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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
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Phytoplankton Dr. Dawn A. Osborn dawn_a@cox.net Environmental Processes in Oceans and Lakes
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Outline Terms/definitions Classification Major taxa with examples
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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
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Autotroph – organisms that can synthesize organic compounds, primary producers
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Phytoplankton Marine plants can be motile –Spin, rotate, twirl Advantages??
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http://www.me.jhu.edu/~lefd/shc/digital.ht mhttp://www.me.jhu.edu/~lefd/shc/digital.ht m
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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
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6:1 3:1
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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
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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)
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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
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Cyanobacteria
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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)
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Diatoms
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Diatom Skeletons (tests) Centric Pennate
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Nitzschia pungens
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Prymnesiophytes
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Coccolithophorid bloom off Newfoundland SeaWiFS Project and ORBIMAGE Emiliana huxleyi
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Chlorophytes Green in color Rare in the ocean Can be motile Related to higher plants and land plants
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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”
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Dinoflagellates Ceratium Dinophysis
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Pfiesteria
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Gonyaulax
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Dinoflagellate Red Tide
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Dinoflagellate Symbionts Many cnidaria (corals, anenomes) have dinoflagellate symbionts called zooxanthellae. Also many species of planktonic protists (radiolaria, acantharia, foraminifera)
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Zooxanthellae Dinoflagellates → protection, nitrogen and carbon dioxide Anemones → oxygen and nourishment
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