1. Phytoplankton! Ayesha, Toyosi, Chase
Pfisteria, their blooms can cause red tides
Phytoplankton!
Ayesha, Toyosi, Chase
Diatoms have many different shapes

2. Phytoplankton Bloom in the North Sea
Autotrophic/ photosynthetic
“plant wanderer”
Basis of most marine and freshwater food webs
Account for half of photosynthetic production of organic material
Diatoms, cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates
Phytoplankton Bloom in the North Sea

3. Dinoflagellates (basics)
Eukaryotic and unicellular
Photosynthetic and heterotrophic
Dinokaryon (unique)
Motile (marine)
Asexual (can have motile sperm)
Lifecycle with many stages
Some are sybionts
Amphiesma
“Armored” have cellulose plates
Two flagella
Longitudinal (rudder)
Transverse (spinning/propulsion)
Dinoflagellate structure

4. Red Tides and Pfisteria
Fish affected by Pfisteria
Red Tides and Pfisteria
Excessive dinoflagellate reproduction and growth cause red tides and algal blooms
Are related to harmful fish kills
Some produce toxins and feed on prey (heterotrophic)
Pfisteria is very dangerous
A Red Tide

5. Diatom Structure Cell wall made of silica called a frustule
Two parts of a frustule: epitheca and hypotheca
Symmetry: centric and pennate
On left, pennate diatom. On right, centric diatom

6. Diatoms and Photosynthesis
Producers
Cells contain yellow-brown chloroplasts
Essential to carbon fixation on earth
A centric diatom with yellow-brown chloroplasts

7. Youtube on Diatoms