Phytoplankton

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Phytoplankton
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Phytoplankton are the plant-like organisms of the
sea that carry out photosynthesis and float in
the upper areas of the worlds oceans.
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• Most of the ocean is too deep for plants to
  attach to the bottom like this Giant Kelp off the
  coast of California.

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• Therefore, most of the photosynthesis is carried
  out by microscopic single celled organisms or
  chains of single cells.

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• These organisms often have long projections to
  increase their surface area or oils to keep them
  in the photic zone.

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Types of Phytoplankton
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Diatoms
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• Diatoms are dominant members of the phytoplankton
  that can be caught in a net.

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• They are especially common in temperate , coastal
  and polar regions.

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• They have sculptured shells, or frustules, made
  of silica. Diatoms can come in a variety of
  shapes.

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More Diatom Shapes
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Life Cycle of a Diatom
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Fish Killer

• Some diatoms, like this one can kill fish when
  found in large numbers

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• The glasslike projections cause mucus to build up
  in the fishs gill which can lead to the fish's
  death.

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Dinoflagellates
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• Dinoflagellates are found throughout the worlds
  oceans, but tend to prefer warmer areas. Given
  nutrients, dinoflagellates can bloom or
  explosively grow to huge numbers sometimes
  causing RED TIDES

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Dinoflagellates red tides
Florida red tide organism Gymnodinium breve
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• Around 60 species of Dinoflagellates are known to
  cause red tides.
• A few species produce poisons that are among the
  most powerful natural toxins known.

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• During a red tide, dinoflagellates may poison the
  waters, turning the surface into a sea of dead
  fish.
• Red tides can also threaten human health.

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• Mussels, clams and other bivalves store the
  toxins as they filter feed.
• People who eat the shellfish can get Paralytic
  Shellfish Poisoning.

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• Victims suffer numbness and tingling, loss of
  balance, slurred speech, and in extreme cases,
  paralysis and death!

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Symbiotic Dinoflagellates

• Some dinoflagellates like Zooxanthellae, are
  symbiotic with corals or jellyfish.

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Coccolithophorids
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• Coccolithophorids are common members of the
  nanoplankton. Most are too small to be taken in a
  regular plankton net.

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• Though found in coastal waters, they do best in
  open oceans where they often far outnumber all
  other types of phytoplankton.

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• These single celled organisms are covered by
  plates made of calcium carbonate.

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Silicoflagellates
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• Because of there small size, very little is known
  about silicoflagellates except that they can be
  very important to the primary production in the
  worlds oceans.