Krill and fisheries
Krill eat phytoplankton. When and where the plankton bloom sets how much krill there is — and krill underpin both polar wildlife and a managed commercial fishery.
Make every polar expedition count for science.
We focus on understanding the fuel that feeds our planet — the plankton, the tiny organisms at the base of the ocean food web. Working with expedition guides and travelers, we collect samples that help us understand how these communities change through the season.
From polar voyage to open-source data.
Every sample becomes publicly available data, contributing to global networks like the UN Ocean Decade, OBON, SOOS, and the 5th International Polar Year.
Read moreThree ways to move polar ocean science forward.
Expedition ships return to the same remote coastlines repeatedly. That frequency of visits offers a chance to study how plankton communities change. We provide the program you need, including sampling kits, guide training, and onboard activities, so travelers can take part in that research. The resulting data is shared openly for scientists and anyone interested in exploring it.
EXPEDITION
For Operators — bring plankton science onboard.
Your guests will experience the joy of participating in the scientific process. We provide the curated sampling instruments and training required to enable hands-on, participatory science that contributes to the global baseline monitoring of plankton.
Join the mission — see what's included
Travelers
Going on an expedition? Join the science onboard.
If you are going on a voyage or expedition to remote regions of the world, you can become part of the field science by joining ships that participate in the Plankton Base program. See yourself as contributors to real discovery by asking your travel agent or operator if they offer the Plankton Base program.
See how it works
SUPPORT
Are you moved by this work?
Your support of Plankton Base means the world to us and helps keep the spark of curiosity, shared discoveries, and environmental stewardship efforts flowing.
Donate
Research workflow
From ship to open-source science.
Every sample collected onboard moves through a transparent scientific pipeline — from the field to publicly accessible data analyzed for real-world ecological impact.
- Step 01
Field Sampling
On the water, your team and guests deploy robust oceanographic gear, capturing critical plankton samples and water measurements to fuel a long-term climate time-series.
- Step 02
Transport to Lab
At the end of the season, preserved samples and data are transferred off the ship where our team processes them in partner laboratories for processing.
- Step 03
Scientific Processing
Samples are processed and analyzed using advanced molecular tools, sequencing and microscopy.
- Step 04
Public Open-Source Data
Raw and processed data is uploaded to online open-access platforms, contributing to the Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable (FAIR) Data Principles, elevating global ocean literacy and climate research.
- Step 05
Analyzed for Impact
Plankton Base team welcomes the public and scientific community to use the data. In addition Plankton Base continues to produce peer-reviewed publications, seasonal reports from in field work, and efforts to partner with other institutions, universities, national research programs and global initiatives like United Nations Decade for the Ocean, SOOS, OBON, and similar monitoring programs.
Why plankton
The invisible forest behind every ocean.
Plankton are the foundation of aquatic ecosystems and the unsung heroes of our climate. Phytoplankton generate up to 50% of the oxygen we breathe and form the base of the global marine food web. They are directly consumed by zooplankton and small fish, which in turn support larger predators — everything from sardines to massive blue whales. Through the biological pump, phytoplankton pull billions of metric tons of CO₂ from the atmosphere; when they die, they sink to the ocean floor, locking carbon away in the deep sea. Beyond the environment, plankton play a massive role in the global economy — the fossilized remains of ancient plankton are the primary source of the petroleum and natural gas we use for energy today.
50%+
of Earth's oxygen from phytoplankton
Base
of the marine food web
Biological Pump
locks carbon in the deep sea
Economy
fossil plankton fuel our energy
Microscope view · plankton from Antarctica
Why it matters
Read the base of the food web, and the rest of the polar ocean starts to make sense.
Plankton are small, but they are the measurement everything else depends on. We start in Antarctica and the Arctic — the places changing fastest — and build a season-by-season record there before expanding.
Penguins, seals and whales
Whales, penguins and seals feed on krill and small fish. Shifts at the base of the web show up later in the animals everyone travels to see.
Carbon and climate
Phytoplankton pull CO₂ into the ocean and some of that carbon sinks to the deep sea. Knowing which species bloom, and when, tells us how much carbon moves.
Melting ice and fresh water
Glacial melt changes the light, salinity and nutrients in polar fjords. Plankton respond first, which makes them an early signal of change.
Anyone can give
Love this work? Help keep Ocean Science Flowing with your gift.
Plankton Base is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization registered in California (USA). Your gift supports the work behind each sample after it is collected: training researchers, analyzing plankton samples back in the lab. It also helps us share what we learn through open data and education.
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