Phytoplankton are the
autotrophAn autotroph is an organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple inorganic molecules using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions....
ic component of the
planktonPlankton consist of any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. Plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than their phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
community. The name comes from the
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
words φυτον ("phyton"), or "
plantPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The scientific study of plants, known as botany, has identified about 350,000 extant species of plants, defined as seed plants,...
", and πλαγκτος ("planktos"), meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the
unaided eyeThe naked eye is a figure of speech referring to human visual perception that is unaided by enhancing equipment, such as a telescope or microscope. Vision corrected to normal acuity using corrective lenses is considered "naked"...
. However, when present in high enough numbers, they may appear as a green discoloration of the water due to the presence of
chlorophyllChlorophyll is a green pigment found in most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek χλωρός and φύλλον...
within their cells (although the actual color may vary with the species of phytoplankton present due to varying levels of chlorophyll or the presence of accessory pigments such as
phycobiliproteinPhycobiliproteins are water-soluble proteins present in cyanobacteria and certain algae that capture light energy which is then passed on to chlorophylls during photosynthesis. Phycobiliproteins are formed of a complex between proteins and covalently bound phycobilins that act as chromophores...
s,
xanthophyllXanthophylls are yellow pigments from the carotenoid group. Their molecular structure is based on carotenes; contrary to the carotenes, some hydrogen atoms are substituted by hydroxyl groups and/or some pairs of hydrogen atoms are substituted by oxygen atoms...
s, etc.).
Phytoplankton obtain
energyIn physics, energy is a scalar physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that is subject to a conservation law...
through the
processA biological process is a process of a living organism. Biological processes are made up of any number of chemical reactions or other events that results in a transformation....
of
photosynthesisPhotosynthesis is a process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of Bacteria, but not in Archaea...
and must therefore live in the well-lit surface layer (termed the
euphotic zoneThe photic zone or euphotic zone is the depth of the water in a lake or ocean, that is exposed to sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to occur...
) of an
oceanAn ocean is a large body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 75% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
,
seaA sea is any large amount of water filled with animals such as crabs, whales, sharks, and fish, but there is inconsistency as to its precise definition and application. Most commonly, a sea may refer to a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, but it is also used sometimes for a...
,
lakeA lake is a terrain feature , a body of liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the bottom of basin and moves slowly if it moves at all. Another definition is, a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size that is surrounded by land...
, or other body of water.
Phytoplankton are the
autotrophAn autotroph is an organism that produces complex organic compounds from simple inorganic molecules using energy from light or inorganic chemical reactions....
ic component of the
planktonPlankton consist of any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. Plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than their phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
community. The name comes from the
GreekGreek , an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, is the language of the Greeks. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. In its ancient form, it is the language of classical...
words φυτον ("phyton"), or "
plantPlants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. They include familiar organisms such as trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. The scientific study of plants, known as botany, has identified about 350,000 extant species of plants, defined as seed plants,...
", and πλαγκτος ("planktos"), meaning "wanderer" or "drifter". Most phytoplankton are too small to be individually seen with the
unaided eyeThe naked eye is a figure of speech referring to human visual perception that is unaided by enhancing equipment, such as a telescope or microscope. Vision corrected to normal acuity using corrective lenses is considered "naked"...
. However, when present in high enough numbers, they may appear as a green discoloration of the water due to the presence of
chlorophyllChlorophyll is a green pigment found in most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. Its name is derived from the Greek χλωρός and φύλλον...
within their cells (although the actual color may vary with the species of phytoplankton present due to varying levels of chlorophyll or the presence of accessory pigments such as
phycobiliproteinPhycobiliproteins are water-soluble proteins present in cyanobacteria and certain algae that capture light energy which is then passed on to chlorophylls during photosynthesis. Phycobiliproteins are formed of a complex between proteins and covalently bound phycobilins that act as chromophores...
s,
xanthophyllXanthophylls are yellow pigments from the carotenoid group. Their molecular structure is based on carotenes; contrary to the carotenes, some hydrogen atoms are substituted by hydroxyl groups and/or some pairs of hydrogen atoms are substituted by oxygen atoms...
s, etc.).
Ecology
Phytoplankton obtain
energyIn physics, energy is a scalar physical quantity that describes the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that is subject to a conservation law...
through the
processA biological process is a process of a living organism. Biological processes are made up of any number of chemical reactions or other events that results in a transformation....
of
photosynthesisPhotosynthesis is a process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of Bacteria, but not in Archaea...
and must therefore live in the well-lit surface layer (termed the
euphotic zoneThe photic zone or euphotic zone is the depth of the water in a lake or ocean, that is exposed to sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to occur...
) of an
oceanAn ocean is a large body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 75% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...
,
seaA sea is any large amount of water filled with animals such as crabs, whales, sharks, and fish, but there is inconsistency as to its precise definition and application. Most commonly, a sea may refer to a large expanse of saline water connected with an ocean, but it is also used sometimes for a...
,
lakeA lake is a terrain feature , a body of liquid on the surface of a world that is localized to the bottom of basin and moves slowly if it moves at all. Another definition is, a body of fresh or salt water of considerable size that is surrounded by land...
, or other body of water. Phytoplankton account for half of all
photosynthetic activityPhotosynthesis is a process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of Bacteria, but not in Archaea...
on Earth. Thus phytoplankton are responsible for much of the
oxygenOxygen Oxygen Oxygen (acid, literally "sharp", from the taste of acids) and -γενής (-genēs) (producer, literally begetter) is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O...
present in the
Earth's atmosphereThe Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
– half of the total amount produced by all plant life. Their cumulative energy fixation in carbon compounds (
primary production400px|thumb|Global oceanic and terrestrial photoautotroph abundance, from September [[1997]] to August 2000. As an estimate of autotroph biomass, it is only a rough indicator of primary production potential, and not an actual estimate of it...
) is the basis for the vast majority of oceanic and also many
freshwaterFreshwater is naturally occurring water on the surface such as bogs, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams, and underground in aquifers and underground rivers. Freshwater is characterized by having low concentrations of dissolved salts...
food webs (
chemosynthesisIn biochemistry, chemosynthesis is the biological conversion of one or more carbon molecules and nutrients into organic matter using the oxidation of inorganic molecules or methane as a source of energy, rather than sunlight, as in photosynthesis...
is a notable exception). As a side note, one of the more remarkable
food chainFood chains describe the eating relationships between species within an ecosystem or a particular living place. Many types of food chains or webs are applicable depending on habitat or environmental factors...
s in the ocean – remarkable because of the small number of links – is that of phytoplankton fed on by
krillKrill is a type of shrimp-like marine invertebrate animal. These small crustaceans are important organisms of the zooplankton, particularly as food for baleen whales, manta rays, whale sharks, crabeater seals, and other seals, and a few seabird species that feed almost exclusively on them. Another...
(a type of shrimp) fed on by
baleen whaleThe baleen whales, also called whalebone whales or great whales, form the Mysticeti, one of two suborders of the Cetacea . Baleen whales are characterized by having baleen plates for filtering food from water, rather than having teeth. This distinguishes them from the other suborder of cetaceans,...
s.
Phytoplankton are also crucially dependent on minerals. These are primarily macronutrients such as
nitrateIn inorganic chemistry, a nitrate is a salt of nitric acid with an ion composed of one nitrogen and three oxygen atoms . In organic chemistry the esters of nitric acid and various alcohols are called nitrates.-Chemical properties:...
,
phosphateA phosphate, an inorganic chemical, is a salt of phosphoric acid. In organic chemistry, a phosphate, or organophosphate, is an ester of phosphoric acid. Organic phosphates are important in biochemistry and biogeochemistry or ecology. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in...
or
silicic acidSilicic acid is a general name for a family of chemical compounds of the element silicon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with the general formula [SiOx4-2x]n...
, whose availability is governed by the
balanceBalance may refer to:*Analytical balance, a weighing scale.*Balance , an ability to maintain balance .*Balance *Media balance, the presentation of multiple viewpoints ....
between the so-called
biological pumpIn oceanic biogeochemistry, the biological pump is the sum of a suite of biologically-mediated processes that transport carbon from the surface euphotic zone to the ocean's interior.-Overview:...
and
upwellingAn Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water...
of deep, nutrient-rich waters. However, across large regions of the
World OceanThe World Ocean, world ocean, or global ocean is the interconnected system of the earth's oceanic waters, and comprises the bulk of the hydrosphere....
such as the
Southern OceanThe Southern Ocean, also known as the Great Southern Ocean, the Antarctic Ocean and the South Polar Ocean, comprises the southernmost waters of the World Ocean south of 60° S latitude. The International Hydrographic Organization has designated the Southern Ocean as an oceanic division encircling...
, phytoplankton are also limited by the lack of the
micronutrientMicronutrients are nutrients needed throughout life in small quantities. They are dietary minerals needed by the human body in very small quantities as opposed to macrominerals which are required in larger quantities...
ironIron is a metallic chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. Iron is a group 8 and period 4 element and is therefore classified as a transition metal. Iron and iron alloys are by far the most common metals and the most common ferromagnetic materials in everyday use...
. This has led to some scientists advocating
iron fertilizationIron fertilization is the intentional introduction of iron to the upper ocean to stimulate a phytoplankton bloom. This is intended to enhance biological productivity, which can benefit the marine food chain and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere...
as a means to counteract the accumulation of human-produced carbon dioxide (CO
2) in the
atmosphereAn atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, by the gravity of the body, and are retained for a longer duration if gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
. Large-scale experiments have added iron (usually as salts such as iron sulphate) to the oceans to promote phytoplankton growth and draw
atmospheric CO2Carbon dioxide forms approximately 0.04% of the Earth's atmosphere. It is essential to photosynthesis in plants and other photoautotrophs, and is also a prominent greenhouse gas.-Concentration:...
into the ocean. However, controversy about manipulating the ecosystem and the efficiency of iron fertilization has slowed such experiments.
While almost all phytoplankton
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
are obligate photoautotrophs, there are some that are mixotrophic and other, non-pigmented
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
that are actually
heterotrophA Heterotroph is an organism that uses organic carbon for growth. This contrasts with autotrophs, such as plants, which are able to directly use sources of energy, such as light to produce organic substrates from inorganic carbon dioxide.- Ecology :Heterotrophs are known as consumers in food...
ic (the latter are often viewed as
zooplanktonZooplankton are the heterotrophic type of plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in the water column of oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The name of zooplankton is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
). Of these, the best known are
dinoflagellateThe dinoflagellates are a large group of flagellate protists. Most are marine plankton, but they are common in fresh water habitats as well. Their populations are distributed depending on temperature, salinity, or depth. About half of all dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, and these make up the...
generaIn biology, a genus is a taxonomic unit used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The term comes from Latin genus "descent, family, type, gender" , cognate with – genos, "race, stock, kin" ..In addition, genus is a taxonomic rank in the hierarchy In biology, a genus (plural:...
such as
Noctiluca and
DinophysisDinokaryota is the main class of dinoflagellates. They include all species where the nucleus remains a dinokaryon throughout the entire cell cycle, which is typically dominated by the haploid stage. All the "typical" dinoflagellates, such as Peridinium and Gymnodinium, belong here. Others are...
, that obtain organic
carbonCarbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
by
ingestingIngestion is the consumption of a substance by an organism. In animals, it normally is accomplished by taking in the substance through the mouth into the gastrointestinal tract, such as through eating or drinking...
other organisms or
detritalIn biology, detritus is non-living particulate organic material . It typically includes the bodies or fragments of dead organisms as well as fecal material...
material.
The term phytoplankton encompasses all photoautotrophic microorganisms in aquatic food webs. Phytoplankton serve as the base of the aquatic food web, providing an essential ecological function for all aquatic life. However, unlike terrestrial communities, where most autotrophs are plants, phytoplankton are a diverse group, incorporating protistan
eukaryoteA eukaryote is an organism whose cells contain complex structures enclosed within membranes. The defining membrane-bound structure that sets eukaryotic cells apart from prokaryotic cells is the nucleus, or nuclear envelope, within which the genetic material is carried...
s and both
eubacterialThe bacteria are a large group of unicellular microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
and archaebacterial
prokaryoteThe prokaryotes are a group of organisms that lack a cell nucleus , or any other membrane-bound organelles. They differ from the eukaryotes, which have a cell nucleus. Most are unicellular, but a few prokaryotes such as myxobacteria have multicellular stages in their life cycles...
s. There are about 5,000 species of marine phytoplankton. There is uncertainty in how such diversity has
evolvedIn biology, evolution is change in the genetic material of a population of organisms from one generation to the next. Though changes produced in any one generation are normally small, differences accumulate with each generation and can, over time, cause substantial changes in the population, a...
in an environment where competition for only a few resources would suggest limited potential for
niche differentiationThe term niche differentiation , as it applies to the field of ecology, refers to the process by which natural selection drives competing species into different patterns of resource use or different niches...
.
In terms of numbers, the most important groups of phytoplankton include the
diatomDiatoms are a major group of eukaryotic algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons Diatoms (Greek: (dia) = "through" + (temnein) = "to cut", i.e., "cut in half") are a major...
s,
cyanobacteriaCyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, blue-green bacteria or Cyanophyta, is a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" comes from the color of the bacteria = blue)...
and
dinoflagellateThe dinoflagellates are a large group of flagellate protists. Most are marine plankton, but they are common in fresh water habitats as well. Their populations are distributed depending on temperature, salinity, or depth. About half of all dinoflagellates are photosynthetic, and these make up the...
s, although many other groups of
algaeAlgae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms. The largest and most complex marine forms are called seaweeds. They are photosynthetic, like plants, and "simple" because they lack the many distinct organs found in...
are represented. One group, the
coccolithophoridsCoccolithophores are single-celled algae, protists and phytoplankton belonging to the division haptophytes. They are distinguished by special calcium carbonate plates of uncertain function called coccoliths , which are important microfossils...
, is responsible (in part) for the release of significant amounts of
dimethyl sulfideDimethyl sulfide or methylthiomethane is an organosulfur compound with the formula 2S. Dimethyl sulfide is a water-insoluble flammable liquid that boils at and has a characteristic disagreeable odor. It is a component of the smell produced from cooking of certain vegetables, notably...
(DMS) into the
atmosphereThe Earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth that is retained by Earth's gravity. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention , and reducing temperature extremes between day and night...
. DMS is converted to sulfate and these sulfate molecules act as
cloud condensation nucleiCloud condensation nuclei or CCNs are small particles about which cloud droplets coalesce. Water requires a non-gaseous surface to make the transition from a vapour to a liquid. In the atmosphere, this surface presents itself as tiny solid or liquid particles called CCNs...
, increasing general cloud cover. In
oligotrophAn oligotroph is an organism that can live in an environment that offers very low levels of nutrients. They may be contrasted with copiotrophs, which prefer nutritionally rich environments...
ic oceanic regions such as the
Sargasso SeaThe Sargasso Sea is a region in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by ocean currents. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf Stream; on the north, by the North Atlantic Current; on the east, by the Canary Current; and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current...
or the
South Pacific GyreThe South Pacific Gyre is the Earth's biggest system of ocean currents, located south of the equator between South America and Australia. It is mostly inactive and contains little marine life.-Sediment:...
, phytoplankton is dominated by the small sized cells, called
picoplanktonPhotosynthetic picoplankton is the fraction of the plankton performing photosynthesis composed by cells between 0.2 and 2 µm . It is especially important in the central oligotrophic regions of the world oceans that have very low concentration of nutrients.- History :* 1952: Description of the first...
, mostly composed of
cyanobacteriaCyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae, blue-green bacteria or Cyanophyta, is a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis. The name "cyanobacteria" comes from the color of the bacteria = blue)...
(
ProchlorococcusProchlorococcus is a genus of very small marine cyanobacteria with an unusual pigmentation belonging to photosynthetic picoplankton...
,
SynechococcusSynechococcus is a unicellular cyanobacterium that is very widespread in the marine environment. Its size varies from 0.8 µm to 1.5 µm...
) and picoeucaryotes such as
MicromonasIn taxonomy, Micromonas is a genus of algae, specifically of the Mamiellaceae. The genus contains a single species, Micromonas pusilla, which is the dominant photosynthetic picoeukaryote in some marine ecosystems....
.
Aquaculture
Phytoplankton are a key food item in both
aquacultureAquaculture is the farming of freshwater and saltwater organisms such as finfish, molluscs, crustaceans and aquatic plants. Also known as aquafarming, aquaculture involves cultivating aquatic populations under controlled conditions, and can be contrasted with commercial fishing, which is the...
and
maricultureMariculture is a specialized branch of aquaculture involving the cultivation of marine organisms for food and other products in the open ocean, an enclosed section of the ocean, or in tanks, ponds or raceways which are filled with seawater. An example of the latter is the farming of marine fish,...
. Both utilize phytoplankton for the feeding of the animals being farmed. In mariculture, the phytoplankton is naturally occurring and is introduced into enclosures with the normal circulation of seawater. In aquaculture, phytoplankton must be obtained and introduced directly. The plankton can either be collected from a body of water or cultured, though the former method is seldom used. Phytoplankton is used as a foodstock for the production of rotifers, which are in turn used to feed other organisms. Phytoplankton is also used to feed many varieties of aquacultured molluscs, including
pearlA pearl is a hard, generally spherical object produced within the soft tissue of a living shelled mollusk. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is made up of calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form, which has been deposited in concentric layers. The ideal pearl is perfectly round and...
oysters and
giant clamThe giant clam, Tridacna gigas, or traditionally, pa’ua, is the largest living bivalve mollusk. One of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans, they can weigh more than 200 kilograms , measure as much as 1.2 metres across, and have an...
s.
The production of phytoplankton under artificial conditions is itself a form of aquaculture. Phytoplankton is cultured for a variety of purposes, including foodstock for other aquacultured organisms, a nutritional supplement for captive invertebrates in
aquariaAquaria may refer to:*The plural of aquarium*Aquaria , a 2D sidescrolling computer game*Aquaria , a symphonic power metal band from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil*Aquaria, one of the Twelve Colonies in the fictional Battlestar Galactica universe...
, and as a source of bio-diesel. Culture sizes range from small-scale
laboratoryA laboratory is a facility that provides controlled conditions in which scientific research, experiments, and measurement may be performed. The title of laboratory is also used for certain other facilities where the processes or equipment used are similar to those in scientific laboratories...
cultures of less than 1L to several tens of thousands of liters for commercial aquaculture. Regardless of the size of the culture, certain conditions must be provided for efficient growth of plankton. The majority of cultured plankton is marine, and
seawaterSeawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5%. This means that every of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts...
of a specific gravity of 1.010 to 1.026 may be used as a culture medium. This water must be sterilized, usually by either high temperatures in an
autoclaveAn autoclave is a device to sterilize equipment and supplies by subjecting them to high pressure steam at 121° C or more. It was invented by Charles Chamberland in 1879, although a precursor known as the steam digester was created by Denis Papin in 1679....
or by exposure to ultraviolet radiation, to prevent biological
contaminationContamination is the presence of a minor constituent in another chemical or mixture, often at the trace level. In chemistry, the term usually describes a single chemical, but in specialized fields the term can also mean chemical mixtures, even up to the level of cellular materials.All chemicals...
of the culture. Various fertilizers are added to the culture medium to facilitate the growth of plankton. A culture must be aerated or agitated in some way to keep plankton suspended, as well as to provide dissolved
carbon dioxideCarbon dioxide is a chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom. It is a gas at standard temperature and pressure and exists in Earth's atmosphere in this state...
for
photosynthesisPhotosynthesis is a process that converts carbon dioxide into organic compounds, especially sugars, using the energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis occurs in plants, algae, and many species of Bacteria, but not in Archaea...
. In addition to constant aeration, most cultures are manually mixed or stirred on a regular basis. Light must be provided for the growth of phytoplankton. The colour temperature of illumination should be approximately 6,500 K, but values from 4,000 K to upwards of 20,000 K have been used successfully. The duration of light exposure should be approximately 16 hours daily; this is the most efficient artificial day length.
See also
- Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms. The largest and most complex marine forms are called seaweeds. They are photosynthetic, like plants, and "simple" because they lack the many distinct organs found in...
- Algae culture
- Bacterioplankton
Bacterioplankton refers to the bacterial component of the plankton that drifts in the water column. The name comes from the Ancient Greek word , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter" , and , a Latin neologism coined in the 19th century by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg...
- Biological pump
In oceanic biogeochemistry, the biological pump is the sum of a suite of biologically-mediated processes that transport carbon from the surface euphotic zone to the ocean's interior.-Overview:...
- Iron fertilization
Iron fertilization is the intentional introduction of iron to the upper ocean to stimulate a phytoplankton bloom. This is intended to enhance biological productivity, which can benefit the marine food chain and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere...
- Microalgae
- Microphyte
- Ocean acidification
Ocean acidification is the name given to the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by their uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere...
- Paradox of the plankton
In aquatic biology, the paradox of the plankton is the name given to the situation where a limited range of resources supports a much wider range of planktonic organisms...
- Photosynthetic picoplankton
Photosynthetic picoplankton is the fraction of the plankton performing photosynthesis composed by cells between 0.2 and 2 µm . It is especially important in the central oligotrophic regions of the world oceans that have very low concentration of nutrients.- History :* 1952: Description of the first...
- Plankton
Plankton consist of any drifting organisms that inhabit the pelagic zone of oceans, seas, or bodies of fresh water. Plankton are defined by their ecological niche rather than their phylogenetic or taxonomic classification...
- Zooplankton
Zooplankton are the heterotrophic type of plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in the water column of oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The name of zooplankton is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
External links