We carried out a review of the published works on the single and interactive effects of global change variables on plankton of Patagonian coastal waters, focusing mainly on those produced by high radiation levels (particularly ultraviolet), increases in temperature, organic matter and nutrients and acidification, among others. In general, a great variability is observed in the responses of organisms, probably due to their intrinsic characteristics, as well as due to the diverse environmental conditions of the ecosystems studied.
This review highlights the fact that, although many studies have been carried out with natural communities of phytoplankton in the Patagonian area, those focused on the effects of global change on zooplankton, meroplankton and ichthyoplankton are relatively scarcer.
