Phytoplankton: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that dominate photosynthetic primary production in the ocean (1). Phylogenetically, phytoplankton comprises both bacterial groups such as the cyanobacteria [[Synechococcus]] and [[Prochlorococcus]], and unicellular eukaryotic groups. Operationally, modelers differentiate between [[picophytoplankton]], which dominates [[oligotrophic]] regions, and [[microphytoplankton]], which is more abundant in nutrient-rich areas like [[upwelling]] regions and the [[polar oceans]]. | Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that dominate photosynthetic primary production in the ocean (1). Phylogenetically, phytoplankton comprises both bacterial groups such as the cyanobacteria [[Synechococcus]] and [[Prochlorococcus]], and unicellular eukaryotic groups (2). Operationally, modelers differentiate between [[picophytoplankton]], which dominates [[oligotrophic]] regions, and [[microphytoplankton]], which is more abundant in nutrient-rich areas like [[upwelling]] regions and the [[polar oceans]] (2). | ||
=== References === | === References === | ||
Revision as of 16:49, 17 November 2025
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that dominate photosynthetic primary production in the ocean (1). Phylogenetically, phytoplankton comprises both bacterial groups such as the cyanobacteria Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, and unicellular eukaryotic groups (2). Operationally, modelers differentiate between picophytoplankton, which dominates oligotrophic regions, and microphytoplankton, which is more abundant in nutrient-rich areas like upwelling regions and the polar oceans (2).
References
1. Falkowski, P. Ocean Science: The power of plankton. Nature 483, S17–S20 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/483S17a
2. Liu, X., Levine, N. M. Ecosystem implications of fine-scale frontal disturbances in the oligotrophic ocean – An idealized modeling approach. Progress in Oceanography 192 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2021.102519