1. C.6 Coastal & Marine phytoplankton: diversity and biology
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

2. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
6.1 Identifying marine phytoplankton phyto =plant; planktos =made to wander
10,000~ and oceanic waters
varied group, ~13 divisions; ㎛(~4 mm)
~ half of O2 by phytoplankton
autotroph vs. heterotroph
kinds of pigments ~ broader range of wavelengths [Tab 6.1]
Bacillariophyceae (diatoms)
Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates)
Cyanophyceae (blue-green algae)
Chrysophyceae
class Raphidophyceae (chloromonads)
class Dictyochophyceae (silicoflagellates)
Prymnesiophyta=Haptophyta (coccolithophorids, prymnesiophytes, golden brown flagellates)
Chryptophyceae (chryptomonads)
Euglenophyceae (green flagellates)
Chlorophyceae (prasinophytes, chlorophytes)
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

3. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
P/A of flagella
structure of flagella app.
pattern &
other morphology as symmetry & size
microplankton, ~nano ~pico
coastal, nanoplankton 80% of totals
@tropical, picoplankton 80% of totals
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

4. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
6.2 Diatoms (div. Bacillariophyceae)
unicellular, often colony & chains
Si cell wall, frustule with two valves (hypo- epi-)
pennate (~800 marines) vs. centric (~1,000 marines)
no flagella, non-motile cf. benthic forms
limiting factors: Si, water stability, light, parasitism, grazing
blooms along coastal waters, nutrient-rich, better light access
- Thalassiosira spp. Chaetoceros spp. -
diatomaceous
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

5. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

6. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
6.3 Dinophyceae (dinoflagellates)
unicellular, ~2,000 spp. (130 gen.)
heterotroph vs. autotroph (partly)
of life-cycle w/ 2 different flagella
- girdle groove / sulcus groove
armoured (thecate, cellulose cell wall) vs. unarmoured
80~ spp. marine dinos produce cysts (16~ red tides; 7 toxic)
- temporary cysts / resting cysts (sink to sediments ~ months)
- survival strategy: protection, refuge, alternation (plankton-benthic), reproduction
daily diurnal migrations (up for light, down for nutrients)
Aust. from Noctiluca scintillans (heterotrophic)
- red slicks ~ ammonia release
- bioluminescent
HABs (~40 bivalves, crustaceans, finfish
- PSP, DSP, NSP, ciguatera poisoning [BOX 6.4]
- 2,000~ cases human-poisoning for year
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

7. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

8. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

9. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

10. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
6.4 Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae)
primitive, prokaryotes, blue-green
unicellular, colony, filamentous, w/o flagella
benthic vs. planktonic
gas vacuoles / akinetes (resting) / heterocysts (N2 fix)
toxins, neuromuscular & contact irritation
6 Anabaena, Microcystis, Aphanizomenon Nudularia, Trichodesmium, Lynbya
- Trichodesmium NSW [BOX 6.5]: red tide, sea sawdust
- yellow-grey > reddish-brown
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

11. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

12. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
6.5 Other marine phytoplankton
Chrysophyceae
class Raphidophyceae (Chloromonads)
unicellular, 2 unequal flagella
one w/ hairs, the other smooth
ejectosomes, trichocysts, mucocysts
toxic to fish [BOX 6.6]
Heterosigma, Chatonella, blooms
class Dictyochophyceae (Silicoflagellates)
unicellular, single flagellum, Si skeleton
Dictyocha, perhaps toxic to fish [BOX 6.7]
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

13. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
Prymnesiophyta=Haptophyta (Coccolithophorids, Prymnesiophytes)
unicellular, colony; nanoplankton
'third flagellum' - haptonema : anchoring & food uptake
tiny scales/granules (cellulose)
coccolith: calcified scales [BOX 6.8]
Chryptophyta(Chryptomonads)
very small, ovoid, 6-20 ㎛
protein coat, 'gullet’
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn

14. C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn
Euglenophyceae
single-celled, large ( ㎛), green, eyespot
pellicle: proteinaceous interlocking strips
mostly freshwater spp., a few marine
Chlorophyceae (Prasinophytes, Chlorophytes)
chlorophytes, green flagellate algae
~macroalgae (Ulva, Enteromorpha, Cladophora, Caulerpa) - Dunaliella Chlamydomonas
prisinophytes, scaly green flagellate algae
- small, w/ organic scales, ~16 flagella
Micromonas, w/o scales
Mantoniella, 1 layer scales
Pyramimonas, 2-3 layer scales
Tetraselmis, fused scales
C.6 Coastal & Marine Phytoplanktn