The analysis of marine phytoplankton using flow cytometry has enabled the discovery of new taxa and has contributed new understanding to the dynamics and ecological contributions of phytoplankton to the global carbon cycle. Marine phytoplankton are uniquely suited to analysis by flow cytometry because of their size, pigment content, and ability to remain in suspension. Cytometric analysis of marine populations is not without challenges. Phytoplankton communities span a broad range of sizes. The smallest microbes are a few tenths of a micron, while the largest are a few tenths of a millimeter. The improvement of cytometric measurements of scattered laser light allows one to investigate marine microbes whose sizes span several orders of magnitude. To effectively leverage the advantages that marine microbes possess, cytometers have to be carefully engineered for marine use.
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