AtlantECO podcast 55.Ocean biogeographies in the context of climate change

So, what exactly does Meike’s team study? Their focus is on the global cycling of important elements in the Earth system. Specifically, they models marine ecosystems—particularly plankton ecosystems—working to understand where different plankton species live, what they do, and how they contribute to the cycling of nutrients like nitrogen and carbon. Why is this so important? Meike explains that plankton are the "plants of the ocean." They support half of Earth's primary production and produce a great part of the oxygen being breathed. However, unlike terrestrial ecosystems, plankton are microscopic and live in a vast, inaccessible environment. This makes studying them incredibly challenging, but also crucial for understanding the ocean’s role in regulating the planet’s climate.