Phytoplankton
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
- ↑ Falkowski, P. Ocean Science: The power of plankton. Nature 483, S17–S20 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/483S17a
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 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