How marine heatwaves impact phytoplankton and ocean health

Marine heatwaves – periods of prolonged, unusually warm seawater – are increasingly threatening marine ecosystems around the world. A recent study, led by the Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-ISMAR) as part of ESA’s CAREHeat project, specifically examined these effects in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.

By combining satellite data from ESA’s Climate Change Initiative (ESA CCI), in situ robotic platforms called BioGeoChemical-Argo floats and Copernicus Marine’s biogeochemical models, the research highlights how these heatwaves significantly disrupt the spring phytoplankton bloom – a vital process for marine life.