Phytoplankton

Phytoplankton Taxonomy

• Diatoms• Dinoflagellates• Coccolithophores• Cyanobacteria• others…

Diatoms

• Frustule valves (Silica)• Pennate and Radial species• Autotrophic

Diatoms

Diatoms

Diatoms

Diatoms

Diatom Asexual Reproduction

Dinoflagelates

• 2 Flagella (certain mobility)• Theca plates (Cellulose)• Autotrophic, heterotrophic &

mixotrophic

Dinoflagelates

Diatoms vs Dinoflagellates

• Medium Light Intensity• Medium Nutrients• Temperate regions

• High Light Intensity• Very Low Nutrients• Tropical regions, low

productivity regions

Light Adaptation

Alexandrium tamarense Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

(PSP)

Alexandrium spp. Blooms:

- High temp.- Low salinity

Gambierdiscus toxicusCiguatera Fish Poisoning

(CFP)

Pseudo-nitzschia spp.Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP)

                               

Demoic Acid

Kogia breviceps

Chaetoceros spp.

Coccolithofores

• Calcareous plates• Small size – Nanoplankton

(>20μm)• Low productivity regions

Emiliania huxleyi www.earthguide.ucsd.edu

Florisphaera profunda

www.earthguide.ucsd.edu

Phytoplankton Distribution

Cyanobacteria & other Prokaryotic

Autotrophs• Very small size – Picoplankton

(>2μm)• Deepest waters• Open Ocean, low productivity

Cyanobacteria

Flow Cytometry

Identifying leukemias and lymphomas of mature B and T cells

DNA ploidy analysis of solid cancerous tumors

DNA fragment size quantification

Ultrasensitive fluorescence detection

Flow Cytometry

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Picoplancton_cytometrie.jpg

Absorption Spectrum

Light Penetration

Light Adaptation

High Light Adapted

Low Light Adapted

Chlorophyll Concentration

Figure 15.1d

Figure 15.1e