The distribution of nutrients and pigments will be studied by analyzing water samples taken at suitable
depths using the rosette of the CTD system. A number of 78 and 175 samples were collected for chlorophyll
and nutrient analysis, respectively (Table A3 in the Appendix). Seawater samples for nutrients and pigments (4L) were filtered using GF/F Whatman filters (0.7 
m), and immediately stored at -20. Nutrients analysis will be made using a QuAAtro Autoanalyzer [Strickland & Parsons(1968)], while pigment data will be obtained by HPLC
method [Wright et al.(1991)Wright, Jeffrey, Mantoura, Llewellyn, Bjornland,
Repeta, & Welschmeyer].
At selected stations, discrete water samples were also collected at surface, intermediate and at bottom depths for total suspended matter (TSM) concentration, particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate nitrogen (PN) content. Total suspended matter samples were filtered onto pre-combusted, 25 mm diameter Whatman GF/F glass fibre filters. All filters were stored at -20until analysis. In the laboratory, TSM filters were oven-dried at +60 and then weighed. To estimate the organic/inorganic fraction, TSM filters were then combusted at +450 for 3 h and reweighed. The POC and PN filters were exposed to HCl vapours for 24 h to remove the inorganic carbon HEDGES1984, then analysed using a Perkin-Elmer 2400 CHN Elemental Analyzer (EA).