Did you know that phytoplankton is one of the main engines for the correct functioning and balance of marine ecosystems? The presence of these organisms is fundamental and very beneficial for the different marine ecosystems that are distributed throughout the planet. However, sometimes they are also responsible for certain ecological problems, mainly due to their development and excess abundance. This situation entails the displacement of other plant and animal species, as well as the contamination of waters and ecosystems, and even the death of other organisms, due to the lack of oxygen in the water as a result of the excess of phytoplankton in the superficial layers.
Continue reading this interesting article by Ecologist Verde and you will find all the information you need to know what is phytoplankton.
What is phytoplankton - definition and characteristics
The term phytoplankton refers, within the world of biology, to the set of aquatic life organisms that are part of plankton, characterized by being able to feed autotrophically by capturing solar energy during the photosynthetic process. Its name comes from the Greek "phyto" (plant) and "planktos" (vagabond), since they are photosynthetic organisms that live dispersed in the water, instead of fixed in one place.
However, the area of distribution of the phytoplankton it is always restricted to the highest layers of the sea, since they must access sunlight, an essential element for their survival. These microscopic plant organisms reproduce very easily and, in fact, are so abundant in the seas that they are responsible for carrying out half of the total photosynthesis carried out by all photosynthetic organisms on the planet.
Expand this information with this other article on What is plankton and its importance.
Phytoplankton organisms - examples
The main phytoplankton organisms of the different seas of the world are species that are included within the following groups of living beings, all of them photosynthetic:
- Diatoms: Actinella Brasilliensis Lewis, Amphipleura kutzing, Achnanthes bory, Anphora ovalis, Asterionella hassall.
- Dinoflagellates: Ceratium furca, Peridinium depresum, Noctiluca scintillans.
- Blue-green algae (cyanophytes): Rivularia bullata, Chroococcus turgidus, Anabaena spp., Oscillatoria spp..
- Green algae: Chaetomorpha aerea, Cladophora fascicularis, Phycodrys ovifolia, Petalonia fascia.
- Brown algae: Synura spp., Stephanophyxis palmeriana, Rhizosolenia calcaravis.
Within this classification of phytoplankton organisms, Diatoms (carriers of a characteristic silica skeleton) stand out as the most numerous group, followed by dinoflagellates (with two structures for their movement called flagella). You can learn more about it in this other post about What is diatomaceous earth.
Although the vast majority of the organisms that make up phytoplankton are usually microscopic organisms, the presence of certain algae is common, such as sargassum (genus Sargassum), which fill the most superficial layers of the world's seas and oceans with photosynthetic life, forming part so from phytoplankton. To expand this information, we also recommend this other post about the Classification of algae.
Importance of phytoplankton
Phytoplankton stands out for its important role in the proper functioning and balance of marine ecosystems. More specifically, phytoplankton is responsible for complying with the following biological functions:
- Is he primary producer inside of trophic chain of aquatic ecosystems. Phytoplankton serves as food for living beings of equal or greater size (zooplankton), which are consumed by small fish (but also by whales) which, in turn, will be ingested by other larger fish or other predators, being the human being the final link in this food chain, by consuming the fish that the fishing industries incorporate into the food market.
- Phytoplankton is the main responsible for keep oxygen in the atmosphere, since oxygen is one of the final products of photosynthesis, of which we have commented before, phytoplankton generates a very high percentage throughout the planet.
- They contribute marine biodiversity and wealth, adding the countless number of individuals that constitute it, to the already abundant marine vegetation.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is phytoplankton, we recommend that you enter our Biodiversity category.
Bibliography- Phytoplankton digital atlas. Master in Comprehensive Water Management, University of Cádiz (Spain).
- Drafting Team (09/04/2018). The ocean food chain. National Geographic Spain- Mundo NG.
- Delgado, M. & Fortuño, J.M. (1991) Atlas of phytoplankton of the Mediterranean Sea. Scientia Marina Magazine, Volume 55 (1), pp: 1-133.
- Gaxiola-Castro, G. et al., (2015) Biomass and phytoplankton production. Ensenada Center for Scientific Research and Higher Education, Department of Biological Oceanography, pp: 59-82.
- Carreto, J., Montoya, N. & Carignan, M. (2007) Phytoplankton ecology in the frontal systems of the Argentine sea. Magazine The Argentine Sea and its fishing resources. Volume 5, pp: 11-31.
