RADIOLARIAN DIVERSITY (Figures 237-241)

Numbers of species in the plankton (Figure 237), in sediment trap samples Figure 238), and in the sediments (Figure 239).

Data were pooled in 5 x 5 degree bins. The figures shown are averages and maximum values for these sectors. Plankton data include tows at all depths. For sediment trap data, each cup is a discrete sample. Data are restricted to materials where all radiolarians present in the slides were identified.

Mean number of species per sample (Figure 240)

Comparative figures of numbers of species identified in plankton, sediment trap, and surface sediment samples. Graph shows the average numbers of species in samples collected with different techniques. Data are restricted to materials where all radiolarians present in the slides were identified, and numbers of specimens per sample scanned were at least 100. Data were averaged for 20 x 20 degree sectors. Total numbers of samples included in this figure: plankton - 760, sediment traps - 983, surface sediments - 761.

Number of species identified as a function of the number of specimens scanned (Figure 241)

These graphs show how the overall specific inventory increases as more specimens are incorporated in the analysis. Increases are less pronounced in the polar waters, where species numbers are lower, and therefore the sample size needed to account for the entire specific inventory is smaller. Data are restricted to samples where (a) all radiolarian species were identified, (b) information on the numbers of specimens scanned was provided, and (c) at least 50 specimens per sample were observed.