Biological Productivity

1
Biological Productivity

• GAUTAM SANKA

2
Phaeophyta (Brown Algae)

• Largest members of the marine plant community
  that are attached to the bottom in the littoral
  and inner sublittoral zones.
• Dominant pigment is fucoxanthin
• Occurs primarily in temperate and cold water
  areas
• Examples include Ralfsia and Pelagophycus(bull
  kelp)
• Sargasum is a genus of brown algae which may be
  at the bottom of shore waters or floating freely.
  
• Commonly found in the Sargasso Sea
• Fucales, an order in phaeophyta, is found near
  rocky shores

3
Chlorophyta

• Division of green algae that is mostly found in
  freshwater and not much in the oceans
• They are mostly intertidal and grow in shallow
  waters of bays

4
Rhodophyta (Red Algae)

• Red algae are very abundant but rarely found in
  freshwater
• Pigment is phycoerythrin
• In warm water, algae tends to be relatively small
  in comparison to algae in cold water
• color of red algae varies on the depth in the
  intertidal or inner sublittoral zones

5
Spermatophyta (seed-bearing plants)

• Two that exist in the marine environment are
  Zostera (eelgrass) and Phyllospadix (surf grass)
• Eelgrass
• Grass with true roots and is found primarily in
  quiet waters of estuaries and bays
• Surf Grass
• Prefers the high energy environment of an exposed
  rocky coast
• Both of these plants are considered to be
  important sources of detritus food for the marine
  animals

6
Pyrrophyta (Dinoflagellate Algae)

• Using their flagella, these organisms tend to
  move into favorable areas for plant productivity
• Most dont have protective covering and if they
  do, it is made of cellulose. Many are luminescent
• Red tides result from conditions where up to 2
  million dinoflagellates may be found in one liter
  of water
• Mainly responsible for this red tide phenomenon
  are the following which create toxins
• Gymnodinium toxin kills fish and shellfish.
• Contributor to Gulf of Mexico red tides
• Gonyaulax toxin is not poisonous to shellfish but
  will concentrate in their tissue and is
  poinsonous to humans who eat the shell fish
• Contributor of cooler waters of the New England
  and West Coast Area

7
Chrysophyta (Golden Algae)

• Containing pigment carotin and store food in form
  of leucosin (a carb)
• Diatoms are plants that are in a shell, fristule,
  composed of SiO2
• These silica housings accumulate on the ocean
  bottom and produce a siliceous sediment,
  diatomite
• The top and bottom are called valves larger
  valve is epitheca and the smaller valve is
  hypotheca
• Reproduction is simple cell division except an
  auxospore is formed to grow into a full sized
  diatom when the original cant split anymore

8
Chrysophyta Contn.

• Coccolithophores are flagellated organisms
  covered with small calcareous plates, coccoliths
  made up of CaCO3
• Are included as nanoplankton
• Contribute significantly to calcareous deposits
  in all of the temperate and warmer oceans