Phytoplankton
Microscopic algae in the ocean, vital for producing much of Earth's oxygen, depend on iron to fuel photosynthesis, according to new research from Rutgers University. When iron is limited, these phytoplankton waste energy, potentially disrupting marine food chains amid climate change. Field studies in the Southern Ocean highlight how this micronutrient shortage could lead to declines in krill and larger marine animals like whales and penguins.
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Two major marine heat waves in the northeastern Pacific have disrupted the ocean's natural process of sinking carbon to the seafloor via zooplankton fecal pellets. A new study reveals shifts in phytoplankton and zooplankton communities that reduced carbon export during these events. This malfunction could impair the ocean's ability to absorb a quarter of human CO2 emissions.