Michael J. Behrenfeld
Papers
2
Total Citations
423
H-Index
2
About
Michael J. Behrenfeld is a leading biological oceanographer whose research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of ocean carbon cycling and phytoplankton ecology. His work centers on the complex interactions between marine phytoplankton, the global carbon cycle, and climate, with a particular focus on how these microscopic organisms drive the export of carbon from the surface ocean to the deep sea. Dr. Behrenfeld is the lead architect of the groundbreaking EXPORTS Science Plan (291 citations), a major NASA field campaign designed to quantify and predict the fate of global ocean net primary production—a critical, yet poorly constrained, component of the Earth’s carbon budget. His research has also challenged long-held assumptions about seasonal phytoplankton blooms, notably demonstrating through satellite and in situ data (132 citations) that biomass cycles in the Southern Ocean are modulated by factors beyond just light and nutrients, such as grazing and cell division rates. With a career spanning decades and thousands of citations, Behrenfeld’s work is essential for improving climate models and predicting how ocean ecosystems will respond to a changing planet.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2Seasonal modulation of phytoplankton biomass in the Southern Ocean132 citations · 2020