The Hot and Cold of Marine Plant Life (Video)

Yann Pfitzer, C‘19, ENG'19, describes the impact of climate change on ocean phytoplankton.

Friday, November 4, 2016

Filmed by Alex Schein and Brooke Sietinsons

Edited by Brooke Sietinsons

Undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences reinforce the idea that students at any level can tackle complex issues with a fresh perspective. Recently, students at the College's annual Family Weekend were given the opportunity to participate in the Undergraduate Research Poster Presentation, where they presented on the topics they are most passionate about.

In his presentation, “Understanding Trends and Variability in Ocean Phytoplankton from Satellite Data,” Yann Pfitzer, C'19, ENG'19, examines how climate change has shown to have significant ramifications on biological organisms and processes that take place in the ocean. According to Pfitzer, phytoplankton accounts for approximately 50 percent of the photosynthesis on the planet, and that the warming and cooling of the ocean can have a great impact on these organisms’ accessibility to light and nutrients.