Microzooplankton Flashcards
What role does microzooplankton play in marine food webs?
Acts as a key link between phytoplankton and mesozooplankton
What is the size range of microzooplankton?
20-200 µm
Name key groups within microzooplankton.
- Protozoa (e.g., Radiolaria, Ciliata, Dinoflagellata, Foraminifera)
- Metazoans (e.g., copepod nauplii, Rotifera, meroplankton)
What are the reproduction and grazing rates of microzooplankton?
High growth, reproduction, and grazing rates
What feeding modes do some microzooplankton, like dinoflagellates and ciliates, exhibit?
- Photosynthesis
- Uptake of particulate organic matter (POM)
- Phagocytosis
True or False: Dinoflagellates can be significant consumers of bloom-forming diatoms.
True
What type of prey do ciliates primarily feed on?
Nanoplankton
What competition exists in the marine food web involving microzooplankton?
Direct competition with copepods for food resources
What concept developed in the 1970s highlighted the importance of small components in the plankton?
The microbial loop
How much of the primary production can microzooplankton consume daily?
Up to 60%
How much of the primary production do mesozooplankton consume daily?
Only 10%
What methods are used to obtain microzooplankton samples?
- Net catches
- Water samplers
What is used to fix samples for better settling?
Lugol’s iodine
What staining method is used to visualize nuclear shape in microzooplankton?
DAPI staining
What technique uses an inverted microscope to analyze microzooplankton samples?
Utermöhl technique
List the main groups of protozooplankton.
- Ciliata
- Flagellata
- Amoeba
- Heliozoa
- Foraminifera
What characteristics define Ciliata?
Characterized by their cilia
What feeding modes can Ciliata exhibit?
- Algivores
- Bacterivores
- Carnivores
- Omnivores
- Detritivores
- Mixotrophs
How do Flagellata move?
Have one or more flagella
What unique feature do Amoeba use for motility and feeding?
Pseudopodia
Where are Heliozoa primarily found?
Freshwater environments
What types of skeletons do Foraminifera and Radiolaria have?
- Foraminifera: Calcium carbonate
- Radiolaria: Silica
Name some meroplanktonic larvae that are part of the microzooplankton community.
- Dipleurula
- Zoea
- Nauplius
- Pluteus
- Trochophora
What is the overall significance of microzooplankton in marine ecosystems?
Contributes to nutrient cycling and energy flow within the food web
