Rosette used to collect seawater samples during a scientific cruise in the South Pacific Ocean. During the austral summer, the amount of chlorophyll a is so low that the water becomes deep blue, almost purple. (Photo : Joséphine Ras)

Préparation et mise à l'eau des mésocosmes sur le ponton de l'observatoire océanologique de Villefranche lors de l'expérience menée en rade de Villefranche en février 2013 (© L. Maugendre, LOV)

Acantharia (Photo : Fabien Lombard)

Villefranche-sur-Mer in stormy weather, winter 2011 - Photo : J.-M. Grisoni

Instrumented buoy (Photo : David Luquet)

Copepode Coryceide  (Photo : Fabien Lombard)

Diatom species Odontella mobiliensis (Photo : Sophie Marro)

Jellyfish Pelagia noctilica  (Photo : Fabien Lombard)

Phytoplankton bloom observed in the Barents Sea (North of Norway) in August 2010 by the ocean color sensor MODIS onboard NASA satellite Aqua. Changes in ocean color result from modifications in the phytoplankton composition and concentration. The green colors are likely associated with the presence of diatoms. The shades of light blue result from the occurrence of coccolithophores, phytoplankton organisms that strongly reflect light due to their chalky shells - Source : NASA's Earth Observatory (http:/earthobservatory.nasa.gov)

Dinoflagellate Ceratium teresgyr (Photo : Sophie Marro)

Jellyfish Leuckaztiara octona (Photo : Fabien Lombard)

Instrumented buoy (Photo : David Luquet)

Diatom genus Coscinodiscus (Photo : Sophie Marro)