Figure 3 shows little seasonal change at 200 m depth on a global scale. Oceanographic conditions at that depth can be used to characterise gradients between the mixed layer and the central waters. They will not be duplicated in this paper but will be applied in the interpretations. It is recommended to use these maps and references to other biogeographic work in these publications, with results presented here. Geographic gaps in the data delineate areas of moderate to bad carbonate preservation from where samples have been excluded.
Dark pattern marks shelf areas.
Note the different shape and strength of the seasonal thermocline and subsequent problems to define reprodicible levels, which would have made comparisons between different ocean areas and different seasons difficult. Note scatter in the correlation of sea surface temperatures and differences in the correlation between different segments of the data cloud. In the tropics a linear correlation hardly exists. Physical conditions at 200 m are nearly constant over the year and are used to characterise conditions below the seasonal thermocline.