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Explosive phytoplankton growth spreads blooms across hundreds of miles of ocean.
by Hobart M. King
Swirls of color, caused by phytoplankton blooms, make an interesting and beautiful scene off the eastern shore of South Island, New Zealand. The Banks Peninsula can be seen in the southwestern corner of the image and the city of Christchurch borders the coastline immediately north of the peninsula. Lake Ellesmere, pea-green with algal growth, is a lagoon behind a spit on the southeastward facing shore. NASA acquired this satellite image on May 29, 2021. This satellite image was prepared for publication by NASA Earth Observatory.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that grow, multiply, and drift in the sunlit surface waters of most bodies of water on Earth. The name “phytoplankton” is a combination of two Greek words: “phyton” (which means “plant”) and “planktos” (which means “drifter”).
Phytoplankton occupy the base of the ocean’s food chain. Most of them contain chlorophyll and produce energy from photosynthesis. When present in high concentrations in the water, the chlorophyll in their bodies gives the water a green color. Other phytoplankton secrete skeletal material composed of calcium carbonate. In high concentrations these can impart a light turquoise color to the water.
Normally phytoplankton are present and abundant in sunlit surface waters, but they are usually unnoticed by people on shore, passing by in boats, or flying over in aircraft. However, when conditions of temperature, sunlight, and water composition are perfect, explosive growth and procreation increase their numbers exponentially. These periods of explosive growth produce a green or turquoise color in and on the water, known as a “phytoplankton bloom”.
This photograph shows numerous types of microscopic plant-like organisms known as diatoms. Diatoms are a common member of the phytoplankton populations that live and drift in the sunlit waters of the ocean surface. Many of them have a thin silica shell, known as a "test", and contain chlorophyll. During a bloom, billions of diatoms in the water cause it to appear bluish green to green in color. When they die, their bodies sink to the bottom and contribute silica and organic carbon to the bottom sediment. If preserved, these sediments can form a rock known as diatomite.
This satellite image features a phytoplankton bloom that developed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Namibiain 2008. The bloom first appeared about October 28 and began to dissipate by November 14. The typical phytoplankton bloom lasts just a few weeks or less. Blooms are frequent off the cost of Namibia because deep ocean currents deliver cold, nutrient-rich waters from the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. The currents encounter the continental shelf, and the water is pushed up the continental slope towards the surface. Often the blooms grow so aggressively that decomposition of deceased plankton bodies consumes so much oxygen that a "dead zone" develops in these areas. This satellite image was prepared by NASA Earth Observatory.
This photograph shows a coccolithophore, a one-celled, plant-like organism that lives a planktonic life in the shallow, sunlit waters of the ocean or other water bodies. Coccolithophores secrete and surround themselves with up to thirty plate-like scales composed of calcium carbonate, which are each just a few microns across. During a bloom, billions of drifting coccolithophores can cause the water to appear a very light turquoise color as sunlight strikes and reflects from their scales. When they die, their bodies sink to the bottom and contribute calcium carbonate to the bottom sediment. [3] Creative Commons image by Hannes Grobe.
Phytoplankton blooms are most frequent in waters with a thriving marine population and where abundant nutrients needed for phytoplankton growth are added in a continuous stream, or in surges. These are often areas along the edges of continents where nutrients are supplied through river runoff, or where cold nutrient-rich waters from ocean depths rise to the surface. Blooms can also occur in freshwater bodies and are often triggered by agricultural runoff. When conditions are perfect, the abundant nutrient supply feeds the plankton’s explosive growth into a bloom.
Phytoplankton blooms are most frequent in waters with a thriving marine population and where abundant nutrients needed for phytoplankton growth are added in a continuous stream, or in surges. These are often areas along the edges of continents where nutrients are supplied through river runoff, or where cold nutrient-rich waters from ocean depths rise to the surface. Blooms can also occur in freshwater bodies and are often triggered by agricultural runoff. When conditions are perfect, the abundant nutrient supply feeds the plankton’s explosive growth into a bloom.
See: https://geology.com/satellite/phytoplankton-blooms-from-space/
Plankton – or specifically, phytoplankton – are a vital part of oceanic ecosystems and food webs. They are the primary producers of the ocean, and are grazed on by a range of animals and other organisms. Many plankton are photosynthetic, which means that they produce oxygen.
However – as I’m sure most people are aware – they are also the cause of oceanic dead zones which result in mass fish kills and almost irreversible ecosystem damage.
However, we need to be careful when encouraging plankton growth artificially, as it could lead to fish kills and oceanic dead zones if overdone.
Sometimes, plankton are responsible for what we know as ‘algae blooms’, and the associated fish kills, oceanic dead zones, and horrible ecological effects. In this case, plankton is actually responsible for a reduction in oceanic oxygen concentrations.
When they die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean, where they decompose. This decomposition process consumes oxygen, which in turns makes the area uninhabitable for most animals. This can cause huge environmental problems including dead zones (like the one in the Gulf of Mexico) and mass fish kills.
See: https://greentumble.com/what-role-do-plankton-play-in-the-oxygen-cycle/
You might take a glance at an earlier article of mine on the role of phytoplankton here at Live Science:
Scientists discover link between climate change and biological evolution of phytoplankton
by Hobart M. King
Swirls of color, caused by phytoplankton blooms, make an interesting and beautiful scene off the eastern shore of South Island, New Zealand. The Banks Peninsula can be seen in the southwestern corner of the image and the city of Christchurch borders the coastline immediately north of the peninsula. Lake Ellesmere, pea-green with algal growth, is a lagoon behind a spit on the southeastward facing shore. NASA acquired this satellite image on May 29, 2021. This satellite image was prepared for publication by NASA Earth Observatory.
Phytoplankton are microscopic plant-like organisms that grow, multiply, and drift in the sunlit surface waters of most bodies of water on Earth. The name “phytoplankton” is a combination of two Greek words: “phyton” (which means “plant”) and “planktos” (which means “drifter”).
Phytoplankton occupy the base of the ocean’s food chain. Most of them contain chlorophyll and produce energy from photosynthesis. When present in high concentrations in the water, the chlorophyll in their bodies gives the water a green color. Other phytoplankton secrete skeletal material composed of calcium carbonate. In high concentrations these can impart a light turquoise color to the water.
Normally phytoplankton are present and abundant in sunlit surface waters, but they are usually unnoticed by people on shore, passing by in boats, or flying over in aircraft. However, when conditions of temperature, sunlight, and water composition are perfect, explosive growth and procreation increase their numbers exponentially. These periods of explosive growth produce a green or turquoise color in and on the water, known as a “phytoplankton bloom”.
This photograph shows numerous types of microscopic plant-like organisms known as diatoms. Diatoms are a common member of the phytoplankton populations that live and drift in the sunlit waters of the ocean surface. Many of them have a thin silica shell, known as a "test", and contain chlorophyll. During a bloom, billions of diatoms in the water cause it to appear bluish green to green in color. When they die, their bodies sink to the bottom and contribute silica and organic carbon to the bottom sediment. If preserved, these sediments can form a rock known as diatomite.
This satellite image features a phytoplankton bloom that developed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Namibiain 2008. The bloom first appeared about October 28 and began to dissipate by November 14. The typical phytoplankton bloom lasts just a few weeks or less. Blooms are frequent off the cost of Namibia because deep ocean currents deliver cold, nutrient-rich waters from the Southern Ocean near Antarctica. The currents encounter the continental shelf, and the water is pushed up the continental slope towards the surface. Often the blooms grow so aggressively that decomposition of deceased plankton bodies consumes so much oxygen that a "dead zone" develops in these areas. This satellite image was prepared by NASA Earth Observatory.
This photograph shows a coccolithophore, a one-celled, plant-like organism that lives a planktonic life in the shallow, sunlit waters of the ocean or other water bodies. Coccolithophores secrete and surround themselves with up to thirty plate-like scales composed of calcium carbonate, which are each just a few microns across. During a bloom, billions of drifting coccolithophores can cause the water to appear a very light turquoise color as sunlight strikes and reflects from their scales. When they die, their bodies sink to the bottom and contribute calcium carbonate to the bottom sediment. [3] Creative Commons image by Hannes Grobe.
Phytoplankton blooms are most frequent in waters with a thriving marine population and where abundant nutrients needed for phytoplankton growth are added in a continuous stream, or in surges. These are often areas along the edges of continents where nutrients are supplied through river runoff, or where cold nutrient-rich waters from ocean depths rise to the surface. Blooms can also occur in freshwater bodies and are often triggered by agricultural runoff. When conditions are perfect, the abundant nutrient supply feeds the plankton’s explosive growth into a bloom.
Phytoplankton blooms are most frequent in waters with a thriving marine population and where abundant nutrients needed for phytoplankton growth are added in a continuous stream, or in surges. These are often areas along the edges of continents where nutrients are supplied through river runoff, or where cold nutrient-rich waters from ocean depths rise to the surface. Blooms can also occur in freshwater bodies and are often triggered by agricultural runoff. When conditions are perfect, the abundant nutrient supply feeds the plankton’s explosive growth into a bloom.
See: https://geology.com/satellite/phytoplankton-blooms-from-space/
Plankton – or specifically, phytoplankton – are a vital part of oceanic ecosystems and food webs. They are the primary producers of the ocean, and are grazed on by a range of animals and other organisms. Many plankton are photosynthetic, which means that they produce oxygen.
However – as I’m sure most people are aware – they are also the cause of oceanic dead zones which result in mass fish kills and almost irreversible ecosystem damage.
However, we need to be careful when encouraging plankton growth artificially, as it could lead to fish kills and oceanic dead zones if overdone.
Sometimes, plankton are responsible for what we know as ‘algae blooms’, and the associated fish kills, oceanic dead zones, and horrible ecological effects. In this case, plankton is actually responsible for a reduction in oceanic oxygen concentrations.
When they die, they sink to the bottom of the ocean, where they decompose. This decomposition process consumes oxygen, which in turns makes the area uninhabitable for most animals. This can cause huge environmental problems including dead zones (like the one in the Gulf of Mexico) and mass fish kills.
See: https://greentumble.com/what-role-do-plankton-play-in-the-oxygen-cycle/
You might take a glance at an earlier article of mine on the role of phytoplankton here at Live Science:
Scientists discover link between climate change and biological evolution of phytoplankton
- Thread starterHartmann352
- Start date Dec 6, 2021
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