Humans are changing the Earth's surface at an accelerating pace, with significant consequences for ecosystems and their biodiversity. Landscape transformation has far-reaching implications including reduced net primary production (NPP) available to support ecosystems, energy supplies consumers, disruption of ecosystem services such as carbon storage. Anthropogenic activities have global NPP ter...

Abstract Marine net primary production (NPP) is remarkably high given the typical vertical separation of 50–150 m between depth zones light and nutrient sufficiency, respectively. Here we present evidence that many autotrophs bridge this gap through downward upward migration, thereby facilitating biological pumping rates oceanic NPP. Our model suggests phytoplankton migration (PVM) fuels up to ...

Marine photosynthetic plankton are responsible for approximately 50 petagrams (10(15)) of carbon per year of net primary production, an amount equivalent to that on land. This primary production supports essentially all life in the oceans and profoundly affects global biogeochemical cycles and climate. This review discusses the general distribution of primary production in the sea, the processe...