for measured bacterial production below the euphotic zone in the Arabian Sea.     

Water characteristics and current structure at 65°E during the southwest monsoon

Hydrographic data collected aboard R. V. Anton Bruun along 65°E between 18°N and 42°S from 17 May to 4 July 1964 are used to investigate water characteristics and current structure in the upper 500 m in the Indian Ocean. The water characteristics indicate the occurrence of three main water masses,viz., warm, saltier, low-oxyty and nutrient-rich Arabian Sea Surface Water, relatively fresh and high-oxyty Equatorial Indian Ocean Water, and more saline, high-oxyty and nutrient-poor Tropical Water of the South Indian Ocean. The recently discovered South Equatorial Countercurrent and Subtropical Countercurrent (renamed Tropical Countercurrent, at the suggestion of Dr. R. B.Montgomery) are observed in the current structure at 13°S and 22°–26°S respectively, and these could also be identified on the vertical sections of temperature, thermosteric anomaly and salinity. Contrary to the existing concept, the North Equatorial Current continues to be present even after the onset of the southwest monsoon. The Equatorial Undercurrent could not be traced in the Indian Ocean during this period.     

Eolian dust from the lower atmosphere of the eastern Atlantic and Indian Oceans,China Sea and Sea of Japan

Dust-loadings in the lower atmosphere of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and the China Sea and Sea of Japan are given. Average dust-loadings decrease in the following order: North Atlantic (northeast trades, ～ 7.7 μg/m³ of air) > northern Indian Ocean (～ 1.2 μg/m³ of air) > South Atlantic (southeast trades, ～ 0.78 μg/m³ of air) = southern Indian Ocean (～ 0.68 μg/m³ of air) > China Sea (～ 0.21 μg/m³ of air).There are differences in the clay mineralogies of dusts transported in similar latitudes in the North Atlantic and northern Indian Oceans. Dusts in the Atlantic northeast trades are dominated by kaolinite from the soils of equatorial Africa; dusts in the northeast monsoons of the northern Indian Ocean have a source in the arid regions of the Rajasthan desert where illite is the principal clay mineral.In the regions investigated quartz occurs in larger amounts in the dusts of the Northern Hemisphere (～ 7% quartz) than those of the Southern Hemisphere (～ 3% quartz) over both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.From the results given in the present paper and those reported in the literature a map is presented illustrating the order of magnitude of lower atmospheric dust-loadings in part of the world ocean.     

Spatio-temporal distribution of dissolved inorganic carbon and net community production in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas

As part of the 2002 Western Arctic Shelf–Basin Interactions (SBI) project, spatio-temporal variability of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) was employed to determine rates of net community production (NCP) for the Chukchi and western Beaufort Sea shelf and slope, and Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Seasonal and spatial distributions of DIC were characterized for all water masses (e.g., mixed layer, halocline waters, Atlantic layer, and deep Arctic Ocean) of the Chukchi Sea region during field investigations in spring (5 May–15 June 2002) and summer (15 July–25 August 2002). Between these periods, high rates of phytoplankton production resulted in large drawdown of inorganic nutrients and DIC in the Polar Mixed Layer (PML) and in the shallow depths of the Upper Halocline Layer (UHL). The highest rates of NCP (1000–2850 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) occurred on the shelf in the Barrow Canyon region of the Chukchi Sea and east of Barrow in the western Beaufort Sea. A total NCP rate of 8.9–17.8×10¹² g for the growing season was estimated for the eastern Chukchi Sea shelf and slope region. Very low inorganic nutrient concentrations and low rates of NCP (<15–25 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹) estimated for the mixed layer of the adjacent Arctic Ocean basin indicate that this area is perennially oligotrophic.     

The carbon dioxide system in the northwestern Indian Ocean during south–west monsoon

Data on the carbonate system of the Northwestern Indian Ocean obtained on a cruise of F.S. Meteor during SW monsoon in July/August 1995 were compared with those of George et al. [George, M.D., Kumar, M.D., Naqvi, S.W.A., Banerjee, S., Narvekar, P.V., de Sousa, S.N., Jayakumar, D.A., 1994. A study of the carbon dioxide system in the northern Indian Ocean during premonsoon. Mar. Chem. 47, 243–254] collected during intermonsoon. In general, deep water values agreed well between the two expeditions. Surface waters, however, showed a substantial increase in dissolved inorganic carbon (C_T) in the coastal regions due to strong upwelling in the SW monsoon. This was also accompanied by very high CO₂ partial pressures in surface waters. The north–south gradients in vertical profiles of the measured parameters in the Arabian Sea are discussed by comparing profiles from the oligotrophic equatorial region with those from the highly productive central Arabian Sea. The effect of denitrification on regenerated C_T and A_T is minor, with contributions of <9 and <8 μmol kg⁻¹, respectively, to the total amount regenerated also utilizing oxygen. The dissolution of biogenic carbonates is discussed; different approaches to define the depth, where the dissolution starts (lysocline(s), carbonate critical depth (CCrD)), are compared together with the calculation of saturation depth from carbonate concentrations. It is shown, that small differences in measured C_T and A_T (found between our data and those measured during GEOSECS) and different calculation approaches to the CO₂ system (different dissociation constants for species involved and taking into account phosphate and silicate concentrations) can produce pronounced differences in the calculated saturation depths. However, C_T and A_T data suggest substantial dissolution of biogenic carbonate in the water column even above the calcite lysocline, irrespective of the procedures followed to calculate this horizon.     

赤道印度洋海温偶极子的气候影响及数值模拟研究

在分析研究印度洋海温变化的基本特征,尤其是在分析赤道印度洋海温偶极子及其影响的基础上,利用IAP9L大气环流模式模拟研究了赤道印度洋海温偶极子异常对亚洲季风区气候变化的影响.其结果表明,印度洋、亚洲南部和东部地区的流场和降水都对印度洋海温异常的强迫作用比较敏感.正位相印度洋偶极子的作用使得赤道东印度洋-印度次大陆南部-阿拉伯海一带出现距平东风,孟加拉湾-中南半岛出现异常反气旋性环流,从而对减少印度南部和中南半岛南部、印度尼西亚地区的夏季降水,以及增加中国南部和东非的夏季降水有十分重要的作用.与此相反,负位相印度洋偶极子的作用将使赤道东印度洋附近出现西风异常,孟加拉湾-中南半岛存在异常气旋性环流,从而使印度次大陆和中南半岛南部、印度尼西亚地区的降水增加,使中国西部和孟加拉湾的降水减少.数值模拟结果与资料分析相互映证,切实地揭示了印度洋海温偶极子对亚洲季风区的气候变化有重要影响.     

南海夏季风爆发时期的大气环流变化特征

利用美国国家环境预报中心和气象研究中心的42年模式再分析资料,采用合成分析的方法,考察了南海夏季风爆发时期环流季节变化的特征.研究发现:尽管采用不同指标确定的南海夏季风爆发时间在有的年份差别很大,但各种不同指标对应的南海夏季风爆发时期大气环流的变化具有某些共同的特征.通过对各种指标确定夏季风爆发时间一致年份的大气环流特征分析表明,延伸到南海北岸附近地区的海上锋区对流加热和孟加拉湾北部陆地上的对流加热、沿东亚近海向西太平洋推进的冷空气是控制南海夏季风爆发的主要因素.对南海夏季风爆发早与爆发晚的年份的合成环流特征进一步表明:爆发早的年份,影响东亚附近海区的冷空气势力和南海南部的对流活动相对强,而爆发晚的年份,冷空气和南海南部的对流活动的影响要相对弱的多.日本本岛南部黑潮海区因冷空气激发的对流活动对南海夏季风的爆发也有重要的影响.     

Particle fluxes to the interior of the Southern Ocean in the Western Pacific sector along 170°W

An array of five bottom-tethered moorings with 19 PARFLUX time-series sediment trap at three depths (1 and 2 km below the surface, and 0.7 km above the sea-floor) was deployed in the western Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, along 170°W. The five stations were selected to sample settling particles in the main hydrological zones of the Southern Ocean. The sampling period spanned 425 days (November 28, 1996–January 23, 1998) and was divided into 13 or 21 synchronized time intervals. A total of 174 sequential samples were recovered and analyzed to estimate fluxes of total mass (TMF), organic carbon, carbonate, biogenic silica, and lithogenic particles. The fluxes of biogenic material were higher than anticipated, challenging the notion that the Southern Ocean is a low-productivity region. Organic carbon fluxes at 1 km depth within the Polar Frontal Zone and the Antarctic Zone were relatively uniform (1.7–2.3 g m⁻² yr⁻¹), and about twice the estimated ocean-wide average (ca. 1 g m⁻² yr⁻¹). Carbonate fluxes were also high and uniform between the Subantarctic Front and ca. 64°S (11–13 g m⁻² yr⁻¹). A large fraction of the carbonate flux in the Antarctic Zone was due to the presence of pteropod shells. Coccoliths were found only to the north of the Polar Front, and calcium carbonate became the dominant phase in the Subantarctic Zone. In contrast, carbonate particles were nearly absent near 64°S. Latitudinal variations in biogenic silica fluxes were substantial. The large opal flux (57 g m⁻² yr⁻¹) measured in the Antarctic Zone suggests that opal productivity in this region has been previously underestimated and helps to explain the high sedimentary opal accumulation often found south of the Polar Front. Unlike biogenic material, fluxes of lithogenic particles were among the lowest measured in the open-ocean (0.12–0.05 g m⁻² yr⁻¹), reflecting a very low dust input.     

Elemental mercury concentrations and formation rates in the Scheldt estuary and the North Sea

Concentrations of Hg⁰ in surface waters and atmosphere of the Scheldt estuary and the North Sea are presented and their relationship with biological processes is discussed. Hg⁰ concentrations in the Scheldt estuary range from 0.1 to 0.38 pmol·l⁻¹ in the winter and from 0.24 to 0.65 pmol·l⁻¹ in the summer and show a positive relationship with phytoplankton pigments. In the North Sea Hg⁰ concentrations range from 0.06 to 0.8 pmol·l⁻¹ and are higher in coastal stations. Transfer velocities across the air–sea interface were calculated using a classical shear turbulence model. Volatilization fluxes of Hg⁰ were calculated for the Scheldt estuary and the North Sea. For the Scheldt estuary the fluxes range from 226–284 pmol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ in winter and 500–701 pmol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ in summer and for the North Sea the fluxes range from 59–1110 pmol·m⁻²·d⁻¹ for an average windspeed of 8.1 m·s⁻¹. These fluxes are comparable to the wet and dry depositional fluxes to the North Sea. Hg⁰ formation rates necessary to balance the volatilization fluxes vary from 0.2 to 4% d⁻¹.     

Multi-decadal synthesis of benthic–pelagic coupling in the western arctic: Role of cross-shelf advective processes

Using geographic information systems (GIS) software and geostatistical techniques, we utilized three decades of water-column chlorophyll a data to examine the relative importance of autochthonous versus allochthonous sources of reduced carbon to benthic communities that occur from the northern Bering to the eastern Beaufort Sea shelf. Spatial trend analyses revealed areas of high benthic biomass (>300 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (>150 mg m⁻²) on both the southern and northern Chukchi shelf; both areas are known as depositional centers for reduced organic matter that originates on the Bering Sea shelf and is advected northward in Anadyr and Bering shelf water masses. We found a significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll a in the Chukchi Sea, reflective of the strong benthic–pelagic coupling in a system that is utilized heavily by benthic-feeding marine mammals. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll in the Beaufort Sea, which by comparison, is considerably less productive (biomass and chlorophyll, <75 g m⁻² and <50 mg m⁻², respectively). One notable exception is an area of relatively high biomass (50–100 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (80 mg m⁻²) near Barter Island in the eastern Beaufort Sea. Compared to other adjacent areas in the Beaufort Sea, the chlorophyll values in the vicinity of Barter Island were considerably higher and likely reflect a long-hypothesized upwelling in that area and close coupling between the benthos and autochthonous production. In the Bering Sea, a drop in benthic biomass in 1994 compared with previous measurements (1974–1993) may support earlier observations that document a decline in biomass that began between the 1980s and 1990s in the Chirikov Basin and south of St. Lawrence Island. The results of this study indicate that the benthos is an excellent long-term indicator of both local and physical advective processes. In addition, this work provides further evidence that secondary production on arctic shelves can be significantly augmented by reduced carbon advected from highly productive adjacent shelves.     

南印度洋SST与南亚季风环流年代际变化的研究

利用美国NCEP全球大气再分析资料和JONES全球海表面温度异常(SSTA)资料，分析了南印度洋SSTA和南亚季风环流年代际变化的特征。研究发现，无论是南印度洋副热带海水辐合区的SST还是赤道以北非洲西海岸附近上升运动海区的SST的长期变化趋势，除了准3-5年的变化以外，还存在着明显的年代际的变化。对于全球最显著南亚季风环流的分析表明，南亚季风环流也存在明显的年代际时间尺度的变化。与南太平洋SST的年代际变化相比，南印度洋SST的变化周期要相对短一些。通过分析南半球冷空气年代际活动的特征发现，冷空气与南印度洋SST年代际时间尺度的变化具有密切的联系。     

2000年南海季风爆发前后西沙海域海-气热量交换特征

利用2000年5月6日至6月17日在西沙海域进行的第二次南海海-气通量观测资料,计算了南海季风爆发前后海洋-大气间的辐射收支、感热通量、潜热通量及海洋热量净收支;发现季风爆发后海-气热量交换突然发生变化,其中潜热通量、海洋热量净收支变化尤为显著。讨论了季风爆发前后各种天气过程影响下海-气热量、水汽交换特点和海洋热量净收支变化,说明季风爆发前海洋是一个能量积累过程,季风爆发期海洋是一个能量释放过程,季风中断期海洋是一个能量再积累过程;季风爆发后西南大风期持续时间和强度,强烈影响水汽蒸发量大小,进而影响我国大陆上夏季降水,通过南海与阿拉伯海、孟加拉湾、西太平洋暖池等不同海域资料对比,分析了它们在海-气热量交换上的差别,指出这种差别是爆发后南海SST基本稳定而阿拉伯海、孟加拉湾SST明显降低的主要原因。     

Phytoplankton chlorophyll stocks in the Antarctic Ocean

Phytoplankton chlorophyll stocks in the Indian sector of the Antarctic Ocean were estimated on the basis of published data collected from nine cruises of the Icebreaker,Fuji in 1965–1976, during routine observations of the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE). Surface chlorophylla concentration, measured at 631 stations in waters south of 35°S, ranged from 0.01 to 3.01 mg m^–3, At about half of the stations the values were less than 0.24 mg and at only 29 stations were high values more than 1.00 mg m^–3 recorded. The levels of surface chlorophylla stocks were estimated in three groups; (1) data obtained on the southward leg through the eastern Indian sector (middle-late December), (2) those on the northward leg through the western Indian sector (late February–early March) and (3) those on the northward leg through the eastern Atlantic sector (late February–early March). Furthermore, mean values and standard deviations were calculated for each of six different water masses from north to south,i. e., subtropical water between 35°S and the Subtropical Convergence (STC) zone, water within the STC zone, Subantarctic Upper Water, water within the Antarctic Convergence (AC) zone, Antarctic Surface Water between the AC zone and 63°S, and Antarctic Surface Water south of 63°S. Mean values of surface chlorophylla concentrations for each of the six water masses on the three legs ranged from 0.15 to 0.58 mg m^–3 and were comparable to those reported by other workers previously. Seasonal periodicity of phytoplankton chlorophyll stock is discussed. The surface chlorophyll stock in the oceanic water of the Antarctic Ocean does not seem to be so high as previously believed.     

Evaluation of atmospheric transport as a nonpoint source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean

Coastal marine sediment, air and seawater samples were collected at six sampling stations in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea distant from pollutant point sources. All sediment samples were analyzed to determine polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) contents. The PAH contents of gaseous and seawater samples of the study were determined in order to evaluate the role of air–sea exchange as PAH nonpoint source to the marine sediments. The average concentration of the total PAHs (∑PAHs) in the sediments varied from 2.2 to 1056.2 ng g⁻¹ dry weight. The average BC and OC contents varied from 0.3 to 5.6 and from 2.9 to 21.4 mg g⁻¹ dry weight, respectively. ∑PAH concentration in the marine atmosphere varied from 20.0 to 83.2 ng m⁻³. Air–water exchange flux (F_A–W) estimation has indicated air transport as a significant source of PAHs to pristine marine sediments of Eastern Mediterranean. In addition, the significant correlation between the PAHs and the organic and soot carbon content further suggests the importance of atmospheric input of PAHs to the sediments.     

Interannual variations of the Antarctic Ocean CO2 uptake from 1986 to 1994

The interannual variations of CO₂ sources and sinks in the surface waters of the Antarctic Ocean (south of 50°S) were studied between 1986 and 1994. An existing, slightly modified one-dimensional model describing the mixed-layer carbon cycle was used for this study and forced by available satellite-derived and climatological data. Between 1986 and 1994, the mean Antarctic Ocean CO₂ uptake was 0.53 Pg C year⁻¹ with an interannual variability of 0.15 Pg C year⁻¹.Interannual variation of the Antarctic Ocean CO₂ uptake is related to the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW), which affects sea surface temperature (SST), wind-speed and sea-ice extent. The CO₂ uptake in the Antarctic Ocean has increased from 1986 to 1994 by 0.32 Pg C. It was found that over the 9 years, the surface ocean carbon dioxide fugacity (fCO₂) increase was half that of the atmospheric CO₂ increase inducing an increase of the air–sea fCO₂ gradient. This effect is responsible for 60% of the Antarctic Ocean CO₂ uptake increase between 1986 and 1994, as the ACW effect cancels out over the 9 years investigated.     

The European coastal zone: characterization and first assessment of ecosystem metabolism

The geomorphic, oceanographic, terrestrial and anthropogenic attributes of the European coastal zone are described and published data on ecosystem function (primary production and respiration) are reviewed. Four regions are considered: the Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and the European Atlantic coast including the North Sea. The metabolic database (194 papers) suffers from a non-homogeneous geographical coverage with no usable data for the Black Sea which was therefore excluded from this part of our study. Pelagic gross primary production in European open shelves is, by far, the most documented parameter with an estimated mean of 41 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹, the lowest value is reported in the Mediterranean Sea (21 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹) and the highest one in the Atlantic/North Sea area (51 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹). Microphytobenthic primary production, mostly measured in shallow areas, is extrapolated to the entire 0–200 m depth range. Its contribution to total primary production is low in all regions (mean: 1.5 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹). Although macrophyte beds are very productive, a regional production estimate is not provided in this study because their geographical distribution along the European coastline remains unknown. Measurements of pelagic community respiration are clearly too sparse, especially below the euphotic zone, to yield an accurate picture of the fate of organic matter produced in the water column. With a mean value of 17 mmol C m⁻² d⁻¹, benthic community respiration consumes approximately 40% of the pelagic organic matter production. Estuaries generally exhibit high metabolic rates and a large range of variation in all parameters, except microphytobenthic primary production. Finally, the problem of eutrophication in Europe is discussed and the metabolic data obtained in the framework of the Land–Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project are compared with available direct measurements of net ecosystem production.     

Seasonal and spatial variations in settling manganese fluxes in the Northern Arabian Sea

Particulate manganese (Mn) fluxes measured with six time series sediment traps showed that the annual settling fluxes were 3–6 times higher in the west compared to those in the east and central Arabian Sea. Annual detrital Mn (Mn_dt) flux was nearly the same in the eastern and western Arabian Sea, but excess Mn (Mn_ex) fluxes were much higher (>4 times) in the western Arabian Sea. Atmospheric inputs cannot account for these high-Mn fluxes. Central and eastern Arabian Sea traps are overlain by a thick and intense denitrification layer, which may cause reductive dissolution of Mn oxides from settling particles and consequently low Mn_ex fluxes. As the exchange of intermediate waters between the Arabian Sea and the rest of the Indian Ocean is confined largely to the western Arabian Sea, relatively more oxic and dynamic conditions prevail in this region. Increased oxidizing conditions coupled with higher inputs of dissolved Mn through intermediate and surface advective processes might have led to in situ oxidation of Mn, thus resulting in higher vertical fluxes of Mn_ex. Mn_ex fluxes in traps at ∼1000 m depth exhibited seasonal variability with a minimum during the winter monsoon (January–February) and maximum during the pre- and early- south-west monsoon (March–June). This variation is correlated with water mass movements and bacterial abundance observed during the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS). The possible involvement of bacteria and the microbial loop is suggested for the concentration and vertical transport of excess Mn.     

Wind-Wave Characteristics and Climate Variability in the Indian Ocean Region Using Altimeter Data

The significant wave height and wind speed derived for the period 1993–2010 from altimeter data sets over the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean categorized as six zones has been analyzed. The average variation of both significant wave height and wind speed is found to be almost stable for the period of study. The study reveals that the average wind speed increases by about 6cm/sec/year during monsoon and post monsoon in the southern Indian Ocean. The distribution of wind and waves was studied in the context of seasonal variations. In addition, the average inter-annual and intra-annual variations along with the statistical parameters such as standard deviation, and root mean square wave height for the six zones are also reported in this paper.     

Bacterivory in the northwestern Indian Ocean during the intermonsoon – northeast monsoon period

Bacterial grazing loss rates were studied by radioactive labeling of natural bacteria with L-(4,5-³H) leucine and from the rate of disappearance of bacterial cells in the northwestern Indian Ocean. Bacterivory was measured in a mixed sample that had been combined from various depths across the euphotic zone. Experiments were performed on 26 occasions at 19 stations in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea during the intermonsoon–northeast monsoon period (November–December 1994). Combined uptake of radiolabeled bacteria (ULB) in 1–8 and 8–100 μm size fractions was somewhat lower than loss of label (LBL) measured in the bacterial fraction (0.2–1.0 μm), suggesting loss of radioactivity from the grazers due to metabolism. The less sensitive rate of disappearance of bacterial cells (LBC) was on average 51% higher than LBL estimates. Results from ULB and LBL measurements revealed that bacterivory was higher in the Gulf of Oman (average loss rate 4.1% h^-1) than in the Arabian Sea where rates were slightly higher inshore (1.7% h^-1) than in the central gyre. Heterotrophic nanoflagellates in the 1–8 μm size fractions were identified as the primary bacterivores. Microzooplankton (8–100 μm) accounted for 33% of total bacterivory in the Gulf of Oman but only 16% in the central Arabian Sea. Time-course experiments conducted at two stations indicated that diel changes in bacterivory may be substantial in the northwestern Indian Ocean.