Section outline

  • Atlas of Shapes interface

    The Atlas of Shapes represents a reference point for marine, transitional and freshwater scientists and students involved in phytoplankton morphological traits association and measurement. It provides a schematic protocol for calculating biovolume of phytoplankton species detectable with the Utermöhl method in transitional ecosystems of the different world ecoregions.

    The Atlas includes a total of 51 different shapes - with the illustrative scheme of the shape classification subdivided in “Simple Shapes” and “Complex Shapes” - and, for each one of them, it provides an illustrative card that details:

    1. Names
    2. Shape views (e.g., lateral, frontal, etc.) with the corresponding linear dimensions
    3. Biovolume and surface area computational models
    4. List of all species presenting a specific shape (clicking on the shape representation)


    Click here to see an example of a phytoplankton shape card

    Click here to browse the Atlas of Species

    Click here to browse all Simple Shapes

    Click here to browse all Complex Shapes