Plankton Ch. 14 Algae Plants
Plankton = Wanderer (Greek) Suspended in water column Float or weakly swim with currents Can t move against currents Producers & Consumers
PHYTOPLANKTON (PLANT PLANKTON) Autotrophs (primary producers) Make glucose (photosynthesis) >40% of global primary productivity Form base of ocean food web OXYGEN for all life
Types of Phytoplankton: 1. Diatoms (Silica Glass shell) 2. Dinoflagellates (Cellulose shell) 3. Coccolithophores (Calcium plates)
1. Diatoms Dominant & most productive organism in world! 55% of sun s energy converted to glucose Largely made of silica glass-like
Most free-floating 2. Dinoflagellates Some live in coral tissue Reproduce (up to 1X/day) by cell division Move by 2 flagella: adjust vertically in water column (light, nutrients) Dinophysis sp. Peridinium sp. Ceratium sp.
Bioluminescence Light produced by organism by a chemical reaction Most common at surface (Dinoflagellates) Noctiluca sp. Energy released in this reaction occurs as light, NOT heat Organism doesn t overheat
Why produce light? Luminescence triggered by predator disturbance Light distracts predator (zooplankton) Attracts secondary predator (eats zooplankton) Predator movement triggers Dinoflagellate less likely to be eaten
Red Tides (Dinoflagellate Bloom) Phylum Pyrrophyta = Fire Plant Mass development of dinoflagellates discolor water Often caused by excess nutrients Enter ocean from land (runoff) Fertilizer, sewage
Red Tide Impacts: Toxic to marine life: accumulates in clams, mussels, scallops, fish, mammals Death to some species, Human poisoning after consumption (30 min.) Symptoms: Paralytic: paralysis, asthma, heart attack (rare) Neurotoxic: tingling, paralysis, memory loss Diarrhetic: cramps, vomiting, diarrhea
Gonyaulax sp. Fish Kills
Red = High Green = Moderate Purple = Low Where are most phytoplankton? Cool, nutrient-rich water
Zooplankton (Animal Plankton) Heterotrophic = Consumers Mostly eat phytoplankton, or other zooplankton Copepod Ribbon worm Annelid worm Most can move Spend whole life as plankton OR Snail Radiolarian Jelly Larval stage only Lobster Fish
Holoplanton: Plankton for whole life Small, single-celled, many with shell Foraminifera Ciliates Small, but NUMEROUS! Copepods = 70% of all Zooplankton Most numerous animal on Planet!
Holoplanton: Plankton for whole life Big (Macroplankton), but still floaters Krill: ~5 cm (2 ), Herbivores Numerous in Antarctica Eaten by: Whales, birds, seals, fish, squid Cnidarians (jellies): body parts specialized Bell up to 3.5 m (12 ) Nematocysts: sting prey Feeding
Meroplankton: Temporary Plankton Early life as plankton (float) Larvae, eggs Rest of life: benthic, pelagic swimmers, intertidal Crab Fish egg & fry Octopus Sea Urchin Squid Clam Shrimp Seastar
Larger, Attached Marine Producers 1. Plants: Surface dwelling Angiosperms Reproduce with flowers & seeds a. Sea grasses Pollen distributed by H 2 O Roots help uptake nutrients High productivity Surf grass Phyllospadix sp. Wave-swept subtidal Eelgrass (Zostera sp.) Shallow water of Bays & estuaries
Larger, Attached Marine Producers b. Mangroves c. Salt Marsh Salt-tolerant trees Grasses & succulents Tropical estuaries Salt tolerant & Bays Temperate estuaries Seed Flower Prop Roots Cordgrass Batis maritima
Larger, Attached Marine Producers 2. Algae (seaweed): 3 groups Only grow in Euphotic zone Flexible, covered in gelatinous material Highly productive: Water, CO 2, & nutrients readily available
Sea Lettuce Dead Man s Fingers Enteromorpha sp. Green Algae (Chlorophyta) Photosynthesis: No accessory pigments Live at or near surface Codium fragile To depths: 10 m (33ft)
Red Algae (Rhodophyta) Surface & deeper water To 268m (879 ft) Accessory pigments aid photosynthesis Coralline algae Calcium carbonate in tissues protects from grazers & wave action Encrusting coralline algae
Giant Kelp (Macrocystis) Brown Algae (Phaeophyta) Include Kelps (to 200 ft long) Grow in H 2 O to 115 ft deep Accessory pigments Quick growth (20 /day) Holdfast Feather Boa
Kelp Forests: Temperate & polar latitudes (30 N & S to poles) Kelp Mangrove Mangroves: Tropical Latitudes