The fine structure of marine hydrophysical fields and its influence on the behaviour of plankton: an overview of some experimental and theoretical investigations

This article is an overview which presents in brief some of the results of research done in the last 20 years on the structure and dynamics of intermittent fine structure in the euphotic zone of the sea and its effect on the behaviour of marine plankton. The introduction provides a general characterisation of this structure and its relations with the plankton concentration field. Chapter 2 covers turbulent mixing processes in layers of homogeneous fine structure,and discusses the dynamic interactions of these layers and how these affect the behaviour of marine phyto- and zooplankton. The principal conclusions,in brief, are that the current state of knowledge,no t only of intermittent fine structure itself and its dynamic transformations,but also of the influence of these processes on the behaviour of marine plankton,i s today still a long way from permitting an accurate description of reality. Moreover,b oth empirical investigations (in situ and in the laboratory) and mathematical modelling,despite the quite advanced stage that the latter has reached,need to be continued. For this reason the prime aim of this article is to show up the gaps in our knowledge which future research in this complex,in terdisciplinary area of oceanography should attempt to fill.