Chitin Diagenesis in Deep-Water Sediments

  • M. Poulicek
  • R. Machiroux
  • C. Toussaint
Chapter

Abstract

In the oceanic sphere, complete systems (producers, consumers and decomposers) exist almost exclusively in the epipelagic zone. It has been proposed for some time that food-chains on the deep-sea floor are sustained by the “organic snow” coming from the surface layers, where phytoplanktonic producers are living. Recent investigations (l) indicate that it is the relatively swift fall of faecal material together with molted cuticules (particularly from copepods), rather than the slow “perpetual snowfall of organic flakes” that provides most of the energy to the deep-sea benthos (with the possible exception of hydrothermal “oases” around tectonic spreading centers where chemolithotrophic microorganisms, similar to primary producers, are used as food source by suspension feeders).

Keywords

Mollusk Shell Manganese Nodule Chitin Content Calcify Skeleton Polymetallic Nodule 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© Plenum Press, New York 1986

Authors and Affiliations

  • M. Poulicek
    • 1
  • R. Machiroux
    • 2
  • C. Toussaint
    • 1
  1. 1.Laboratory of Animal Morphology, Systematics and EcologyUniversity of LiègeLiègeBelgium
  2. 2.Laboratory of Analytical ChemistryUniversity of LiègeSart-Tilman LiègeBelgium

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