How do phytoplankton survive in the Arctic?

How do phytoplankton survive in the Arctic?

Like plants on land, phytoplankton use sunlight and nutrients to produce their own food. Cold, polar water is the perfect breeding ground for phytoplankton. Each spring when sea ice melts in the Arctic or Antarctic, the ice leaves behind a layer of fresh water on the ocean surface that is full of nutrients.

What are the adaptations of phytoplankton?

Because phytoplankton are tiny, they don’t weigh very much and they have a large surface area relative to their volume, which helps them float. Adaptations such as spines increase the surface area even more and prevent phytoplankton from sinking too fast.

Does phytoplankton live in the Arctic?

Each summer, parts of the Arctic Ocean and peripheral seas lose their ice cover and bathe in ample sunlight. In this window of time, some of these open-water areas come to life with phytoplankton blooms so large and vivid they can be seen from space.

Why are phytoplankton adapted to living on the surface of the ocean?

They are what is known as primary producers of the ocean—the organisms that form the base of the food chain. Because they need light, phytoplankton live near the surface, where enough sunlight can penetrate to power photosynthesis.

Why do phytoplankton grow and survive on the underside of sea ice?

Every summer, when the sea ice retreats, sunlight hitting the open water triggers a massive bloom of plankton. These attract fish, which attract larger predators and provides food for indigenous communities living in the Arctic.

Where do phytoplankton live in the ocean?

Phytoplankton thrive along coastlines and continental shelves, along the equator in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and in high-latitude areas. Winds play a strong role in the distribution of phytoplankton because they drive currents that cause deep water, loaded with nutrients, to be pulled up to the surface.

How does kelp adapt to its environment?

Although kelps resemble land plants, they are uniquely adapted to life in cool, clear, moving water. They depend on moving water to provide a steady supply of nutrients for photosynthesis. As water flows by the blades, their serrated edges help to increase water mixing.

What role does phytoplankton play in the sea?

With 71% of the Earth covered by the ocean, phytoplankton are responsible for producing up to 50% of the oxygen we breathe. These microscopic organisms also cycle most of the Earth’s carbon dioxide between the ocean and atmosphere.

Are zooplankton in the Arctic?

Micro plankton (Bacteria, Archaea, microbial eukaryotes and phytoplankton) and zooplankton are the base of the Arctic marine food web, feeding large-sized zooplankton, fishes, seabirds and marine mammals. Despite their importance, plankton are scientifically underappreciated and inadequately known.

How are phytoplankton affected by the change in seasons?

The average theoretical sensitivity of the Southern Ocean to potential changes in seasonal nutrient and light availability suggests that a 10% change in phytoplankton division rate may be associated with a 50% reduction in mean bloom magnitude and annual primary productivity, assuming simple changes in the seasonal …

Why are the phytoplankton so important?

Phytoplankton are microscopic marine organisms that sit at the bottom of the food chain. Phytoplankton get their energy from carbon dioxide through photosynthesis (like plants) and so are very important in carbon cycling. Each year, they transfer around 10 billion tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere to the ocean.

What eats phytoplankton in the Arctic?

Phytoplankton and ice algae are eaten by zooplankton, and in turn, zooplankton are eaten by polar cod, seabirds, and the bowhead whales.