Name of plankton: Oceanic bacterioplankton

Where sample was found: Hydrostatic S, 800m depth

Project: BIOS-SCOPE

Photo credit: Rachel Parsons, BIOS

What role do these organisms play in the ecosystem: Oceanic Bacterioplankton often attach to particles known as marine snow. These bacteria and archaea are attached to marine snow particles where they are breaking down dissolved organic matter thereby making it available to higher trophic groups via the trophic pathway known as the microbial loop.

Interesting facts: This image was taken from 800m where there was almost a two-fold increase in bacterioplankton from what was seen at 600m and 1000m.