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The impact of mesoscale eddies on phytoplankton communities attracts considerable research attention because phytoplankton play numerous roles in marine ecosystems. Using remote sensing techniques, this study considered a synoptic relationship between phytoplankton size structure, which is a determinant of energy transfer efficiency in marine ecosystems, and mesoscale eddies, which are ubiquitous ocean features. We found clear spatial variation in the impacts of mesoscale eddies on phytoplankton size structure; phytoplankton communities with larger cell sizes were supported by anticyclonic eddies in oligotrophic regions and by cyclonic eddies in eutrophic regions. Differences in the phytoplankton size structure within these two types of mesoscale eddies became greater, accompanied by interannual trends in the phytoplankton size structure for 2003-2014. Our findings are the first to demonstrate the important linkage between mesoscale eddies and phytoplankton size structure on a global scale; this new knowledge might help better predict variability in marine ecosystems.

Plain Language Summary Mesoscale eddies are ubiquitous ocean features and they play a significant role in phytoplankton dynamics. This study used satellite remote sensing techniques to examine the impact of mesoscale eddies on phytoplankton size structure, an important factor of marine ecosystems. We found clear regional and temporal variations in the impacts of two types of mesoscale eddies: communities of larger-sized phytoplankton were observed in anticyclonic eddies in oligotrophic regions and in cyclonic eddies in eutrophic regions, and differences in the phytoplankton size structure inside these two eddy types increased during the period 2003-2014. Our findings are the first to demonstrate the important linkage between the cell-size composition of phytoplankton communities and mesoscale eddies on a global scale; this new knowledge might help us to better predict variability in marine ecosystems both now and in the future.