Zooplankton Flashcards
What is autotrophy?
Nutrition involving the synthesis of organic substances using photosynthesis (phototrophy) or chemosynthesis. Typically associated with the use of inorganic nutrients
What is bacterioplankton?
Bacterial (prokaryote) plankton acquiring nourishment via osmo(hetero)trophy, and some also via chemo (auto)trophy
What is consittutive mixoplankton (CMs)?
protist plankton with an inherent capacity for phototrophy that can also exhibit phagotrophy
What is Cyanobacteria?
Bacterioplankton (prokaryote) members of the phytoplankton
What is generalists non-constitutive mixoplankton (GNCMs)?
NCMs that acquire their capacity for phototrophy from general (i.e. non-specific) phototrophic prey
What is heterotrophy?
nutrition by obtaining nutrients from other plants or animals for energy and organic carbon
What is metazooplankton?
multicellular (non-protist) zooplankton
What is mixoplankton?
Plankton protists capable of obtaining nourishment via photo(auto)trophy and phago(hetero)trophy, as well as via osmo(hetero)trophy.
What is mixotrophy?
Nutrition involving both autotrophy and heterotrophy
What is non-constitutive mixoplankton (NCMs)?
Protist plankton that acquire the capability for phototrophy from consumption (via phagotrophy) of phototrophic prey
What is osmotrophy?
A mode of heterotrophy (i.e. osmo(hetero)trophy) involving the uptake of dissolved organic compounds
What is phagotrophy?
A mode of heterotrophy (i.e. phago(hetero)trophy) involving the engulfment of particles (often whole organisms) into a phagocytic vacuole in which digestion occurs
What is photoptrophy?
A mode of autotrophy (i.e. photo(auto)trophy) involving the fixation of CO2 using energy derived from light.
What is phytoplankton?
Plankton obtaining nourishment via photo(auto) trophy and osmo(hetero)trophy. They are incapable of phagotrophy
What is plankton?
Organisms that cannot maintain a fixed location in the water column, and are thus moved by the tides and currents
What is a protist?
single-celled eukaryote organism
What are protophytoplankton?
Protist phytoplankton
What are protozooplankton?
Protist zooplankton
What are specialist non-constitutive mixoplankton (SNCMs)?
NCMs that acquire their capacity for phototrophy from specific phototrophic prey
What are zooplankton?
Plankton obtaining nourishment via heterotrophy. They are incapable of phototrophy
What are planktotrophic organisms?
meroplankton that feed in the plankton stage
What are lecithotrophic organisms?
meroplankton that don’t feed in the plankton stage
What is the most common plankton class?
metazooplankton
Where is plankton found?
Plankton are found everywhere in the water column, from coastal to open ocean water
Why are zooplankton important?
*At some stage in their life cycle at least 95% of marine animals spend time in the water column as zooplankton.
*They provide the energetic link between primary producers, microheterotrophs and higher trophic levels, as well as facilitate the flux of organic matter to the deep sea floor.
*They are key indicators of climate change and anthropogenic inputs to the ocean.
What is holoplankton?
They spend their entire life cycle as plankton.
What is the species that plays a major contribution to the global biomass of mesezooplankton?
Copepods
What are the two main groups of holoplankton?
*Protists
*Metazoans
What are the main groups of protist holoplankton? (Protozooplankton)
*Heterotrophic flagellates
*Ciliata
*Radiolaria
*Foraminifera
What are the main groups of metazoan holoplankton? (Metazooplankton)
- Cnidaria
*Ctenophora
*Mollusca
*Chaetognatha
*Tunicata
*Crustacea
What are heterotrophic flagellates?
*Protozooplankton
*2-5um
*Dominate biomass and grazing of oligotrophic systems
What 3 methods of feeding do heterotrophic flagellates use?
*Palluim feeding
*tube feeding
*direct engulfment
What is pallium feeding?
Membrane is extended out, releasing enzymes and they digest prey extractracellularly and then the membrane retracts
What are ciliates?
*protozooplankton
*Can be loricate (shelled) or aloricate (without shell)
*They feed on small prey items using ciliary currents
What are foraminiferans?
*Protozooplankton
*Cell surrounded by a calcium carbonate (CaCO3) many-chambered shell pierced with pores
*Network of needle-like pseudopodia
*Omnivores, moving and capturing plankton food using network of reticulopodia (like pseudopodia)
What are the 4 groups of holoplankton Cnidaria?
- coronatae
*trachymedusae
*narcomedusae
*siphonophorae
What are coronatae?
*Order of mainly Scyphozoa
*Contains the species periphylla periphylla and atolla sp.
*Mesopleagic features include red colour, direct development and bioluminesecence
*Undertake diel vertical migration From 50-5000m
*feed on copepods and ostracods
What is direct development?
fertilised egg develops directly to medusa
Why do animals use bioluminescence?
*Feeding - to attract prey towards them
*Attracting mates - identify between males and females and to communicate to potential mates
*Self defence - startle and distract peredators and camouflage by counter illumination
What are the 3 taxonomic groups of siphonophores?
- Physonect
*Cystonect
*Calycophoran
How do you identify the 3 taxonomic groups of Siphonophores?
- Physonect - has a bit of everything
*Cystonect - has no swimming units
*Calycophoran - swimming units but no float
What are the characteristic features of ctenophores?
- Globally distributed, including the deep sea
Carnivorous
-Swim using fused ciliary plates - comb plates
-*Bloom-forming - reproduce and grow quickly
*have sticky colloblasts (no stinging cells) to catch prey
What are the classes of ctenophores?
*class Nuda (without tentacles)
*class Tentaculata (with tenticles)
What are the 2 groups of holoplankton molluscs?
- Thecosomata (heteropods) *Gymnosomata (pteropods)
What are thecosomata?
*mollusc
* Sea butterflies - opisthobranch gastropod molluscs
*Most have thin calcified shells
*Foot has developed into 2 wing-like lobes (parapodia) used to swim
*Distributed in upper open ocean
What are gymnosomata?
*mollusc
* Sea angels (sea slugs) without shell – opisthobranch gastropod molluscs
*Foot is broad wing-like, flapping parapodia
*Gelatinous, transparent, <5cm
*Carnivores, feeding on heteropods
What are chaetognatha?
*Arrow worms
*2-12cm long
*Transparent body
* Bilaterally symmetrical
*Head, trunk and tail sections
*Lateral and caudal fins
*No circulatory or excretory system
*Hermaphrodites
*strong muscularly swimmers
Which factors determine the size and type of prey a
chaetognath can eat?
*External factors - light, prey size
*swimming speed
size of grasping spines and mouth
What are the 2 classes of tunicata?
*Thaliacea
*Appendicularia
What are thaliacea?
*Pelagic tunicates
*Transparent ‘barrels’; solitary or colonial
*Highly efficient filter feeders of phytoplankton
*Hermaphrodites with complex metagenic life cycles: asexual and sexual phases
What are the 3 orders of thaliacea (tunicates)?
*salps
*doliolids
*pyrosomes
What are salpida?
*class thaliacea, phylum tunicates
*2 distinct body forms: solitary asexual oozoid and colonial sexual blastozooid
*Stolon emerges from oozoid to produce chain of aggregated blastozooids
*Muscle bands incomplete
What are doliolida?
*class thaliacea, phylum tunicates
*Complex life cycle involving alternating solitary and colonial zooids, including ‘nurses’ produce trophozooids
*Typically smaller than salps
*Muscle bands complete ring
*Cilia inside body create feeding currents
What are appendicularia?
*class of tunicates
*Small trunk with long tail
*Secrete mucous ‘house’ every ~3 hours to filter feed on nanoplankton
*Protandrous hermaphrodite
*Direct development
What are the body characteristics of crustacea?
*segmented body divided into three
main parts - head, thorax, abdomen
*two pairs of antennae
*hard chitin exoskeleton
What are ostracoda?
*class of crustaceans
*Herbivorous filter feeders
*Carapace bivalved with adductor muscle; all body can be retracted in
*Antennae and anntenules large for swimming
What is parthenogenetic reproduction?
A type of asexual reproduction which produces gametes but they are not fertilised
What are amphipoda?
*Order of crusaceans
*Open water, surface to deep ocean, particular abundance in twilight zone
*Generally have 2 pairs of compound eyes
*Carnivorous, especially on gelatinous zooplankton
What are mysidacea?
*Order of crustaceans
*Moveable eyes on peduncle
*Omnivorous, cosmopolitan feeders
*thoracic limbs for swimming
What are euphausiacea?
*Known as krill
*Order of crustaceans
*Mostly herbivorous filter feeders, but also omnivorous
*Significant member of ecosystems, particularly at high latitudes
Why are krill considered to be ‘significant’ members of
ecosystems in high latitudes?
*Always lose energy in trophic levels, they allow for a shorter food chain as they eat diatoms, and then large organisms such as whales directly eat them so reduces trophic levels
what are copepoda?
*Class of crustacenas
*Dominate most zooplankton samples, often 60-90% of abundance
*10 orders: Calanoida, Cyclopoida and Harpacticoida most abundant and important
*Herbivorous, omnivorous and carnivorous species
What is the anatomy of copepods?
*No carapace, but clear divisions between head, thorax and abdomen
*Cephalosome and metasome together are called the prosome
*Compound eye absent
What is the life cycle of copepods?
*Eggs spawned or brooded in egg sac
*Egg hatches into a nauplius
*Then 6 naupliar stages and 6 copepodite stages
*Then C VI adult stage with seperate sexes
What are the 3 orders of copeopods?
*Calanoid
*Cyclopoid
*Harpacicoid
What are calanoids?
*Long 1st antennae (length of body)
*Single egg sac
*Joint is between 5th + 6th segment
What are cyclopoids?
*Shorter 1st antennae
*Two egg sacs
*Joint is between 4th + 5th segment
What are harpacticoids?
*Very short 1st antennae
*Wide abdomen - looks
worm-like
*No visual egg sack
What makes up meroplankton?
*Larvae of most benthic species (polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms, bryozoans)
*Eggs and larvae of nekton (most fish)
*Cnidarian eggs and planula larvae
*Cnidarian medusae
What is the lifecycle of barnacles?
*larvae is released
*6 Nauplii stages
*Then there is the cyprid stage where there is settlement to the seabed and metamorphosis where they turn into adults
What is the nauplii stage?
The feeding stage
What is the life cycle off true jellyfish?
*sexual reproduction to produce planula
*asexual reproduction produces the ephyra from strobila
What are the different meroplankton nutritional classes?
*Lecithotrophs
*Planktotrophs
What are lecithootrophic organisms in detail?
*Non-feeding larvae
*They possess a yolk reserve
*Remain in plankton for only a few days
*e.g. cnidarian planulae, barnacle cyprids
What are planktotrophioc organisms in detail?
*Feeding larvae in the water column
*Remain in plankton for several weeks as not reliant on a limited internal source
*e.g. crustacean zoea, bivalve veligers, echinoid plutei
What are ciliates larvae?
They have hair
What are the 2 types of ciliates larvae?
*Downstream
*Upstream
What are downstream larvae?
*mouth located behind the principal ciliary band
*Locomotory and feeding currents coincide, so larvae can feed as they swim.
*e.g. trochophore larva
What are upstream larvae?
- Mouth is infront of the main locomotory ciliary bands,
- Water currents generated during locomotion cannot then be used directly for food capture.
*Indirect means of concentrating food. *e.g. pluteus larva
What are the 3 classifications of planktonic larvae?
*Teleplanic
*Actaeplanic
*Anchiplanic
What are teleplanic larvae?
*Planktonic period >2 months, possibly 1 year
*Probably polar region as things develop less fast
*e.g.lobster phylosoma larvae
What are actaeplanic larvae?
*Coastal plankton 1 week to <2 months
*70% of temperate sublittoral benthic species
*Feeding (as food reserve wouldn’t last that long)
What are anchiplanic larvae?
- Planktonic for few hours to few days
*e.g. many sponge and bryozoan larvae
*Can be non-feeding
What are the rewards of having planktonic larvae?
*Increased gene flow
*Dispersal of population (preventing overcrowding)
*Reduced predation from adults
*Reduced competition for space
What are the risks of having planktonic larvae?
- High mortality from:
*Surviving critical release and return phases
*Predation in the water column (other zooplankton and fish)
*Transport away from suitable site
What factors influence the benthic recruitment of planktonic larvae?
- time
*space
*abundance
*larval pool
*physical transport processes
*biological interactions, disturbances, physiological stresses, flow rates
*micro-hydrodynamic, behavioural, and substrate availability processes
What is the role of planktonic larevae in island populations?
- allows spread of species between hydrothermal vents 100s of kilometres away
*carried by bottoms currents, ridge-controlled currents, and ocean currents
Are there mor meroplankton or heleoplankton cnidarians?
meroplankton
What are the characteristics of cnidarian larvae?
*Larvae is planula
*Planula forms either forms fertilised egg of medusa or polyp
*Medusa planulae are unable to feed, polyp (Anthozoa) can feed
What are Scyphozoa?
*Class of cnidarians
* Female gonads you can see the individual eggs
*Male gonads are more opaque
*e.g. Aurelia aurita
What is the life cycle of a Scyphozoa?
- Fertilised eggs develop in the brood sac
*It is then releasd to water column
*It then settles onto seabed and we have an asuxuslly reproducing polyp
What is special about class Hydrozoa polyps?
They have polys for feeding and different ones for reproducing
What are the characteristics of polychaete larvae?
*Larvae is called trochophore
*Downstream larvae
What is the life cycle of polychaete larvae
Trochophore - metatrochophore larvae - pre-settlement post -larval stage
What are the characteristics of mollusc larvae?
*Typically hatch as trochophore then develop into veliger
*Veliger has adult organs and enlarged ciliated lobe , the velum for swimming, feeding, gas exchange
* Late veliger stage prior to settlement is a pediveliger, when velum is resorbed
What is the life cycle of molluscs?
egg and sperm released to water column
fertilisation and division
trochophore
veliger
pediveliger
juvenile clam
adult
What are the characteristics of lophophorate larvae?
*bryozoan minor-phyla
*Larvae called cyphonaute
*Triangular shaped, bivalves and distinct bilateral symmetry
What are the characteristics of echinoderm larvae?
*each taxonomic group has its own larvae name
* 2 forms - pluteus and auricularia
*upstream larvae
What is the larvae name of Echinoidea?
Echinopluteus (sea urchins)
What is the larvae name of Holothuroidea?
Auricularia and doliolaroia (sea cucumbers)
What is the larvae name ophiuroidea?
ophiopluteus and vitellaria (brittle star)
What are the larvae name asteroidea?
Auricularia, bipinnaria and brachiolaria (sea star)
What are the characteristics of crustacean nauplius larvae
*1st larval stage in many crustaceans
*middle naupliar eye
What is the difference between Copepoda and Cirripedia (barnacle) nauplius?
*copepoda has no spines
*Cirripedia has 2 Rostand and 1 caudal spine
What is the life cycle and characteristics of Decapoda?
*order of Crustacea
* nauplius - zoea - megalopa larval stages - adult
Why do porcelain crab zoea have such long spines?
- Predator deterrence by increasing size relative to predator gape
*Increases surface area to aid flotation
*Helps the individual to swim laterally
What are the stages of fish larval development?
- newly hatched larvae feed on yolk supply
*larvae and late-larvae feed on plankton
*pre-flexion - mouth starts to open, eyes become pigmented
What physical processes impact spatial distribution patterns and at what scale?
1,000km+ - gyres, water mass boundaries
100 km - eddies, tidal fronts, seasonal upwelling
10 km - turbulence
0.01 km - Langmuir circulation, wave action
How does the temperature of the ocean affect zooplankton disribution?
Zooplankton are poikilotherms so their body temp is effected by their surroundings
How does salinity impact zooplankton distribution?
Zooplankton are mainly osmoconformers so are impacted by surrounding water salinity
What are marine biogeochemical provinces (BGCPs)?
*Global classification of regions with similar physicochemical & biological characteristics
*Longhurst (1995) produced subjective system of 4 Biomes split into 56 Provinces
*Updated dynamic versions modelled using depth, Chl a, SST, SSS data
How do latitudinal trends impact number of species?
*High latitudes (poles) = small number of spp dominate assemblage
*Low latitudes (tropics) = large number of spp in assemblage
How do latitudinal trends impact individual size?
Tendency for zooplankters in low latitudes to have smaller body size than those at higher latitudes
How do latitudinal trends impact overall biomass?
*High latitudes = high population / community biomass
*Low latitudes = low overall biomass
What is latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) explained by?
by species-energy hypothesis - i.e. role of energy in regulating diversity
What are the 2 best predictors of LDG?
*‘more individuals’ hypothesis
*‘evolutionary speed’ hypothesis
What is the more individuals hypothesis?
higher primary production can support more individuals
What is the evolutionary speed hypothesis?
In warmer conditions, metabolic rate is higher so reproductive rate is higher causing a higher probability for mutations, increasing diversity