Estimation of the biomass of some components of the marine nano- and picoplankton is made for several locations using the Utermohl settling technique. The importance of these small cells in the phytoplankton biomass is confirmed. The proportion of cells of 2–12 μm diameter in the total phytoplankton biomass is usually lower than the proportion of primary productivity attributed to a similar size fraction in the literature. Data are presented on geographical and vertical distributions of some <2 μm and 2–12 μm organisms. At the oceanic stations and at offshore sites the latter make up a higher percentage of the total biomass than in the coastal areas but their numerical abundance is lower. Depth distributions are variable but oceanic profiles show a decrease in abundance with depth. The Utermöhl technique is evaluated as a continuing method for biomass estimation.
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Freda M.H. Reid (1983) studied this question.