Subsurface chlorophyll maxima (SCM) are common in the ocean, often occurring deeper than maximum phytoplankton biomass. This study uses an optimality-based photoacclimation theory, incorporated into a 3D biogeochemical ocean circulation model, to investigate the influence of resource allocation strategies on phytoplankton chlorophyll to carbon ratio distributions. The results show photoacclimation is a key driver consistently explaining global patterns in SCM depth and intensity. This link between cellular physiology and global chlorophyll distribution improves the interpretation of ocean observations and projections of phytoplankton responses to climate change.
