‘We’re just trying to make this seamless’

Ocean scientists have been utilizing satellite technology to provide a clearer look at the plankton that form the foundation of aquatic ecosystems. What they’re finding, according to The New York Times, is that the changing environment is threatening these tiny organisms, and therefore threatening the entire food chain.

What’s happening?

Phytoplankton are microscopic marine organisms that use photosynthesis to create energy. They produce a significant amount of the planet’s oxygen, and they also serve as the primary food source for zooplankton, the ocean’s tiniest animals. Zooplankton are a critical marine food source themselves, feeding everything from shrimp to fish to seabirds — all the way up to blue whales, the biggest animals on the planet.

Because plankton are so foundational to the food chain, tracking them is crucial for understanding the state of the ocean’s ecosystems. With the help of NASA’s Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem satellite, researchers can now do that more effectively and more efficiently, per the Times.

The PACE satellite measures the entire spectrum of visible light (and a bit beyond), allowing scientists to observe the density and diversity of the ocean’s phytoplankton. Combining this information with local observations, they’re able to accurately track phytoplankton like never before.

“We’re just trying to make this seamless,” University of California, San Diego Scripps Institution of Oceanography biological oceanographer Clarissa Anderson said, “so you can go from that satellite view and drill down all the way to the very near shore: What’s happening at my pier? What’s happening at my dock?”

PACE satellite observations have featured a few alarming trends. Open-ocean phytoplankton seem to be declining, while huge blooms of the organisms in certain areas are disrupting ecosystems and economies. It’s believed that these shifting plankton patterns are connected to rising ocean temperatures.

Why is tracking plankton important?

Phytoplankton are among the most abundant organisms on the planet. They essentially provide food to every ocean animal. A crisis with them could spell disaster for ecosystems around the planet.

The connection between life on dry land and the state of the ocean is a lot stronger than many realize. Not only do more than 3 billion people depend on seafood for sustenance, according to the World Wildlife Fund, but EarthSky also reported that the ocean creates 50-80% of the planet’s oxygen. The main producer of that oxygen? Phytoplankton. 

Tracking phytoplankton allows researchers to see the impacts of the changing environment on the world’s oceans. It also allows scientists and others to better predict the activity of marine life, as it tends to follow plankton. 

What’s being done to protect the oceans?

Research to track phytoplankton is just one example of human efforts to protect the oceans. There are many more. 

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For example, Netherlands-based nonprofit The Ocean Cleanup has removed 17 million pounds of plastic trash and counting from the Pacific Ocean. The company is utilizing drone technology to improve its methods, too. 

If you want to protect the oceans, reducing plastic use is a great start. Upgrading to solar in your home is another option. 

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