Sinking rates, orientation, and behavior of pennate diatoms.

Phytoplankton cells are now recognized as dynamic entities rather than as passive and isolated particles because they can actively modulate impacts of selection factors (nutrients, light, turbidity, and mixing) through a wide range of adaptations. Cell shape and/or chain length modulation is one of these processes but has predominantly been studied as an adaptation or an acclimatation to a specific growth limitation (light, nutrients, predation, etc.).