New satellite technology reveals how rising temperatures are affecting plankton, the foundation of the ocean food web, raising concerns about broader ecological consequences.
Climate Change Disrupts Ocean's Vital Plankton Base
Climate Change Disrupts Ocean's Vital Plankton Base
Scientists shed light on the critical role of plankton in Earth's marine ecosystems as climate change disrupts their life cycle.
A recent partnership between scientists and the Pulitzer Center’s Ocean Reporting Network has yielded new insights into the health of the planet’s oceans, focusing on the role of plankton—tiny organisms that inhabit nearly three-quarters of Earth's surface. With climate change impacting these organisms significantly, experts are sounding alarms regarding the ocean's food chain, which heavily relies on plankton as a crucial building block of marine life.
In March 2025, NASA successfully launched a satellite that offers the most comprehensive view yet of phytoplankton diversity and distribution, helping researchers understand the urgent transformations in the marine environment. "If you enjoy breathing and eating, then you must care about phytoplankton," stated Jeremy Werdell, leader of the satellite program termed PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem).
While conventional oceanic research methods, primarily from ships, provided limited snapshots of plankton dynamics, satellite technology has now broadened this perspective. Ivona Cetinic, an oceanographer at NASA, likens the breakthrough to removing a green filter from a lens: “Now, we can see all the colors of the ocean's garden. It’s like recognizing every flower,” she explained.
The implications of these findings resonate far beyond the microscopic, illuminating how crucial the health of plankton is for the entire marine ecosystem and by extension, human life.
