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One way to predict how productive certain areas of
the ocean will be for fishing is by observing images
that show the distribution and concentration of chlorophyll.
Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) images, gathered by
satellite instruments, show different concentrations
of chlorophyll in the ocean.
Chlorophyll is a plant pigment found in microscopic
ocean plants called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are
the primary source of food for marine life. Microscopic
animals called zooplankton feed on phytoplankton. Still
larger animals, in turn, feed on zooplankton. Thus,
the presence of phytoplankton often results in larger
fish moving into an area for food.
! Examine the CZCS image and color code to interpret where the highest numbers of phytoplankton could be found.
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