Phytoplanktons to oceans are just like trees to land.
They cannot be seen very clearly in naked eyes. They take up CO2(Carbon dioxide) and give up Oxygen.
Red sea gets its color due to a particular species which imparts reddish color to the water.
In order to see these organisms ,marine biologists follow a particular laboratory method.
They could be viewed by using compound microscopes (inverted). These microscopes are preferred as the size of these organisms 2 micron to 2 millimeters .
The procedure is very simple. About 100 ml of seawater is required, to which a few drops of preservative (lugols iodine )is added. Due to this sample to be viewed wil be preserved for a period of 6 months atleast. Sample is then brought in laboratory and kept in stationary position for 12 hours.
In order to get concentrated sample, siphoning with 2 micron mesh is done. Volume is reduced to 25 /50 ml . One ml sample is analyzed by using sedgwick rafter, and then viewed under microscope.
Main phytoplankton groups are diatoms and dinoflagellates in the ratio of 8:20.
Just as on land the plants form the base of food chain , phytoplankton form the base of food chain in the water bodies.
Excess of growth of such forms may decrease the quality of water, reduces the light penetration of light in water . Increase in their growth is due to higher availability of nutrients.
Here are some of the phytoplankton images :
3 comments:
Good one, the photos you put in your blog are taken by you in your lab?
yes de r taken from our lab...
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