Phytoplankton Ecology: A Conceptual Review Based on Eastern Gulf of Mexico Research

Marine phytoplankters, such as diatoms and dinoflagellates, are called the “grass of the sea” because they are the photo- and chemosynthesizers at the base of the food chain. In addition to converting inorganic carbon to organic carbon (via photosynthesis), phytoplankton organisms utilize inorganic nitrogen to produce amino acids and can even synthesize vitamins, such as B12, biotin, and thiamine.1 Ultimately, most higher marine life is directly or indirectly dependent on this primary production.