Large amounts of clay and silt particles from the northem Voring Plateau (Norwegian Sea) accumulate on a ridge (Voring Plateau escarpment) situated at 1 245-1 310 m depth on the northem Voring Plateau. Calculated Holocene sedimentation rates are up to 18 cm ky-1, while amounting to less than 1 cm ky-1 on the slope south of the ridge. Six stations were sampled - three on each side of the ridge - to obtain quantitative information of different biological components and relate these observations to the environmental conditions. Pronounced biological differences between the southern and northem sites are evident in terms of oxygen consumption, meio- and macrofauna composition, meiofauna biomass and meiofauna depth distribution. A specific fauna consisting of pogonophorans and nematode assemblages of relatively large-sized animals inhabits areas on Voring Plateau which are characterized by high sedimentation rates and high organic carbon content. Accumulation of particles larger than 63 mum in sediment horizons between 6-10 cm depth is possibly due to vertical particle transports by a burrowing enteropneust.