Plankton

Plankton Distribution



Cartographer: Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal



Plankton distribution changes, due to climate changes - North Sea.

"With melting sea ice and warming of the oceans, marine species change their distributions, affecting entire food chains and ocean productivity. In 2005 the subtropical dinoflagellate Ceratium hexacanthum was found in CPR samples from the North Sea at levels that were 6 standard deviations above previous measurements since 1958. Further evidence of this warning signal is seen in the appearance of a Pacific planktonic plant (a diatom Neodenticula seminae) in the Northwest Atlantic for the first time in 800,000 years, by transfer across the top of Canada due to the rapid melting of Arctic ice in 1998."

Norway is generally concerned by changes in marine biology, more specifically changes in fish migration. We are a big fish nation and our lively hood do depend on it if not in the same way as before the oil and the general technological development.