Phytoplankton Habitats

The phytoplankton bloom between Barents Sea and
Novaya Zemlya taken on August 24, 2012
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=79260

The warming temperature forces the animals at the equator to migrate further up for more habitable homes. Scientists have concluded that phytoplankton are moving up in latitude. 
When phytoplankton bloom, they turn the ocean to greenish or milky white color that can be seen in satellite images. Scientists use the changing in color to estimate the abundance of phytoplankton and primary productivity.

Besides satellite images, scientists have been using Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR) to monitor abundance of phytoplankton. With the rising temperature, the CPR reveals that phytoplankton are becoming more abundant in the North Atlantic Ocean. 

In higher latitudes, phytoplankton bloom in early spring and summer because the sun heats the surface water and causes the phytoplankton to float on top. The water will never become too warm, so the wind and waves will allow nutrients to come up to the water surface. On the other hand, phytoplankton populations at the equator drop off during the summer because the surface water gets too warm, making it hard for the nutrients to come up to the surface. 

The phytoplankton are more abundant in higher latitudes.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Martin/martin_4.php