Marine Plankton

A thorough understanding of planktonic organisms is the first step towards a real appreciation of the diversity, biology, and ecological importance of marine life. A detailed knowledge of their distribution and community composition is particularly important since these organisms are often very delicate and sensitive to change, and can be used as early indicators of environmental change. Natural and man-induced modification of the environment can affect both the distribution and composition of plankton, with important ecological and economic impacts. Marine Plankton provides a practical guide to plankton biology with a large geographic coverage spanning the North Sea to the north-eastern Atlantic coast of the USA and Canada. The book is divided into three sections: an overview of plankton ecology, an assessment of methodology in plankton research covering sampling, preservation, and counting of samples, and a taxonomic guide richly illustrated with detailed line drawings to aid identification. This is an essential reference text suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in marine ecology (particularly useful for fieldwork) as well as for professional marine biologists. It will also be of relevance and use to environmental scientists, conservation biologists, marine resource managers, environmental consultants, and other specialised practitioners.

This book provides a key to determine almost 300 phytoplankton species from the North Sea around Helgoland and Sylt, documenting them with close to 1100 images and 70 line drawings on 85 plates.

Identifying Marine Phytoplankton is an accurate and authoritative guide to the identification of marine diatoms and dinoflagellates, meant to be used with tools as simple as a light microscope. The book compiles the latest taxonomic names, an extensive bibliography (referencing historical as well as up-to-date literature), synthesis and criteria in one indispensable source. Techniques for preparing samples and containing are included as well as hundreds of detailed, helpful information. Identifying Marine Phytoplankton is a combined paperback edition made available by popular demand of two influential books published earlier--Marine Phytoplankton and Identifying Marine Diatoms and Dinoflagellates. Contains hundreds of illustrations showing critical characteristics necessary for proper identification, plus keys and other guides Provides up-to-date taxonomic revisions Includes species from around the world Updates synthesis of modern and historical literature presented by active researchers in the field Compiles literature from around the world into one handy source

Marine Phytoplankton: A Guide to Naked Flagellates and Coccolithophorids provides an introduction to marine planktonic flagellates. It emphasizes the biological and physical features that are needed to identify these species, and presents only those methods that are critical for this task while relying on other publications that have extensively covered general phytoplankton research methods. The book begins with an overview of marine planktonic organisms, describing their evolution and classification as well as the difficulties in identifying planktonic marine flagellates. The discussion then turns to marine planktonic flagellates, including Chromophyta, Chlorophyta, and zooflagellates (Phylum Zoomastigophora). It presents techniques used in flagellate studies, common flagellate synonyms, and an index of flagellate taxa. The chapter on modern coccolithophorids includes generic and species descriptions, a list of common coccolithophorid synonyms, and an index of coccolithophorid taxa. This text was written for serious plankton workers who seek to hone their skills in identifying marine flagellated species.

Planktonic protists both produce and consume most of the primary production in the world ocean. They not only play key roles in the oceans but also represent an astounding amount of diversity: ecological morphological and genetic. However, for most taxa their ecology, morphology, phylogeny and biogeography are either poorly known or appear to be largely unrelated to one another; this hinders our understanding of their biology as well as interpretation of emerging genetic data. Tintinnid ciliates represent a singular exception. Compared to nearly all other groups of planktonic protists, there is a very substantial and relatively detailed literature (both modern and historical) on tintinnids. This volume synthesizes knowledge concerning a wide variety of topics ranging from anatomy and systematics, physiology, behavior, ecology (including ecological roles, predators, parasites, biogeography, and cysts) to fossil history. It will appeal to an audience ranging from advanced undergraduates to researchers in the fields of Oceanography, Marine Biology and Microbial Ecology.

Healthy waterways and oceans are essential for our increasingly urbanised world. Yet monitoring water quality in aquatic environments is a challenge, as it varies from hour to hour due to stormwater and currents. Being at the base of the aquatic food web and present in huge numbers, plankton are strongly influenced by changes in environment and provide an indication of water quality integrated over days and weeks. Plankton are the aquatic version of a canary in a coal mine. They are also vital for our existence, providing not only food for fish, seabirds, seals and sharks, but producing oxygen, cycling nutrients, processing pollutants, and removing carbon dioxide from our atmosphere. This Second Edition of Plankton is a fully updated introduction to the biology, ecology and identification of plankton and their use in monitoring water quality. It includes expanded, illustrated descriptions of all major groups of freshwater, coastal and marine phytoplankton and zooplankton and a new chapter on teaching science using plankton. Best practice methods for plankton sampling and monitoring programs are presented using case studies, along with explanations of how to analyse and interpret sampling data. Plankton is an invaluable reference for teachers and students, environmental managers, ecologists, estuary and catchment management committees, and coastal engineers.

The present book is designed for acquiring a basic knowledge on marine and estuarine phytoplankton and zooplankton, which are tiny free-floating biotic components of the aquatic ecosystem. These drifting biological chips of the aquatic system play an important role in maintaining the global carbon cycle and also in spinning the marine food web. It is well known that phytoplankton are the source of fossil fuels, and form the foundation stone of world fishery. However, phytoplankton sometimes causes adverse impact on the marine and estuarine environments. Toxic phytoplankton, when consumed by shellfish or other species often affect the marine food chain including poisoning of sea birds, mammals and even human. Recent internet reference (http://oceanlink.island.net/ask/pollution.html) has revealed that phytoplankton into the atmosphere. This compound can transform into sulphuric acid and eventually may contribute to acid rain. The zooplankton occupy the tier next to phytoplankton in the marine food web and form important linkage between the primary and secondary production of the oceans. The present book has focussed on the habitat, taxonomy and ecological role played by the planktonic community in the marine and estuarine compartments. This book can enrich the knowledge of the students on marine ecosystem, the process of sampling, preservation and diversity study of planktonic species in the saline environment. Some case studies have been given highlighting the diversity of plankton in the northwestern Bay of Bengal. Annotated suggested references and internet references have been added at the back of each chapter for those students interested in pursuing further information on this particular branch of environmental science. Contents Chapter 1: Marine and Estuarine Plankton: An Overview, Habitat of marine and estuarine plankton, Importance of phytoplankton and zooplankton; Chapter 2: Marine and Estuarine Plankton: Classification and Types, Classification of marine and estuarine phytoplankton, Classification of marine and estuarine zooplankton; Chapter 3: Sampling and Storing of Plankton, Sampling and preservation, Computation of ecological indices from the plankton community; Chapter 4: Plankton Spectrum of Northwestern Bay of Bengal, Common phytoplankton of northwestern Bay of Bengal, Common zooplankton of northwestern Bay of Bengal; Chapter 5: Role of Natural Processes on Plankton Community, Effect of Upwelling and El Nino on marine plankton, Impact of monsoon on marine plankton; Chapter 6: Plankton Culture, Phytoplankton culture, Zooplankton culture.

They are also the basis for the oceanic food chain.

Bioluminescence, the “cold living light” or the “cold fire of the sea,” is extremely common in all oceans at all depths. However, this phenomenon is nearly absent in freshwater, with the exception of a freshwater limpet. More than 75% of deep-sea creatures have been reported to produce their own light. The luminescent marine plankton such as dinoflagellate, radiolarians, jellyfish, comb jellies, annelids, copepods, ostracods, mysids, amphipods, euphausiids, and tunicates form an important component in the marine food chain. Research on luminescent marine plankton is gaining momentum owing to its importance in life science research and medicine. The glowing Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) extracted from the North Pacific jellyfish, Aqueorea victoria (for which the Japanese biologist, Osamu Shimonmura won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008) has helped shed light on key processes such as the spread of cancer, the development of brain cells, the growth of bacteria, damage to cells by Alzheimer's disease, and the development of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Therefore, it is difficult to underscore the importance of bioluminescence and the organisms associated with this phenomenon. Bioluminescent Marine Plankton is a unique reference that attempts to provide answers to questions about bioluminescence. The first of its kind, this book attempts to answer questions on the subject with a focus on planktonic organisms. 12 chapters provide information about the chemistry of bioluminescence, types of bioluminescent displays, distribution of bioluminescence among marine plankton, ecological functions and utility of planktonic bioluminescence. Chapters are dedicated to the biology and ecology of specific groups of plankton that span about 200 luminescent marine species. The detailed book is an essential compendium on marine plankton for a broad range of readers who want to learn about bioluminescent plankton. A list of detailed references is also provided for the benefit of teachers, students, researchers and enthusiasts interested in marine biology, aquaculture, and environmental sciences.