The Antarctic represents the last of the world's still unexplored continents. Since 1985, Italy has sent 10 expeditions to this region, three of those have been exclusively devoted to research on the marine ecology of the Ross Sea region. This volume presents a global picture of this research. It includes contributions on water mass characteristics, particulate organic matter and nutrient utilization, and physiological aspects of primary production. Further topics are zooplankton, krill and top predator interactions in relation to physical and biological parameters, ecological features of coastal fish communities and the spatio-temporal variability of benthic biocenoses.

The Italian Oceanographic Cruises in the Ross Sea

Water Masses and Supended Matter Characteristics of the Western Ross Sea
Water Mass Characteristics During the ROSSMIZE Cruise
Large Scale Circulation Features in the Central and Western Ross Sea (Antarctica)
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Nutrient Distributions in the Ross Sea
Oxygen Isotope Characterization of Terra Nova Bay Seawater
Particulate Organic Matter and Nutrient Utilization in the Miced Layer of the Ross Sea
Microbial Biomass and Respiratory Activity Related to the Ice-Melting Layers in the Ross Sea (Antarctica)
Phytoplankton Size Fractionated Biomass in the Ross Sea. Spatial and Temporal Variations During the Austral Spring
Ecological and Physiological Aspects of Primary Production in the Ross Sea
Phytoplankton Biomass Related to Environmental Factors in the Ross Sea
Photosynthetic Parameters, Irradiance and Production Estimated in the Western Ross Sea
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Phytoplankton Assemblages in the Ross Sea
Ultraphytoplanktonic Community Structure in the Ross Sea During the Austral Spring 1994
Picoplankton Abundance and Biomass at Terra Nova Bay During the 1989-90 Austral Summer
Distribution of the Main Microzooplankton Taxa in the Ross Sea
Coupling of Surface Layer Biological Processes and Vertical Flux in the Ross Sea
Characteristic Properties and Dynamic Aspects of Krill Swarms in the Ross Sea
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Krill Euphausia superba Biomass in the Ross Sea
Occurrence of Mysidacea (Crustacea) in the Pacific Sector of Antarctica and Distribution of Antarctomysis ohlini in Terra Nova Bay
Planktonic Ostracoda in the Ross Sea: Their Distribution and Associated Environmental Factors
Copepod Communities in the Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean in Early Summer
Crustacean Decapod Larvae in Terra Nova Bay and Ross Sea
Planktonic Copepods in Terra Nova Bay (Ross Sea): Distribution and Relationships with Environmental Factors
Spatial Distribution and Feeding Habits of Larval and Juvenile Pleuragamma antarcticum in the Western Ross Sea
Modelling Approach of the Ross Sea Plankton Ecosystem
The Coastal Fish Fauna of Terra Nova Bay
ROSSMIZE Expedition: Distribution and Biomass of Birds and Mammals in the Western Ross Sea
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Particulate Organic Matter in the Ross Sea
Bacteria, Protozoa and Organic Matter Composition in the Sediments of Terra Nova Bay
The Macrophytobenthos of Terra Nova Bay
Spatial and Vertical Distribution of Benthic Litoral Communities in Terra Nova Bay
Shallow Water Bryozoans and Serpuloideans From the Ross Sea
Morphogroup Analysis of Agglutinated Foraminifers off Terra Nova Bay
Spatio-temporal Variability in the Structure of Benthic Populations in a Physically Controlled System off Terra Nova Bay
The Role of Sponges in the Terra Nova Bay Ecosystem
The Polychaete Fauna off Terra Nova Bay
The Population Structure and Ecology of the Antarctica Scallop Adamussium colbecki in Terra Nova Bay
Biogeochemical Processes in the Ross Sea
Some Paleoecological Remarks of the Ross Sea Shelf
Climatic Characterization of the Terra Nova Bay Region
Bioconcentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Pelagic Food Chain of the Ross Sea
Concentration Changes of Cadmium and Lead in Antarctic Coastal Sea Water (Ross Sea) During the Austral Summer and Their Relationship with the Evolution of Biological Activity.-