Case Studies
Toward the Digital Twin of the Ocean
Create a digital representation of ocean real-world entities and processes for the Mediterranean Sea
Ocean Fronts and Phytoplankton Case Study
Impact of mesoscale-to-submesoscale dynamics on phytoplankton organisms
Fronts are interfaces at the surface of the ocean where there are sharp contrasts in temperature and salinity on either side of the front.
For centuries, fishermen have noted the importance of these fronts, which are oases for marine life.
Three decades of research into the ecological processes at these fronts has enabled us to gain a better understanding of the complex way in which fronts function, and how the very specific vertical currents that occur at fronts feed the marine ecosystem, particularly phytoplankton. But we still lack a quantitative vision of the role of fronts in the productivity and diversity of the ecosystem.
By using high-resolution 4D reconstruction of currents, temperature and salinity in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as ecological parameters such as chlorophyll, this study aims to provide a more quantitative assessment of the impact of fronts on phytoplankton abundance and diversity.
