Mediterranean deep-sea investigations r.v. "bannock cruise, 9 - 19 september 1989  <B>Mediterranean deep-sea investigations r.v. "bannock cruise, 9 - 19 september 1989</B><P><B>ALBERTELLI G., ARNAUD P.M., DELLA CROCE N., ELEFTHERIOU A</B><B><P> 1. Introduction.</B><P> The eastern Mediterranean is an area of great importance in respect of fisheries, tourism and mineral exploitation. In spite of this, there have been few studies of the area and its ecology and ecological processes are not well known. Those studies which do exist are limited both in scope and in space: they do, however, indicate a faunal diversity of fish and invertebrates about average for an oligotrophic environment. The consequences of low plant production on zooplankton abundance and biomass, bottom fauna production and fish yield have so far been empirically assessed or inferred by extrapolation from various studies. Circumstantial evidence seems to indicate that limited growth and production is particularly true of the deeper basins of the offshore areas. However, such speculation requires verification, and an attempt was therefore made to obtain information on the structure of the deep-sea system, its carrying capacity and its limitations.<P> It is hoped that the investigation of a multi-faceted project in the deep water areas of eastern Mediterranean will provide reliable data on the physical and chemical conditions in the deep water sediments as well as quantitative information on the structure and abundance of the benthic communities in these sediments. Measurements of the organic inputs would provide information as to the feeding and production of these communities, and allow an insight into the energy transfer in the deep-sea. It is intended that these deep water studies be contrasted and compared with similar studies from the continental shelf of other areas. A subsequent synthesis of selected data is to be used to provide a comprehensive assessment of the energy flow in the whole east Mediterranean ecosystem.<P> Rapporto Tecnico N. 36 1990. Universita di Genova, Instituto di scienze ambientali marine.<P>