Definition

 Phytoplankton are microscopic, multicellular plants that thrive in the world's oceans. Their name is Greek for "wandering
plant."
Types
 There are thousands of individual species of phytoplankton, grouped into many larger categories. Two of the most common
are Diatoms---nonmobile phytoplankton that float near the ocean's surface---and Dinoflagellates---mobile phytoplankton that
sometimes attack other organisms in addition to photosynthesizing.
Significance
 Phytoplankton form the core of the ocean food chain. As floating creatures, they are easily eaten by small fish and filtering
whales. Many of these small fish are in turn eaten by larger fish, and even by humans.
Benefits
 As plants, phytoplankton are part of the global carbon cycle, which creates our breathable air. It is estimated that
phytoplankton provide up to half of the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere.
Environmental Importance
 Scientists have focused on phytoplankton as a key component in the health of Earth's environment. As environmental
conditions are changed through global warming and other human actions, the highly sensitive phytoplankton populations wax
and wane, alerting researchers to imbalances in the conditions of the oceans.

I. Diagnostic characters for common phytoplankton - Diatoms (dinoflagellates below).

How many are there? about 265 genera with about 100,000 (morphological) to 10 million (genetic) species

How old are they? probably not before the Cretaceous (centric diatoms ~120 mya; pennates ~ 70 mya)

Where are diatoms found?

50 % of species in freshwater habitats.

50 % are marine species.

Off the Hawaiian islands, our diatom flora has nearly 100 species.

How are their cells organized? Uninucleate organization throughout all cells.

What pigments do they possess? Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll c and Fucoxanthin.

How is the chloroplast constructed?

Thylakoids in stacks of 3 to 6 forming grana.

Chloroplast is enclosed by double unit membrane.

Chloroplast enclosed by an additional two layer membrane system (Chloroplastic Endoplasmic Reticulum or CER).

This additional membrane system in continuous w/ ER of cell.

What storage product is made? Typically oils.

Cell wall features? Siliceous cell wall (made of SiO2) in the shape of a petri dish and called a frustule.

Cell complexity?

Unicells exist as free living adults or chains of cells.

These cells typically have motile males and sessile eggs as gametes.

Check out this diversity!

II. Simple cell construction.

Centric diatoms have a radial symmetry in cell form:

Cyclotella top (valve) and side (girdle) view via Light Microscopy (LM)

Thalassiosira valve view via LM

Planktoniella valve view via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

Biddulphia girdle view via SEM

Chaetoceros girdle view of chain of cells via LM

Triceratium valve view via LM

All of these genera reproduce via the Gametic Meiosis Life History.

Life histories among Centric diatoms demonstrates very advanced life history features with nuclei disintegration in egg formation.

III. Developmental lineages and comparative life history strategies.

Pennate diatoms have a bilateral symmetry in cell form and typically a raphe (slit along long axis of frustule) in at least one frustule:

Diatoma valve and girdle views showing raphe and girdle bands via LM

Mastogloia valve view shows raphe via SEM

Eunotia girdle view via SEM

Asterionella chain of cells via LM

Navicula valve view shows raphe and chloroplast volume via LM

All of these genera reproduce via the Gametic Meiosis Life History.

Life histories among Pennate diatoms demonstrate very advanced features with nuclei disintegration and morphologically isogamous
gametes that exhibit ameboid movement.

IV. Recap major themes for Diatoms.

Complexity shown in adult morphology and subtlies of life history strategies.

Gamete type is extremely conservative character but demonstrates wide ranging differences among diatom types.

V. Diagnostic characters for common phytoplankton - Dinoflagellates.

How many are there? about 130 genera with about 2,000 species.

How old are they? probably not before the late Precambrian (600 mya).

Where are dinoflagellates found?

10 % of species in freshwater habitats.

90 % are marine species and especially in coral reefs as coral symbiont - "zooxanthellae".

Off the Hawaiian islands, our tropical dinoflagellate flora has nearly 50 spp.

How are their cells organized? Uninucleate organization throughout all cells but mesokaryotes.
 What pigments do they possess? Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll c and Peridinin.

How is the chloroplast constructed?

Thylakoids in stacks of 3 forming grana.

Chloroplast is enclosed by double unit membrane.

Chloroplast enclosed by an additional one layer membrane system (Chloroplastic Endoplasmic Reticulum or CER).

This additional membrane system in continuous w/ ER of cell.

What storage product is made? starch.

Cell wall features? naked cells with cellulosic plates underlying the plasmalemma; 2 flagella present.

Cell complexity?

Unicells exist as free living adults or chains of cells.

These cells typically have swimming gametes.

Check out this diversity!

VI. Simple dinoflagellate cell construction.

Dinoflagellate cell exterior shows the pattern created by internal cellulosic plates.

Examples of dinoflagellates

Peridinium

Ceratium

Dinophysis and Ceratium

Tropical dinoflagellates show spectacular shapes!

All of these genera reproduce via the Zygotic Meiosis Life History.

Coral bleaching in Porites is tied to the loss of dinoflagellate symbiont from animal cells.

http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/library/webb/BOT201/BOT201/Algae/Phytoplanktonlecturenotes.htm

What Are the Different Types of Phytoplankton?

Contribu Are the Different Types of Phytoplankton?

Scientists divide phytoplankton, or plant plankton, into three groups. Diatoms, dinoflagellates and microflagellates form the bottom of the
aquatic food chain. Numbers of phytoplankton in an ocean might be so concentrated that they affect the color of the water and tint the water
brown, green or red. Phytoplankton provide a necessary part of the aquatic food chain. Without phytoplankton, no other part of the food
chain could exist. As producers of their own food through photosynthesis, they provide food to consumers larger than themselves who in turn
provide food to the next creature up the food chain. They provide the first link in the plant, animal, human aquatic food chain.
Diatom
1. The diatom phytoplankton classification contains more species than any other type. They live mainly in cooler water and often in large
colonies. Diatoms can reproduce up to 100,000 times in a month. Diatoms are the largest of the phytoplankton and the fastest multipliers as
well.
Features
2. Diatoms have no means of locomotion through the water. When seen under a microscope, they have a clear, boxy shape. Their shell is made
of silica, which encases chlorophyll and pigments that give them a gold tone. When the diatom dies, the silica shell sinks to the bottom of the
ocean. There the layers of diatom shells form diatomaceous earth. This material, when harvested, is valuable as a gentle abrasive, filtration
aide, additive in asphalt and concrete, as an insulator and as a pest control.
Dinoflagellates
3. Dinoflagellates create another phytoplankton group. This type of phytoplankton lives mainly in tropical waters. Dinoflagellates can move
through the water using two flagellae or tiny whip-like protrusions that help them twist and spin through the water in search of sunlight
needed for photosynthesis. Some dinoflagellates however, absorb nutrients through water rather than using photosynthesis.
Types
4. About 2,000 species of dinoflagellates exist. Some have extensive, ornate shapes. Additionally, about 60 species are toxic. At times, these
dinoflagellates reproduce at a heightened rate in what scientists call a bloom. These huge masses of dinoflagellates, particularly those that are
toxic, cause ecosystem problems for plant, animal and human life. One such type of bloom is called red tide and is common during summer
months along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Microflagellates
5. Microflagellates, similar to dinoflagellates except smaller, also have flagellae and some ability to move about in the water. Microflagellates
however, divide more slowly than the other groups. They also inhabit tropical waters and can reproduce successfully with little nutrient
support. Scientists think that they form the basis of the marine food chain as the smallest photosynthesis producers
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