Prokaryotic biodiversity in Antarctic deep-sea sediments drive

Spatial and temporal changes of trophic availability in surface deep-sea sediments related to the dynamics of primary production processes of the surface waters can profoundly influence benthic deep-sea prokaryotic assemblages and biogeochemical cycles. This holds true especially for the Antarctic Ocean where primary production and organic matter export to the deep sea are strongly influenced by seasonal sea ice melting. We investigated the deep-sea sediments of two areas of the Ross Sea characterized by different trophic conditions.