1. Opportunities Summer Fellowship in Biogeochemistry and Climate Change http://www.ess.uci.edu/~jkmoore/ucireu_files/pro jects.htm http://www.ess.uci.edu/~jkmoore/ucireu_files/pro jects.htm Summer Course to be offered at University of Washington's Friday Harbor Laboratories on San Juan Island MARINE AND COASTAL CONSERVATION SCIENCE: Concepts and Practice Session B July 16 - August 18, 2007 5 weeks: M-F 8-5; S 8-12 (9 credits) kappel@nceas.ucsb.edu

2. Phytoplankton Dr. Dawn A. Osborn dawn_a@cox.net Environmental Processes in Oceans and Lakes

3. Outline Terms/definitions Classification Major taxa with examples

6. Phytoplankton Phyto (Greek, plant) Plankton (Greek, drifter) –Contrast with nekton (Greek, swimmer) –benthos (bottom dwellers) barnacles, mussels, crabs –Macrophytes seaweed Different habitats for different species

7. Autotroph – organisms that can synthesize organic compounds, primary producers

8. Phytoplankton Marine plants can be motile –Spin, rotate, twirl Advantages??

9. http://www.me.jhu.edu/~lefd/shc/digital.ht mhttp://www.me.jhu.edu/~lefd/shc/digital.ht m

10. Phytoplankton Size Classifications Picoplankton (0.2 - 2 μm) –Dominant size in the sea. Nanoplankton (2 – 20 μm) Net plankton ( >> 20 μm) –caught by standard plankton nets

11. 6:1 3:1

12. Phytoplankton Ecological Classifications r-selected Opportunistic species, live in variable, unpredicatable environments Respond quickly to favorable conditions Bloom and bust cycles K-selected Constant, predictable nutrient supply Larger in size and slow-growing, long lived Utilize resources effeciently

13. Major Taxa of the Phytoplankton Prokaryotes Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) Other eubacteria (purple sulfur bacteria) Eukaryotes Chromophytes (Golden-brown algae) Diatoms(Bacillariophyceae) Prymnesiophytes Chrysophytes, Cryptophytes Silicoflagellates Chlorophytes (Green algae) Dinoflagellates (Pyrrophyceae)

14. Cyanobacteria Includes many of the picoplankton, and floaters (lagoon scum) Many do Nitrogen Fixation Smallest and most abundant phytoplankton in the ocean by far Tropical

15. Cyanobacteria

16. Diatoms Have silica shells appear in sediments Fast “r” growers in most cases Golden brown color Coastal waters Two forms: pennate, centric Some toxic (domoic acid)

17. Diatoms

18. Diatom Skeletons (tests) Centric Pennate

19. Nitzschia pungens

20. Prymnesiophytes

21. Coccolithophorid bloom off Newfoundland SeaWiFS Project and ORBIMAGE Emiliana huxleyi

22. Chlorophytes Green in color Rare in the ocean Can be motile Related to higher plants and land plants

23. Dinoflagellates Motile (2 flagellae), can have a test (cellulose- like) Many are toxic Most red tides are dinoflagellates All waters, esp. warm Are also often symbionts of benthic and pelagic “heterotrophs”

24. Dinoflagellates Ceratium Dinophysis

25. Pfiesteria

26. Gonyaulax

27. Dinoflagellate Red Tide

29. Dinoflagellate Symbionts Many cnidaria (corals, anenomes) have dinoflagellate symbionts called zooxanthellae. Also many species of planktonic protists (radiolaria, acantharia, foraminifera)

30. Zooxanthellae Dinoflagellates → protection, nitrogen and carbon dioxide Anemones → oxygen and nourishment

32. End