Rationale: Phytoplankton is the first link of all trophic chains in marine ecosystems and only the primary producer in the open water. Its diversity, abundance, biomass and production will be important for how much energy is available for other trophic levels
Theme: Biotic
Component: Phytoplankton
Type of indicator: E, state of the ecosystem
Priority of indicator: e, essential
Parameters:
• Species composition (CBMP, Arctos network/NPI, IMR, PINRO)
• Species abundance (CBMP, Arctos network/NPI, IMR, PINRO)
• Group abundance Dinoflagellates, Diatoms and Coccolithophorids (CBMP, Arctos network/NPI, IMR, PINRO)
• CDOM, satellite (NERSC)
• PIC, satellites' (NERSC) and benthic samples
• Diversity indices (CBMP, Arctos network/NPI, IMR, PINRO)
• Start, duration and intensity of the spring bloom (NERSC)
• Start, duration and intensity of the late summer bloom (NERSC)
• Chlorophyll (NPI, MMBI, PINRO)
• Total biomass (IMR, PINRO)
• Net primary productivity (NERSC)
Responsible institution:
Satellite photo of spring bloom in the Barents Sea, the green areas are coccolithophoride in the Barents Sea. Photo: ©ESA/Nansen center (NERSC).