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Tag: Phytoplankton dynamics

Sage Bennett

Plankton Modelling Revolution Urgently Needed to Safeguard Future Climate Predictions

Marine researchers from the University of Exeter and Plymouth Marine Laboratory emphasize that outdated plankton models threaten our ability to predict and address global climate change impacts. Plankton, vital microscopic organisms, are crucial for carbon cycling, marine productivity, and Earth's climate stability. However, current models oversimplify their diversity, using decades-old concepts. The study insists on a radical update of these models, incorporating modern biology and collaboration between researchers and

· 5 min read

Sage Bennett

Planet’s Darkening Oceans Threaten Marine Life

Great swathes of the world’s oceans have become significantly darker over the past two decades, shrinking the critical photic zone where the majority of marine life thrives, a new study warns. Researchers used satellite data and advanced modelling to reveal that between 2003 and 2022 more than one-fifth of the global ocean has lost enough light penetration to push its photic zone shallower by at least 50 metres in some regions.

· 2 min read