1. Plankton The wanderers, drifting on the surface of the sea….

2. Main Types of Plankton Phytoplankton or zooplankton Diatoms Dinoflagellates Coccolithophores Cyanobacteria larvae

3. Microbial Plankton Ecology One of the hot new topics in marine biology Each liter of seawater contains 5 billion bacteria 100 million times more bacteria in ocean than stars Bacteria mass > zooplankton + fish mass

4. Marine Viruses Affect nutrient cycling 10 billion per liter Most common biologic agents in the sea Responsible for waterborne illness 1000x more oceanic viruses than bacteria Carbon mass in viruses = C mass of 75 million blue whales

5. Picoplankton Extremely tiny 0.2 – 2 micrometers Account for 79% of photosynthesis in tropics Cyanobacteria are picoplankton Play a significant role in producing oxygen and fixing nitrogen, making vitamins, and taking up carbon dioxide Feed heterotrophic plankton

6. Cyanobacteria (Cyanophyta) Used to be called blue-green algae Significant component of nitrogen cycle Produced most of the oxygen in the atmosphere Stromatolites –oldest fossils in Australia Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus are most plentiful species on earth 1 ml of seawater contains 100,000 cells Some are red/ give flamingos color Pigments: chlorophyll a, phycoerythrin + phycocyanin

7. Cyanothece 51142. Liberton M et al. Plant Physiol. 2010;155:1656-1666 ©2011 by American Society of Plant Biologists Transmission Electron Micrograph of Cyanobacteria

8. In extreme habitats

9. Picoplankton illustrated

10. Diatoms – like glass jewel boxes

11. 2 kinds: centric (circular) and pennate (oblong) Frustule (silica shell) centric pennate

12. Diatoms are: -the most dominant and productive of phytoplankton -the most efficient photosynthesizers known

13. Diatoms look brown frozen in ice

14. Exquisite Diatoms Images taken with a scanning electron microscope

15. Coccolithophores Shells of calcium carbonate Live in shallow brightly lit water, especially in tropics Areas with high concentrations appear milky

16. Foraminifera

17. Dinoflagellates – the second most abundant phytoplankton Have one or two flagella used for motion Zooxanthellae live inside coral polyps where they are the most significant primary producers Reproduce quickly Mixotropic parasites

18. Plankton bloom Occurs whenever there is an abundance of nutrients caused by mixing of water layers caused by upwelling of deeper currents caused by pollution limited by thermoclines

19. Plankton bloom Also called harmful algal bloom May be a red tide

20. Dinoflagellates: Red Tides often the cause of “red tides” or blooms of toxic or non-toxic cells blooms may cause mass mortalities of marine and freshwater organisms contain toxins that are accumulated by shellfish and cause PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning)

21. The numbers are representative values of the concentration in the tissues of dinoflagellate toxin (ppm) Primary producers Primary consumers Secondary consumers Tertiary consumers 0.04 ppm 0.23 ppm 2.07 ppm 13.8 ppm

23. Bioluminescence in Dinoflagellates Sparkling blue-green light emitted at night as a 0.1 sec flash Noctiluca – Latin for night shine maximum bioluminescence occurs just before dawn, following a sunny day Occurs when mechanically stimulated, by boat, waves or swimming fish http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZVvIWI2psU ocean waves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZVvIWI2psU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IThAD5yKrgE&list=TLw8tw pVGoyei1T2EVfkIq2muux10N2OiW surfing in a red tide http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IThAD5yKrgE&list=TLw8tw pVGoyei1T2EVfkIq2muux10N2OiW

24. The Reaction Contain luciferase, an enzyme, and luciferin, a chlorophyll-derived ring that acts as a substrate in the light-producing reaction

25. Dinoflagellate luciferin

26. Bioluminescent Bay in Puerto Rico http://biobay.com/ Vieques, Puerto Rico http://www.kayakingpuertorico.com/pages/biobay.html Fajardo, Puerto Rico “Must must see!”Reviewed September 5, 2013 trip advisor One of the top 10 things I have ever done in my life. Go late at night, on a night with little or no moon to see them the best. Doesn't really matter what tour you book with, do whatever is cheapest/available on the darkest night. It was like Avatar meets Pocahontas. “Must must see!”Reviewed September 5, 2013 trip advisor One of the top 10 things I have ever done in my life. Go late at night, on a night with little or no moon to see them the best. Doesn't really matter what tour you book with, do whatever is cheapest/available on the darkest night. It was like Avatar meets Pocahontas.

27. Biobay in Puerto Rico http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJjdEAjDTxc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeXhkv_DmdM http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dk-sNnMsCY

29. Edith Widder: Glowing life in an underwater world http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IThAD5yKrgE Ted talk 17 min skip 9:20 to 10:40 http://www.teamorca.org/cfiles/bioluminescence.cfm Take the dive to see bioluminescence http://www.teamorca.org/cfiles/biolum_how.cfm How they make light