How much phytoplankton production can be consumed by marine protozoans?

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It is estimated that at least half of the phytoplankton production in marine waters is consumed by protozoans.1

These planktonic protozoans serve as a fundamental component of the marine ecosystem by recycling essential nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, back to the phytoplankton. Furthermore, heterotrophic protists are now recognized as dominant controllers of primary production in the sea, playing a central role in the complex interactions of the microbial food web.12