Skip to main content

Alexander Agassiz, Carl Chun and the Problem of the Intermediate Fauna

  • Conference paper
Oceanography: The Past

Abstract

Knowledge of deep-sea animal life was a rapidly-changing aspect of marine biology during the last four decades of the nineteenth century. By dredging deeper and deeper, men such as John Gwyn Jeffreys (1809–1885), Louis François de Pourtalès (1823–1880), Charles Wyville Thomson (1830–1882), W. B. Carpenter (1813–1885), Prince Albert of Monaco (1848–1922), and Alexander Agassiz (1835–1910) showed that many kinds of benthic animals lived in the greatest explorable depths of the oceans (Mills 1981). The presence of animals in the water column below the lighted zone was harder to establish, although their presence or absence was bound to affect the way food reached benthic animals.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Agassiz, A. 1879. (Letter No. 3). To Carlile P. Patterson, Superintendent United States Coast Survey, Washington, D. C, from Alexander Agassiz, on the dredging operations carried on from December, 1878 to March 10, 1879, by the United States Coast Survey steamer Blake, Commander J. R. Bartlett, U.S.N. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 5, 289–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agassiz, A. 1880. (Letter No. 4). To Carlile P. Patterson, Superintendent United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, Washington, D. C, from Alexander Agassiz, on the dredging operations carried on during part of June and July, 1880, by the United States Coast Survey steamer Blake, Commander J. R. Bartlett, U.S.N. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 6, 147–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agassiz, A. 1888a. Bibliotheca zoologica [Review of C. Chun’s Die pelagische Thierweltl. Amer. J. Sci., Ser., 3, 35, 420–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agassiz, A. 1888b. Three cruises of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey steamer Blake in the Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea, and along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, from 1877 to 1880. Sampson Low, London, 2 vols., 314 and 220 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agassiz, A. 1891. Three letters from Alexander Agassiz to the Hon. Marshall McDonald, United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries, on the dredging operations off the west coast of Central America to the Galapagos, to the west coast of Mexico, and in the Gulf of California, in charge of Alexander Agassiz, carried on by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U.S.N., Commanding. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 21, 185–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agassiz, A. 1892. Reports on the dredging operations off the west coast of Central America to the Galapagos, to the west coast of Mexico, and in the Gulf of California, in charge of Alexander Agassiz, carried on by the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross Lieut. Commander Z. L. Tanner, U.S.N., commanding. II. General sketch of the expedition of the Albatross, from February to May, 1891. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 23, 1–89, 22 pls.

    Google Scholar 

  • Agassiz, G. R. (ed.). 1913. Letters and recollections of Alexander Agassiz, with a sketch of his life and work. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston and New York, vii + 454 pp., 2 charts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert 1ei, Prince of Monaco. 1887. Sur les filets fins de profundeur employés à bord de l’Hirondelle. Soc. Biol. Mém., 39(C.R.), Paris, pp. 661–664.

    Google Scholar 

  • Albert 1er, Prince of Monaco. 1932. Recueil des travaux publiés sur les campagnes scientifiques. Résultats des campagnes scientifiques accomplies sur son Yacht par Albert 1ei, Prince sourverain de Monaco, Fasc. 84, 366 pp + 11 plates, charts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. W. 1851. Microscopical examination of soundings made by the U. S. Coast Survey off the Atlantic Coast of the United States. Smithsonian Contrib. Knowledge, 2(3), 1–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. W. 1854. Examination of some deep soundings from the Atlantic Ocean. Am. J. Sci., Ser. 2, 17, 176–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, J. W. 1855. Microscopical examination of deep soundings from the Atlantic Ocean. Quart. J. Microsc. Sci., 3, 89–91.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bigelow, H. B. and Sears, M. 1939. Studies of the waters of the continental shelf, Cape Cod to Chesapeake Bay. III. A volumetric study of the Zooplankton. Mem. Mus..Comp. Zool., 54, 181–378.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandt, K. 1889. Über die biologischen Untersuchungen der Plankton-Expedition. Gesellsch. Erdk. Verhandl., Berlin, 16, 515–525.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpenter, W. B., Jeffreys, J. G. and Thomson, C. W. 1870. Preliminary report of the scientific exploration of the deep-sea in H. M. Surveying Vessel Porcupine during the summer of 1869. Proc. Roy. Soc, London, 18, 397–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Certes, A. 1884a. Sur la culture, à l’abri des germes atmosphériques, des eaux et des sédiments rapportés par les expéditions du Travailleur et du Talisman; 1882–883. Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 98, 690–693.

    Google Scholar 

  • Certes, A. 1884b. De l’action du hautes pressions sur les phénomènes de la putréfaction et sur la vitaité des micro-organismes d’eau douce et d’eau de mer. Compt. rend. Acad. Sci., Paris, 99, 385–388.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chierchia, G. 1884. The voyage of the Vettor Pisani. Nature, 30, 365.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chierchia, G. 1885. Collezioni per studi di scienze naturali nel viaggio intorno al mondo dalla R. Corvett Vettor Pisani, commandante G. Palumbo, Anni 1882-83-84-85. Rivista Maritima, Sept–Nov. 1885, 174 pp. + 13 tables, 2 charts.

    Google Scholar 

  • Childress, J. J. 1971. Respiratory adaptations to the oxygen minimum layer in the bathypelagic mysid Gnathophausia ingens. Biol. Bull., 141, 109–121.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chun, C. 1887. Die pelagische Thierwelt in grosseren Meerestiefen und ihre Beziehungen zu der Oberflachenfauna. Bibliotheca Zoologica, Heft 1, Theodor Fischer, Cassel, 72 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chun, C. 1889. Bericht über eine nach den Canarischen Inseln im Winter 1887/88 ausgeführte Reise. Sitzunsb. Konigl. preuss. Akad. Wiss. Berlin, 188, No. 30, 519–553.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chun, C. 1890. Die pelagische Thierwelt in grossen Meerestiefen. Gesellschaft deutscher Naturforscher und Ärtze, Verhandlungen, 1890, Allgemeiner Theil, 69–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chun, C. 1899. Die Deutsche Tiefsee Expedition. A. Berichte des Leiters der Expedition Professor Dr. Chun an das Reichs-Amt des Innern. Zeitschr. Gessellsch. Erdk., Berlin, 34, 75–134.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chun, C. 1900. Aus den Tiefen des Weltmeeres. Schilderungen von der deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition, Gustav Fischer, Jena, 549 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cline, J. D. and Richards, F. A. 1972. Oxygen deficient conditions and nitrate reduction in the eastern tropical North Pacific Ocean. Limnol. Oceanogr. 17, 885–900.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deutsche Tiefsee-Expedition, 1898–1899. 1902 ff. Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition auf den Dampfer Valdivia 1898–1899. Herausgegeben von Carl Chun, Band 1–25, Jena.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenberg, C. G. 1844. On microscopic life in the ocean at the South Pole, and at considerable depths. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 14, 169–178.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goode, G. B. and Bean, T. H. 1895. Oceanic ichthyology, a treatise on the deep-sea and pelagic fishes of the world, based chiefly upon the collections made by the steamers Blake, Albatross, and Fish Hawk, in the northwestern Atlantic, with an atlas containing 417 figures. U. S. Nat. Mus. Spec. Bull., xxxv + 553 pp. Atlas, xxiii + 26 pp, 123 pls.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grice, C. B. and Hart, A. D. 1962. The abundance, seasonal occurrence and distribution of the epizooplankton between New York and Bermuda. Ecol. Monogr., 32, 287–309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hensen, V. 1895. Methodik der Üntersuchungen. Ergebnisse der Plankton-Expedition der Humboldt-Stiftung, Kiel, 1. B, 200 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hensen, V. 1911. Das Leben in Ozean nach Zählungen seiner Bewohner. Ergebnisse der Plankton-Expedition der Humboldt-Stiftung. V. O., Kiel and Leipzig, 406 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huxley, T. H. 1858. Deep-sea soundings in the North Atlantic Ocean. Appendix A. In: Dayman, J. Deep-sea soundings in the North Atlantic Ocean between Ireland and Newfoundland, made in H.M.S. Cyclops, in June and July 1857. H.M.S.O., London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffreys, J. G. 1869–70. Food of oceanic animals. Nature, 1, 192.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeffreys, J. G. 1869–70. Food of oceanic animals. Nature, 1, 315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeffreys, J. G. 1881. Deep-sea exploration. Nature, 23, 300–302.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jeffreys, J. G. 1881. Deep-sea exploration. Nature, 23, 324–326.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jørgensen, C. B. 1976. August Putter, August Krogh, and modern ideas on the use of dissolved organic matter in aquatic environments. Biol. Rev., 51, 291–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kofoid, C.A. 1911. On a self-closing plankton net for horizontal towing. Univ. Calif. Publ.Zool., 8, 311–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leavitt, B. B. 1935. A quantitative study of the vertical distribution of the larger Zooplankton in deep water. Biol. Bull., 68, 115–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Longhurst, A. R. 1967. Vertical distribution of Zooplankton in relation to the eastern Pacific oxygen minimum. Deep-sea Res., 14, 51–63.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mills, E. L. 1981. The problems of deep-sea biology: an historical perspective. In: The Sea, 8, Deep-sea biology, G. T. Rowe (ed.). John Wiley, New York (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Moseley, H. N. 1880. Notes by a naturalist on HMS Challenger. John Murray, London. 540 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murray, J. 1895. General observations on the distribution of marine organisms. Rpt. Sci. Res. Voy. H.M.S. Challenger, Summ. Scient. Res., 2, 1431–1462.

    Google Scholar 

  • Regnard, P. 1884. Recherches expérimentales sur l’influence des très hautes pressions sur les organismes vivants. Comptes rend. Acad. Sci. Paris, 98, 745–747.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard, J. 1902. Campagne scientifique de la Princess Alice en 1901. Bull. Soc. Zool. France, 81–104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richard, J. 1934. Liste générale des stations des campagnes scientifiques du Prince Albert du Monaco. Avec neuf cartes des itinéraires et des notes et observations. Résultats des campagnes scientifiques, accompliés sur son Yacht par Albert Iei, Prince Souverain de Monaco, Fasc. 471 pp. + 8 pls.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, J. 1925. On the contents of oxygen in the ocean on both sides of Panama. Science, 61, 592–593.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sewell, R. B. S. and Fage, L. 1948. Minimum oxygen layer in the ocean. Nature, 162, 949–951.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sigsbee, C. D. 1880. Reports of the results of dredging, under the supervision of Alexander Agassiz, on the east coast of the United States, by the U. S. Coast Survey Steamer Blake, Commander J. R. Bartlett, U.S.N. VII. Description of a gravitating trap for obtaining specimens of animal life from intermedial ocean-depths. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., 6, 155–158, pl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Studer, T. 1878. Ueber Siphonophoren des tiefen Wassers. Zeitschr. wiss. Zool. 31, 1–3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanner, Z. L. 1893. Report upon the investigations of the U. S. Fish Commission Steamer Albatross from July 1, 1889, to June 30, 1891. U. S. Comm. Fish & Fisheries, Rpt. Commissioner, 1889–1891. Appendix 1, pp. 207–342, chart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomson, C. W. 1869. The depths of the sea. The substance of a lecture delivered by Professor Wyville Thomson, LL.D., F.R.S.E., F.G.S., on the 10th of April, 1869, in the theatre of the Royal Dublin Society. 13 pp., privately printed.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomson, C. W. 1870. Food of oceanic animals. Nature, 1, 315–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thomson, C. W. 1873. The depth of the sea. An account of the general results of the dredging cruises of H.M.S.S. Porcupine and Lightning during the summers of 1868, 1869, and 1870, under the scientific direction of Dr. Carpenter, F.R.S., J. Gwyn Jeffreys, F.R.S., and Dr. Wyville Thomson, F.R.S. Macmillan, London, xx + 527 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thomson, C. W. 1878. The voyage of the Challenger. The Atlantic. A preliminary account of the general results of the exploring expedition of H.M.S. “Challenger” during the year 1873 and the early part of the year 1876. Harper & Brothers, New York, 2 vols., 391 & 340 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Townsend, C. H. 1901. Dredging and other records of the Steamer Albatross, with bibliography relative to the work of the vessel. U. S. Comm. of Fish & Fisheries, Rpt. Commissioner, 1900, 387–562.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vinogradov, M. E. 1970. Vertical distribution of the oceanic Zooplankton. Israel Program for Scientific translations, Jerusalem, vii + 339 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wallich, G. C. 1862. The North-Atlantic sea-bed. Comprising a journey on H.M.S. Bulldog in 1860. Van Voorst, London, 160 pp. (unfinished) + 6 pl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wyrtki, K. 1962. The oxygen minima in relation to oceanic circulation. Deep-sea Res., 9, 11–23.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wyrtki, K. 1966. Oceanography of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev., 4, 33–68.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1980 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.

About this paper

Cite this paper

Mills, E.L. (1980). Alexander Agassiz, Carl Chun and the Problem of the Intermediate Fauna. In: Sears, M., Merriman, D. (eds) Oceanography: The Past. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8090-0_34

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-8090-0_34

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-8092-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-8090-0

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics