PHYTOPLANKTON

TEAM LEADER: A.J.K.SANTHOSH

CO-WORKERS:M.LOGAPRIYAN
N.S.GUHAN
TEAM MENTOR/GUIDE:S.M.MANIVANNAN
PLACE:MADURAI
SCHOOL:MAHATMA MONTESSORI HR.SEC
SCHOOL ALAGARKOIL,MADURAI-625301
DATE:4/12/2023
DAY:TUESDAY
 INTRODUCTION

Phytoplankton obtain their energy through

photosynthesis, as do trees and other plants on land.
This means phytoplankton must have light from the
sun, so they live in the well-lit surface layers (euphotic
zone) of oceans and lakes. In comparison with
terrestrial plants, phytoplankton are distributed over
a larger surface area, are exposed to less seasonal
variation and have markedly faster turnover rates
than trees (days versus decades). As a result,
phytoplankton respond rapidly on a global scale to
climate variations. Phytoplankton form the base of
marine and freshwater food webs and are key players
in the global carbon cycle. They account for about half
of global photosynthetic activity and at least half of
the oxygen production, despite amounting to only
about 1% of the global plant biomass.

PICTURES OF PYTOPLANKTON :
. Phytoplankton are the foundation of the aquatic
food web, the primary producers, feeding everything
from microscopic, animal-like zooplankton to multi-
ton whales. Small fish and invertebrates also graze on
the plant-like organisms, and then those smaller
animals are eaten by bigger ones

Phytoplankton can also be the harbingers of death or

disease. Certain species of phytoplankton produce
powerful biotoxins, making them responsible for so-
called “red tides,” or harmful algal blooms. These
toxic blooms can kill marine life and people who eat
contaminated seafood.
Phytoplankton cause mass mortality in other ways. In
the aftermath of a massive bloom, dead
phytoplankton sink to the ocean or lake floor. The
bacteria that decompose the phytoplankton deplete
the oxygen in the water, suffocating animal life; the
result is a dead zone.
 GRAPH
LONG TERM CHANGE OF PYTOPLANKTON:

CONCLUSION

the biochemical content and chlorophyll

responses to nutrient concentration variations
varied depending on the sampling site and time.
In Lake Qarun, there is a seasonal change in
phytoplankton species, phyla, and biochemical
components such as chlorophyll , carotenoid,
protein, lipid, and carbohydrate, indicating that
phytoplankton species and phyla are diverse
throughout the year.