Microscopy

Click on any of the below albums to see imagery of marine organisms that I have compiled over the years. All images are my own unless otherwise credited. The ocean harbors many fascinating lives.

Phytoplankton - Phytoplankton is a general term encompassing all autotrophic organisms. The word phytoplankton is derived from the Greek words 'phyton' or plant and 'planktos', meaning to drift. In the marine environment, typical phytoplankton include diatoms (algae encased in a silica shell), coccolithophores (algae often encased in calcium carbonate liths) and cyanobacteria.

Nitrogen-fixers- Nitrogen (N) is an essential ingredient in the recipe for life. It is needed as a building block for proteins, nucleic acids and other cell components. However in the open ocean, where most microbes require 'fixed' or combined sources of nitrogen (nitrate, ammonium, or organic compounds), the availibility of N can limit productivity. There are a special class of prokaryotic microorganisms that can get around this potential limitation by tapping into the relatively limitless pool of di-nitrogen that is dissolved in surface seawater. The productivity of these nitrogen fixing organisms can relieve N limitation in surface waters and impact net community productivity.

Grazers- A colorful and varied assortment of organisms rely on phytoplankton as a source of nutrition. Collectively, these organisms are commonly termed 'grazers' or zooplankton. Zooplankton include protozoans such as flagellates and ciliates as well as small crustaceans called copepods. This group also includes mixotrophs, those capable of both phototrophy and phagocystis, thus having one 'foot' in the autotroph box and another in the grazer box.

Higher Organisms- Beyond the microbial work-horses of the marine environment, there are the many creatures that depend on the productivity of microbes. This 'box' encompasses wide-eyed juvenile squid and crab to the fish that end up on our dinner plates.

Movies of Interest - All movies in .wmv or .mov format
Ostracods
Squid larvae #1 and #2
Darting amphipods and swaying annelids
Pteropod heartbeat
Nurse sharks