Phytoplankton and Chlorophyll(Chlorophyll? How about Borophyll?!)

By: Kate Hilfanski And Don Maryfiker

What is chlorophyll?

• Photosynthetic pigment found in most plants

• Able to absorb light and transfer to light energy

• Chlorophyll a found in all algae!!

A Little Bit About Phytoplankton• Can be unicellular or multicellular

– Very little division of labor

• reproduction can be sexual or asexual

• Primary producers– food for herbivorous zooplankton (if not toxic)

chlamydomonas

Volvox

• Are eukaryotic • Has pigments chlorophylls a and c and carotenoids

– Two Class:• Golden Algae

       Ex. Mallomonas • Diatoms

-Have frustules made of silica ex.. Fragillaria,

Asterionella , and Tabellaria

Chrysophyta (Golden algae and Diatoms)

Cyanophyta (blue-green algae)

• Only prokaryotic algae• Has chlorophyll a and phycobilins

(phycocyanin -blue-green color pigments)

• Some are nitrogen fixers – contain a heterocysts N2 fixation occurs

Some are toxic

• Examples of members of Cyanophyta:Anabaena or Microcystis

Chlorophyta (green algae)

• Are eukaryotic • Have chlorophyll a and chlorophyll

b pigments            • It is believed they are the

ancestors of higher plants Examples:

Spirogyra,  Pediastrum, and Volvox

Pyrrophyta (dinoflagellates)

• Are also eukaryotic

• Have chlorophylls a and c and xanthophylls pigments

Example:

Ceratium

Chlorophyll

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Chlorophyll (micrograms/L)

Dep

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m)

Arbutus

Catlin

Green

Oneida

Onondaga

Wolf

Phytoplankton Distribution in Arbutus Lake

Phtoplankton Distribution in Arbutus Lake (EPI)

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Stynura

Mallamonas

Microcystis

Dinobryon

Phytoplankton Distribution in Arbutus Lake (META)

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Chlamydomonas

Phytoplankton Distribution in Catlin Lake

Phytoplankton Distribution in Catlin Lake (EPI)

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Tabellaria

Asterionella

Large round Green algae

Pleodorina

Staurastrum

Ceratium

Pediastrum

Phytoplankton Distribution in Catlin Lake (HYPO)

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Tabellaria

Asterionella

Large round Green algae

Phtoplankton Distribution in Catlin Lake (META)

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Tabellaria

Asterionella

Large round Green algae

Phytoplankton Distribution in Green Lake

Phytoplankton Distribution in CHEMO layer of Green Lake

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Synura

Cyanobacteria

•There were many cyanobacteria but only one synura in the Chemo layer

•Phytoplankton was not found in the other layers

Phytoplankton Distribution in Oneida Lake

Phytoplankton distribution in Oneida Lake (EPI)

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Aulacosira

microcystis

small flagellates

phytoplankton Distribution in Oneida Lake (META)

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aulacosira

microcystis

mallanomous

small flagellates

Phytoplankton Distribution in Oneida Lake (HYPO)

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Aulacosira

Acinastrum

microcystis

• Aulacosira dominated meta and hypo but small flagellates dominated the epi

Phytoplankton Distribution in Onondaga Lake

Phytoplankton Distribution in Onondaga Lake (META)

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LGRB

Microcystis

Bacillariophyceae

Chlamydomonas

Chrysophaceae

Phytoplankton distribution in Onondaga (HYPO)

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LGRB

Microcystis

Bacillariophyceae

Chlamydomonas

Chrysophaceae

Phytoplankton Distribution in Onondaga Lake (EPI)

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LGRB

Microcystis

Bacillariophyceae

Chlamydomonas

Chrysophaceae

Microcystis dominated all layers.LGRB was found along with microcystis in all layers

Arbutus Lake A Comparison of Divisions

Chrysophyta

Chlorophyata Chrysophyta

Chlorophyata

Green Lake A comparison of divisions

Chrysophyta

cyanobacteria

Chrysophyta

cyanobacteria

Onondaga Lake A comparison of divisions

Chlorophyta

Cyanophyta

Dinoflagellata

Chrysophyta

Chlorophyta

Cyanophyta

Dinoflagellata

Chrystophyta

Catlin Lake A comparison of divisions

Chrysophytachlorophyta

DinoflagellataChrysophyta

chlorophyta

Dinoflagellata

Oneida Lake A comparison of divisions

Cyanophyta

Dinoflagellata

ChrystophytaChlorophyta

Chlorophyta

Cyanophyta

Dinoflagellata

Chrystophyta