Impact of the migration behavior of mesopelagic fishes on the compositions of dissolved and particulate organic carbon on the northern slope of the south China sea

Abstract The biogeochemistry of organic carbon in mesopelagic waters and the deep ocean is still not well studied. In this investigation, the interaction of organic carbon pools with vertical migrating mesopelagic species is addressed. The diel vertical migration (DVM) behavior of mesopelagic fish was observed with an echo sounder on the northern slope of the South China Sea in October 2014. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved carbohydrates (DCHO), and particulate organic carbon (POC) were measured to determine the relationships between organic carbon and biological activity. Except shallow stations (depth