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Phytoplankton and Zooplankton
Phytoplankton
The most important
organisms on the planet
are……………
Phytoplankton
• Generate 50% of the
oxygen that we breath.
They are called the plants
of the sea.
• Examples: diatoms,
radiolarians, dinoflagellates,
foraminifera
Ocean water: Under the
microscope: What do you see?
Phytoplankton: Sustain all marine
organisms
Where do we find Phytoplankton?
Phytoplankton distribution is
patchy.
• Phytoplankton exist
Where there is sunlight
and nutrients. (red highest
Blue lowest)
There are no/little Phytoplankton
in Tropical Waters
Why?: Use the pictures
To help answer:
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=_Ww6BIy3nc0
Answer:
Upwelling is not present in these tropical waters:
Upwelling brings nutrients found on the bottom into
the top layer where there is plenty of sun.
Phytoplankton Blooms
• Phytoplankton Blooms:
• Uncontrolled growth of
one species of
phtoplankton.
• Called the
• “Red Tide”
• “Brown Tide” depending
on the species
Phytoplankton Blooms
• Major reasons are, storm
water runoff, too many
nutrients going into the
water from fertilizers,
from human activities
• .
Phytoplankton Blooms
• They produce a toxin that
makes them taste bad to fish
that would otherwise eat
them. Although this chemical
can even kill fish, medical
experts say it only irritates
humans (swimming in). The
toxin can build up in shellfish.
That’s why tainted shellfish are
unsafe and possibly deadly for
humans to eat
Dinoflagellates of Long Island
Zooplankton
• Zooplankton are heterotrophs
• “drifters” in the oceans reliant on currents for
movement.
• Can Range in size microscopic to as large as
jellyfish
Food Chain of Marine Ecosystems
phytoplankton
zooplankton
???
Blue Whale
Basking Shark
What eats zooplankton
Some examples:
Manta Ray
Zooplankton
• primary consumers in food chains.
• They include all the classification of organisms
and will be discussed in the other phylum
powerpoints.
Rotifer; eating phyto
plankton
Phytoplankton
Zooplankton