Articles | Volume 7-osr10
https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-7-osr10-9-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-7-osr10-9-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
30 Sep 2026
| OSR10 | Chapter 2.6
| 30 Sep 2026 | OSR10 | Chapter 2.6
Space-time variability of phytoplankton biomass, diversity and production over the last 27 years in the Mediterranean Sea
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy
Vittorio Ernesto Brando
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy
Annalisa Di Cicco
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy
Gianluca Volpe
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Istituto di Scienze Marine, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133, Rome, Italy
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Valeria Di Biagio, Vittorio Ernesto Brando, Simone Colella, Francesco D'Adamo, Anna Teruzzi, Gianluca Volpe, and Gianpiero Cossarini
State Planet Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2026-23, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2026-23, 2026
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In marine ecosystems, primary production is the process by which organisms create organic matter, supporting marine life, carbon storage and fisheries. We tracked spatial and temporal changes in primary production across the Mediterranean Sea by combining four datasets from satellites and models, including global and regional estimates, identifying areas affected by larger discrepancies among estimates. We found a small but significant decrease in basin-wide primary production since 1999.
Salem Ibrahim Salem, Andre Valente, Shubha Sathyendranath, Andrei Chuprin, Théo Renard, Jaime Pitarch, Ruth Airs, Moreno Ana, Maria-Manuel Angelico, David Antoine, Robert Arnone, Florinda Artuso, Paulo O. Oliveira, William Balch, Kathryn Barker, Ray Barlow, Simon Bélanger, Marco Bellacicco, Jean-François Berthon, Şükrü Beşiktepe, Francesco Bignami, Yngve Borsheim, Astrid Bracher, Federica Braga, Vittorio Brando, Robert J. W. Brewin, Vanda Brotas, Elisabetta Canuti, Francisco P. Chavez, Andrés Cianca, Hervé Claustre, Lesley Clementson, Simone Colella, Raul Costa, Cristina Nunes, Richard Crout, Emmanuel Devred, Annalisa Di Cicco, Federico Falcini, Ivan Farace, Afonso Ferreira, Scott Freeman, Robert Frouin, Carlos García-Soto, Isabella Giardina, Stuart W. Gibb, Arthur Gleason, Ralf Goericke, Richard Gould, Michael Grant, Nathalie Guillocheau, Hiroto Higa, Stanford B. Hooker, Chuamin Hu, Joji Ishizaka, Thomas Jackson, Mati Kahru, Milton Kampel, Bokyung Kim, Holger Klein, Piotr Kowalczuk, Susanne Kratzer, Raphael Kudela, Antonia Lai, Rosario Lavezza, Jesus Ledesma, Huiwon Lee, Steven Lohrenz, Hubert Loisel, Vivian Lutz, Antonio Mannino, Francesca Margiotta, Victor Martinez-Vicente, Salvatore Marullo, Luca Massi, Patricia Matrai, Atsushi Matsuoka, David McKee, Chiara Melillo, Carlos B. Mendes, Brian G. Mitchell, Tiffany Moisan, Enrique Montes, Frank Muller-Karger, Aimee Neeley, Michael Novak, Leonie O'Dowd, Michael Ondrusek, Emanuele Organelli, Heeyoon Park, Trevor Platt, Francesca Polonelli, Alex Poulton, Mariella Ragni, Michel Repecaud, Maurizio Ribera d’Alcalà, Tamara Rodriguez-Ramos, Rüdiger Röttgers, Manuel Ruiz-Villarreal, Michela Sammartino, Rosalia Santoleri, Gian Marco Scarpa, Thomas Schroeder, Valeria Segura, Timothy Smyth, Denise Smythe-Wright, Heidi M. Sosik, Joanna Stoń-Egiert, Malcolm Taberner, Jing Tan, Rob Thomas, Crystal Thomas, Gavin Tilstone, Andreia Tracana, Michael Twardowski, Vincenzo Vellucci, Gianluca Volpe, Kenneth Voss, Jeremy Werdell, Marcel Wernand, Bozena Wojtasiewicz, Simon Wright, Sunmi Yang, Giuseppe Zibordi, Maria Laura Zoffoli, and Steve Groom
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This paper presents the fourth version of the ESA Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative global in situ bio-optical database. The updated compilation combines observations from many international data sources collected between 1996 and 2025 and includes major expansions in coverage and variables. The dataset provides a consistent reference for validating satellite ocean-colour products and supports algorithm development and long-term climate studies.
Anna Teruzzi, Ali Aydogdu, Carolina Amadio, Emanuela Clementi, Simone Colella, Valeria Di Biagio, Massimiliano Drudi, Claudia Fanelli, Laura Feudale, Alessandro Grandi, Pietro Miraglio, Andrea Pisano, Jenny Pistoia, Marco Reale, Stefano Salon, Gianluca Volpe, and Gianpiero Cossarini
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A noticeable cold spell occurred in Eastern Europe at the beginning of 2022 and was the main driver of intense deep-water formation and the associated transport of nutrients to the surface. Southeast of Crete, the availability of both light and nutrients in the surface layer stimulated an anomalous phytoplankton bloom. In the area, chlorophyll concentration (a proxy for bloom intensity) and primary production were considerably higher than usual, suggesting possible impacts on fishery catches.
Paola Potin, Isabella Mayot, Chiara Santinelli, Emmanuel Boss, Vittorio E. Brando, Margherita Costanzo, Victor Martinez-Vicente, and David Doxaran
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4579, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-4579, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
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This study explores how light is absorbed by phytoplankton, non-algal particles, and colored dissolved organic matter in European coastal waters. Using measurements from 202 stations across diverse European marine regions, we reveal strong regional differences in optical properties. These results provide new insights into coastal optical variability and contribute to improving satellite-based observations and ocean color algorithms for monitoring complex coastal ecosystems.
Valeria Di Biagio, Vittorio Ernesto Brando, Simone Colella, Francesco D'Adamo, Anna Teruzzi, Gianluca Volpe, and Gianpiero Cossarini
State Planet Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2026-23, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-2026-23, 2026
Preprint under review for SP
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In marine ecosystems, primary production is the process by which organisms create organic matter, supporting marine life, carbon storage and fisheries. We tracked spatial and temporal changes in primary production across the Mediterranean Sea by combining four datasets from satellites and models, including global and regional estimates, identifying areas affected by larger discrepancies among estimates. We found a small but significant decrease in basin-wide primary production since 1999.
Salem Ibrahim Salem, Andre Valente, Shubha Sathyendranath, Andrei Chuprin, Théo Renard, Jaime Pitarch, Ruth Airs, Moreno Ana, Maria-Manuel Angelico, David Antoine, Robert Arnone, Florinda Artuso, Paulo O. Oliveira, William Balch, Kathryn Barker, Ray Barlow, Simon Bélanger, Marco Bellacicco, Jean-François Berthon, Şükrü Beşiktepe, Francesco Bignami, Yngve Borsheim, Astrid Bracher, Federica Braga, Vittorio Brando, Robert J. W. Brewin, Vanda Brotas, Elisabetta Canuti, Francisco P. Chavez, Andrés Cianca, Hervé Claustre, Lesley Clementson, Simone Colella, Raul Costa, Cristina Nunes, Richard Crout, Emmanuel Devred, Annalisa Di Cicco, Federico Falcini, Ivan Farace, Afonso Ferreira, Scott Freeman, Robert Frouin, Carlos García-Soto, Isabella Giardina, Stuart W. Gibb, Arthur Gleason, Ralf Goericke, Richard Gould, Michael Grant, Nathalie Guillocheau, Hiroto Higa, Stanford B. Hooker, Chuamin Hu, Joji Ishizaka, Thomas Jackson, Mati Kahru, Milton Kampel, Bokyung Kim, Holger Klein, Piotr Kowalczuk, Susanne Kratzer, Raphael Kudela, Antonia Lai, Rosario Lavezza, Jesus Ledesma, Huiwon Lee, Steven Lohrenz, Hubert Loisel, Vivian Lutz, Antonio Mannino, Francesca Margiotta, Victor Martinez-Vicente, Salvatore Marullo, Luca Massi, Patricia Matrai, Atsushi Matsuoka, David McKee, Chiara Melillo, Carlos B. Mendes, Brian G. Mitchell, Tiffany Moisan, Enrique Montes, Frank Muller-Karger, Aimee Neeley, Michael Novak, Leonie O'Dowd, Michael Ondrusek, Emanuele Organelli, Heeyoon Park, Trevor Platt, Francesca Polonelli, Alex Poulton, Mariella Ragni, Michel Repecaud, Maurizio Ribera d’Alcalà, Tamara Rodriguez-Ramos, Rüdiger Röttgers, Manuel Ruiz-Villarreal, Michela Sammartino, Rosalia Santoleri, Gian Marco Scarpa, Thomas Schroeder, Valeria Segura, Timothy Smyth, Denise Smythe-Wright, Heidi M. Sosik, Joanna Stoń-Egiert, Malcolm Taberner, Jing Tan, Rob Thomas, Crystal Thomas, Gavin Tilstone, Andreia Tracana, Michael Twardowski, Vincenzo Vellucci, Gianluca Volpe, Kenneth Voss, Jeremy Werdell, Marcel Wernand, Bozena Wojtasiewicz, Simon Wright, Sunmi Yang, Giuseppe Zibordi, Maria Laura Zoffoli, and Steve Groom
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-539, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-539, 2026
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This paper presents the fourth version of the ESA Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative global in situ bio-optical database. The updated compilation combines observations from many international data sources collected between 1996 and 2025 and includes major expansions in coverage and variables. The dataset provides a consistent reference for validating satellite ocean-colour products and supports algorithm development and long-term climate studies.
Margherita Costanzo, Vittorio Ernesto Brando, Federico Falcini, Christian Marchese, Luis Gonzalez Vilas, Emmanuel Boss, David Doxaran, Paola Potin, Stefan Simis, Tom Jordan, John Wood, Chiara Santinelli, Giancarlo Bachi, Giovanni Checcucci, Claudia Tropea, Marco Carloni, Mirco Guerrazzi, Silvia Valsecchi, Valtere Evangelista, Marie Helene Rio, Javier Alonso Concha, Paola Bertucci, Colomban de Vargas, Victor Martinez-Vicente, and the Tara Europa Team, the TREC-Tara Europa Operation and Management Team, and the TREC Consortium Coordinators
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-623, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-623, 2026
Preprint under review for ESSD
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Qualcosa del genere potrebbe andare?: As part of the Traversing European Coastlines research program, the HyperBOOST (Hyperspectral Bio-Optical Observations Sailing on Tara) team collected an unprecedented dataset of optical and biogeochemical measurements during the Tara Europa Expedition. Covering diverse European coastal environments, this resource will improve satellite observations, support the development of new bio-optical models, and advance research on coastal marine ecosystems.
Jaime Pitarch and Vittorio Ernesto Brando
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 435–460, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-435-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-435-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This research presents a comprehensive synthetic dataset of bio-optical properties and radiometric quantities in the optical domain, resolved for all sun-view angular combinations, from ultraviolet to visible light, that provide aid in the development of satellite algorithms, including directional problems. The dataset will significantly enhance research on light behavior in water and support future hyperspectral missions. It has been made publicly available on Zenodo.
Anna Teruzzi, Ali Aydogdu, Carolina Amadio, Emanuela Clementi, Simone Colella, Valeria Di Biagio, Massimiliano Drudi, Claudia Fanelli, Laura Feudale, Alessandro Grandi, Pietro Miraglio, Andrea Pisano, Jenny Pistoia, Marco Reale, Stefano Salon, Gianluca Volpe, and Gianpiero Cossarini
State Planet, 4-osr8, 15, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-15-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-4-osr8-15-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A noticeable cold spell occurred in Eastern Europe at the beginning of 2022 and was the main driver of intense deep-water formation and the associated transport of nutrients to the surface. Southeast of Crete, the availability of both light and nutrients in the surface layer stimulated an anomalous phytoplankton bloom. In the area, chlorophyll concentration (a proxy for bloom intensity) and primary production were considerably higher than usual, suggesting possible impacts on fishery catches.
André Valente, Shubha Sathyendranath, Vanda Brotas, Steve Groom, Michael Grant, Thomas Jackson, Andrei Chuprin, Malcolm Taberner, Ruth Airs, David Antoine, Robert Arnone, William M. Balch, Kathryn Barker, Ray Barlow, Simon Bélanger, Jean-François Berthon, Şükrü Beşiktepe, Yngve Borsheim, Astrid Bracher, Vittorio Brando, Robert J. W. Brewin, Elisabetta Canuti, Francisco P. Chavez, Andrés Cianca, Hervé Claustre, Lesley Clementson, Richard Crout, Afonso Ferreira, Scott Freeman, Robert Frouin, Carlos García-Soto, Stuart W. Gibb, Ralf Goericke, Richard Gould, Nathalie Guillocheau, Stanford B. Hooker, Chuamin Hu, Mati Kahru, Milton Kampel, Holger Klein, Susanne Kratzer, Raphael Kudela, Jesus Ledesma, Steven Lohrenz, Hubert Loisel, Antonio Mannino, Victor Martinez-Vicente, Patricia Matrai, David McKee, Brian G. Mitchell, Tiffany Moisan, Enrique Montes, Frank Muller-Karger, Aimee Neeley, Michael Novak, Leonie O'Dowd, Michael Ondrusek, Trevor Platt, Alex J. Poulton, Michel Repecaud, Rüdiger Röttgers, Thomas Schroeder, Timothy Smyth, Denise Smythe-Wright, Heidi M. Sosik, Crystal Thomas, Rob Thomas, Gavin Tilstone, Andreia Tracana, Michael Twardowski, Vincenzo Vellucci, Kenneth Voss, Jeremy Werdell, Marcel Wernand, Bozena Wojtasiewicz, Simon Wright, and Giuseppe Zibordi
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 5737–5770, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5737-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-5737-2022, 2022
Short summary
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A compiled set of in situ data is vital to evaluate the quality of ocean-colour satellite data records. Here we describe the global compilation of bio-optical in situ data (spanning from 1997 to 2021) used for the validation of the ocean-colour products from the ESA Ocean Colour Climate Change Initiative (OC-CCI). The compilation merges and harmonizes several in situ data sources into a simple format that could be used directly for the evaluation of satellite-derived ocean-colour data.
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Short summary
Phytoplankton dynamics in the Mediterranean Sea was investigated over the period 1998–2025 using a suite of Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service satellite products. Two main processes control more than 80 % of total phytoplankton variability: the basin scale seasonal cycle (> 70 %) and the local spring bloom dynamics. The main factors controlling this space-time variability are the solar light annual cycle and cloud cover on one side and the water column dynamics on the other.
Phytoplankton dynamics in the Mediterranean Sea was investigated over the period 1998–2025 using...
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