海洋の物質循環と生物群集

抄録

Material cycle in present ocean represents only one phase of the progressively changing ocean material cycle system, and a through evaluation of the system in different time periods under different oceanic/climatic modes is important to understand comprehensively the biological role in the global ocean material cycle. Current knowledge on the biotic role and environmental control during the formation of Cretaceous organic carbon-rich sediments and black shales is briefly reviewed. This paper has also reviewed recent studies on the contribution of biological PIC (particulate inorganic carbon), particularly of coccolithophores, to the present global ocean carbon cycle. Also, the importance of the role of the newly found underground biosphere in the oceanic material cycle is emphasized.