INSPIRED ORIGINS

Thanks to NASA, the 2020 August bloom was clearly photographed via satellite. Phytoplankton blooms often occur but not on this scale in this part of the world. Made up of diatoms and coccolithophores (tiny and very important creatures. They are considered the basis for all life in the oceans. Thanks to optimal oceanic conditions such as temperature, currents, upwelling of deep water nutrients, and sunlight from clear skies allowed these little organisms to reproduce on a mass scale.

Basically, the colour change of the surface water is due to light bouncing off the phytoplankton floating just below the surface. And with the addition of some optimal environmental conditions, you have a bloom visible from space.

Although the source of inspiration for this tee is phytoplankton they are far more important. They are plants, and like all plants, they love to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen; photosynthesis if you will. Phytoplankton is the building block for all life in the ocean. Basically, they are the food source that supports everything up the food chain.

But the phytoplankton that is not eaten eventually die and sink to the bottom of the ocean. This is known as carbon cycling, or a carbon sink, super important for the earth. The ocean takes carbon dioxide and stores it at the bottom of the sea for millions of years. Just what we want.

But there's only so much the oceans can do. Even though it's trying to help us store all this carbon from humans burning fossil fuels, it has a limit. Sadly, ocean acidification is worsening because of this cycle. In short, an acidic ocean is bad, very bad.

Not to go completely off on a tangent but industrial fishing practices use beam trawlers to dredge up the bottom of the ocean. Harvesting all life, destroying habitats and stirring up all the lovely carbon stored on the ocean floor. Not great to say the least, especially when scientists have estimated the release of carbon dioxide to be more than the global aviation industry within any given year.

Nasa phytoplankton bloom - super cool pictures (click-me ya cool kid)

What is a coccolithophore - (click-me ya nerd)

What is phytoplankton and why it’s super important - worth a read defo my fave organism in the ocean (click-me?)

How does plankton help reduce carbon dioxide - simple but amazing process
(click-me surprisingly interesting)

Acid oceans and their connection to poverty - short and simple article
(click-me ya wannabe hero)

Bottom trawling releases more carbon dioxide than aviation industry - at its highest average (just click-me)