Oceanic Plankton

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Oceanic Plankton

• Lifestyles of the Microscopic Overlooked

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How can something at the top be at the bottom?

• Answer When youre a DIATOM!
• Phytoplankton (like diatoms) drift about near
  the surface of the sea, photosynthesizing as they
  go.
• Phytoplankton are the basis of the whole oceanic
  food chain they are at the bottom of the energy
  pyramid!

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Phytoplankton Blooms in the ocean

• Nutrients
• Sunlight
• Plankton
• Bloom!

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The Trials of being a Marine plant

• Salt balance
• Fluctuating water level
• A few Success stories
• Mangroves
• Saltwort
• Seagrass

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Kingdom Protista

• Catch all group
• In the Marine environment, includes
• Seaweeds
• Diatoms
• Dinoflagellates
• Seaweeds are actually algae NOT plants!
• No roots
• No vascular system
• No seeds, flowers, or fruits

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Types of Seaweeds

• Rhodophyta (Red Algae)
• Phaephyta (Brown Algae)
• Chlorophyta (Green Algae)

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Rhodophytes

• Can grow at greater depth than other algaes
  why?

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Phaephytes

• Include the largest seaweed the Giant Kelp
• and the Sargassumweed often washed up along the
  Texas coast.

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Chlorophyta

• Include the familiar green algae.

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Killer Plankton The Red Tide

• Some species can reach enormous population
  levels, robbing the water of all D.O., and
  infesting filter-feeders with a toxic substance
  that can kill people.

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What does this picture have to do with plankton?
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This!
Newly hatched crab larvae- ZOOPLANKTON
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All marine invertebrates go through a
Zooplankton stage
Can you guess what animals these are?
http//www.imagequest3d.com/photos/zooplankton/
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In summary

• Plankton are critical to an oceans ecosystem
  health.
• Being at the bottom of the food pyramid, they
  support everything else.
• If you eat seafood, or eat anything made with
  seafood products, you are indirectly consuming
  plankton!
• Soooooo

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Have you hugged your plankton today?