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Global biodiversity patterns of marine phytoplankton and zooplankton

Author

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  • Xabier Irigoien

    (Herrera Kaia portualdea)

  • Jef Huisman

    (University of Amsterdam)

  • Roger P. Harris

    (Plymouth Marine Laboratory)

Abstract

Although the oceans cover 70% of the Earth's surface, our knowledge of biodiversity patterns in marine phytoplankton and zooplankton is very limited compared to that of the biodiversity of plants and herbivores in the terrestrial world. Here, we present biodiversity data for marine plankton assemblages from different areas of the world ocean. Similar to terrestrial vegetation1,2,3, marine phytoplankton diversity is a unimodal function of phytoplankton biomass, with maximum diversity at intermediate levels of phytoplankton biomass and minimum diversity during massive blooms. Contrary to expectation, we did not find a relation between phytoplankton diversity and zooplankton diversity. Zooplankton diversity is a unimodal function of zooplankton biomass. Most strikingly, these marine biodiversity patterns show a worldwide consistency, despite obvious differences in environmental conditions of the various oceanographic regions. These findings may serve as a new benchmark in the search for global biodiversity patterns of plants and herbivores.

Suggested Citation

  • Xabier Irigoien & Jef Huisman & Roger P. Harris, 2004. "Global biodiversity patterns of marine phytoplankton and zooplankton," Nature, Nature, vol. 429(6994), pages 863-867, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:429:y:2004:i:6994:d:10.1038_nature02593
    DOI: 10.1038/nature02593
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Banas, Neil S., 2011. "Adding complex trophic interactions to a size-spectral plankton model: Emergent diversity patterns and limits on predictability," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 222(15), pages 2663-2675.
    2. Tsakalakis, Ioannis & Pahlow, Markus & Oschlies, Andreas & Blasius, Bernd & Ryabov, Alexey B., 2018. "Diel light cycle as a key factor for modelling phytoplankton biogeography and diversity," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 384(C), pages 241-248.
    3. Goebel, N.L. & Edwards, C.A. & Zehr, J.P. & Follows, M.J. & Morgan, S.G., 2013. "Modeled phytoplankton diversity and productivity in the California Current System," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 264(C), pages 37-47.
    4. Doyeong Ku & Yeon-Ji Chae & Yerim Choi & Chang Woo Ji & Young-Seuk Park & Ihn-Sil Kwak & Yong-Jae Kim & Kwang-Hyeon Chang & Hye-Ji Oh, 2022. "Optimal Method for Biomass Estimation in a Cladoceran Species, Daphnia Magna (Straus, 1820): Evaluating Length–Weight Regression Equations and Deriving Estimation Equations Using Body Length, Width an," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-10, July.
    5. Adjou, Mohamed & Bendtsen, Jørgen & Richardson, Katherine, 2012. "Modeling the influence from ocean transport, mixing and grazing on phytoplankton diversity," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 19-27.
    6. Jean-Éric Tremblay & Dominique Robert & Diana Varela & Connie Lovejoy & Gérald Darnis & R. Nelson & Akash Sastri, 2012. "Current state and trends in Canadian Arctic marine ecosystems: I. Primary production," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 115(1), pages 161-178, November.
    7. Joydev Chattopadhyay & Ezio Venturino & Samrat Chatterjee, 2013. "Aggregation of toxin-producing phytoplankton acts as a defence mechanism – a model-based study," Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 159-174, April.
    8. Masuda, Yoshio & Yamanaka, Yasuhiro & Hirata, Takafumi & Nakano, Hideyuki & Kohyama, Takashi S., 2020. "Inhibition of competitive exclusion due to phytoplankton dispersion: a contribution for solving Hutchinson's paradox," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 430(C).
    9. Liqiang Yang & Xiaotong He & Shaoguo Ru & Yongyu Zhang, 2024. "Herbicide leakage into seawater impacts primary productivity and zooplankton globally," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-17, December.
    10. Ludovisi, Alessandro & Roselli, Leonilde & Basset, Alberto, 2012. "Testing the effectiveness of exergy-based tools on a seasonal succession in a coastal lagoon by using a size distribution approach," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 245(C), pages 125-135.

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