Nannoplankton and Present Day Oceans

Spectacular modern coccolithophore Michelsarsia

Living nannoplankton populations provide information about recent and current changes in the oceans. The study of planktonic fossils though the last several thousand years contributed to our recognition of regular glacial/interglacial cycles. Current research is seeking to find out whether ocean warming and ocean acidification (decreasing ocean pH due to high atmospheric CO2) is having a detrimental effect on plankton, and especially those, like coccolithophores, that produce calcareous skeletons. As these plankton play important roles in the global carbon and sulphur cycles, it is important to understand how these functions may be affected by current changes in climate and ocean chemistry.