Excerpt: The Redfield ratio  SPOTLIGHT ON PHYTOPLANKTON ➤ What are phytoplankton? ➤ Phytoplankton dynamics ➤ Phytoplankton and climate change ➤ Studying phytoplankton Early clues to the global importance of phytoplankton appeared in the 1930s. During research voyages of the time, samples of sea water from the deep ocean were measured to analyse the relative amounts of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus — elements needed to construct essential cellular molecules — in both phytoplankton and the sea water. Remarkably, in every region of the ocean sampled, the ratio of nitrogen atoms to phosphorus atoms in the deep ocean was 16 to 1 — the same ratio as in phytoplankton. For more than 20 years, the scientific community puzzled over why these ratios wereRead more

Excerpt:  SPOTLIGHT ON PHYTOPLANKTON ➤ What are phytoplankton? ➤ Phytoplankton dynamics ➤ Phytoplankton and climate change ➤ Studying phytoplankton Photosynthetron-based measurement of 14C fixation cannot be applied on meaningful spatial and temporal scales, which means that there is inevitably an under-sampling of the oceanic environment for phytoplankton. The key scientific direction for Chelsea Technologies is to develop widely accessible instrumentation that science can use on significantly wider spatial and temporal scales than 14C fixation, at comparable levels of accuracy and precision. 14C fixation and phytoplankton productivity The 14C tracer method is the historical standard for photosynthetic measurement of phytoplankton. It provides the only direct measurement of carbon capture and has a long and distinguished historical sequence of datasets against which toRead more

Excerpt: Phytoplankton distribution  SPOTLIGHT ON PHYTOPLANKTON ➤ What are phytoplankton? ➤ Phytoplankton dynamics ➤ Phytoplankton and climate change ➤ Studying phytoplankton Winds play a strong role in the phytoplankton distribution because they drive currents that cause deep water, loaded with nutrients, to be pulled up to the surface. These upwelling zones, including one along the equator supported by the convergence of the easterly trade winds, and others along the western coasts of continents, are among the most productive ocean ecosystems. Given that phytoplankton are a food source for fish, it is not surprising that coastal upwelling habitats are some of the most economically productive areas in the world and support many of the world’s most important fisheries. Although coastal upwelling regionsRead more

Excerpt: Phytoplankton types  SPOTLIGHT ON PHYTOPLANKTON ➤ What are phytoplankton? ➤ Phytoplankton dynamics ➤ Phytoplankton and climate change ➤ Studying phytoplankton Phytoplankton are not one single plant species but a descriptor for numerous distinct types, with estimates up to one hundred thousand distinct species, the most common of these being diatoms and dinoflagellates. Diatoms are single-celled algae which often join in long chains, the only organism on the planet with cell walls composed of transparent, opaline silica. Dinoflagellates (Greek δῖνος dinos “whirling” and Latin flagellum “whip, scourge”) are a monophyletic group of single-celled eukaryotes constituting the phylum Dinoflagellata and are usually considered algae. Diatoms Diatom cell walls are adorned with intricate and striking patterns of silica. Diatoms are the most diverseRead more

Excerpt: Phytoplankton photosynthesis is an incredibly important process and its significance should not be underestimated. Without phytoplankton, the world would be a very different place. Not only do they produce the oxygen that we need to survive, but they are also the base of the marine food web and are important for regulating the global climate. Phytoplankton photosynthesis is responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps to slow the effects of climate change. In addition, phytoplankton are powerful indicators of ocean health and can be used to monitor changes in temperature, nutrient levels, and other important oceanographic parameters.Read more