Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton are microscopic algae that play a critical role in the ocean’s carbon cycle, producing organic carbon through photosynthesis and supporting higher trophic levels of the marine food web.

Marine heatwaves – periods of prolonged, unusually warm seawater – are increasingly threatening marine ecosystems around the world. A recent study, led by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR) as part of ESA’s CAREHeat project, specifically examined these effects in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.

Read full story: How marine heatwaves impact phytoplankton and ocean health