Why We Owe Our Lives to Phytoplankton

Summary

This episode of SciShow, partnered with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, highlights the incredible importance of phytoplankton. These microscopic organisms, from cyanobacteria to diatoms, play a crucial role in supporting ocean life, producing oxygen, and stabilizing the planet’s atmosphere. Phytoplankton were responsible for the Great Oxidation Event and have helped maintain stable ocean chemistry by producing calcium carbonate shells. Despite their small size, they are vital to life on Earth, influencing everything from the marine food web to the Earth's climate. The video also underscores the need for their protection as part of the ocean’s ecosystem.

Takeaways

• 😀 Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms in the ocean that perform photosynthesis, creating the foundation for the marine food web.
• 😀 They come in various forms, including cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and coccolithophores, each with unique features.
• 😀 Diatoms create glass-like shells and are crucial in producing diatomaceous earth, while coccolithophores form calcium carbonate shells, contributing to the White Cliffs of Dover.
• 😀 The smelly compounds produced by phytoplankton help attract birds like albatrosses and play a role in cloud formation, cooling the Earth.
• 😀 Dinoflagellates can bioluminesce, creating magical light displays, but can also cause harmful algal blooms like 'red tide.'
• 😀 Phytoplankton are responsible for over half of Earth's oxygen production and consume large amounts of carbon dioxide, acting as a natural carbon sink.
• 😀 Cyanobacteria played a critical role in the Great Oxidation Event, transforming Earth's atmosphere by increasing oxygen levels 2.5 billion years ago.
• 😀 Phytoplankton played a major role in stabilizing Earth's oxygen levels, supporting the evolution of complex life forms.
• 😀 By producing calcium carbonate shells, certain plankton have helped buffer ocean acidity and maintain stable ocean chemistry over millions of years.
• 😀 The calcium carbonate ooze created by plankton continues to buffer ocean acidity today, mitigating some of the effects of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.

Q & A

What are phytoplankton, and why are they important?

Phytoplankton are microscopic organisms in the ocean that perform photosynthesis. They are crucial because they form the foundation of the marine food web and play a significant role in producing oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide, affecting Earth's climate and atmosphere.

What are some examples of phytoplankton mentioned in the script?

Examples of phytoplankton mentioned in the script include cyanobacteria, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and coccolithophores.

What role do diatoms play in the ecosystem?

Diatoms are a type of algae that build glass-like structures, which are fossilized and used in products like diatomaceous earth. They are essential in the marine food web and contribute to the oxygen production in the ocean.

How do coccolithophores affect the environment?

Coccolithophores create tiny calcium carbonate shells, which, when fossilized, contribute to features like the White Cliffs of Dover. Their compounds also play a role in cloud formation, helping regulate the Earth's climate.

What is the phenomenon known as 'red tide'?

'Red tide' refers to harmful algal blooms caused by an overgrowth of dinoflagellates. These blooms can be harmful to marine life and humans, producing toxins that affect water quality and local ecosystems.

How much carbon do phytoplankton help remove from the atmosphere annually?

Phytoplankton consume about 11 gigatons of carbon dioxide each year, which is roughly equivalent to the carbon absorbed by all of the world's forests combined.

What historical event is associated with phytoplankton's oxygen production?

Phytoplankton were responsible for the Great Oxidation Event about 2.5 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria produced large amounts of oxygen, transforming the Earth's atmosphere and oceans.

How did phytoplankton help stabilize ocean chemistry during mass extinctions?

Phytoplankton, particularly coccolithophores, evolved to create calcium carbonate shells, which helped buffer ocean acidity during times of volcanic eruptions and other environmental stresses, contributing to ocean stability.

How do phytoplankton contribute to the Earth's oxygen supply today?

Phytoplankton contribute to more than half of the Earth's oxygen production annually. They have been vital in maintaining the oxygen levels in the atmosphere since the Great Oxidation Event.

Why are phytoplankton referred to as 'mighty' despite their small size?

Phytoplankton are considered 'mighty' because of their immense impact on the planet's atmosphere, climate regulation, and the foundation of ocean life, despite their microscopic size.