Stresses on Global Phytoplankton

Researchers have conducted the first global analysis of the health and productivity of ocean plants using a unique signal detected by NASA’s Aqua satellite.

Single-celled phytoplankton fuel nearly all ocean ecosystems, serving 
as the most basic food source for marine animals. Phytoplankton 
account for half of all photosynthetic activity on Earth and play a 
key role in the balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The 
health of these marine plants affects the amount of carbon dioxide the ocean can absorb from the atmosphere and how the ocean responds 
to a changing climate. Learn more.