Protist and the Environment Flashcards
Is CO2 a greenhouse gas?
Yes
What do greenhouse gases contribute to?
Global warming
How much CO2 was produced in 2020?
34 billion tonnes
What do phytoplankton absorb?
CO2
Why do phytoplankton absorb CO2?
Photosynthesis
What is phytoplankton important?
Creating food and sequestering carbon into deep ocean
What group is coccolithophores?
Haptophyta
What is the structure of coccolithophores?
- Enclosed by calcareous plates called coccoliths
- Each cell contains two brown chloroplasts surround nucleus
How is calcium carbonate coccolith?
- Calcium and bicarbonate
- Sequestering carbon
- Make coccolith
What are the possible functions of coccolithophores?
- Protection
- Energy production
- Added weight
How can coccolithophores be used for protection?
From predators, osmotic changes, chemical or mechanical shock and short-wavelength light
How can coccolithophores be used for energy production?
Precipitation of calcium carbonate from bicarbonate solution produces free carbon dioxide directly within the cellular body of the alga
How can coccolithophores be used for added weight?
Allows the organism to sink to lower, more nutrient rich layers of water and add buoyancy stopping the cell from sinking to dangerous depths
What does not inhibit the growth of algal blooms?
By high UV light
What does the water turn when algal blooms?
Opaque turquoise which reflect light
How much does CaCO3 produce from sediments?
30-50%
What is sediments important role for?
Sequestration of carbon into deeper ocean via formation of marine snow
What is sediments a major component of?
Calcareous ooze
How much does calcareous cover of the ocean floor?
35/5
What are the main component of Chalk Cliffs of Dover?
Coccoliths
What is an ecological important of coccolithophores?
- Distribution
- Associated with very low levels of nutrients
- Light and temperature are strongest predicators pf coccolithophores diversity
What does am increase in CO2 do to the acidity of the ocean?
Increase