Are coccolithophore blooms harmful?
Coccolithophores are not normally harmful to other marine life in the ocean. The nutrient-poor conditions that allow the Coccolithophores to exist will often kill off much of the larger phytoplankton. Many of the smaller fish and zooplankton that eat normal phytoplankton also feast on the Coccolithophores. What do coccolithophores do? The coccolithophores are calcifying protists…