Exploration of the Marine Ecosystem
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Your Journey
Objective Lens Magnification
Epifluorescence
SEM
Blue
Green
UV
Optical microscopes use visible light and lenses
(e.g., 10x, 20x, 40x, 100x)
to magnify objects that are not visible to the naked eye.
Fluorescence occurs when matter absorbs light and then emits
light at longer wavelengths.
Microscopes that optically separate
these colors are used to identify phytoplankton. Read more...
Scanning Electron Microscopes use electron beams with
wavelengths thousands of times
shorter than visible light,
providing much greater magnification.
Wavelength
Absorption
MIGHTY PHYTOS
Alexandrium tamarense
Eat shellfish? Watch out for this phyto!
Chaetoceros debilis
Very common and potentially harmful
Dinophysis species
Steals pigments and can be toxic!
Emiliania huxleyi
"Hubcaps" help reduce carbon dioxide
Microcystis species
Freshwater species that is harmful
Myrionecta rubra
Dense bloomer can turn waters red
Phaeocystis species
Helps form clouds and beach foam
Prochlorococcus species
Tiniest phyto is huge primary producer
Protoperidinium divergens
Deadly beauty? Can be toxic and glow
Rhizosolenia species
Moves nitrogen from depth to surface
Synechococcus species
Thrives where other phytos fail
Trichodesmium species
Key source of nitrogen for food web