Vertical profiles of the chlorophyll ${alpha}$, phytoplankton abundance, nutrients and sigma-t were compared with the vertical distribution of phytoplankton species in conjunction with $^{14}$C primary production in the Southern Waters of the East Sea, Korea. In the upper mixed layer the water column was only weakly stratified and ambient nitrogenic nutrient concentrations were markedly depleted. Dissolved silicate seemed to be another limiting nutrient in the surface layer. The occupation of different water depths by several dominant diatom species was well explained by the degree of silicification of each cell and the silicate concentration of ambient seawater. Subsurface chlorophyll maxima were continuously observed in the lower parts of the euphotic layer and the depth coincided with nutricline, supporting our view that chlorophyll maximum was sustained partially by enhancement of in situ growth of phytoplankton and partially by increase of cellular chlorophyll content. The persistence of chlorophyll maximum layer was attributed to the physiological adaptation of the phytoplankters to low light intensities and to the utilization of regenerated nutrients. Integrated water column production of organic matter by photosynthesis appeared to be better related to phytoplankton cell division than to the cell growth in terms of biosynthesis of pigments and other intracellular components.