Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton - Related Videos
08:15
Visualizing Oceanographic Data to Depict Long-term Changes in Phytoplankton
0 Views •
2023
Here, we present a protocol for converting phytoplankton microscopic images into vector graphics and repetitive patterns to enable visualization of shifts in phytoplankton taxa and biomass over 60 years. This protocol represents an approach that can be utilized for other plankton time series and datasets globally.
09:54
A Small Volume Bioassay to Assess Bacterial/Phytoplankton Co-culture Using WATER-Pulse-Amplitude-Modulated (WATER-PAM) Fluorometry
0 Views •
Cited by 13 •
2015
The goal of this procedure is to demonstrate the reproducibility and adaptability of using a microtiter plate format for microalgal screening. This rapid screen combines WATER-Pulse-Amplitude-Modulated (WATER-PAM) fluorometry to measure photosynthetic yield as an indicator of Photosystem II (PSII) health with small volume bacterial-algal co-cultures.
07:19
Microfluidic Imaging Flow Cytometry by Asymmetric-detection Time-stretch Optical Microscopy (ATOM)
0 Views •
Cited by 5 •
2017
This protocol describes the implementation of an asymmetric-detection time-stretch optical microscopy system for single-cell imaging in ultrafast microfluidic flow and its applications in imaging flow cytometry.
10:16
Molecular Probe Optimization to Determine Cell Mortality in a Photosynthetic Organism (Microcystis aeruginosa) Using Flow Cytometry
0 Views •
Cited by 2 •
2016
Microbial populations contain substantial cell heterogeneity, which can dictate overall behavior. Molecular probe analysis through flow cytometry can determine physiological states of cells, however its application varies between species. This study provides a protocol to accurately determine cell mortality within a cyanobacterium population, without underestimating or recording false positive results.
14:40
Long-term Lethal Toxicity Test with the Crustacean Artemia franciscana
0 Views •
Cited by 34 •
2012
This study concerns the development and standardization of a valuable methodological protocol to determine long-term (14 days) lethal toxicity exerted by chemical substances, industrial wastewater or sewage and liquid environmental samples on the saltwater crustacean, Artemia franciscana.
FAQs
Phytoplankton use chlorophyll and other pigments to capture light, which supplies energy for converting carbon dioxide and water into organic matter and releasing oxygen. This transformation links available light to biological productivity: when illumination is sufficient, photosynthetic production can increase, while limited light constrains the energy available for growth and for organisms that depend on the resulting organic matter.
Light provides the energy required for photosynthesis, while nutrients support the production of organic matter. Phytoplankton abundance and productivity therefore respond to the combined availability of these conditions rather than to light alone. Studying these relationships helps biologists examine nutrient dynamics and understand why biological productivity varies among aquatic environments.
Because phytoplankton supply organic matter at the base of many aquatic food webs, changes in their abundance or diversity can alter the resources available to zooplankton, fish, and larger organisms. Their biological role makes them an important connection between photosynthetic production and higher trophic levels in oceans, lakes, and rivers.
Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into organic matter while releasing oxygen. This activity connects aquatic biological productivity with carbon cycling and contributes to climate regulation. Their importance extends beyond local food webs because changes in phytoplankton communities can provide insight into broader biogeochemical processes.
Researchers examine phytoplankton abundance, diversity, and responses to environmental change as indicators of ecosystem conditions. These characteristics help reveal patterns in biological productivity and nutrient dynamics across aquatic environments. Such observations support biological studies of ecosystem health and show how aquatic communities respond when environmental conditions change.
Phytoplankton research helps scientists investigate harmful algal blooms alongside nutrient dynamics and ecosystem health. Tracking community abundance, diversity, and environmental responses can reveal changes associated with aquatic conditions. This makes phytoplankton relevant not only to basic biology but also to evaluating ecological change and understanding potentially disruptive events in aquatic systems.