What raw materials do phytoplankton require for survival?

Along with sunlight, water and carbon dioxide, phytoplankton require a variety of other nutrients from the water including nitrogen, phosphorous and iron. The most important are nitrogen and phosphorous which are essential to survival and reproduction.

How is a phytoplankton made?

Phytoplankton is made of very tiny–usually one-celled–plants. Since plants make their own food and release oxygen as a byproduct, all the other living things in the ocean depend on them directly or indirectly for food or oxygen. Diatoms are the most common type of phytoplankton.

What are the components of phytoplankton?

Phytoplankton also require inorganic nutrients such as nitrates, phosphates, and sulfur which they convert into proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. The two main classes of phytoplankton are dinoflagellates and diatoms.

What are phytoplankton shells made of?

What do zooplankton eat? Both phytoplankton and zooplankton often have shells. Their shells are often made of calcium carbonate and silica. Pure calcium carbonate is white, like our bones which are also made of calcium.

How do you increase phytoplankton bloom?

The amount of light available for phytoplankton growth varies according to time of year, extent of cloud cover, and water depth and clarity. During summer, higher light levels and higher water temperatures promote phytoplankton growth.

What is the difference between plankton and phytoplankton?

Scientists classify plankton in several ways, including by size, type, and how long they spend drifting. But the most basic categories divide plankton into two groups: phytoplankton (plants) and zooplankton (animals). Phytoplankton are microscopic plants, but they play a huge role in the marine food web.

How do you promote phytoplankton?

During summer, higher light levels and higher water temperatures promote phytoplankton growth. Additionally, heating of surface waters can create a surface layer that is less dense than cooler bottom waters, separated by a region of strong density gradient called the thermocline.

How do you stop phytoplankton blooming?

Some animals help limit or reduce phytoplankton populations by feeding on them. Filter-feeding oysters, scallops and sponges consume phytoplankton as they circulate seawater through their bodies, while microscopic crustaceans like copepods graze on phytoplankton in the water column.

What kind of nets are used for phytoplankton sampling?

Phytoplankton nets Plankton nets are widely used for sampling phytoplankton. Gear: fine meshed (using a 5, 10 or 20 μm) phytoplankton nets Advantages a. large volumes of water can be filtered to concentrate the organisms b. Concentrates rarer cells. c. Concentrates large algae, so often settling isn’t needed to identify samples d.

How are phytoplankton collected from the water column?

3. Integrated water column sampling Integrated samples are usually taken from the surface to 10 m depth. The entire sample is then released into a clean bucket – repeated up to three times – and a 100 mL sub-sample is then removed from the bucket and preserved for later analysis e.g. phytoplankton identification.

What are the disadvantages of sampling phytoplankton?

Easily deployed from shore (to ssing) or boats Disadvantages a. A large percentage of phytoplankton is small enough to pass through even the finest mesh nets. Others are burst or disintegrate when stressed or coming in contact with the net. Thus this method does not allow for accurate counting of algal species.

How is plankton sampling done on a pier?

The sampling can also be carried out from a pier. In this method, the inlet pipe is lowered into the water and the outlet pipe is connected to a net of suitable mesh size. The net is particularly submerged in a tank of a known volume. This prevents damage to the organisms. The plankton is filtered through the net.