(Table 1) Silicon concentration in Antarctic plankton

The paper is based on data collected during Cruise 11 of R/V Akademlk Kurchatov. Methods for primary treatment of marine plankton specimens and determination of silicon contents are described. Species composition of phytoplankton present in the specimens is given. Silicon concentration in marine plankton is found to vary from 0.1 to 3.1% of wet or from 7 to 13% of dry weight. Silicon concentration in mixed plankton depends on proportions of phyto- and zooplankton, on prevalence of particular diatom species in mixed plankton, and on daily variations in proportions of phyto- and zooplankton in mixed plankton. Average silicon concentration in diatoms from the Atlantic province of the Antarctic is 1.1% of wet or 10% of dry specimen weight.