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Perspectives on Phytoplankton
There are thousands of different types of
phytoplankton
living as
deep into the sea as the sunlight will reach
naturally. Scientists are reluctant to
estimate exactly how many species of
phytoplankton there are
because new ones are being discovered on a
regular basis. With the advanced microscopes
now available and with new technologies researchers
can photograph all spectrums and varieties of
these single-cell organisms in the
classification of prokaryote meaning without
nucleus.
Phytoplankton not only live near the surface
waters zone but
also dwell on the sea shore and in the muck or
on coral reefs inhabited by the zooxanthellae, and
actually help formulate the underlying basis for petroleum or crude
oil. Amazingly enough Phytoplankton have
both plant and animal traits. They live as
individuals, in colonies, or in multiorganism
partnerships. Most species float or move gradually
about in close proximity, however some
connect themselves to seaweeds to keep from
sinking. Large layers of dead
phytoplankton on the ocean floor can also form the
basis for sedimentary rocks known as limestone.
An algal bloom occurs when combining sunlight,
nutrients, nitrogen, and phosphorous in a single
transformation process. Phytoplankter contain a chemical
called chlorophyll that captures the sun rays
and then produces starches, foods, sugars, and
oxygen for humans and living things. In
one method or another phytoplankton are a
foundational subsistence source for all living
organisms in the sea. The whales, smaller
fishes, and birds of the sea eat zooplankton
which directly consume the phytoplankton.
Phytoplankton even grow in large quantities
under the frigid ice near the Antarctic
continent and become food sources for seals,
penguins, and krill.
Types of Phytoplankton And Physical
Attributes of Phytoplankton
Many phytoplankton free-float in ocean
currents and others such as the
Dinoflagellates have tails that they lash
with tiny hairs known as flagella
that propel them through the churning sea water.
The
Dinoflagellates are unique with
two whip-like tails. The name comes from
the Latin terms: dinos for rotation and
flagellum for little whip.
The Diatoms can form into circles, spirals, or
into long chains near the surface and may have
sharp spines. The diatom's rigid cellular
wall exoskeleton known as frustule consists of silica which is the same
substance used to make glass. These
diatoms produce the photosynthetic pigment
fucoxanthin, a carotenoid which is reported to
contain biological mechanisms appearing to
support health in humans by stimulating the UCP1
protein and stimulating the liver in the
production of a type of omega-3 fatty acid known
as DHA. Another
abundant phytoplankton group are the really tiny
Coccolithophorids being less than
one-thousandth of an inch across.
Phytoplankton are classified not based upon
their shape or structure but according to the
pigment they contain and they all contain
chlorophyll in tiny units called chloroplasts. Phytoplankton
have evolved and devised the most interesting
ways to buoy themselves including parachute
shapes to increase resistance in water,
hairs or spikes to increase water drag, and air
pockets in their skeletons.
Scientists use many types of microscopes to
study this micro algae phenomenon including
electron and flow cytometer microscopes.
The Atlantic Ocean near the state of Maine in a
treasure trove of plankton which is studied by
the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences which
has identified more than seventeen hundred types
of phytoplankter and is the largest global
repository. Micro Algae range from
single-celled to multicellular structures having
unique chloroplast organelles with the function
of producing sugars by absorbing sunlight in the
process of photosynthesis
Bioluminescence and the Seasonality of Climactic
Zones
Phytoplankton absorb light from the surface ozone
layers and therefore the oceans
may give off less light (bioluminescence) during algal blooms.
Bioluminescence or water shining flashes of
light, which is a
chemical form of light and glowing, is
caused in a daily occurrence by the group dinoflagellates.
After using up
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in their
bodily processes the spent algal residue falls to the
ocean bottom in the form of carbon. In the
process as carbon fixing organisms they turn water
and carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) into sugar
using sunlight and also produce chemicals that
affect the formation of clouds.
Phytoplankton vary both from ocean to ocean and
with the time of year. In tropical waters
with constant sea surface temperatures and
plenty of sunshine the production remains highly
consistent. In contrast, in the Southern
and Northern Hemispheres these tiny plants can
thrive only in the warmer months of the year and
are more or less dormant in cold cloudy seasons.
In either case the
topmost layer of the ocean called the
epipelagic zone is the richest portion for
nutrients and the most productive for
plankton.
The epipelagic zone is the shallowest zone layer
and extends from the sea surface down to about
330-550 ft.
Note:
A Large Whale Meal Could Represent Diatoms In
Quantities In Excess Of Four Hundred Billion!
Reference Cerullo condensed information from book text
et al.
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