Zooplankton Fecal Pellet Flux and Deposition in the Black Sea

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The purpose of this project is to examine the flux and deposition of zooplankton fecal pellets in the Black Sea. Samples will be obtained from box cores, gravity cores, and sediment traps above and below the oxic/anoxic boundary in the water column. Seasonal and spacial variability in the flux and composition of modern pellets will be determined and compared to the flux and content of the pellets buried in laminated Black Sea sediments. This study will provide a model of the factors controlling fecal pellet sedimentation in an anoxic basin. The results may be used to model the paleoflux of pellets in other basins where the pellets are poorly preserved due to microbial activity, oxidation, or bioturbation which are largely absent in the anoxic Black Sea sediments.