The information gathered is part of Descriptor 1 of Commission Decision 2017/848/EU: specifically D1C6 (pelagic habitats). Plankton communities constitute an important component of such water column habitats, forming the base of marine foodwebs. The composition of these communities can provide a good indication of the status of pelagic ecosystems, also because plankton responds to anthropogenic pressures, in particular nutrient enrichment. In fact, this dataset includes a list of phytoplankton and zooplankton up to the lowest possible taxonomic scale and includes a count of abundance.
