A major goal of my research is to understand how coccolithophores respond to their environments. Coccolithophores live in the photic zone-the upper part of the ocean where there is enough light to support photosynthesis. Think of the photic zone as a house. Between the attic and kitchen temperature changes dramatically. The kitchen is much cooler than the attic but somewhat warmer at the ceiling than at the floor.
Temperature changes again between the kitchen and the basement, which is cooler and dimly lit.
It contains the pantry full of food. In October the photic zone in the Gulf of Mexico has three layers that correspond to the three stories of the house. Most coccolithophores live in this layer. Most residents of the shallow layer belong to the Umbellosphaera irregularis species. These three species, as well as some others, were almost completely separated into the three layers.