Plankton Test Flashcards
The tiny plant like organism which causes red tide is called a?
Dinoflagellates
What is the purpose of the flagella on dinoflagellates?
Spins cell around
Propels it through water
When are blooms created that release toxin into the water?
When certain dinoflagellates are in higher than normal concentrations
In Florida waters, what is the scientific name for the most common red tide dinoflagellates?
Karenia brevis
How do dinoflagellates reproduce?
Cell division
How often do dinoflagellates reproduce?
Every 48-120 hours
What 4 factors influence the growth of K. brevis?
- sunlight
- temperature
- salinity
- amount/type of nutrients available in the water
What 2 factors play a role in determining when and where blooms will occur?
- winds
- currents
When can K. brevis blooms be a problem for people?
When winds and currents drive the blooms close to shore, where they can be concentrated
Why do researchers off the coast of Florida believe that red tide blooms are not related to pollution?
Red tide blooms have happened for hundreds of years, long before man-made pollution became prevalent
K. brevis red tide blooms occur most frequently between what months of the year?
August-February
How do K. brevis toxins affect fishes?
Paralyzes the nerves of the fish causing death by suffocation
What is the greatest threat to humans posed by K. brevis red tides?
Consumption of bivalve shellfish that have been contaminated with red tide toxins
If humans consume clams, mussels, oysters, or coquinas, that have been contaminated with the red tide toxin what can happen to them?
They can become ill with Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning
What are some symptoms of Neurotoxic Shellfish Poisoning?
Nausea, diarrhea, tingling of fingers and toes, reversal of sensations (hot seems cold, cold seems hot)
In humans, how long does it usually take for the symptoms of NSP to occur?
Few minutes to several hours
What does the Florida Department of Environmental Protection do when beds are threatened by red tide blooms?
Closes harvesting areas
Besides poisoning, how else can people be affected during red tide blooms?
Sneezing, coughing, general respiratory irritation
List the four reasons why it would be extremely difficult and costly to get rid of a red tide?
- red tide blooms occur over hundreds to thousands of square miles
- distributed throughout the water column
- can be moved great distances along the coast
- fluctuate daily with tides
Why are chemical and biological control agents not a practical alternative to control and disperse the red tide blooms?
May adversely affect other forms of marine life
What technology is being used today to detect and track the movement of ocean currents and blooms?
Satellites
What does the term plankton mean?
Float or drift in ocean
2 main types of plankton?
Zooplankton and phytoplankton
Why must phytoplankton remain in the photic zone?
They need sunlight to make food for themselves
Why are phytoplankton important for sustaining life?
They create the nutrients that all other animals eat
What are the shells of diatoms made of?
Silica
Why are dinoflagellates considered to be between plants and animals?
They produce their own food, but when there isn’t enough light they eat other plankton
What do zooplankton feed on?
Phytoplankton, smaller zooplankton
What are animals that spend their entire lives as plankton called?
Holo plankton
What are animals that spend only part of their lives as plankton (usually as larvae) called?
Meroplankton
What are two animals besides the crab that experience the meroplankton stage?
Shrimp, oysters
What equipment is used to catch plankton?
Plankton net
Small, usually microscopic plant and animal organisms that float or drift on the ocean
Plankton
Plant plankton
Phytoplankton
Lighted region of the ocean, where photosynthesis can occur
Photic zone
Animal plankton
Zooplankton
Tiny whiplike hairs used for movement or catching food
Flagella
Small plankton with characteristics of both plants and animals, causes red tide
Dinoflagellates
Organisms that spend entire lives as plankton
Holo plankton
Organisms that spend only part of their lives as plankton
Meroplankton
Composed of two identical halves encased in a shell made of silica or glass; most common phytoplankton
Diatom
Single felled holo plankton with a transparent body or she’ll
Radiolarian
Single felled holo plankton with a calcium carbonate shell
Foraminiferan
Long, threadlike structures that hang from some organisms; may contain dangerous stinging cells
Tentacles
Young planktonic larval stage of crab
Zoea
Small crustaceans that have two long antennae for movement and gathering food; most common zooplankton
Copepods
Planktonic larval stage of the crab; follows the zoeal stage
Megalops
Open spaces in a net or screen
Mesh
Cone shaped net of fine mesh that is pulled through the water to collect plankton
Plankton net
Platonic shrimp larva
Mysis
Foot like projection
Pseudopod
Form of an organism that is immature and very different looking than the adult organim
Larva
Primary consumer
Eat primary producers and photo synthesizing bacteria
Secondary consumer
Eat primary consumers
Decomposer
Break down organic material into inorganic form
In trophic pyramid or food chain, how much of the available energy is transferred form one level to the next?
10%
The Red Tide phenomenon has been documented along Florida’s Gulf Coast since when?
1840s
