Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 Coccolithophores in the North Atlantic Emiliania

a huxleyi (Lohmann) W.W.Hay & H.P.Mohler 1967 (algaebase.org) Identification Diagram Reticular Body Coccolith forming inside cell Mitochondrion Golgi body Nucleus Chloroplast Cell membrane Extracellular coccolith
Image - (ina.tmsoc.org) (noc.soton.ac.uk)

Geographic Distribution

The image above shows global concentration of Coccolithophores, including the most common occurring E.huxleyi.
(http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/)

E.hux is confined to mostly the upper water column (0m 100m) for photosynthesis. (nhm.ac.uk)[1]

Binominal Classification o o o o o o o Empire: Eukaryota Kingdom: Chromista Phylum: Haptophyta Class: Coccolithophyceae Order: Isochrysidales Family: Noelaerhabdaceae Genus: Emiliania
(algaebase.org)

Species description Round in appearance, E.hux is externally comprised of many individual coccolith plates that interlock. E.hux is tiny, barely visible under light microscopes, producing coccoliths approximately 2.5 x 10^-6 metres in diameter with its weight being approximately 1.8 x 10^-12g.
(soes.soton.ac.uk)[1] Image - (http://ina.tmsoc.org )

Species Biology / Ecology / Threats E.huxleyi is slightly different to other coccolithophores as is it produces more coccoliths (an exterior calcium carbonate plate) the function of coccolith is unknown but hypothesis suggest a protective shield; this gives E.hux an spherical appearance where the coccolith interlock. (soes.soton.ac.uk)[2] Being planktonic is requires currents to move it about in the water, photosynthesizing sunlight into energy. Due to the huge biomass of phytoplankton (being more than all other marine animals combined) E.hux is extremely important for our planet as not only as food source but also converting carbon dioxide into oxygen on a far larger scale than trees and also its function in the carbon cycle of our planet. E.hux is under threat from ocean acidification (from human pollution) as its coccolith shell is made from calcium carbonate. (nhm.ac.uk)[2] (eol.org) Habitat Description E.huxleyi is considered one of the most widely occurring coccolithophores being found in every ocean from the warm Pacific to the freezing Arctic. E.hux is found in abundance in the Atlantic causing huge blooms recorded near similar size of England. (nhm.ac.uk)[1] E.hux has a global importance as it reflects solar radiation back into space rather than heating the ocean and due to its construction of coccoliths from calcium and carbon it retains a huge amount of CO2 which sinks to the seafloor when it dies making a difference to our atmosphere. Coccolithophores are so abundant that much of our chalk cliffs (such as Dover) are made up from dead fossilised calcium rich coccolithophores. (soes.soton.ac.uk)[2]

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 References for Coccolithophores in the Atlantic Emiliania
World Wide Web page Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=51619 Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Jeremy Young, Palaeontology Dept. The Natural History Museum. Emiliania huxleyi Coccoliths [online] Available at: http://www.soes.soton.ac.uk/staff/tt/eh/coccoliths.html [1] Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Emiliania huxleyi Home Page [online] Available at: http://www.soes.soton.ac.uk/staff/tt/ [2] Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page The Natural History Museum. Distribution [online] Available at: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/biodiversity/climate-change/emilianiahuxleyi/distribution-ecology/index.html [1] Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page The Natural History Museum. Ocean acidification [online] Available at: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/species-of-the-day/biodiversity/climate-change/emiliania-huxleyi/oceanacidification/index.html [2] Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image of Coccolithophore [online] Available at: http://nannotax.org/sites/nannotax.org/files/imagecache/preview/images/EmilianiaH.JPG Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Jeremy Young, Palaeontology Dept. The Natural History Museum. Description of an Emiliania huxleyi cell [online] Available at: http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/soes/staff/tt/eh/cell.html Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image of Coccolithophore [online] Available at: http://ina.tmsoc.org/Nannotax3/iNanno/Coccolithophores/Isochrysidales/Noelaerhabdaceae/Emiliania/Emiliania%20huxleyi/ Emiliania%20huxleyi%20B%20group/Emiliania%20huxleyi%20type%20C/Young_unpubl_242-27.JPG Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Natural History Museum, London. Pontosphaera huxleyi [online] Available at: http://eol.org/pages/901805/overview Accessed on 7 November 2013. World Wide Web page Dr. C. Brown & Dr. J. Yoder. Image: Coccolith Distribution [online] Available at: http://disc.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/education-and-outreach/additional/science-focus/ocean-color/calcite.shtml Accessed on 7 November 2013.

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 Cyanobacteria in the North Atlantic Trichodesmium erythraeum Ehrenberg 1830 (algaebase.org) Identification Diagram Pilus Ribosomes Capsule or Slime Layer Cell Wall Plasma Membrane (origin-ars.els-cdn.com) Nucleoid (DNA) Plasmid (DNA) Prokaryotic Flagellum A typical cell structure of cyanobacteria including T.erythaeum. The above map shows distribution across the world. The red and blue dots are sample points taken from various oceans. Therefore T.erythaeum is abundant in the N.Atlantic. (sciencedirect.com) Geographic Distribution

(online.morainevalley.edu)[1]
Binominal Classification o o o o o o o Empire: Prokaryota Kingdom: Eubacteria Phylum: Cyanobacteria Class: Cyanophyceae Order: Oscillatoriophycideae Family: Phormidiaceae Genus: Trichodesmium

(online.morainevalley.edu)[2]

(algaebase.org)

Species description T.erythraeum is filamentous and forms long cell strings. When 20-200 cells join in a filament the cyanobacteria then become part of the genus Trichodesmium. Individual strands vary in colour from browns to greens and The above photo shows colonial reds. These individual filaments grouping of T.erythaeum. congregate and form huge blooms. (www.awi.de) (oilgae.com) (oilgae.com)

Species Biology / Ecology / Threats T.erythraeum can accumulate in such large blooms that it has been named sea-sawdust for the way it discolours the water and can even cause Red Tides. These huge blooms have shown evidence of toxic effects on many other species including humans, causing repertory problems. (microbewiki.kenyon.edu) T.erythraeum (as part of the phylum cyanobacteria) is really important to our environment, as it has been found to provide over 40% of all nitrogen fixation that occurs in our oceans globally. This nitrogen fixation has led to cyanobacteria being used for a range of applications such as fertilizers, in waste treatment plants, and for the commercial production of enzymes and pharmaceuticals. (microbewiki.kenyon.edu)

Habitat Description
T.erythraeum is found in tropical and subtropical ocean waters with low nutrient levels and tends be most abundant in shallow waters between 0m and 40m in depth. (microbewiki.kenyon.edu)

As mentioned above, T.erythraeum blooms in such huge numbers that the name Red Sea comes from the red pigment produced inside this algae. (oilgae.com) These blooms are essential to our oceans as cyanobacteria are know as reef builders and have many functions from forming microbial mats, being grazed on by fish to providing nitrogen to the coral reef system. (www.hindawi.com)

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 References for Cyanobacteria in the North Atlantic Trichodesmium erythraeum World Wide Web page Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=24714 Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image on Cyanobacteria Distribution. [online] Available at: http://origin-ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S1385110104000930-gr1.jpg Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image on Cyanobacteria anatomy. [online] Available at: http://online.morainevalley.edu/websupported/bio111-gibbons/cell_s8.jpg [1] Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page
Moraine Valley Community College. Cell Structure and Function. 02/06/2003 [online]

Available at: http://online.morainevalley.edu/websupported/bio111-gibbons/cell_structure_and_function.htm [2] Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image of Cyanobacteria colony. [online] Available at: http://www.awi.de/fileadmin/user_upload/News/Press_Releases/2008/1._Quartal/Tricho_Kranz_w.jpg Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page Trichodesmium erythraeum - Definition, Glossary, Details Oilgae [online] Available at: http://www.oilgae.com/ref/glos/trichodesmium_erythraeum.html Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page Julie LaRoche, Eike Breitbarth. Importance of the diazotrophs as a source of new nitrogen in the ocean Journal of Sea Research, Volume 53, Issues 12, January 2005, Pages 679 [online] Available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1385110104000930 Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page Trichodesmium erythraeum [online] Available at: http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Trichodesmium_erythraeum Accessed on 8 November 2013. World Wide Web page L. Charpy, B. E. Casareta, M. J. Langlade and Y. Suzuki. Cyanobacteria in Coral Reef Ecosystems: A Review 31/10/2011 [online] Available at: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jmb/2012/259571/ Accessed on 8 November 2013.

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 Diatoms in the North Atlantic Thalassionema nitzschioides (Grunow) Mereschkowsky 1902 (algaebase.org) Identification Diagram Geographic Distribution

(http://www.gbif.org/) As you can see in the above map, T.nitzschioides is most abundant in the North Atlantic, Artic and European Seas. (eos.ubc.ca)

(www.rsc.org) Although T.nitzschioides is more rectangular (pennate) this diagram shows the similar internal structure. (eos.ubc.ca) (ces.iisc.ernet.in) Binominal Classification o o o o o o o Empire: Eukaryota Kingdom: Chromista Phylum: Heterokontophyta Class: Fragilariophyceae Order: Thalassionematales Family: Thalassionemataceae Genus: Thalassionema Species description T.nitzschioides cells (yellowbrown colour) are usually arranged in star-shaped (picture right) or zigzagged chains. To connect together the cells us mucilage pads on the ends of the valves. (eos.ubc.ca)

(algeabase.org)

(www.diatomloir.eu)

Species Biology / Ecology / Threats Diatoms are important for their ability to photosynthesise producing far more oxygen than trees but for the capacity of carbon fixation, removing CO2 from our atmosphere and cycling it into substrate when they die. There is very little known about T.nitzschioides life cycle but it reproduces via cell division but it does go thought periodic blooms and crashes which form ocean snow. (www.cns.fr/) Diatoms (including T.nitzschioides) are a significant problem to our shipping industry as they produce extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), which causes bio-fouling but adhering to surfaces such as the underside of a ship or cooling systems where water is pumped through from the ocean. (www.cns.fr/)

Habitat Description Requiring temperatures of no higher than 15C for T.nitzschioides to grow optimally limits it to cooler oceans such as the Atlantic but it is still found across the world in depth ranges of 0m to 3300m. Blooming in springtime across European seas T.nitzschioides takes advantage of nutrient-rich upwellings to photosynthesise energy and more importantly fixate carbon. As mentioned above when Diatoms die they hold the carbon within their cells and drop to the seabed as ocean snow this white blanket is nutrient rich, feeding grazers in many ecosystems such as reefs and also lock CO2 into sediment. (www.eos.ubc.ca) (www.cns.fr)

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 References for Diatoms in the North Atlantic Thalassionema nitzschioides World Wide Web page Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=39936 Accessed on 9 November 2013. World Wide Web page Diatoms [online] Available at: http://www.ces.iisc.ernet.in/biodiversity/sahyadri_enews/newsletter/issue26/article1/chap3.htm Accessed on 9 November 2013. World Wide Web page UBC Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. Thalassionema nitzschioides [online] Available at: http://www.eos.ubc.ca/research/phytoplankton/diatoms/pennate/thalassionema/t_nitzschioides.html Accessed on 9 November 2013. World Wide Web page The Global Biodiversity Information Facility: GBIF Backbone Taxonomy, 2013-07-01 [online] Available at: http://www.gbif.org/species/2628843 Accessed on 9 November 2013. World Wide Web page Diatoms are the most important group of photosynthetic eukaryotes. 16 January 2008 [online] Available at: http://www.cns.fr/spip/Phaeodactylum-tricornutum,463.html Accessed on 9 November 2013.

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 Dictyochaceae in the North Atlantic Dictyocha fibula Ehrenberg 1839 (algaebase.org) Geographic Distribution Radial Spine

Basal Ring (discoverlife.org) Skeletal Bars The yellow dots on the map above are sample areas where D.fibula has been found. Samples of D.fibula have been found not only in the Atlantic Ocean but also across the entire world. (algaebase.org)

Window

(eol.org)
Binominal Classification o o o o o o o Empire: Eukaryota Kingdom: Chromista Phylum: Heterokontophyta Class: Dictyochophyceae Order: Dictyochales Family: Dictyochaceae Genus: Dictyocha

(microscopy-uk.org.uk)

Species description D.fibula is recognisable from its distinct diamond shaped skeletal body with four protruding spines and four windows. Flagellums extend along one of the spines for locomotion. D.fibula may have a green/golden-brown colour and is ~90m across the spine tips. (eos.ubc.ca) (media.nordicmicroalgae.org)

(algeabase.org)

Species Biology / Ecology / Threats Dictyochales (named by botanists) are also known as silicoflagellates (by zoologists) this still causes confusion even to this day. Dictyochales was also recently reclassified from protozoans to algae in the 20th centaury (with the use of new technology such as electron microscopes) as not much was know about Dictyochales until this point due to their tiny size. (ucjeps.berkeley.edu) D.fibula skeleton is comprised of silicon dioxide, which is secreted to form a network for the cell body to wrap around. (www.mbari.org) In large blooms D.fibula is toxic to fish gills (scotland.gov.uk) and can block out light to plants underwater but it is threatened by rising water levels due to the small temperature range that it can grow it. Change in rising acidity levels also threaten to damage D.fibula level due to the specific conditions it needs to grow. (www.eos.ubc.ca) Habitat Description Found throughout the worlds oceans D.fibula is most abundant in cooler oceans such as the Atlantic for it to grow optimally at 10C and no higher than 15C for it to grow and photosynthesize. This means it is most abundant during the winter-spring transition due to an increase in water nutrients and sunlight. D.fibula can range in depth from 0m to 470m and can survive in temperatures from -2C to 26C allowing it to be globally distributed, even in warm waters such as the Red Sea. (www.eos.ubc.ca)

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1

References for Dictyochaceae in the North Atlantic Dictyocha fibula World Wide Web page Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=52816 Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Richard T. Carter, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China. Silicoflagellates 2007 [online] Available at: http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopyuk.org.uk/mag/artjul07/rc-silicoflag.html Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Wong Je Lee. Drawing 25/08/2009 [online] Available at: http://eol.org/data_objects/2088710 Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Map of Distribution [online] Available at: http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20m?map=Dictyocha+fibula Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image of Dictyocha fibula [online] Available at: http://media.nordicmicroalgae.org/original/Dictyocha%20fibula_3.jpg Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Phil Parkinson. Ontogeny v. Phylogeny: The Strange Case of the Silicoflagellates [online] Available at: http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/constancea/83/parkinson/Dictyocha.html Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Caren E. Braby. Phytoplankton [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://www.mbari.org/staff/conn/botany/phytoplankton/phytoplankton_silicoflagellates.htm Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page 8.0 SILICOFLAGELLATE BLOOMS AND FISH MORTALITY. [online] Available at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/02/03095327/9 Accessed on 9 November 2013.

World Wide Web page UBC Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. Dictyocha fibula [online] Available at: http://www.eos.ubc.ca/research/phytoplankton/silicoflagellates/dictyocha/d_fibula.html Accessed on 9 November 2013.

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 Dinoflagellates in the North Atlantic Ceratium furca (Ehrenberg) Claparde & Lachmann 1859 (algaebase.org) Identification Diagram Geographic Distribution

(www.sahfos.ac.uk)

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/
This diagram above shows the generic anatomy of Dinoflagellates and is comparable to C.furca. In this diagram you cannot see the two unequal posterior horns. (www.eos.ubc.ca)
Binominal Classification o o o o o o o Empire: Eukaryota Kingdom: Chromista Phylum: Dinophyta Class: Dinophyceae Order: Gonyaulacales Family: Ceratiaceae Genus: Ceratium

As you can see on the map above C.furca is abundant in the North Atlantic Ocean with red showing high concentration to low in yellow. (www.sahfos.ac.uk)

(algaebase.org)

Species description C.furca has two unequal posterior horns (the right is shorter than the left) with a bar connecting the two horns. You can also see the wide girdle and straight apical horn at the top of the photo. As you can see it is coloured yellow-brown. (www.eos.ubc.ca) Length 150 -230m (www.eos.ubc.ca)

Species Biology / Ecology / Threats C.furca along with all Ceratium are identifiable due to their shape (The horns being the most distinguishable) and the polysaccharidel armour cell wall. The horns help C.furca float whilst the two flagella are use for movement. (microbewiki.kenyon.edu) C.furca is not only able to photosynthesise for food but it is also able to consume smaller organisms through phagocytosis. This makes C.furca not only important as a food source its self but also a predator and keep smaller prey in balance. (microbewiki.kenyon.edu) Habitat Description Large blooms can occur during eutrophication, which can lead to toxic red tides that can damage fish gills and deplete oxygen levels in the water causing anoxic conditions. These blooms ten to occur in late summer to autumn when water conditions are ideal for growth as it require warm waters, ideally 20C - 34C. Although it does need warmer water for rapid growth C.furca can survive in waters as cold as -1C in depths of up to 470m making such areas as the North Atlantic ideal with its larger temperature range from winter to summer. (www.eos.ubc.ca)

Phytoplankton Assignment - Daniel Roberts (November 2013) FdSc Marine Science Year 1 References for Dinoflagellates in the North Atlantic Ceratium furca World Wide Web page Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://www.algaebase.org/search/species/detail/?species_id=52149 Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Wendy Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 2013. AlgaeBase. [online] World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. Available at: http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/taxonomy/JPGs/Gonyaulax2L.jpg Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Image of Dinoflagellates [online] Available at: http://www.eos.ubc.ca/research/phytoplankton/dinoflagellates/ceratium/c_furca.html Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Dinoflagellates: Ceratium furca (and Image of Distribution) [online] Available at: http://www.sahfos.ac.uk/taxonomy/phytoplankton/dinoflagellates/ceratium-furca.aspx Accessed on 10 November 2013. World Wide Web page Ceratium [online] Available at: http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Ceratium Accessed on 10 November 2013.