Where Do Coccolithophores Live?

Coccolithophores live mostly in subpolar regions. Some other places where blooms occur regularly are the northern coast of Australia and the waters surrounding Iceland. In the past two years, large blooms of coccolithophores have covered areas of the Bering Sea.

Where do coccolithophores live in the marine environment?

Coccolithophores are almost exclusively marine and are found in large numbers throughout the sunlight zone of the ocean. The most abundant species of coccolithophore, Emiliania huxleyi, belongs to the order Isochrysidales and family Noëlaerhabdaceae. It is found in temperate, subtropical, and tropical oceans.

Where are coccolithophores found in the ocean and why?

Like any other phytoplankton, coccolithophores live in large numbers throughout the upper surface layers of the ocean. They surround themselves with tiny, often disc-shaped platelets, known as coccoliths, which are made of carbonate.