Common Name(s):
Phytoplankton, Brown algae, Coccolithophores, Bacterioplankton, Zooplankton
Phonetic Spelling:
kla-mi-dome-ass/fy-toe-plank-tons
Description:
Phytoplankton are usually tiny, with only a few micrometers in diameter, making them invisible to the naked eye (you would need a microscope!). They are consisting of various types of organisms, such as diatoms, dinoflagellates, cyanobacteria, and green algae, and they usually live in water bodies. Since phytoplanktons are primary producers doing photosynthesis, they convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into organic matter, producing oxygen as a byproduct. This organic matter serves as the foundational food source for a wide range of marine organisms, from tiny zooplankton to large whales. Did you know??: Phytoplanktons are responsible for producing approximately 50% of the world’s oxygen, playing a vital role in maintaining atmospheric oxygen levels.
Environmental Concerns:
Global warming cause certain phytoplankton to change from carbon absorbers to carbon emitters, and excessive runoff of fertilizers can boost algae/phytoplankton growth until there is an algae bloom. This usually prevents dissolved oxygen levels in water bodies to be sufficient, and also blocks sunlight at the surface so that other producers cannot access photosynthesis. However, phytoplanktons play a crucial role in the carbon cycle and oxygen production, because they produce dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a compound that can influence cloud formation and, subsequently, climate patterns.
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