Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Credit: Jeff Schmaltz; MODIS team; NASA, Posted on: Tuesday, 4 July 2006, 07:42 CDT Download full size image

This phytoplankton bloom is just off the coat of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia.

Phytoplankton play a large role in sustaining ocean ecosystems and in global climate. The tiny plants are the base of the marine food chain, and places where blooms are frequent tend to support a thriving marine population.

This image was acquired by the MODIS on the Aqua satellite.

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