在10月23日《科学》杂志的Brevium中，William Li及其同僚报告说，由气候所驱动的北冰洋的变化正在从该区域的较小型的海洋藻类中制造出"生态学上的优胜者"。研究人员说，如果这种极细小的浮游生物的优势持续存在的话，它可能会对海洋生态系统的碳捕获和截留的形式产生显著的影响。较暖和的温度、降水量的增加、更大量的冰融化及溢流都会产生更为淡化的营养不如深水区丰富的北极表层水。Picoplankton [或译：超微型浮游生物（其直径不到2微米）] 的表面积相对于容量的高比例使其在从上层水域中获取食物时比那些较大的浮游生物更有优势。结果，自2004年以来，小型藻类开始增加，而某些较大型的海藻种群数则发生缩减。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Science 23 October 2009:DOI: 10.1126/science.1179798
Smallest Algae Thrive As the Arctic Ocean Freshens
William K. W. Li,1,* Fiona A. McLaughlin,2 Connie Lovejoy,3 Eddy C. Carmack2
As climate changes and the upper Arctic Ocean receives more heat and fresh water, it becomes more difficult for mixing processes to deliver nutrients from depth to the surface for phytoplankton growth. Competitive advantage will presumably accrue to small cells because they are more effective in acquiring nutrients and less susceptible to gravitational settling than large cells. Since 2004, we have discerned an increase in the smallest algae and bacteria along with a concomitant decrease in somewhat larger algae. If this trend toward a community of smaller cells is sustained, it may lead to reduced biological production at higher trophic levels.
1 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS B2Y 4A2, Canada.
2 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2, Canada.
3 Département de Biologie, Québec-Océan and Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, Université Laval, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
