Shifts in diatom and dinoflagellate biomass in the North Atlantic over 6 decades
10 months ago
- #phytoplankton
- #North Atlantic
- #climate change
- Diatom and dinoflagellate biomass in the North Atlantic has decreased by up to 2% per year from 1960–2017, except in eastern and western shelf regions.
- There has been a 1–2% annual increase in diatom biomass relative to total diatom and dinoflagellate biomass across most of the North Atlantic, except in the Arctic province.
- The study contradicts the common assumption that gradual ocean warming leads to a decadal-scale shift from diatoms to dinoflagellates.
- Phytoplankton communities in the North Atlantic show strong seasonal cycles, with diatom blooms peaking in spring and dinoflagellate blooms in late summer.
- The research highlights regional variability in phytoplankton responses to climate change, emphasizing the need for community-wide and evolutionary considerations in climate predictions.