Ecology of Polar Phytoplankton

• Main Author: Vernet, Maria
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: Wiley 2019
• Subjects: Antarctic; Arctic; Antarc*; Phytoplankton
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781119300762.wsts0060; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2F9781119300762.wsts0060; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/9781119300762.wsts0060

Abstract Polar phytoplankton dominate the surface waters of the Arctic and Antarctic. With relatively less bacteria and high productivity, microalgae have adapted to the extreme conditions of freezing temperatures and pronounced seasonality. Transitioning from long summer days to permanent darkness in the winter, polar phytoplankton responds rapidly to small changes in light intensity. Large diatom species are characteristics of these environments although small algae are the most abundant. Living in freezing waters, their growth is optimal in higher than ambient temperatures and they are expected to benefit from rising ocean temperatures.