What are phytoplankton, exactly?
Dr. Erdner explained that phytoplankton are microscopic, single-celled organisms that live in the ocean. They are plant-like, but they are NOT plants. Their name has Greek roots; the word "plankton" means "floater."
What is their life cycle like?
There are lots of different types of phytoplankton, so there is not one life cycle that all groups follow. Most phytoplankton have both sexual and asexual phases. In asexual phases, phytoplankton reproduce by splitting into "daughter" cells. Their sexual reproduction is very interesting. While they do not have genders, phytoplankton do have opposite mating types, which Dr. Erdner referred to as "plus" or "minus." Two plankton of opposite mating types fuse together, but then have to divide into two different plankton so that they have the correct number of chromosomes again.
Phytoplankton do not live very long. There is an estimated turnover rate of one generation of phytoplankton giving way to the next every week. That's an estimate for the entire ocean!
How do phytoplankton affect humans?
Phytoplankton provide numerous invaluable resources for humans! They fix carbon in the atmosphere by performing photosynthesis--the same process that land plants use to make their own food. The photosynthesis happening in the ocean is equal to the photosynthesis happening on land. That is major! Dr. Erdner's exact words were, "Every other breath you take is phytoplankton."
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| Phytoplankton under a microscope By NOAA MESA Project, via Wikimedia Commons |
Humans are even reaping benefits from phytoplankton that died millions of years ago. Those organisms floated to the bottom of the ocean after they died, and we now use them as fossil fuels!
And that's not all. Phytoplankton are also used in vitamins and nutritional supplements, as well as in baby formulas! The use of phytoplankton in these formulas helps to support eye and brain development in infants.
Not all affects are positive, however. Dr. Erdner also pointed out that phytoplankton cause harmful algael blooms.
How is climate change affecting phytoplankton?
Although it seems as though more carbon dioxide would be helpful for phytoplankton, this is not always the case. As oceans get warmer, phytoplankton growth actually reduces because there aren't enough nutrients to go around. This changes the species dominance of phytoplannkton; the smaller phytoplankton are more likely to survive in these conditions, while larger ones die off.
What can people do to in their everyday lives to protect phytoplankton?
To protect phytoplankton, it is advisable to do the things that help protect any ecosystem. Try to produce less carbon dioxide, in order to prevent the warming of ocean temperatures. Additionally, try to be careful about what goes into the ocean.
"In some parts of the ocean, there is more plastic than plankton," Dr. Erdner told me. Considering how many there must be in order to produce an equal amount of oxygen as all land plants, I would say that is too much plastic. Dispose of litter properly, and try to utilize reusable containers!
Even if you live inland, take care of all the water around you. Rivers lead to the ocean--it's all connected.
Fun Fact:
I asked Dr. Erdner to give me a fun fact about phytoplankton. After much deliberation, she decided to share with me the feeding habits of a plankton called Dinophysis. Not all phytoplankton are producers, she explained. Some make their own food. Dinophysis are among this group, but there's a twist to them.
These plankton freeze their prey (other phytoplankton) and eat their insides. But that's not even the fun part. The craziest thing about Dinophysis is that, once they've eaten the insides of another phytoplankton, they can photosynthesize using the chloroplast they stole from the other plankton! That's brutal.
In Conclusion:
You may not be able to see them without a microscope, but phytoplankton impact you every other time you take a breath! With this in mind, always remember that there are consequences to everything you do. It's our responsibility to live in a way that honors that knowledge!
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