According to a study led by researchers at the Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO), published last March in the journal Global Change Biology, both the absolute and relative biomass of small phytoplankton in the North Atlantic increase at higher temperature. The latter variable largely determines the ultimate fate of organic carbon produced during photosynthesis, hence the study anticipates future alterations in the functioning of marine ecosystems which can be summarized in a reduced capacity of the oceans to remove atmospheric CO2.

Source: IEO

(09/06/10)