Abstract

Marine Biogeography of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Plankton: Patterns and Processes

Author(s): Eric Sorin

Marine plankton—microscopic organisms drifting in the ocean—form the foundation of aquatic food webs and drive global biogeochemical cycles. These communities include both prokaryotic plankton (bacteria and archaea) and eukaryotic plankton (protists, microalgae, and small metazoans). Despite their microscopic size, plankton exhibit distinct biogeographic patterns shaped by environmental gradients, ocean currents, and evolutionary history. Understanding these patterns is essential for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change, nutrient shifts, and anthropogenic pressures.