The sheer splendour and fascination of the photographs in Christian Sardet’s book Plankton take one’s breath away – appropriately, given that single-celled phytoplankton perform nearly half the photosynthesis and consequent oxygen production on Earth.

Sardet, a marine biologist whose website www.planktonchronicles.org is a veritable wonderland – is a passionate advocate for understanding plankton and the importance these tiny creatures – such as this Velella, with its triangular sails and bright blue floats – have for the health of our oceans. Read and marvel.

Greg Neale is the Editor at Resurgence & Ecologist.