Plankton phenology sets the pace of primary production in marine pelagic ecosystems and has a direct impact on fisheries production. The aim of this project is to assess the effect of environmental variability on phytoplankton phenology, including the potential impact of climate change. For this purpose, satellite imagery was used to characterize the seasonal cycle of phytoplankton in the Bay of Biscay during the last two decades (1998-2021). We analyze changes in the timing and intensity of phytoplankton blooms, and estimate temporal trends. Our primary objective was to investigate potential alterations in the start dates of both Spring and Autumn Blooms, as well as any variations in their overall magnitude. We found that there has been a delay in the start date for autumn blooms and an advancement in spring blooms. In addition, the magnitudes of both blooms have increased over the past 24 years which can have important repercussions on both an ecological and economical level.
Keywords – Climate change, Ocean Remote Sensing, Phenology, Phytoplankton
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