Phytoplankton/Plankton Types

Question 1

Plankton (general classification)

Answer 1

weakly swimming organisms, cannot travel against current

Question 2

Phytoplankton

Answer 2

Autotrophs, draw energy from sunlight

Question 3

Zooplankton

Answer 3

hetertrophs, bigger than phytoplankton has to eat in order to live

Question 4

Nekton

Answer 4

organisms that actually actually move against currents but fairly slowly

Question 5

plankton collection methods

Answer 5

RV Meteor; Plankton net

Question 6

Types of phytoplankton (1) Diatoms

Answer 6

dominant and most reproductive form of phytoplankton provides half of oxygen in the ocean

Question 7

(2) Dinoflagellate

Answer 7

get energy from sun, they move through the water by their flagellas, create bad HABs, bad toxins and red tides; leads to alagal bloom

Question 8

(3) cocolithphores

Answer 8

single celled, autotrophs covered in calcium carbonate

Question 9

(4) Picoplankton

Answer 9

the smallest forms of phytoplankton; contributes to primary productivity

Question 10

(5) Femtoplankton

Answer 10

smallest class of phytoplankton, invisible in light microscope, no metabolism, need a host organism to feed itself

Question 11

Limiting factors of primary productivity (1)
Nutrient Availability

Answer 11

plankton blooms may occur which is algae in in freshwater systems and marines systems

Question 12

Limiting Factors of primary productivity
Light Availabilty

Answer 12

little photosynthesis beyond 100 m into the ocean;
too much light can overwhelm photosynthetic chemistry in the ocean

Question 13

Limiting Factors of primary productivity
Color Matter

Answer 13

Chlorophyll is the green pigment plants reflect, this is due to their reflection of red and violet light, at very deep ocean depths red can cannot relfect

Question 14

Photic Zone

Answer 14

the point in the ocean at which light has trouble reaching

Question 15

Euphotic Zone

Answer 15

photosnythesis exceeds respiration in the euphotic which is the surface of the ocean

Question 16

Compensation Depth

Answer 16

at the compensation depth, O2 = consumption by respiration in photosynthesis
at this depth, autotrophs respire more than they consum

Question 17

Net Primary Producitivty (NPP)

Answer 17

NPP= GPP - organic material spent in aerobic respiration in photosynthesis

Question 18

Where is phytoplankton most abudant geographically

Answer 18

Nearshore regions; nutrient levels are much higher near continents than in open ocean

Question 19

Where is phytoplankton most abudant geographically

Answer 19

Polar Regions; the winter seasons affect plankton producitivty, productivity ins much better in the summer time with 24-hour daylight times

Question 20

Where is phytoplankton most abudant geographically

Answer 20

temperate and subpolar zones; provides most productivity amongst anything in the open ocean

Question 21

• Plankton bloom

Answer 21

period of rapid phytoplankton growth where non conservative nutrients like iron are consumed and depleted

Question 22

What are the two things that contribute to phytoplankton variance

Answer 22

season and latitude

Question 23

Tropical Seasons for phytoplankton growth

Answer 23

Little variation,
very low year round

Question 24

Global Distribution of phytoplantkon abundant productiivty in the world

Answer 24

coastal regions
Antarctica
temperate zones
equatorial zones