During austral summer 2012, seawater samples were collected from the upper 120 m of the water column, across the frontal zones in the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean. Suspended particulate organic matter from seawater was characterised, from its organic carbon and nitrogen content, and δ¹³C_(POM). There was a marked difference in δ¹³C_(POM) across the three frontal zones. It was depleted from the Subtropical frontal zone (−24.48 ± 1.94‰) to the Subantarctic frontal zone (−25.53 ± 0.62‰) and the Polar frontal zone (−26.69 ± 1.22‰). Within the water column, Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) and Particulate Nitrogen (PN) decreased with depth, especially below the deep chlorophyll maxima. Principal Component Analysis of δ¹³C_(POM) and the environmental variables showed two clusters, one cluster, within the Subtropical and Subantarctic frontal zones, whereas the other cluster was in the Polar frontal zone. Statistical analysis of δ¹³C with particulate organic carbon, nitrogen, apparent oxygen utilization, chlorophyll a and phytoplankton community, indicated that biological community structure strongly influenced the particulate organic matter characteristics in the upper water column. The study also revealed that both autotrophic and heterotrophic processes play a significant role in the waters of the Subtropical and Subantarctic frontal zones. Furthermore, physical factors like eddies and advection influence the community structure and food web dynamics of the region. However, in the Polar frontal zone, autotrophic processes were dominant, supported by the abundance of nutrients and prevalence of larger phytoplankton community (diatoms).

在2012年的夏季南方，从水柱上部120 m采集的海水样品横穿了南洋印度洋扇形的额叶区域。从海水中悬浮的颗粒有机物质的特征在于，从它的有机碳和氮的含量，δ ¹³ C ^ _（POM）。有在一个δ显着差异¹³ Ç _（POM）横跨三个正面区域。它从亚热带额叶带（−24.48±1.94‰）耗尽到亚南极额叶带（−25.53±0.62‰）和极额叶带（−26.69±1.22‰）。在水柱内，颗粒有机碳（POC）和颗粒氮（PN）随深度降低，尤其是在深叶绿素最大值以下。δ的主成分分析¹³ C _（POM）和环境变量显示出两个簇，一个簇在亚热带和亚南极锋区，而另一个簇在极地锋区。δ的统计分析¹³与颗粒有机碳，氮，氧表观利用率，叶绿素Ç一个和浮游植物群落，表明生物群落结构强烈影响上水柱颗粒有机物的特征。研究还表明，自养过程和异养过程在亚热带和亚南极额叶带的水域中都起着重要作用。此外，漩涡和对流等物理因素也会影响该地区的社区结构和食物网动态。但是，在极地额带，营养丰富和较大的浮游植物群落（硅藻）盛行，支持着自养过程。