The immeasurable value of plankton to humanity
Plankton, a diverse group of aquatic organisms, make Earth livable, regulate aquatic life, and provide benefits to human societies such as access to clean water, food security, and well-being. They also support economies and inspire biotechnological innovations. This article aims to raise awareness of the value of plankton to humanity and serves as an informative guide for aquatic professionals, policymakers, and anyone interested in plankton. We present the value of plankton across six themes of human interest: biogeochemistry; ecology; climate; the evolution of science; economy; and culture, recreation, and well-being. Guided by the 2022 Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services values assessment, we introduce the six themes under the Life Framework of Values to offer a comprehensive summary of the significance of plankton to humanity. In addition, we provide examples of plankton variables used in policy frameworks and recommendations for enhancing understanding of their value through long-term sustainable research and monitoring.
Authors
- Tatiane Martins Garcia (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0396-1010)
- Catherine L. Johnson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5291-3141)
- Enrique Montes (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3103-4479)
- Claire H. Davies (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0424-1835)
- Lavenia Ratnarajah (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1021-1923)
- Sakina‐Dorothée Ayata (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3226-9779)
- Jason D. Everett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6681-8054)
- Bingzhang Chen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1573-7473)
- Frank Müller‐Karger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3159-5011)
- Artur Palacz (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-7880)
- Cécile S. Rousseaux (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3022-2988)
- A. E. Friederike Prowe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5281-4696)
- Owoyemi Wahab Elegbeleye (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6177-8129)
- Wendy C. Gentleman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2963-0925)
- Susanne Menden‐Deuer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8434-4251)
- Tamar Guy‐Haim (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6962-0262)
- Ioulia Santi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0202-8256)
- Alex J. Poulton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5149-6961)
- Luzmila Rodríguez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6969-5849)
- Rowena Stern (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0881-0126)
- Christian Lindemann (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3684-2480)
- George B. Arhonditsis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5359-8737)
- Maria T. Kavanaugh (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6126-6177)
- Alice Soccodato (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4321-9312)
- Jana Hinners (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5145-2539)
- Anthony J. Richardson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9289-7366)
- Yusuf Olatunji Olaleye (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6377-1484)
- Dalida Bedikoğlu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5088-7373)
- Celeste López‐Abbate (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0264-5833)
- Luis Felipe Artigas (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0512-5315)
- Klas Ove Möller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3118-2161)
- Svenja Halfter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0480-0350)
- Monique Messié (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4985-3413)
- Jenny A. Huggett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9315-8672)
- Ana Lara-López (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2896-1367)
- Clara Natalia Rodríguez-Flórez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3808-197X)
- Maria Grigoratou (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0484-1408)
- Aimee Neeley (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5701-0953)
- Rodrigo J. Gonçalves (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4332-2312)
- Abigail McQuatters‐Gollop (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6043-9563)
- Juan Francisco Saad (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4482-8892)
- Beatrix E. Beisner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6972-6887)
- Ioanna Varkitzi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5076-1199)
- Lillian Diarra
- Aurea Rodriquez-Santiago
Institutions
- Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom (GB)
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
- University of Tasmania (AU)
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (ZA)
- Oregon State University (US)
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (US)
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada (CA)
- National Association of Social Workers (US)
- Australian Antarctic Division (AU)
- Washington State Department of Ecology (US)
- University of Cape Town (ZA)
- Université du Québec à Montréal (CA)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Universidad de Granada (ES)
- University of Rhode Island (US)
- University of Strathclyde (GB)
- University of Toronto (CA)
- University of Lagos (NG)
- Universidade Federal do Ceará (BR)
- University of South Florida (US)
- Universidad Científica del Sur (PE)
- Scarborough Health Network (CA)
- Bedford Institute of Oceanography (CA)
- European Business School Paris (FR)
- NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratories (US)
- Université du littoral côte d'opale (FR)
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory (GB)
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NO)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Heriot-Watt University (GB)
- GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE)
- Gulf of Maine Research Institute (US)
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- Heriot-Watt University Malaysia (MY)
- Health Sciences and Nutrition (AU)
- Mercator Ocean (France) (FR)
- Marine Research Centre (MV)
- Caribbean University (PR)
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science (AU)
- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR)
- Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía (AR)
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon (DE)
- Sydney Institute of Marine Science (AU)
- Instytut Oceanologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk (PL)
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ES)
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IL)
- ACT Government (AU)
- University of Bergen (NO)
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NZ)
- Istanbul University (TR)
- Universidad Nacional del Comahue (AR)
- College of Marin (US)
- University of Plymouth (GB)
- Polish Academy of Sciences (PL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- BioScience
- Published
- 2025-06-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf049
- Citations
- 6
- Primary Topic
- Coastal and Marine Management
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 14.53
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Government of the United Kingdom
- UK Research and Innovation
- Leverhulme Trust
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Government
- European Commission
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
- Ministry of Environment
- Nuclear Safety and Security Commission
- Israel Science Foundation
- Norges Forskningsråd
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme
- Natural Environment Research Council
- Australian Research Council
- Climate Program Office