Plankton Station

Plankton are caught in a very fine mesh net that is towed behind the boat. The catch is then transferred to smaller dishes so that they can be identified under a microscope. In a productive area we may catch millions of specimens. Here are some of the types we commonly observe on the boat.

Phytoplankton

o Diatoms: the most important type of phytoplankton, responsible for the most overall productivity in the ocean, they have a siliceous shell and prefer cooler water.

o Dinoflagellates: commonly found in small numbers, when large numbers of organisms are found they can cause a harmful algal bloom (HAB).

Zooplankton

o Permanent Zooplankton: Copepods are the most common form locally, these are called the cows of the sea and are considered to be “grazers”.

o Temporary Zooplankton: Fish eggs, and various forms of larva like sea urchins etc.

Lowering the plankton net.

The plankton net in tow.

Here is the main chart that you can use to identify the plankton taken from the sampling net.