[coccoliths] 🎉 Happy Coccolithophore Day 🎉

[Galović, Ines]

Congratulations to all on this remarkable initiative.
Cheers,
Ines[Click Me!]<http://www.incredimail.com/app/?tag=emoticon_click_me_im2_re&lang=9&version=6395254&setup_id=7&aff_id=1&tID=613924&addon=IncrediMail&upn=59682E38-2BA4-43E7-81A1-B2570726E0B7&app_test_id=0&id=95202&guid=467C5667-84BD-47DB-96C9-635044051345>

From: Coccoliths <coccoliths-bounces at fcnym.unlp.edu.ar> On Behalf Of INA Social Media Officer
Sent: Friday, October 10, 2025 7:07 PM
To: Coccolith List <coccoliths at fcnym.unlp.edu.ar>
Subject: [coccoliths] 🎉 Happy Coccolithophore Day 🎉

Dear INA members
We are pleased to share that the INA was invited by several research institutions to join and co-lead the International Coccolithophore Day campaign.
This initiative celebrates the essential role of coccolithophores in regulating Earth’s carbon balance and sustaining ocean ecosystems, officially establishing October 10th as International Coccolithophore Day.
The press release and a campaign figure are attached and can now be freely shared through your networks and institutional channels.
Thank you for helping us highlight these extraordinary microorganisms and INA’s contribution to this global effort.
Best regards,
INA Outreach and Social Media Offices
🌎✨🔬🙌

Tiny Architects, Titanic Climate Impact: Scientists Call for October 10 to Become International Coccolithophore Day
PRESS RELEASE
  Bergen / Edinburgh / Lisbon / Zagreb
10th October 2025

Today, scientists from the five European research organisations launched a campaign to establish October 10 as International Coccolithophore Day, recognising the vital role of these microscopic ocean plankton in regulating Earth’s climate. Coccolithophores absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and help store carbon in ocean sediments, making them key players in the global carbon cycle threatened by climate change. This new awareness day aims to spotlight their crucial impact and inspire greater public and policy engagement.
[https://mcusercontent.com/eeeda4472ebbeb14926c58770/images/75317c02-dbc9-08a4-8451-9096f16b9a22.jpg]


Microscopic plankton that regulate Earth’s climate and sustain ocean ecosystems take centre stage in a new awareness campaign. They are coccolithophores! These microscopic workers keep our oceans thriving and our climate stable. They've earned their day.

These tiny “architects” of the ocean produce over 1.5 billion tonnes of calcium carbonate annually, making them key players in the global carbon cycle. Their ability to sequester carbon dioxide and contribute to the biological and alkalinity pumps makes them crucial in mitigating climate change and maintaining the ocean’s carbon balance.



However, coccolithophores are sensitive to the impacts of climate change, including ocean warming, acidification, and shifts in nutrient availability.

The campaign is backed by leading research institutes, including The Lyell Centre at Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh, UK), NORCE Norwegian Research Centre (Bergen, Norway), Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), University of Lisbon (Portugal), the International Nannoplankton Association (INA), and the Ruđer Bošković Institute (Zagreb, Croatia)


International Coccolithophore Day aims to raise public and policy awareness of these often-overlooked but mighty organisms, which govern planetary carbon flows and ocean health. It invites media and journalists to explore this fascinating intersection of microscopic life and global climate, emphasising the profound impact of small ocean life on Earth's future climate stability.

This campaign presents an opportunity to bring this tiny yet powerful ocean factor into the spotlight as a natural ally in the fight against climate change.

The press release highlights:
·  European scientists have launched a campaign to make October 10 International Coccolithophore Day, spotlighting tiny plankton that drive Earth’s climate system.
·  Coccolithophores produce over 1.5 billion tonnes of calcium carbonate yearly, capturing carbon dioxide, producing oxygen, and locking carbon deep in the ocean.
·  Climate change threatens these microscopic “ocean architects,” risking marine ecosystems and global carbon storage.
·  Cutting-edge research from institutions including the Ruđer Bošković Institute (Croatia), The Lyell Centre (UK), NORCE Research Centre (Norway), University of Lisbon (Portugal), and the International Nannoplankton Association showcases how coccolithophores influence marine food webs, ocean chemistry, and climate archives.
·  The day is a call to action for enhancing ocean literacy, supporting marine ecosystem research, and integrating coccolithophore contributions into global climate strategies.

What did scientists say?
·  "Their intricate plates draw down atmospheric carbon dioxide and lock it away in deep ocean sediments for millennia. Their dual role as carbon pumps and climate archives makes them irreplaceable in understanding and tackling climate change." — Prof. Alex Poulton, The Lyell Centre
·  “In understanding coccolithophores, we’re really uncovering the living engine of the ocean’s carbon balance.”— Dr Jelena Godrijan, Ruđer Bošković Institute
·  "Coccolithophore interactions with viruses and grazers shape ocean food webs and carbon storage." — Dr Kyle Mayers, NORCE Research Centre
·  "We’re connecting tiny chalky organisms to planetary carbon flows." — Dr Catarina V. Guerreiro, University of Lisbon
·  ‘‘By refining global biostratigraphic frameworks and calibrating species’ evolutionary timelines, INA researchers transform fossils of coccolithophores into precise tools for reconstructing ancient oceans, linking modern plankton ecology with the geological record of climate change." — International Nannoplankton Association
·  "International Coccolithophore Day highlights that even the smallest organisms can have the biggest impact, and that microscopic life plays a crucial role in shaping our planet’s future." — Dr Sarah Cryer, The Lyell Centre

For more information, photos, and detailed research insights, please download the full press release and accompanying materials HERE.<https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1HPhX4VTGSKLtGPxyHx9DQNtVb4Xq0plW?usp=sharing>

We are at your disposal for interviews, additional resources, and expert contacts to help bring this fascinating story to your audience.

Best regards,

The International Coccolithophore Day Team

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