Assimilation de glucose dans la zone de divergence de Méditerranée Nord‐occidentale. Glucose Uptake in the North Western Mediterranean Divergence Zone

Abstract

Abstract Conditions governing the utilization of glucose by the pelagic communities of the Northwest Mediterranean have been studied and it is concluded that (1) the vertical distribution of heterotrophic activity first reaches a maximum at about 50 m, close to the maximum of the phytoplankton while a second maximum occurs at 150 m; furthermore, within the first 200 m, the mineralization of carbon is almost complete and (2) the response of the microorganisms to increasing amounts of substrate follows the kinetic law of M ICHAELIS‐MENTEN .