Robotic ocean glider reveals giant phytoplankton chains in the Mediterranean Sea
Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego and the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography in Marseille, France, have discovered something surprising in the Mediterranean Sea: giant chains of phytoplankton.
Scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Mediterranean Institute of Oceanography have discovered giant chains of phytoplankton in the Mediterranean Sea. To uncover these remarkable structures, researchers utilized a noninvasive robotic glider named Zooglider, equipped with advanced imaging capabilities. Unlike traditional methods that disturb marine life, the Zooglider silently floated through the water, capturing clear images of the fragile phytoplankton chains, revealing structures up to 10 millimeters in length – far larger than previously observed.
These findings challenge previous assumptions about the size and role of these phytoplankton in the ocean's food web, suggesting they may sink to the ocean floor, altering carbon and nutrient cycles.
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