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International audience The Southern Indian Ocean (20-120°E, 70-30°S) hosts an exceptional biodiversity that contributed to the inscription of the French and Australian natural reserves on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This region is a "hot spot" for ocean heat uptake and already experiences intense marine heat waves (MHW), as evidenced in 2011/2012 over the Kerguelen Plateau. In the coming decades, this region is also expected to face supplemental anthropogenic warming, depending on future greenhouse gas emissions, with unknown consequences for its marine ecosystems. Here, we present a regional analysis of ocean warming and MHW based on the analyses of historical observations and Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) climate projections. Consistent with observations over the last decades, we find an intensification through the 21st century of surface warming and MHW over a band located between 40°S and 55°S within the Antarctic Circumpolar Current region. CMIP6 models also project much faster climate velocities (i.e. the speed and direction at which isotherms drift in the wake of climate change) in the mesopelagic (200-1000 m) than at the surface (0-200 m). Lastly, a comparison between the two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP1-2.6 and SSP2-4.5) analysed in this study shows much larger changes in the second half of the 21st century for the higher emission scenario. These results suggest that the subantarctic islands will probably be mostly affected by warming and MHW under both scenarios, although committing to SSP1-2.6 could substantially alleviate the pressure on ecosystems in the long term. This study also highlights the need to consider a tri-dimensional environment that may evolve at different paces when designing efficient conservation measures.

Estimation of the primary productivity (PP) for the area of the Southern Indian Ocean has been made on the base of assessment of interannual variability in concentration of silicic acid in the euphotic layer. Mean for different sublatitudinal zones (subtropical, subantarctic and antarctic) summary for the vegetative period and daily PP, varied in the range 13.0-29.8 and 0.03-0.23 g C m⁻² relatively. Kerguelen Plato was the most productivity area, where summary PP reached 165 g C m⁻² and daily - 0.9. Приводятся алгоритм и результаты расчетов первичной продукции (ПП), основанные на оценке внутригодовой изменчивости содержания кремнекислоты в эвфотическом слое антарктической, субантарктической и южной границы субтропической зоны индоокеанского сектора Южного океана. Средние для этих зон значения ПП за вегетационный период и суточные изменялись в пределах 13.0-29.8 и 0.03-0.23 г С м⁻² соответственно. Наиболее продуктивным районом являлось Плато Кергелен, где суммарная ПП достигала 165 г С м⁻² и суточная – 0.9. Наводяться алгоритм і результати розрахунків первісної продукції (ПП), засновані на оцінюванні річної змінюваності вмісту кремнекислоти в евфотичному шарі антарктичної, субантарктичної та південної межі субтропічної зони індоокеанського сектора Південного океану. Середні для цих зон значення ПП за вегетаційний період та добові змінювалися в межах 13.0-29.8 і 0.03-0.23 г С м⁻² відповідно. Найбільш продуктивним районом виявилось Плато Кергелен, де сумарна ПП досягала 165 г С м⁻² та добова – 0.9.

International audience; This article presents the results of the AEROMARINE field campaign which took place between February and April 2019 off the coast of Reunion Island in the South West Indian Ocean basin. The Southern Indian Ocean is of major interest for the study of marine aerosols, their distribution and variability. Six instrumented light plane flights and a ground-based microwave radiometer were used during the field campaign. These measurements were compared with the long-term measurements of the AERONET sun-photometer (based in St Denis, Reunion Island) and various instruments of the high altitude Maïdo Observatory (2.2 km above sea level, Reunion Island). These results were also analyzed using different model outputs: (i) the AROME mesoscale weather forecast model to work on the thermodynamics of the boundary layer, (ii) the FLEXPART-AROME Lagrangian particle dispersion model to assess the geographical and vertical origin of air masses, and (iii) the chemical transport model CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) to work on the aerosol chemical composition of air masses. This allowed to highlight two points: (1) the atmospheric layer above 1.5 km is mainly composed of aerosols from the regional background; (2) the local environment (ocean or island) has little impact on the measured concentrations. Marine aerosols emitted locally are mostly measured below 0.5 km. The daytime marine aerosol distributions in the free troposphere measured by the aircraft were compared to the night-time aerosol distributions measured at the high altitude Maïdo Observatory when the Observatory is located in the free troposphere. The results indicate that this high altitude site of measurements is representative of the marine aerosol concentrations in the free troposphere. We also found that the CAMS reanalyses overestimated the aerosol optical depth in this region. Finally, our study strongly suggests that the AERONET station in St Denis (Reunion Island) can be considered as a representative marine station under the Tropics.

Aerosols are an important source of macro- and micronutrients for the open ocean. However, only dissolved nutrients are considered bioavailable, i.e. assimilable by phytoplankton. Thus, the quantification of their solubility is essential to (i) estimate the influence of aerosol deposition on phytoplankton, and (ii) closing the biogeochemical cycles of these elements. We thus established the solubility ranges of two types of aerosols (desert or volcanic) according to the deposition mode (dry and wet), by integrating the variability depending on the aerosol origin. Thus, the macronutrient silicon found in desert dust is more soluble compared to volcanic ash (up to 0.7 % against 0.2 %), in particular via the dissolution of quartz. The micronutrient iron dissolves mainly in rainwater during wet deposition of aerosols in the ocean via the dissolution of aluminosilicates, with solubilities generally below 0.14% and 0.02%, in rainwater and seawater respectively, regardless of the type of aerosol. Thus, these results allow a re-estimation of atmospheric nutrients fluxes to the surface ocean which could ultimately be integrated into global biogeochemical models. Finally; the biological response to an atmospheric nutrient input has been determined in the Southern Indian Ocean and the nutrients have mainly benefited the diatom community, especially at the Kerguelen plateau., Les aérosols constituent une source importante de macro- et micronutriments pour l’océan hauturier. Cependant, uniquement les nutriments dissous sont considérés comme biodisponibles, c’est-à-dire assimilables par le phytoplancton. Ainsi, la quantification de leur solubilité se révèle primordiale pour (i) estimer l’influence d’un dépôt d’aérosols sur le phytoplancton, et (ii) boucler les cycles biogéochimiques de ces éléments. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, nous avons établi des gammes de solubilité de deux types d’aérosols (désertique ou volcanique) selon le mode de dépôt (sec et humide), en intégrant la variabilité en fonction de l’origine des aérosols. Ainsi, le macronutriment silicium issu des poussières désertiques est plus soluble comparé aux cendres volcaniques (jusqu’à 0.7 % contre 0.2 %), notamment via la dissolution du quartz. Le micronutriment fer se dissout majoritairement dans l’eau de pluie lors d’un dépôt humide des aérosols à l’océan via la dissolution d’aluminosilicates, avec une solubilité généralement inférieure à 0.14 % et 0.02 %, dans l’eau de pluie et eau de mer respectivement, et ce indépendamment du type d’aérosol. L’ensemble de ces résultats permet ainsi une révision des flux de nutriments atmosphériques à l’océan de surface qui pourra être in fine intégrée dans les estimations globales de modélisation biogéochimique. La réponse biologique suite à un apport de nutriments par voie atmosphérique a été déterminée dans l’Océan Indien Austral et les nutriments ont majoritairement profité à la communauté de diatomées, notamment au niveau du plateau de Kerguelen.

International audience; Background and aims - Despite the ongoing taxonomical revision of the entire (sub)-Antarctic diatom flora, our knowledge on the ecology and community associations of moss-inhabiting diatoms is still rather limited. In the present study, our research aim was to survey the diversity together with the environmental factors structuring the epiphytic moss diatom communities on Ile Amsterdam (TAAF), a small volcanic island in the southern Indian Ocean. Material and methods - A morphology-based dataset and (physico)chemical measurements were used for the ecological and biogeographical analysis of moss-inhabiting diatom flora from Ile Amsterdam. In total, 148 moss samples were examined using light microscopy. Key results - The analysis revealed the presence of 125 diatom taxa belonging to 38 genera. The uniqueness of the Ile Amsterdam diatom flora is mainly reflected by the species composition of the dominant genera Pinnularia, Nitzschia, Humidophila, and Luticola, with a large number of unknown and often new species. This highly specific diatom flora, together with differences in the habitats sampled and the isolated position of the island, resulted in very low similarity values between Ile Amsterdam and the other islands of the Southern Ocean. From a biogeographical point of view, 40% of the taxa have a typical cosmopolitan distribution, whereas 22% of all observed species can be considered endemic to Ile Amsterdam, with another 17% species showing a restricted sub-Antarctic distribution. The NMDS analysis, based on a cluster dendrogram, divides the samples into six main groups. For each group, indicator species were determined. Both environmental data and diatom distributions indicate that apart from elevation, specific conductance, pH, and moisture are the major factors determining the structure of moss-inhabiting diatom communities on Ile Amsterdam. Conclusion - The isolated geographic position and unique climatological and geological features of the island shaped the presence of a unique diatom flora, characterised by many endemic species. The results of the study are of prime importance for further (palaeo-)ecological and biogeographical research.

Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus ssp) were brought to the brink of extinction during whaling and are still endangered today. In the southern Indian Ocean, a remote region subject to extreme weather conditions, passive acoustics quickly became the preferred method for monitoring these large marine mammals. This thesis is based on acoustic data recorded from 2010 to 2018 by a large hydrophone network in the southern Indian Ocean. An automatic detection algorithm, whose performance was thoroughly evaluated beforehand, is applied to detect the stereotyped and non-stereotyped calls (D-calls) of Antarctic blue whales and Australian and Madagascan pygmy blue whales. Detections of stereotyped calls refine the spatial and seasonal distributions previously described in the southern Indian Ocean and reveal that Antarctic and pygmy blue whales use this region in very different ways. Comparison between the geographical presence of stereotyped and nonstereotyped calls suggests a change in the acoustic behavior of blue whales between subtropical and subantarctic regions. Finally, the characterization of the southern Indian Ocean soundscape indicates that anthropogenic signals are prevalent, even in remote areas., La baleine bleue (Balaenoptera musculus ssp) a été menée au bord de l’extinction durant la chasse baleinière et est aujourd’hui toujours en danger. Dans l’océan Indien austral, une région reculée et soumise à des conditions météorologiques extrêmes, l’utilisation de l’acoustique passive s’est rapidement imposée pour le suivi de ces grands mammifères marins. Cette thèse repose sur des enregistrements acoustiques acquis de 2010 à 2018 par un réseau d’hydrophones de grande envergure situé dans l’océan Indien austral. Un algorithme de détection automatique, dont les performances sont préalablement évaluées, est appliqué pour détecter les vocalisations stéréotypées et non-stéréoptyées (D-calls) des baleines bleues Antarctique et des baleines bleues pygmées d’Australie et de Madagascar. Les détections des vocalisations stéréotypées précisent les distributions spatiales et saisonnières décrites précédemment dans l'océan Indien austral et révèlent que les baleines bleues Antarctique et pygmées habitent cette région de façon très différente. La comparaison entre la présence géographique des vocalisations stéréotypées et non-stéréotypées suggère un changement de comportement acoustique des baleines bleues entre les régions subtropicales et subantarctiques. Enfin, la caractérisation du paysage sonore dans l’océan Indien austral indique que les signaux d'origine anthropique y sont prévalents, y compris dans les régions les plus reculées.

International audience; The southern Indian Ocean is believed to be a natural territory for blue and fin whales. However, decades after commercial and illegal whaling decimated these populations, little is known about their current status, seasonal habitat or movements. Recent passive acoustic studies have described the presence of 4 acoustic populations of blue whales (Antarctic and 3 ‘pygmy’ types), but are generally limited temporally and geographically. Here, we examine up to 7 yr of continuous acoustic recordings (2010-2016) from a hydrophone network of 6 widely spaced sites in the southern Indian Ocean, looking for the presence of Antarctic and pygmy blue and fin whales. Power spectral density analyses of characteristic and distinct frequency bands of these species show seasonal and geographic differences among the different populations, and the overall patterns for each display interannual consistencies in timing and occurrence. Antarctic blue and fin whales are recorded across the hydrophone network, mainly from austral autumn to spring, with peak intensity in winter. Pygmy blue whales show spatial variation: Madagascan pygmy blue whales are mainly present in the west of the network, while the Australian call type is heard at the eastern sites. Both populations share a common seasonality, with a presence from January to June. Finally, the Sri Lankan call type is recorded only on a single site in the northeast. These results confirm the importance of the southern Indian Ocean for several populations of endangered large whales and present the first long-term assessment of fin whales in the southern Indian Ocean.

The influence of northern high latitude climate variability on the South Asian Summer Monsoon has been extensively studied using both instrumental and proxy based climate data. In comparison, only a few studies have attempted to explore the southern high latitude association of the South Asian Summer Monsoon. Here we present a 145 kyr long new data (oxygen and carbon isotopic abundance of two depth-stratified species of foraminifera viz. Globigerinoides ruber and Globorotalia menardii) from a sediment core on sub-millennial to millennial scale resolution from the southwestern tropical Indian Ocean - a region swept by the southeasterly wind during boreal summer (referred to as ‘summer’ hereafter), which transforms to the southwest monsoon wind after crossing the equator. The available records of past summer monsoon variability are predominantly based on reconstruction of downstream hydrology, which is identifiable with the thermodynamics of the system. The present study is a reconstruction of the dynamics of the summer monsoon circulation from an upstream region which is ideally suited for exploring its link with the southern high-latitude climate. We identified several occurrences of interchanging intense and weak monsoon circulation events during the 145 kyr period. We further find that warm (cold) conditions in Antarctica show a near one-to-one coupling with weak (strong) monsoon phases, suggesting a strong mechanistic link between them during the period.

A new endemic species of Sagina L., Sagina hookeri Timana, sp. nov. (Caryophyllaceae) is described for the flora of Ile Amsterdam, in the southern Indian Ocean (French Southern and Antarctic Lands). Differences between this taxon and S. diffusa (Hook.f.) Timana (endemic to the neighboring island of Saint-Paul) and S. procumbens L. (introduced in several circum-austral islands) are discussed, and an identification key to those three Sagina species occurring in Saint-Paul and Amsterdam islands is presented.

The Antarctic blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus intermedia, is currently critically endangered since the commercial whaling in the 20th century. The population recovery of this species, as well as its ecology, are still poorly known. Due to the ineffectiveness of visual observations, passive acoustics is a preferred method to monitor this highly vocal species. This dissertation presents an analysis of 7 years of passive acoustic monitoring in the southern Indian Ocean, known as a particularly important area of habitat and migration for the Antarctic blue whale. Deployed since 2010 over an area of about 9,000,000 km2, the OHASISBIO hydrophone network provides a multi-site and multi-year acoustic database. An algorithm for the automated detection of Antarctic blue whale calls, first tested and validated, has been applied to characterize the seasonal and geographic patterns of the species presence in the study area. The systematic analysis of these vocalizations also allowed to characterize intra- and inter-annual variations of their frequency, with a long-term decline and seasonal variations. A preliminary analysis of other vocal signatures recorded by the network, from 3 populations of pygmy blue whales and fin whales, highlighted similar variations of their frequencies and outlined their geographic and seasonal patterns of presence in the area. Finally, two previously undescribed vocalizations, with characteristics close to that of blue whale calls, were identified and characterized., La baleine bleue Antarctique, Balaenoptera musculus intermedia, est en danger critique d’extinction depuis la chasse baleinière intensive du 20e siècle. L’état de ses populations et leur écologie restent encore mal connus. En raison de l’inefficacité des observations visuelles, la surveillance par acoustique passive est privilégiée pour étudier cette espèce vocalement très active. Cette thèse porte sur l’analyse de 7 ans de surveillance acoustique passive dans l’océan Indien austral, région d’habitat et de migration particulièrement importante pour la baleine bleue Antarctique. Déployé depuis 2010 sur une aire de près de 9 000 000 km2, le réseau d’hydrophones OHASISBIO fournit une base de données acoustiques multi-site et pluri-annuelle. L’application d’un algorithme de détection automatique des vocalisations de baleines bleues Antarctique, préalablement testé et validé, a permis d’établir les patrons géographiques et saisonniers de présence de l’espèce au sein du réseau. L’analyse systématique de ces vocalisations a également permis de caractériser des variations intra- et inter-annuelles de leur fréquence, affectée par une décroissance long-terme et des modulations saisonnières. L’analyse préliminaire de signatures vocales d’autres espèces présentes dans le réseau - rorquals communs et trois populations de baleines bleues pygmées – a révélé des variations de fréquence similaires de leur vocalisation et permis d’esquisser leurs patrons géographiques et saisonniers. Enfin, deux vocalisations, jusqu’alors non décrites, aux caractéristiques semblables à celles de baleines bleues, ont été identifiées et caractérisées.

International audience; Diatom and water chemistry samples were collected during the austral summer of 2007 from lakes, streams and bogponds on Ile Amsterdam (TAAF), a small island located in the southern Indian Ocean. A diverse diatom flora of 104 taxa was found, dominated by several Pinnularia taxa, Frustulia lebouvieri, Kobayasiella subantarctica, Eunotia paludosa, E. muscicola and Planothidium subantarcticum. Biogeographically, the Ile Amsterdam freshwater diatom flora is composed of cosmopolitan, sub-Antarctic and endemic elements. The biogeographical analysis showed that almost 17% of all observed taxa can be considered endemic to Ile Amsterdam with an additional 14% showing an exclusive sub-Antarctic distribution. The flora can be considered as typical for oceanic islands based on its disharmonic composition with several genera lacking and other being overrepresented. Canonical Component Analysis was used to classify the samples based on their chemical characteristics, revealing that, specific conductance, sulphate and pH were the main factors dividing the samples into four different groups. The geological history of the island in combination with the climate and the specific environmental features of the main habitat in the Caldera most likely shaped the composition of the actual diatom communities.

An overview of the large-scale circulation of the South Indian Ocean (SIO) (10 degrees S-70 degrees S/20 degrees E-120 degrees E) is proposed based on historical hydrographic data (1903-1996) synthesized with a finite-difference inverse model. The in situ density, potential temperature and salinity fields of selected hydrographic stations are projected on the basis of EOFs. Then the EOF coefficients (the projected values) are interpolated on the model grid (1 degrees in latitude, 2 degrees in longitude) using an objective analysis whose spatial correlation functions are fitted to the data set. The resulting fields are the input of the inverse model. This procedure filters out the small-scale features. Twelve modes are needed to keep the vertical structures of the fields but the first three modes are sufficient to reproduce the large-scale horizontal features of the SIO: the Subtropical Gyre, the Weddell Gyre, the different branches of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The dynamics is steady state. The estimated circulation is in geostrophic balance and satisfies mass, heat and potential vorticity conservation. The wind and air-sea heat forcing are annual means from ERS1 and ECMWF, respectively. The main features of the various current systems of the SIO are quantified and reveal topographic control of the deep and bottom circulation. The cyclonic Weddell Gyre, mainly barotropic, transports 45 Sv (1 Sv=10(6)m(3)/s), and has an eastern extension limited by the southern part of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. The bottom circulation north of 50 degrees S is complex. The Deep Western Boundary Currents are identified as well as cyclonic recirculations. South east of the Kerguelen Plateau, the bottom circulation is in good agreement with previous water mass analysis. The comparison between some recent regional analysis and the inverse estimation is limited by the model resolution and lack of deep data. The meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is estimated from the finite difference inverse model. Between 26 degrees S and 32 degrees S the reversal of the current deepens and reaches 1400 m at 32 degrees S. The major part of the deep meridional transport at 32'S is located between the African coast and the Madagascar Ridge, carried by the Agulhas Undercurrent. The mean value for this meridional thermohaline recirculation is 8.8 +/- 4.4 Sv between 26 degrees S and 32 degrees S. The Agulhas Undercurrent (11 Sv) is associated with a weak Agulhas Current (55 Sv). The MOC is thus trapped in the western margin of the Southwest Indian Ridge. The corresponding vertical velocity along 32 degrees S between 30 degrees E and 42 degrees E is 7.2x10(-5)+/- 8.9x10(-5) cm s(-1). The net meridional heat flux represents -0.53 PW at 18 degrees S and -0.33 PW at 32 degrees S (negative values for south-ward transports). The intensity of the meridional heat flux is linked to the intensity of the Agulhas Current and to the vertical mixing. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The sources and pathways of mode waters and lower thermocline waters entering the subtropical gyre of the Indian Ocean are examined. A Lagrangian analysis is performed on an eddy-admitting simulation of the Global Ocean performed by the DRAKKAR Group (NEMO/OPA), which captures the main observed features. We trace the subducted mode water’s pathways, identify their formation regions and trace whether their source waters come from the Atlantic, Pacific or Indian sectors of the Southern Ocean. Three main sites for mode waters ventilation in the Indian sector are identified with different circulation pathways and source water masses: (a) just north of Kerguelen, where 4.2 Sv of lighter Subantarctic Mode Waters (SAMW); σ 0 ∼ 26.5) are exported—originating in the Atlantic and Agulhas Retroflection regions; (b) SW of Australia, where 6.5 Sv of medium SAMW (σ 0 ∼ 26.6) are ventilated—originating in the southern and denser Agulhas Retroflection region; (c) SW of Tasmania and along the South Australian coast, where 3 Sv of denser SAMW (σ 0 ∼ 26.75) are ventilated—originating from three sources: Leeuwin Current waters, Tasman Sea (Pacific) waters and Antarctic Surface Waters. In all cases, modelled mode waters were last ventilated in the Indian Ocean just north of the deepest winter-mixed layers. For the waters subducted SW of Australia, the last ventilation site extends even further north. Waters ventilated in the deepest mixed layers north of the Subantarctic Front are then re-ventilated 5 years later southwest of Australia. The model results raise new hypotheses that revisit the classical picture of the SAMW formation and transformation, where a large homogeneous mixed layer is subducted and ‘slides’ equatorward, essentially maintaining the T/S characteristics acquired at the surface. Firstly, the last ventilation of the modelled mode waters is not in the region of the deepest mixed layers, as previously thought, but further north in regions of moderate meso-scale eddy activity. Secondly, the model shows for the first time a significant source region for Indian Ocean mode waters coming from deep winter-mixed layers along the south Australian coast. Finally, this analysis shows how the mode water characteristics are modified after subduction, due to internal eddy mixing. The simulation shows that resolved eddies have a strong impact on the mixed layer properties and that isopycnal eddy mixing also contributes to the generation of more homogeneous mode water characteristics in the interior.

7 páginas, 2 figuras, 3 tablas, The coastal octopus at Saint Paul and Amsterdam Islands is Octopus vulgaris Cuvier 1797. Meristic and morphological characters, along with phylogenetic analysis of COI and COIII DNA sequences, were used to identify 11 animals collected in 2000 or 2001. The range of the species is therefore expanded to include the oceanic islands of the central southern Indian Ocean. The trees also depicted the genus Octopus as polyphyletic and O. vulgaris sense Cuvier or sensu stricto as monophyletic, The study was partially supported by a FCT grant (PTDC/BIA-BEC/098553/2008) to MP-L. ÁR was supported by a fellowship (Introduction to Research and JAE pre-doctoral) from the CSIC

International audience; Large particles (> 60 mm) were collected at 30 and 200 m water depth by in situ pumps in the southern Indian Ocean in January–February 1999. The samples were incubated under laboratory conditions with their own bacterial assemblages for 7–17 days in batches under oxic conditions in the dark. Particulate and dissolved fractions of organic carbon , amino acids, sugars and lipids, as well as bacterial production were quantified over time. During the experiments, 32–38% and 43–50% of total organic carbon (TOC) was mineralized and considered as labile material in the Polar Front Zone (PFZ) and Sub-Antarctic region (SAr), respectively. This material was utilized with a bacterial growth efficiency (BGE) of 10–21% (PFZ) and 12–17% (SAr), with the lower values being observed for surface samples (30 m). These results imply that most (79–90%) of the incorporated carbon from large particles was respired as CO 2. The study revealed that the initial relative abundance of the three main classes of organic matter, including sugars, amino acids and lipids, varied greatly between SAr and PFZ, with sugars being more abundant in SAr (15–19% of TOC) than in PFZ (8–9% of TOC). In the PFZ, mineralization rates of amino acids and lipids were two to ten fold higher than those of sugars, whereas the opposite was observed in SAr biodegradation experiments. Moreover, our results suggested that organic carbon is mineralized by bacteria more rapidly in the euphotic zone of the SAr than the PFZ. The differences observed between the two sites may be related to the more rapid dissolution of silica as well as the higher temperatures and bacterial production encountered in SAr waters. The bacterial processes apparently affect the composition of material sinking to the ocean interior. #

Large particles (> 60 mu m) were collected using in situ pumps deployed at 30 and 200 m depth at 2 typical stations in the southern Indian Ocean (Polar Front Zone [PFZ] and Sub-Antarctic Area [SAr]). The samples were incubated in vitro with their own bacterial assemblages for 7 to 17 days in batches under oxic conditions in the dark. Particulate organic carbon (POC) and sugars were monitored over time. Particulate sugars (PCHO-C) accounted for 5 to 20% of POC in the SAr, while they represented 5 to 8% of POC in the PFZ station at the beginning of the experiments. Molecular level analysis indicated that at the time of collection, ribose was among the most abundant sugars (18 to 30 wt% of PCHO-C) at the PFZ station and was rapidly degraded (k = 0.051 to 0.058 d(-1)) over the course of the experiment, while this sugar was below detection limits in the SAr. Our results also showed an increase in the relative abundance of deoxysugars (fucose and rhamnose), suggesting that these sugars have the potential to be used as indicators of the bacterial activity and evaluate the degradation status of POM in both areas. The kinetic study indicated that pentoses were degraded faster than hexoses, while deoxysugars exhibited the lowest degradation rates. This study demonstrated that total sugar degradation rates do not reflect the rates of all individual components, but rather a disparate collection of rates among sugars classes and individual sugars, which very likely can vary significantly in relation to the origin of particles.