BI 308 ENVIRONMENTAL AND

MARINE MICROBIOLGY

SEMESTER 2 2020

SCENARIO BASED ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: WHY PRIMARY PRODUCERS SUCH AS PHYTOPLANKTONS ARE SLOWING BEING

WIPED OFF FROM OUR OCEANS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE. WHY ARE PRIMARY PRODUCERS
IMPORTANT IN THE OCEANS? ARGUE AND DISSECT THIS ISSUE AS WELL AS INDICATE WAYS
TO COMBAT THIS

NAME: AACHAL ARSHIKA DEO

ID #: S11122913
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Climate change is described as a change in climate pattern that is directly or indirectly caused by people’s action or
activities, which fluctuating the composition of global environment. Unfortunately, more than 97 per cent of climate
scientists have believed that alterations of global climate in the last century have been caused by human activities
(anthropogenic) which seems very true (Simonlewis, 2017). It is the humans who are responsible for their climate
change that is occurring. However, climate change is found to be having vast environmental impacts of which it also
includes wiping of our primary produces phytoplankton. Thus, these scenario based assignment is going to discuss the
reasons as to why primary producers are important in the oceans and it will also argue and dissect issues as well as
indicate ways to combat the wiping of our primary produces phytoplankton.

Moreover, phytoplankton’s are called microalgae and single-celled organisms. They lives in oceans, lakes and streams,
are able to make food by their self from sunlight through photosynthesis. Phytoplankton occurs practically anywhere
there is water and sunlight present. However, there are thousands of various categories of phytoplankton and the main
type that makes up the most is taking place and these includes diatoms, din flagellates and cyanobacteria
(Higginbotham, 2008).

Furthermore, phytoplankton’s have a major role as primary producers that mostly called plant are the basis for any type
of terrestrial ecosystem. Phytoplankton as primary produces they use the process called photosynthesis to turn the
energy of the sun into energy such as food which is functional to the animals. Phytoplankton is single-celled
photosynthetic organisms of marine atmospheres which is one of the most common primary producers (food source) for
marine ecosystems that form the foundation of several aquatic food chains. Primary food sources for several aquatic
species ranging from microscopic zooplankton to various kinds of invertebrates for example, various kinds of coral.
The ocean's largest mammals also eat phytoplankton such as whales (Higginbotham, 2008). Phytoplankton’s need to be
largely protected and this can only happen through reducing the human activities of human on earth. The less you
pollute the environment, the least the occurring of global warming and less environment factors will occur that affects
our natural resources such as phytoplankton’s

The aim of this assignment is to find out the types of phytoplankton, phytoplankton as primary produces, how
phytoplankton are wiped off from oceans due to climate change, importance of primary producers in ocean, methods in
preventing the wipe off of phytoplankton, interpreting possible results and importances of phytoplanktons

2.0 METHODLOGY
Methods were used to complete the project: Data was collected from Secondary resources – internet

3.0 DISCUSSION
TYPES OF PHYTOPLANKTON - Phytoplankton falls into a numerous of major types which includes diatoms,
dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria.

Diatoms - Diatoms are very significant class of phytoplankton’s. They live in cooler water mostly in greater colonies.
Cell wall presents of in diatoms, which is made from silica. They do not move through the water. The shape is clear,
boxy shape when viewed under a microscope. (Brennan, 2017).

Dinoflagellates - They live in tropical water and they use two flagella for the locomotion. It supports them through the
water in finding the sunlight which required for photosynthesis.

Cyanobacteria - It plays significant role in the oceanic ecosystem under the class of phytoplankton. These bacteria are
single celled organism. They require sunlight to make their own food and free living bacteria.

4.0 PHYTOPLANKTON AS PRIMARY PRODUCERS

Phytoplankton is found to be the most important primary producers in the oceanic ecosystem because they are the
foundation for food chain. Primary produces are able to synthesis by their own. Chemical energy is stored before
becoming the food for the small animals known as zooplanktons. For larger animals zooplanktons are the source of food
such as jellyfish and small fish and these in turn become food for larger sharks, fish, squid and oceanic mammals. The
phytoplankton is a foundation of these food chains since all the energy used by these bigger animals are supplied from
them (John, 2017).

5.0 HOW PHYTOPLANKTONS ARE WIPED OFF FROM OCEANS DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
Global warming
According to a study by Chronicle.F, in 2008 it was found out that phytoplankton has rapidly decline. The primary
suspect to this was due to the occurrence of global warming. The oceanic temperature has increased by between 0.5 and
1 degree Celsius in the past century. As surface water gets warmer, it does not mix as well with colder and deeper water
that is rich in nutrients which needed by the phytoplankton. Hence, the author also states that phytoplankton have also
exist from cold regions for example, the Arctic Ocean where the phytoplankton development rate is mostly limited by
sunlight which means "changes in wind and ocean circulation" could also be to blame. Another studied has also showed
that phytoplankton in the oceanic are also likely to be damaged by global warming (Connor, 2006). “ Scientists have
discovered a way that important phytoplankton of the oceanic can be starved of nutrients as a result of the ocean getting
warmer. They believe the findings have catastrophic implications for the entire oceanic habitat, which ultimately relies
on plankton are the foundation of the food chain” (Connor, 2006). Global warming is affecting the temperature of the
oceanic surface to increase also interferes with the important upward movement of nutrients from the deep ocean. These
nutrients, which contains iron, nitrogen and phosphorus are important food for the phytoplankton and if the supply of
the nutrient gets interrupted the plants die off, preventing them from taking up or absorbing carbon dioxide from the
environment. Thus, "Global warming of the surface layers of the oceans reduces the upward transport of nutrients into
the surface layers. This generates chaos among the plankton” (Connor, 2006).

Figure 1: Graph of phytoplankton found in oceans over period of time.

From the data analysis of statistics of bureau, the graph obtained on Phytoplankton has clearly showed that due to rise
in sea levels the biomass of phytoplankton present in oceans has decreased over a year. In addition to this, another
article published in “Global Change Biology” estimated that rise in oceanic temperature due to global warming would
cause phytoplankton biomass to reduce by 6 percent, respectively, by the end of this century (Higginbotham, 2008).

Figure: 2

The second picture above shows that phytoplankton is starved of nutrients due to global warming. As surface water
becomes warmer, it does not mix as well with colder and deeper water that is rich in nutrients which needed by the
phytoplanktons.

Impact of tsunamic on phytoplankton

Tsunami causes nitrification of coastal waters where material get to be transported from land back to sea.  These
materials tend to be heavy in nutrients and trace elements which leads to phytoplankton blooms and rises in
communities of secondary users with extreme hypoxic and nitrification circumstances may possibly.

Moreover, another article has showed the evidence that “Global warming is altering the oceans, with the changes in
phytoplankton potentially having an impact on the health of the seas and on fisheries which people rely on for food”
(Boris, 2005).Phytoplankton act as fuel or energy source on which sea ecosystems depend or run. A decrease in
phytoplankton affects the entirety up the food chain, as well as humans. Phytoplankton supports all our fisheries, they
mostly produce half of the oxygen we breathe and draw down surface of carbon dioxide.

6.0 IMPORTANCE OF PRIMARY PRODUCERS (PHYTOPLANKTON) IN OCCEANS

Plankton plays a important part in the oceanic food web

They are the foundation of the oceanic food chain because they act as primary source of food for the zooplankton.
Bigger and bigger mammals, zooplankton and fish are highly depending on plankton for their survival. Accounts for up
to half of the global primary production are photosynthesis by the phytoplankton.

Climate health

Global climate health is affected by phytoplankton community wellbeing. Approximately 50 percent of phytoplankton is
responsible for all photosynthesis on the earth. They perform a major role as creating the organic matter, carbon dioxide
sink, emitting oxygen and pulling gas from the environment. Thus, phytoplankton community is a key factor in limiting
the global warming and climatic wellbeing of the planet (Agar, 2017).

Human Health

The wellbeing of the human community is directly connected to the wellbeing of the oceanic and environment. Some
species of fish that eat phytoplanktons for example, sardines are served as a source of food for people and also for
bigger fish. Several populations around the universal are depended on commercial fishing for food and occupation.
Phytoplankton plays major role because without that fish community cannot live as a result commercial fishing would
not exist. (Agar, 2017).

7.0 METHODS IN PREVENTING THE WIPE OFF OF PHYTOPLANKTON

Climate change is changing the temperature of the oceanic which includes wind patterns, oceanic acidity and rainfall.
However, all these alterations have the ability to alteration the way phytoplankton is produced, retained and
concentrated in coastal waters. Greenhouse gas emissions is essential to reduce for the sake of our oceans. 

1) Maintain diversity 
To reduce the loss of phytoplankton is by maintaining its diversity in order to make sure that different species are
functioning in the best possible in their production. Without this diversity for example, survival rate, disasters, natural
sustainability and recovery of phytoplankton population from a diversity of disturbances which increases the species
diversity as entire communities might be wiped off through a particular atmospheric occurrences, or entire ecosystem
can be destroyed. (Sultan, 2010).

2) Decrease in human activity

Human influence is rapidly changing the climate thus human activities needs to be reduced. People can do various
things to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide they release on earth because Carbon dioxide is the major contributor
towards greenhouse gas. Some activities which human can do includes, stop burning forest unnecessary, drive fuel-
efficient vehicles, use renewable source of energy and etc. Thus, as there will be low production of carbon dioxide in
atmosphere, chances of global warming will decrease which will even stop the wipe of phytoplankton’s in oceanic.
Since major reasons as to why phytoplankton’s are wiped off is due to rise in sea level hence the phytoplankton will not
face issues like increase in temperature, lack of nutrients and nitrification when there will be no sea rise.

3) Stop the Problem of Oceanic Acidification

Global warming has become an important issue in the oceanic world since oceanic acidification known as the other
global warming issues. For example, increase in oceanic acidity causes devastating impacts on phytoplankton. This
problem can be solved by reducing global warming such as performing easy steps that will likely save money in the
long run. Decrease in “carbon footprint" will aid oceanic life miles from our home. The concept of oceanic acidity is
scary; however we can bring the oceanic to a more good condition with some simple alterations in our behaviour
(Kennedy , 2017).

8.0 INTERPRETING POSSIBLE RESULTS

 If the above methods are followed the wipe off phytoplankton will not occur.
 There will be no disturbance in the food web.
 Benefit people’s health. Though people do not eat phytoplankton directly, each fish we consume for
example, seabird, whale people admire or salmon people catch is covered of molecules that were first
transformed into living matter by phytoplankton. Making sure that the processes which allow this conversion
are sustained is critical to human existence.

9.0 IMPORTANCES OF PHYTOPLANKTON

Phytoplankton is most significant part of the ocean food web because they are the base of the oceanic food chain. Bigger
and bigger mammals, zooplankton and fish are highly depending on plankton for their survival.

Zooplankton is in turn food for bigger animals in the oceanic -   Squid consume small fish which consume plankton
such as humpback whales. Higher on the food chain, sharks consume fish, which consume smaller fish and scallops
filter the plankton from water.

Small fish without plankton would starve and without small fish, so would bigger fish. Ultimately, all animals in the
oceanic are depended on phytoplankton for their survival.
What happens to the phytoplankton when oceanic circumstances alter? According to the recent study states that a
warming oceanic will change the productivity and composition of oceanic phytoplankton populations mainly tropical
populations which can leads to phytoplankton biodiversity decrease and changes in species series (Thomas , 2012).

10.0 CONCLUSIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS

After doing this scenario based assignment, I came to learn the importance of phytoplankton in oceans. Phytoplankton is
most plentiful and smallest organisms on planet earth and is significant to the wellbeing and health of its life in a
diversity of ways. Phytoplanktons are even significant food source for the bigger animals as they are the first link in the
food chain which called primary producers since they are base of food chain. Small animals and zooplankton and also
graze on the phytoplankton. I also learnt that phytoplankton face some of the climatic challengers. The oceanic is
absorbing bigger amounts of anthropogenic heat and carbon. This is altering numerous ocean properties, which will
impact the viability and wellbeing of oceanic life. Phytoplankton is the foundations of the food chain, the primary
producers, which not only supports the oceanic ecosystem but sequester carbon to the deep ocean. Thus, the wipe of
phytoplankton is is highly due to Global warming. As a result of increase in sea level phytoplankton get starved of
nutrients and has impacts of nitrifications. Nevertheless, in order to prevent our ocean phytoplankton from getting wiped
it can be recommended that human activities need to be controlled. These includes, humans should reduce the amount of
pollutions they cause in the environment. Renewable energy source can be used to minimize the carbon footprints.
Burning of forests unnecessary should be banned and so on. By doing this people are going to produce less greenhouse
gases which will cause less climate change such as rise in sea level affecting phytoplankton’s.

REFERENCES
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Jake Sultan, 2010. Sea-news ;the dermis of phytoplankton, earth’s ultimate producer. Online article. Retrieved from:
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