Phytoplankton are the plant-like organisms of the sea that carry out photosynthesis and float in the...
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Transcript of Phytoplankton are the plant-like organisms of the sea that carry out photosynthesis and float in the...
Phytoplankton are the plant-like
organisms of the sea that carry out
photosynthesis and float in the upper
areas of the world’s oceans.
Most of the Most of the ocean is too ocean is too
deep for deep for plants to plants to
attach to the attach to the bottom like bottom like this Giant this Giant
Kelp off the Kelp off the coast of coast of
California.California.
Therefore, Therefore, most of the most of the
photosynthesiphotosynthesis is carried s is carried
out by out by microscopic microscopic single celled single celled organisms or organisms or
chains of chains of single cells.single cells.
These These organisms organisms often have often have
long long projections to projections to increase their increase their surface area surface area
or oils to keep or oils to keep them in the them in the photic zone.photic zone.
Diatoms are Diatoms are dominant dominant
members of members of the the
phytoplankton phytoplankton that can be that can be caught in a caught in a
net.net.
They are They are especially especially common in common in temperate , temperate , coastal and coastal and
polar regions.polar regions.
They have They have sculptured sculptured shells, or shells, or frustules, frustules,
made of silica. made of silica. Diatoms can Diatoms can
come in a come in a variety of variety of shapes.shapes.
More Diatom ShapesMore Diatom Shapes
Life Cycle of a DiatomLife Cycle of a Diatom
Fish KillerFish Killer
Some Some diatoms, like diatoms, like this one can this one can kill fish when kill fish when
found in found in large large
numbersnumbers
The glasslike The glasslike projections projections
cause mucus cause mucus to build up in to build up in the fish’s gill the fish’s gill
which can which can lead to the lead to the
fish's death.fish's death.
DinoflagellatesDinoflagellates
Dinoflagellates are Dinoflagellates are found throughout found throughout
the world’s the world’s oceans, but tend oceans, but tend to prefer warmer to prefer warmer
areas. Given areas. Given nutrients, nutrients,
dinoflagellates can dinoflagellates can bloombloom or or
explosively grow explosively grow to huge numbers to huge numbers
sometimes causing sometimes causing RED TIDESRED TIDES
Florida red tide organism: Gymnodinium breve
Dinoflagellates: red tides
Around 60 Around 60 species of species of
Dinoflagellates Dinoflagellates are known to are known to
cause red tides.cause red tides.A few species A few species
produce produce poisons that are poisons that are
among the among the most powerful most powerful natural toxins natural toxins
known.known.
During a red During a red tide, tide,
dinoflagellates dinoflagellates may poison the may poison the waters, turning waters, turning
the surface the surface into a sea of into a sea of
dead fish.dead fish.
Red tides can Red tides can also threaten also threaten
human health.human health.
Mussels, clams Mussels, clams and other and other
bivalves store bivalves store the toxins as the toxins as
they filter feed.they filter feed.
People who eat People who eat the shellfish the shellfish
can get can get Paralytic Paralytic Shellfish Shellfish
Poisoning.Poisoning.
Victims suffer Victims suffer numbness and numbness and tingling, loss of tingling, loss of
balance, balance, slurred speech, slurred speech, and in extreme and in extreme
cases, cases, paralysis and paralysis and
death!death!
Symbiotic DinoflagellatesSymbiotic Dinoflagellates
Some Some dinoflagellates dinoflagellates
like like ZooxanthellaeZooxanthellae, are symbiotic , are symbiotic with corals or with corals or
jellyfish.jellyfish.
CoccolithophoridsCoccolithophorids
CoccolithophoridCoccolithophorids are common s are common
members of the members of the nanoplankton. nanoplankton. Most are too Most are too small to be small to be taken in a taken in a
regular regular plankton net.plankton net.
Though found in Though found in coastal waters, coastal waters, they do best in they do best in open oceans open oceans where they where they
often far often far outnumber all outnumber all other types of other types of phytoplankton.phytoplankton.
These single These single celled celled
organisms organisms are covered are covered
by plates by plates made of made of calcium calcium
carbonate.carbonate.
SilicoflagellatesSilicoflagellates
Because of there Because of there small size, very small size, very little is known little is known
about about silicoflagellates silicoflagellates except that they except that they
can be very can be very important to the important to the
primary primary production in the production in the world’s oceans.world’s oceans.