Image of the week: North Sea phytoplankton bloom june 2024

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The area of cyan colour is most likely caused by coccolithophores, which are microscopic single-celled plant-like organisms that live in large numbers throughout the upper layers of the ocean. 

These phytoplankton produce calcium carbonate shells, which reflect a lot of light, giving their blooms a bright blue colour.

The green area off the Danish coast is caused by other phytoplankton species.