Microbiology 9th Edition by Laura Black, Jacquelyn Black

Exercise 16

Oceanic phytoplankton are the primary producers of the sea, providing nutrients for heterotrophic organisms. During their photosynthetic process, phytoplankton absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide (a major greenhouse gas), which in turn affects global temperatures. Phytoplankton populationsundergo seasonal fluctuations, which in turn can affect global temperatures. What do you think is directly responsible for the seasonal fluctuation in phytoplankton populations and, as a result, indirectly for the Earth's weather?